Source: myjoyonline.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 Popular actor turned politician, John Dumelo has decried the fact that everything in Ghana is rising but earnings stay stagnant. The cost of living has risen quite astronomically throughout the New Patriotic Partys (NPP) administration, which is led by President Nana Akufo Addo, who appears to have no idea how to run the country. As the position of the poor continues to worsen, there have been protests around the country. As a result, the actor and politician has bemoaned that salaries have not been raised to match the challenge and, eventually, to alleviate the situation. In a separate thread, the attractive father of two claimed that hardworking Ghanaians spend all of their money on food and transportation, leaving them with nothing. Read the tweets below: "Some peoples whole monthly salary is just used for food at work and transport back home.." "Everything is going up except salaries" Source: Eugene Osafo-Nkansah/Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Controversial actress Tracey Boakye has proven that she is not called East Legon Landlady for nothing. Tracey who was a special guest at Shugatitis birthday showered the birthday celebrant with $100 notes. Abena Serwaa Frimpong Manso aka Shugatiti, a Ghanaian nudist/Socialite climaxed her birthday with a private dinner at the Kempinski Hotel on Tuesday evening, June 16, 2022. The dinner attended by selected friends including some notable faces like; Tracey Boakye, Kwaku Manu, Akwaboah, and Gambo. Climax at the gathering was when it was time to cut her butt-inspired birthday cake which has since caused a stir on social media. Shugatitis birthday cake was baked in a form of a butt, spotted with a white thong and some waist beads. Tracey Boakye who says she is Shugatiti's godmother and Akwaboah helped in cutting Shugatitis controversial cake while others looked on and took pictures and videos of it. Watch the full video below: Source: Eugene Osafo-Nkansah/Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video PRESS RELEASE: DBDtools FEATURES Magnetic Remote Adjustable Limit Switch Automatic operation with Auto-Stop Effortless 360 Rotation Quick-Adjust Clamp Handle Power Plug on Top and Bottom Modular Add-Ons Specifications: Lifting Capacity: 40 kg / 90 lbs Maximum Lifting Height: 185 cm / 6'1" Lifting / Lowering Speed: 6 m/min Average Lift Time: 5 s Power Plug Location: Top and Bottom Weight: 87 kg (42 kg Stand / 45 kg Plate) Price: 2290 excl. VAT Available From / Regions: July 20th 2022, EU Availability: About DBDtools: You can find us at Eurobike 2022 in Frankfurt, from July 13th through 17th, check out E-Billy and have a chat with us, we're always excited to exchange stories with the biking community! In the last couple of years, e-bikes have been growing in popularity immensely. Like with anything, some people love them, and some people hate them. But theres something nobody loves lifting them into repair stands to work on them. Especially for professional mechanics, who must lift bikes tens of times a day, this is far from ideal. Thats why we set out to create the perfect lifting solution and present to you E-Billy, our new electric repair stand. A combination of advanced features, high speed and reliability makes it stand out as the ultimate solution for bike shops.Working together with bike mechanics, E-Billy was designed to address the drawbacks of existing solutions. The main focus was on speed and ease of use - at the time of this writing we believe E-Billy to be the fastest electric repair stand on the market by a fair margin, saving valuable time every time a bike is lifted. A custom made clamping system with in-house CNC machined components provides secure clamping of bikes and intuitive operation. Stability is provided by a heavy metal base plate and an extruded aluminum column. A number of safety features ensure operator and bike safety.- With a holding bracket on either side of the clamp- For setting the preferred working height from 100 cm to 185 cm. Alternatively, it can be moved out of the way and the stand operated with the remote- Holding a button on the remote moves the stand slowly for clamping a bike or making small adjustments. Single-pressing a button on the remote lifts or lowers the bike in automatic mode. Upon touching the ground, E-Billy stops automatically- The quick release rotation mechanism provides extremely easy angle adjustments. The rotation lever requires very little force and is often the favorite mechanical feature of users- A flip of the clamp handle closes the clamp, rotation finishes the clamping- With a bracket to hold the power supply unit- A range of additional equipment to make your workday easier - clamp extension, towel holder, USB charger, laptop/tablet holder, tool tray, parts tray, small parts organizerYou can order E-Billy from July 20th 2022 straight from dbd-tools.com starting at 2290 plus VAT. We are currently only shipping to EU countries but will be looking to expand our offerings in the future.We are a young company located in Slovenia started by three engineering friends and passionate mountain bikers. With our combined knowledge and experience in bike repair, manufacturing, electronics and business we set out to create an exciting new product for the bike industry. Our products are, with the exception of electronic components, assembled from domestically-sourced or in-house made components, which allows for a greater control over quality. Utilizing a direct-sales model, we pride ourselves on customer support and can offer a better product at competitive prices.For more information visit our website: dbd-tools.com Updated after the race: Matthew Fairbrother is a beauty of a 17-year-old from Christchurch, New Zealand. This is his first timeoutside of New Zealand and he's in Europe all by himself.Adaptable, practical, humble, and goddam stubborn, Matt is on a mission to complete all the European rounds of the 2022 Enduro World Series. To make the most of his money, Matt aims to bikepack between all the rounds until October. Short on funds, he won't be competing in the three North American rounds, but we have a feeling this resourceful young lad will get there in due time. For now, he is setting some incredible feats of endurance on his way to the races and he's already inspired pro and amateurs alike with his amazing journey so far.We caught up with Matthew the day before round 2 of the EWS in Petzen, Austria.Matt goes Top 10 at EWS with dislocated finger.After only two days off the bike, Matt goes top 10 in the U21 at the EWS. Although it didnt go smoothly with a dislocated pinky finger on Stage 2 putting him back into 18th. Medics taped and put the finger back in place allowing Matt to fight back strong with a 10th, 7th, and 14th for the remaining stages.In typical Matt fashion It was great but I had more to give, I had to stop twice down the last stage as I physically couldnt hold on with the pain in my hand.Hes now getting ready to leave tonight for Italy Its pretty short in comparison, so Im not even sure if Ill even change tyres but will see how far we go tonight as its been really hot today and I haven't been able to eat or drink enough as I'd like.Wishing Matt the best on his short 366km trip to Canazei and hope the finger holds. So Matt, it's your first time ever travelling overseas, and you've done it all by yourself, what did you tell your parents you were doing? Ha I don't know the answer to that. It feels like months ago. I told them what I wanted to do. They definitely thought it was a bit stupid, but I told them my intentions. They also had confidence in me, and I had confidence in myself. And we were off. They were also comfortable knowing that there were people looking after me along the way. So I think they saw the point in it. Which was to make the most of the money I have while in Europe for this season, and have a bit of an adventure. What's the goal for this season? Invest my money into learning - in this instance it isn't necessarily about getting quick in-between the tape, it's about learning life skills, travelling with the bike and seeing places. And also seeing where the adventure takes me, that's what it's all about. According to your Strava, your longest ride was 348km while Everesting in Christchurch last year. You can punch out the big single days, but how much multi-day stuff have you done? This was first ever multi-day - I really chucked myself in the deep end. I didn't know how it would go, didn't know how my body would cope, and didn't know it would exactly work. I just had to make it up as it went. So how has the body gone? The first two days were hard immediately after I left Scotland. I had no sleep and was covered in midgie bites after the first night. I wanted to be efficient so went to sleep for an hour, without unpacking the tent. Turns out it was next to a lake, but in the dark I couldn't see it. I was not having a good time. But once I got to the Netherlands I was able to wind it up and punch the k's out. You left at 6pm right after you finished the Tweed Valley EWS, tell me about that transition and the night that followed? So I finished the race [Ed: Matt finished an impressive 11th in U21 ). I had a mechanical on the last stage. I snapped the mech off, into my spokes by hitting a rock halfway down. It was quite a panic as I couldn't pedal. But I got a new mech sorted out thanks to the SRAM team. The next issue was that I had no bike packing bags. Luckily, within 30 minutes of the race ending, the owner of Deviate had bought me some bike bags, a tent, cooking gear and the things I'd need. So by 5:30pm we were good to go.I'd only fully committed to riding the whole way the Monday of the week before. I ordered the gear on Monday night, it was supposed to arrive Wednesday but it didn't. Then the UK had a two-day holiday on Thursday and Friday for Jubilee weekend, which meant my bags were only going to arrive on Monday at the earliest. And you didn't want to wait until Monday to get pedalling? Ha nope, I couldn't afford to wait because I just wanted to get into it and wanted to make it to watch the Short Track XC in Leogang on Friday. So you pedal overnight to make the ferry. Tell us about calling your parents at 3am in the morning? 2.5 hours after finishing the EWS, Matt makes a start for the ferry After two near sleepless nights, Matt tears across Europe Yep, I turned up to the ferry and the person at the check-in said I wasn't allowed on the ferry because I was too young, and needed to be 18 to get onboard independently. They said my options were either talk to her manager or just forfeit the ticket. So I talked to the manager who said I needed to call my mum and dad, and have them email a photocopy of their passport and written permission so I could board. I tried to that, but I was having issues getting a hold of them because it was 3am in New Zealand and I didn't have any data on my phone, so just started calling whoever I could. In the end I got a hold of someone's data in the ferry line, and connected through to them to send their passport and written consent. It came through 10 minutes before the boat left, definitely the most stressful moment. If I missed that ferry, I would've lost a whole day and wasted the midgie sleep the night before. From the ferry you then rode for 5 days in a row, tell us about where you've been sleeping. It sounds like the ferry wasn't your best sleep ever. Yeah, the lows were the nights in the wet. I'd say I averaged 2 - 4 hour of sleep each of those nights. I had a bit of a mix. Some nights I'd been offered a bed and was able to have shower which was amazing. That was only two nights, but that was perfect. It was actually awkward, because I'd arrive at like 2am soaking and tired, and then leave before they even woke up. I didn't get much sleep before landing in Europe either because I was battling midges one night and sea sickness on the overnight boat that I had planned to sleep on. The other nights I was in the bushes, and only one night in the tent. Oh and one night in the pivot bus, but that wasn't much of a sleep. What have you been eating? I was quite careful because I had my whole life on my bike, I was only going to gas stations in small towns. I was living off small gas station food. Which consisted of Coca-Cola, chocolate and gummy bears. And yep, that's it. So hang on, 74 hours of riding in 6 days only on gas station food? Yep, so day 4 I was battling. I spent the whole day before running off the sour lollies with sugar on the outside. My tongue had been pulled apart by the sugar on the outside. So after that I moved to the gummy bears with sugar only on the inside. I wouldn't change it - it was so hard to eat while riding. For the size, I felt like I got a lot out of it. It's the way to go for me when spending big days in the saddle. Tell us about what and how you're carry things on your bike? And what did you change? The only thing I changed from the race set-up was the tyres - I took off the mountain bike tyres and put on some slicks. Other than that the set-up is the exact same as the EWS race bike. For bags, it was just whatever I was given. It was quite a good set up to be honest even though I didn't have much of a choice. It was bar, seat, top tube - everything on the bike. Nothing on my back. That's essential. Obviously no chamois? Matt's biggest day so far, pushing to get to Leogang in time to watch short track XC Matt at home in Christchurch Photo: Dominic Blissett @__blissfield__ No chamois. How does the high pivot affect the pedalling efficiency while bike packing? It's definitely an advantage aye - there's heaps of cobbles. If you're going to do it I think you need a high pivot. It just eats the cobbles. How have you been navigating? I've just been pulling out my phone at each intersection. The furthest south I've been the less bike paths I've been on, but there's also been a safe option to take that's not on a busy road. It's bloody mint riding over this side of the world. What is the weight of the bike loaded versus unloaded? It's 15.5kg unloaded. It's between 31.5kg and 34.5kg loaded, depending on how full the gas tank is. I understand you bought, built and maintain each piece on your bike with your own cash? Yeah kind of, Deviate sponsored me the frame, but all the parts I bought in New Zealand on discount and built up the bike myself. Tell us about the support you've gotten since you started pedalling? The support has been insane. In Leogang, people were just giving me food. People have just offered beds for me to sleep in. Lots of people have let me know to reach out if I need help. I couldn't ask for any more, it's been amazing. Any people you'd like to particularly thank? The SRAM team here - especially when I smashed my bike in Tweed Valley. And the whole bike community. Doing this, I've found out how welcoming the community is. There's not a single person who doesn't want to help each other. The biggest thanks goes out the people in the sport who make it what it is. What are your goals after this season for the years ahead? I wanted to go overseas early so I could learn how it works. I've got few more years in U21, so hoping by the end of it I'm at the pointy end of the field. I'm hoping to get some low numbers next my name. The end goal is to get enough support so I don't have to pedal between all the races maybe...We wish Matt all the best in his travels to the rest of the European rounds. You can follow Matt and his adventures on his Instagram and we're sure he won't mind if any potential supporters slide into his DMs! There are so many bikes out there and each offers a different experience. So how do you pick one to stick with? What's that saying? Win on Sunday, sell on Monday. But is that (consciously) a factor in your buying decision? How do you decide which bike to buy? (Assuming you could actually get hold of the bike you wanted.) Professional reviews User-generated reviews Advice from friends or bike shops Experience of bikes you've already owned Demos and test rides Race wins and podiums Marketing Responses: 10077 Faves: 0 Comments: 3 For most of us, buying a mountain bike is one of the biggest purchases we'll ever make after a house or a car. In fact, the bike could cost more than a car. Current supply chain issues notwithstanding, there are lots of options out there within each category, and I can tell you that no two bikes ride the same. So if you're planning to stick with one bike for the long haul, how do you decide which one to choose?Imagine you were looking to purchase a new primary mountain bike. How would you go about sorting through all the options? Obviously, right now your choices would be limited by what you can actually get hold of, but try to ignore that for now.I'm clearly biased, but to me, looking at professional bike reviews, ideally from multiple testers, seems like a good place to start. Professional reviewers get to test many bikes, so they have a sense of how each bike stacks up against its rivals. The downside of swapping between bikes is that we can't say much about long-term reliability.If the bike has been around for a while, you could also look at consumer reviews. Where many reviews are available, it is possible to get a sense of common problems, but because user reviews are written by people who have handed over hard-earned cash, they are almost by definition biased in favour of the bike they're reviewing (otherwise, they would've bought something else).You might also ask your mates or the staff in a local bike shop, or go on the experience of the bikes you've owned before and extrapolate from that. For example, if your current bike feels a little small, you might want to try a slightly longer one next time.The best option might be to try and demo some of the bikes on your shortlist to get a feel for them first-hand. This isn't always possible, and another problem can be that the bike setup - particularly the suspension and cockpit - can have a huge effect on how the bike handles, and there usually isn't time to get this perfected before you go for a test ride. If the setup isn't quite right, it could make your ideal bike ride underwhelmingly.Of course, you could just look at the results of the World Cup or EWS race circuit. If a bike's winning races it must be good, right?So which tools do you use to decide which bike to buy? Argentina's Federico Roberto Wins MSPT Venetian $1,100 Main Event ($294,327) June 16, 2022 Liam Gannon After just over five and a half hours of play on Day 3 of the Mid-States Poker Tour (MSPT) Venetian $1,100 Main Event, it was Argentina's Federico Roberto who bested Robert Shega heads up to claim $294,327 and his first MSPT. The Argentinian player, whos lifetime earnings prior to the win totaled $74,124 according to The Hendon Mob, nearly quadrupled his lifetime earnings by conquering a 2,154-entry field, which surpassed the $1,5 million guarantee by offering up a $2,078,610 prize pool. When the final hand came down, Roberto chanted for joy as he rushed to his family and child on the rail, holding them in a long embrace. He started his heads-up match with at massive chip deficit, and after turning down an even chop, he played for the win, capturing it in one of the toughest and largest MSPT fields of all time. MSPT Venetian $1,100 Main Event Final Table Results Place Player Country Prize 1st Federico Roberto Argentina $294,327 2nd Robert Shega United States $219,085 3rd Jake Bazeley United States $153,817 4th Valentin Oberhauser France $114,324 5th Joshua Suyat United States $85,223 6th Jimmy Setna United States $62,358 7th Quy Dao United States $49,887 8th Richard Kirsch United States $39,701 9th James Gilbert United States $32,011 Final Day Action MSPT Venetian Final Table It took roughly two levels to get down to the final table in the early goings of the day. It was John Walker who ended up being eliminated in tenth place when his ace-ten ran into Robertos ace-queen. He found no improvement and exited the tournament in tenth place for $32,011. Action at the final table began with fireworks as it was World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet winner James Gilbert who ended up getting his chips in with pocket nines against Joshua Suyats ace-king. Big Slick rivered a Broadway straight and Gilbert ended up leaving the tournament in ninth place for $32,011. Richard Kirsch was next to go in eighth place for $39,701. He was unable to gain much traction at the final table and eventually got in his chips with jack-ten against Suyats ace-king and was unable to improve. After that it was Quy Dao who went out when he lost a race with ace-king against the pocket tens of Roberto. The flop went double paired and the pocket tens held up to send Dao out of the tournament in seventh place for $49,887. Jimmy Setna began the day as one of the short stacks and was on the good end of a few key double-ups. His run came to an end however when he moved all in with pocket kings, only to get looked up by Jake Bazeleys pocket threes, which would flop a third three on the board. Setna wished his table mates luck and exited in sixth place for $62,358. Suyat went out next when he moved his entire stack into the center with six-seven suited against Robertos aces. Despite flopping a gutshot, he could not find the final card to help him and he would take home $85,233 for his fifth place finish. The Day 1a chip leader Valentin Oberhauser ended up getting in his top pair of queens with a ten kicker in against Shegas two pair of queens and fives on the turn. The river brought no help to Oberhauser and he left the tournament in fourth place for $114,324. Just one hand later, Bazeley moved his 20 big blinds into the center with ace-eight against a raise of Shega, who snap-called him holding ace-king. The board did nothing to help Bazeley and he left the tournament in third place for $153,817. Shega started the heads-up match with a massive chip lead and while a deal was offered, both players wanted to play for the trophy, so no agreement was made. A few preflop wars went back and forth between the players, but then a key hand unfolded when all of the chips went in preflop with Shegas ace-four against Robertos jack-seven. Roberto hit a seven to stay alive, the stacks flipped, and it was Shega who was on the short stack. Shega ended up finishing in second place when he got his king-two in against the ace-eight of Roberto, and although Shega flopped a king, it was a Broadway straight that ran out to give Roberto the win. Shega took home $219,085 for his impressive runner-up finish. Congratulations to Federico Roberto for taking down the MSPT Venetian for his first MSPT title and $294,327. Thank you to all who played and thank you for reading the updates, only here on PokerNews. The MSPT is slated to return to Venetian Las Vegas from September 3-5. Visit msptpoker.com for more information. Sharelines Argentina's Federico Roberto topped 2,154-entry field to win the @msptpoker @venetianpoker for $294K. U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., has requested $18 million to fund upgrades at two Aiken County water facilities. Graham announced Monday that he had requested $10 million to fund an Aiken County waste water treatment plant and $8 million for a water treatment plant upgrade for the city of Aiken. I believe it is important that elected officials have a say in how taxpayer money is spent and not rely on bureaucrats in Washington to protect South Carolinas interests, Graham said in a news release. The funding requests for member-directed spending items are public record. Every person will be able to judge for themselves if these are worthwhile requests. I believe these projects meet those requirements and will pay dividends for our state in the years to come. Aiken County Administrator Clay Killian said the $10 million would go toward further expansion of the Horse Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant. Killian said the plant serves the high-growth area between Aiken and North Augusta and that the front part of the plant has been upgraded to a 26 million gallon per day capacity. Killian said the additional funding would go toward updating the back end of the plant to the same capacity. Graham's request is the second attempt by the county to get money to upgrade the plant. Funding for expanding the plant was included in one version of the state's plan to spend its plutonium settlement funds, but that didn't make it through to compromise plan passed by the House and Senate on June 8. Killian added if Graham's request doesn't work out, the county will seek funding from the state's American Rescue Plan Act funding. Aiken City Manager Stuart Bedenbaugh said the $8 million would go toward the city's construction of a $45 million water treatment plant to replace its current facility that was build in 1954. He said the new facility would be located across from the existing facility and a combination of city-reserves, funds from a water rate increase and borrowing would fund the facility. Bedenbaugh also said there was the possibility of getting a state-grant to fund part of the construction. Ground is expected to be broken about this time next year, and construction would take between a year and a half and two years. Graham's requests still must be approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee, the full Senate, the House of Representatives, and signed into law by President Joe Biden. FILE - School-choice advocate Ellen Weaver smiles during a stop at the Statehouse on Monday, March 7, 2022, in Columbia, S.C. Weaver has received endorsements from a number of officials across South Carolina in her campaign for education superintendent. Twenty airports across South Carolina will share nearly $19 million in Federal Aviation Administration grants for various improvement projects. The bulk of the money $12.6 million will go to the state's four largest airports in Charleston, Columbia, Myrtle Beach and Greenville-Spartanburg. Greenville-Spartanburg International received the largest grant of $4.5 million for apron and taxiway rehabilitation and pavement sealing. Columbia Metropolitan picked up the second-highest amount of $3.3 million for apron reconstruction. Charleston International received $2.5 million to rehabilitate taxiway lighting and terminal building modification. Myrtle Beach International snagged $2.2 million to remove and reconstruct a taxiway. The money for building improvements at Charleston airport will help pay for design work on proposed changes to the terminal, according to spokesman Spencer Pryor. Airport official are studying the expansion of the ticket counter to accommodate more airlines and the addition of a third wing to add more gates to what is traditionally the state's busiest airport annually. The rest of the money about $6.3 million will be divided among several smaller county and regional airfields across South Carolina. The funding is part of the FAA's allotment of more than $518 million through 416 grants to airports across the nation. The money will help pay for a variety of projects such as construction of new and improved airport facilities, repairs to runways and taxiways, maintenance of airfield elements like lighting or signage, and equipment purchases needed to operate and maintain airports. "In communities of all sizes, airports are vital to local economies, sustaining jobs and getting people and goods where they need to go," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. "Were pleased to announce this important funding to help improve airports around the country and better serve all Americans." It's the FAA's second round of funding this year through the FAA's Airport Improvement Program. So far, the federal agency has awarded $1.1 billion of the total $3.2 billion available during the current federal budget year. A former executive director at Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum is temporarily returning to the top job at the Mount Pleasant military attraction as a search begins for a new leader. The Patriots Point Development Authority voted unanimously June 17 to name Mac Burdette as its interim director. He starts next Thursday. He'll be taking the helm from Rorie Cartier, who announced June 1 that he will step down by the end of the month after about a year in the top role, citing "personal and family needs." He did not elaborate. Burdette spent nine years at the helm of the waterfront maritime attraction before retiring in 2019. Previously, he was the longtime town administrator for Mount Pleasant. Burdette, who retired in mid-2019, said his time at Patriots Point was the "most enjoyable" of his career, adding that it's "an honor" to "serve aboard these historic ships again." Wayne Adams, the development authority's vice chairman, said the newly named interim director led the state-owned museum during some of its "most successful years." We are confident in his ability to manage Patriots Point as we conduct a thorough search process for a permanent executive director," Adams said in a statement. Burdette's compensation was not immediately available Friday, During his last tenure, he and the board negotiated a 99-year lease with a Charleston company to develop about 60 acres of the museum property to help generate extra income to help maintain the aging fleet of ships and other expenses. The Patriots Annex project is still in the planning stages. The search for a new long-term leader will be the museum's second since early 2019, when Burdette announced he was retiring. His successor was Larry Murray, a former deputy director for legislative affairs for the S.C. Department of Motor Vehicles who served in the role for about two years before stepping down in spring 2021. Cartier was hired 13 months ago. The development authority's June 17 meeting was Cartier's last as executive director. Like most U.S. tourist attractions, Patriots Point suffered from a steep drop in attendance after being forced to close during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in the spring of 2020, but demand began to pick up last year. The rebound has continued into 2022, officials have said. COLUMBIA Shelters across South Carolina are overflowing as the number of animals rises for the second time since 2020. More animals arriving at shelters in the summer is not unusual as more people go on vacation or move, said Victoria Riles, superintendent of Columbia Animal Services. And shelters have been at higher capacity since fewer animals are being spayed and neutered as COVID-19 took most of the attention of medical professionals, said Abigail Appleton, chief projects officer at North Charleston-based No Kill South Carolina. But shelter owners have said overcrowding is worse than ever before with a shortage of veterinarians and fewer people willing to temporarily house animals, commonly known as fostering. The overcapacity has been going on since the winter. We're overwhelmed and trying to do the best that we can but the animals ultimately are going to suffer, said Denise Wilkinson, chief executive of Columbia's Pawmetto Lifeline. Seventy percent of the 75 shelters in South Carolina dont have a dedicated veterinarian, Wilkinson said. Without one, it's harder to give away dogs since state law says any dog that is adopted must be fixed. This creates a growing number of dogs in shelters. Pawmetto Lifeline had 177 animals in a building meant for 150 on June 13. To fit the extra animals, they had to store their animals in an area meant for training dogs. On May 27, Columbia Animal Services declared a state of emergency on its social media pages. It had 192 dogs in its building, which has 148 dog kennels. Almost all of their kennels had a dog or two in them on June 14. One dog was in a cage in a room meant for playing with cats. Cheryl Price, an animal control officer at Calhoun County Animal Shelter, said the shelter has been at capacity for the past year and a half with 18 kennels. She said whenever a dog is adopted, two or three are waiting to take its place. It's just mentally and physically exhausting. Your mind never shuts down, Price said. As more dogs arrive at shelters, the threat of diseases spreading increases. Joe Elmore, president and CEO of Charleston Animal Society, said more dogs are coming to their shelter in North Charleston with distemper, a virus that is usually incurable, fatal and highly transmissible. State law also says dogs admitted to a shelter must be held for five days. The growing number of animals also can result in an increase in dogs being put down, according to Shelly Simmons, director of Greenville County Animal Care. She said that the shelter usually puts down dogs with moderate to severe behavioral or health problems. Now, she said they're having to put down dogs with only mild problems. They could become healthy if we had the space and the time, Simmons said. Multiple shelters either lowered or removed adoption fees for some time. Columbia Animal Services waived all adoption fees last week and Greenville County Animal Care has free adoptions for all of June. It really is still only a Band-Aid to the bigger problem, which is, the number of pets that are coming into the shelter, Simmons said. Pawmetto Lifeline has lowered its fees for three days earlier in June and opened up two hours early June 11 to get more people to take their animals. Wilkinson said they were considering opening early again on June 18. One way Pawmetto Lifeline and other shelters reduce their capacity is by getting people to take cats and dogs home temporarily. The group, however, has a list of several hundred animals waiting to be put into foster care. Despite their pushes on social media and their deals, though, Wilkinson said they received a very small response from anyone willing to temporarily house an animal. Many of the dogs filling up shelters are pit bulls and pit bulls mix, according to Elmore. Since shelters facing capacity issues won't be able to give the care animals need, this could make dogs more aggressive, Elmore said. Some shelter owners favor stronger spay and neuter laws targeting pitbull-type dogs specifically. "We're all just frustrated with having to put them down because there's so many flooding the shelters now," Elmore said. The S.C. Department of Education has placed Jasper County School District under special monitoring, state officials announced June 16. The department plans to review the districts special education programs to ensure students with disabilities are getting the services they are entitled to under federal laws. The heightened review comes after months of complaints by parents about transportation issues. The department has asked Jasper for records relating to the past two years and will create a corrective action plan for the district after reviewing the records, spokesman Ryan Brown said. He added that district administrators have been helpful and responsive so far. Jasper County district officials could not be reached for comment. The focused monitoring began June 3, according to a letter from state officials to Superintendent Rechel Anderson. Focused monitoring is a step above the normal oversight the Education Department does but is below a declaration of a state of emergency. The department conducts reviews of special education programs regularly to ensure compliance. It opens reviews if the department verifies complaints, as happened in Jasper. Sign up for our Education Lab newsletter. Email Sign Up! The review is specifically on special education services, but the bus issues are the root cause of most if not all of the issues, according to Brown. A separate review of transportation services for all students is also ongoing. When students werent provided transportation, they missed out on services they are entitled to receive. In such cases, the district is obligated to make up that lost time. Jasper hasnt. Nothing was being done to ensure the instruction they missed and the services they may require were being provided to them, Brown said. He called the issues in Jasper "severe." The state has asked for the district to provide the requested documents immediately so state officials can craft a plan to get the district back in compliance as quickly as possible. 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 Presiding Bishop Michael Curry, leader of the global Episcopal Church, was at his North Carolina home the afternoon of June 16 when he received a disturbing text message: A shooting had taken place at an Episcopal church in Alabama. The incident has since claimed three lives. The next day, Curry stood in the sanctuary of Emanuel AME Church in downtown Charleston alongside several faith and political leaders. June 17 marked the seventh anniversary of the 2015 massacre that claimed the lives of nine people in the basement beneath where they stood. Seven years after the Emanuel tragedy, Curry reflected on the Alabama shooting as a troubling reminder of how hatred and gun violence in America has yet to be stopped. "We, in America, have cultivated a culture of violence," he said. "I'm here to recommit myself and the Episcopal Church to the work of, not ending a scourge today, but ending a plague so there will be a tomorrow." A group of religious leaders, elected officials and family members of the victims of the Emanuel tragedy marked the anniversary of the Charleston shooting by urging for a spiritual transformation in the nation. They also urged national lawmakers to do something to help end gun violence. On Friday, a group of religious and political leaders was convened by the Rev. James A. Forbes Jr., senior minister emeritus of The Riverside Church in New York. They came together to launch a week of events aimed at commemorating the June 17, 2015, tragedy. On that day, white supremacist Dylann Roof entered the Emanuel AME Church during a Bible study and killed nine Black people, including the church's pastor. The church annually hosts events in honor of those killed in the racially motivated attack. This will be the first year the church hosts an inaugural national Bible study entitled, "What Kind of Soil Are We? What Soil is God calling us to Become?" The study revisits the scriptural passage in Mark 4, which was the topic of the Bible study examined by the Emanuel parishioners just before they were killed. In the story, Jesus tells a parable of a sower who planted seeds on different types of soil, discovering only the seeds that were thrown upon good soil produced a harvest. Forbes, who preached at Emanuel for the sixth anniversary of the tragedy, said the story applies to Roof in the sense that Roof, though he was at the 2015 Bible study, "could not respond to the parable." Nonetheless, there's still time for Roof, and people like him, to hear God's word and be impacted by the message, Forbes said. "I think God has something more to say," Forbes said. The Rev. Eric Manning, pastor of Emanuel AME, said the study presents a chance for people to "take an inward look at ourselves." As it relates to the contents of the passage, Manning said there are more people in the world "who are really good soil." "They just need to be cultivated," Manning said. The group called for political action as gun violence continues to take place at public spaces, such as grocery stores, houses of worship and schools. At the church, Charleston Mayor John Tecklenburg referenced a press release from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., which spoke to Congress' failure to pass U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn's "Charleston loophole" bill. The legislation from the Columbia Democrat aimed to close a legal loophole which enabled Roof to obtain a firearm he wasnt supposed to be able to purchase. Under current law, commercial firearms transactions cannot go forward until a background check clears. But if the background check is not completed within three days, the government can go ahead with the transfer. Over the past five years, Clyburn has introduced the bill that would give law enforcement 10 days to complete a background check before a gun can be purchased. Clyburn has said if the government had extended the length of time for background checks on guns, Roof wouldnt have been able to buy a weapon, given his criminal history. Tecklenburg said political action, as well as love among people, is needed. "We will further strengthen our resolve to ensure in this nation and around the world that hate won't win," Tecklenburg said. Several event organizers spoke to the need for the church to be on the front line of urging legislators to pass laws that they believe can help address gun violence. Curry said the nation hasn't yet taken mental illness seriously. Additionally, guns are too accessible, the bishop said, adding that "you can get a gun easier than you can get a license to drive a car." He also seemed to imply there isn't a need for civilians to obtain assault-style weapons. "You don't go deer hunting with an assault weapon," Curry said. "Those are for military purposes." There are also spiritual implications, the bishop said. The solution to bigotry and hate is love, Curry said. "If we will reclaim as Americans, as human beings, a commitment to love each other then we can with God's help, heal this land," he said. The group also spoke to the importance of more trauma-informed mental and spiritual care. Among the family members of those killed in the tragedy who attended Friday's event was Brandon Risher. His grandmother, Ethel Lee Lance, was among the nine murdered. Risher, a psychologist, described how he dealt with the personal grief of his losing his grandmother in a tragic event that gained worldwide attention. As mass violence events continue to occur, there will be other impacted families who will have to navigate trauma and grief, he said. It is important for mental health professionals to work with the religious community to offer services to those impacted by mass shootings, Risher said. GEORGETOWN Georgetown County has 269 more acres of protected wilderness with a recent donation by the Yawkey Foundation. The parcel will be added to Georgetown Countys existing Tom Yawkey Wildlife Center, a 24,000-acre protected natural preserve that was originally donated to the S.C. Department of Natural Resources by the former Boston Red Sox owner in 1977, the state agency said. The newly donated Cat Island land contains 161 acres of upland pine and a 108-acre brackish managed wetland. The upland pine stand includes foraging habitat for red-cockaded woodpeckers, a federally endangered species. The brackish managed wetland is used by waterfowl, wading birds and numerous shorebird species. The tract also contains the Belle Isle Rice Mill Chimney, a 33-foot-9-inch high brick structure that has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1983. The chimney is one of two existing rice mill chimneys in Georgetown County. The preserve consists of remote barrier islands, pine forests and waterfowl ponds flush with wildlife and the former hunting preserve owned by Yawkey. The Tom Yawkey Wildlife Center embraces North Island, South Island, and most of Cat Island, three coastal islands located at the mouth of Winyah Bay in Georgetown County. The wildlife preserve is home to hundreds of species of wildlife and is a habitat for migratory birds, eagles, alligators and other endangered species, including the threatened loggerhead sea turtle which nests there. The wildlife center is funded in perpetuity by the Dedham, Mass.-based Yawkey Foundation, according to the release. This year marks the 45th anniversary of the partnership between the state Department of Natural Resources and the Yawkey Foundation. With the benefit of 45 years of hindsight, I can confidently say that Tom Yawkeys gift to South Carolina is indeed priceless, Robert Boyles, director of the Department of Natural Resources said in a statement. GEORGETOWN The Georgetown County Planning Commission voted unanimously June 16 in favor of downzoning a Pawleys Island property owned by Gov. Henry McMaster, whose family has kept a home in the area for more than 80 years. The downzoning involved a vote to transition two Sea Dust Trail lots, one of which is owned by McMaster, from 10,000-square-foot residential to one-acre residential. The current zoning could potentially allow 11 lots on McMaster's 2.78-acre tract. The change would likely limit the number of lots to two. The commission can only make a recommendation on the matter to the Georgetown County Council, which has final say. County documents say it is the intent of McMaster and the owners of the adjacent lot to have their property coincide with the nearby one-acre residential district on Pawleys Island. No public comments were made against the downzoning, but the governor's brother, John, told the commission his family is proud to keep the property in line with nearby lower-density lots in perpetuity. "We could've sold it, subdivided it years ago," John McMaster said. "And we chose not to." Cynthia Ranck Person, speaking as an agent for McMaster, told the commission the family is "very happy to be asking for a downzoning." Commission member Sandra Bundy remarked the downzoning seems like a "wise thing to do" as the lots are both in flood zones, and thus would contain fewer residents if downzoned. "Most of the property along this area is in a flood zone, and (the motion) kind of goes along with keeping people out of harm's way," Bundy said. The governor's office told Georgetown Times it did not have a comment on McMaster's rezoning request. The June 16 meeting marked the second time in just a few months the McMaster family has taken part in Georgetown County Planning Commission proceedings. On April 21, Frank another of the governor's brothers and John McMaster were part of a large group of opponents speaking out against the rezoning of a Pawleys Island lot near the family's Sea Dust Trail home. That rezoning is still in the hands of the Georgetown County Council, which has not voted on the matter as of June 16. The planning commission also took up June 16 a proposal heard in May that would require developments on the Waccamaw Neck of three acres or larger with more than 10 units of housing planned to have at least half of their acreage contain open space. More than a half-hour of comment and discussion resulted in a deferral of the proposal to a later date. Georgetown County Planning Director Holly Richardson unveiled an amendment to the proposal that would lower the open-space requirement to 20 percent on such developments if they contain 20 percent or more workforce or affordable housing. A county document defined affordable housing as "housing affordable to families that do not exceed 80 percent of the median income" and workforce housing as "within the moderate income range of 120 percent of the median income for an area." Whether the amendment will still be part of the proposal when it comes back before the commission at a later date remains to be seen. FLORENCE "Tiger King" star Bhagavan Doc Antle will remain behind bars on money laundering charges while a federal judge determines if he should receive bond after a June 16 detention hearing in Florence. The hearing came two days after Antles lawyers asked to release the Myrtle Beach Safari owner on bond because of his health issues, no prior convictions and the importance of him running the 50-acre tourist attraction located off of S.C. 707 in Socastee. But federal officials detailed reasons for keeping Antle at J. Reuben Long Detention Center in Conway during the hearing including: Antle being a possible flight risk; his ability to obstruct justice by using an incinerator at his safari; and more pending federal charges coming within the next 30 days tied to wildlife trafficking. Antle also faces a pending extradition order out of Virginia for his animal cruelty charges tied to trafficking lion cubs if he were released out on bond, U.S. Assistant Attorney Amy Bower also told U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas Rogers during the hearing. Antle, who was handcuffed in an orange jumpsuit and wearing his signature long hair in a pony-tail during the nearly two-hour hearing, did not address the court but constantly spoke to his lawyers at the defense table. Rogers told Bower to respond to Antles previous motion for bond in writing within 24 hours before he told the court that he would take any possible bond for Antle into consideration. Rogers did not give a timetable when he would make a ruling. The government called one witness during the detention hearing, FBI Agent Timothy Quigley, who was part of the investigation that ultimately led to Antles arrest on charges of money laundering more than $500,000 out of the Myrtle Beach Safari. Bower asked Quigley questions on whether the FBI thought Antle was a flight risk and if he had the ability to obstruct justice. Quigley testified that Antle told a confidential informant that he knows someone who can make IDs from dead peoples social security numbers. In the hours after Antle was arrested by the FBI, Quigley said a bank account in Antles name was drained of more than $739,000. Thats a lot of money to have, Quigley said. Antles lawyer Andy Moorman countered in his closing that the animal handler was in jail at the time federal officials said the bank account was drained. Quigley also testified that Antle has many connections across the world, including in South Africa where he is revered. All he would have to do is make a phone call, Quigley said. Moorman countered that Antle has lived at his Socastee home for 28 years, noting his ties to the area, although federal officials alleged during the hearing that Antle has multiple properties, including a home in Miami. Asked about Antles ability to obstruct justice, Quigley testified that he has an incinerator at the Myrtle Beach Safari, which Moorman countered is used to cremate deceased animals. I cant even fathom the amount of evidence that could be placed in the incinerator, Quigley said. Antle, 62, and Safari employee Andrew Sawyer, 52, were arrested by the FBI on June 3 on charges of money laundering out of the popular 50-acre tourist attraction located off of S.C. 707 in Socastee. A third man, William Dallis, a building contractor from Murrells Inlet, also was arrested in connection with the case and charged with money laundering. Dallis was released on a $75,000 bond on June 6, an additional point that Antles lawyers pointed out in a 12-page motion submitted to the court for bond consideration. Like Antle, Sawyer remains at J. Reuben Long Detention Center. All three men are facing up to 20 years in federal prison if convicted. The money laundering case has received national attention because Antle was featured on the hit Netflix series "Tiger King," about animal handler and zoo operator Joe Exotic, who was sent to prison in a plot to kill a rival, Carole Baskin. Antle has also been a controversial figure among animal rights advocates who have accused him of mistreating lions and other wildlife, including allowing people to hold the animals at Myrtle Beach Safari. The Myrtle Beach Safari owner has received more than 35 U.S. Department of Agriculture violations over the years for mistreating animals, and he is facing an Oct. 31 trial on animal cruelty charges in Virginia tied to trafficking lion cubs, but has never been convicted. Fellow "Tiger King" star Carole Baskin tweeted after the hearing, "Seeing him caged is, in my opinion, karma in action." Kingstree, SC (29556) Today Showers this evening then scattered thunderstorms developing overnight. Low 69F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%.. Tonight Showers this evening then scattered thunderstorms developing overnight. Low 69F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%. MYRTLE BEACH Members of the region's main LGBTQ+ rights group plan to demonstrate at the upcoming Horry County Council meeting in response to the council's decision to rescind its PRIDE month resolution. The demonstration will start at 5:15 p.m. June 21. Members of the Grand Strand PRIDE chapter plan to surround the Horry County Government and Justice Center in Conway. The Horry County Council meeting starts at 6 p.m. that day. County Council voted June 7 to quietly rescind its resolution declaring June 2022 as PRIDE month in the county. The council had initially approved the proclamation in late May. Plans for the demonstration were announced before the second annual PRIDE festival June 16. The demonstration is meant to show the council that LGBTQ+ people live throughout the county, said Grand Strand PRIDE Co-Founder Terry Livingston. He encouraged members and allies of the LGBTQ+ community to attend and show their support. "We ask council to reinstate the PRIDE month resolution and make it retroactive back to June 1, even if it means doing it next month in July," Livingston said. "We simply want to create a peaceful and safe visual event to illustrate, 'We live all over Horry County, you also represent us and we matter, too.'" The rescinded resolution proclaimed support for the LGBTQ+ community's contributions to the county's economy, academics and arts. The resolution had noted that the state's fourth-largest county "is dedicated to ensuring that everyone is empowered to live their life freely" and "encourages citizens to recognize, celebrate and accept the ongoing efforts and contributions of the LGBTQ+ community by building a culture of inclusiveness and acceptance." The county passed the Pride Month designation on May 17 along with a number of other resolutions with a single quick voice vote. At the June 7 meeting, Councilman Danny Hardee, who represents a large rural area in the central part of the county, asked the council to rescind its approval of "Resolution 51-2022" without mentioning its topic, which was the Pride Month designation. Council Chairman Johnny Gardner called for a voice vote, which got a few "yeas" and the Pride Month designation was rescinded. "We hope they have had time to consider the effect of their actions on other citizens of the county and make inclusion, diversity and equality a part of the county," Livingston said. "Should they all vote against this again, we will have to see what actions we can take to educate our leaders on the importance of this issue." Hardee and Gardner did not respond to a request for comment. Charleston, SC (29403) Today Partly cloudy this evening with more clouds for overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low around 75F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight Partly cloudy this evening with more clouds for overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low around 75F. Winds light and variable. Hong Kong: Case surge not alarming: CE (To watch the full media session with sign language interpretation, click here.) Chief Executive Carrie Lam today said that the upward trend of daily COVID-19 cases is not alarming yet and the Government will closely monitor the situation. At a media session, Mrs Lam told reporters that the number of daily confirmed positive COVID-19 cases has escalated to over 1,000 these past few days, but such trend is not unexpected. I have to stress that this sort of upward trend of cases, according to the experts, is not unexpected, because we have almost returned to normalcy as far as social activities are concerned, so in a way this is not an alarm bell yet, but we would closely, closely monitor the situation. She said that despite the surge of cases, there is no need to appeal to the central government for assistance for the time being. The central governments involvement in fighting the COVID-19 epidemic is, when the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government needed help, they would almost immediately give us the help we needed in various forms and you have already seen this at least on several occasions. But on this occasion, in responding to another question, I said that we have sufficient supply of community isolation facilities, testing capacity, and anti-viral oral drugs, so, I do not see the need to appeal to the central government for any assistance or support for the time being. In view of the developments of the epidemic situation, the government announced today that bureaus and departments will step up the use of COVID-19 rapid antigen tests (RATs) for government employees with a view to cutting the hidden transmission chains as early as possible. The Government will require particular government employees to conduct RATs regularly or on a needs basis. This story has been published on: 2022-06-17. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. North Augusta, SC (29801) Today Cloudy skies early with scattered thunderstorms developing late. Low near 70F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight Cloudy skies early with scattered thunderstorms developing late. Low near 70F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%. COLUMBIA Democrat Joe Cunningham expected to win. But even his campaign was blown away by how thoroughly he trounced his competition across South Carolina to be able to take on Republican Gov. Henry McMaster in November. It's a testament to the power of TV, said his senior adviser, Tyler Jones. "Some of the biggest takeaways from this primary are TV works, and legislators aren't as well-known as they think they are, even in their own communities," he said. In the five-way Democratic gubernatorial primary June 14, the former congressman from Charleston won 32 of South Carolina's 46 counties, easily avoiding a runoff with second-place finisher, veteran state Sen. Mia McLeod of Columbia. After comparatively raising just a quarter of Cunningham's $1.9 million fundraising haul, McLeod ran no TV ads. She also wasn't as visible on the campaign trail, choosing to do many of her events virtually. Other events she attended in person weren't publicized by her campaign ahead of time, which she told The Post and Courier was a decision made early on for her security, saying she worried being a Black female made her a target. Her campaign declined to contribute to this article. But after conceding primary night, McLeod told reporters she wouldn't change a thing in how she ran. In the end, Cunningham took 56.5 percent of the vote statewide, while the Columbia legislator trailed by more than 25 percentage points, according to unofficial results that will be certified June 17. A deeper dive into the results shows why Cunningham took the early lead as vote counts came in and never fell behind. For starters, Cunningham, who lives in West Ashley, didn't just win the counties he represented in Congress from 2018-20, he dominated in the 1st District, taking more than 83 percent of the votes in Berkeley, Dorchester and Charleston counties. In Beaufort County, he received 78 percent. And those aren't counties with small populations. Charleston County had the second-highest number of voters in the Democratic primary, with nearly 24,000. "We knew we'd win Charleston, but I don't know that I've ever seen anyone get 83 percent in a competitive primary," Jones said. "Where people knew Joe, they voted for Joe overwhelmingly." Sign up for updates! Get the latest political news from The Post and Courier in your inbox. Email Sign Up! But name recognition from Cunningham's single term in Congress can't explain his dominance elsewhere. He even won counties with a large percentage of Black voters, despite McLeod touting her historic candidacy as the first Black female running for governor and contrasting Cunningham as just another "Republican-lite" White male Democrat who would lose in November. Cunningham won Orangeburg County by 61 percent; Williamsburg County by 67 percent. The county with the most primary voters more than 27,000 was the Democratic stronghold of Richland County, which gave Cunningham a 19-percentage-point lead, despite it being McLeod's home turf and the anchor of her state Senate seat. McLeod won just five of her Senate district's 33 precincts, the biggest spread by 23 votes. She won her own precinct by five votes. While McLeod touted winning five consecutive elections, starting with her House seat in 2010, both her House and Senate districts are considered safe wins for Democrats. Unlike Cunningham, who repeatedly reminded voters he flipped the 1st District blue for the first time in 40 years, McLeod never flipped a seat. And she ran for open seats in both chambers, meaning she never challenged an incumbent. She has never previously needed to introduce herself to voters on TV to win. Most voters who were willing to talk to The Post and Courier at polling places in McLeod's district on June 14 said they were voting for Cunningham. Several said they knew nothing about their local senator or the three other long-shot hopefuls on the ballot: Carlton Boyd and Calvin CJ Mack McMillan, also of Columbia, and William Cowboy Williams of Florence. "I didn't know we'd win by 20 points, but I knew we'd win because we were communicating and she's not," Jones said about Richland County. "The fact was, Joe Cunningham was on TV, and Mia McLeod was not." McLeod performed best in the Pee Dee, taking 80 percent of the vote in Marlboro County, where she was born and raised, and as she told voters in her introductory remarks her family has operated a funeral home business for 108 years. Other places where she beat Cunningham include the surrounding Pee Dee counties of Chesterfield, Darlington, Dillon, Marion and Florence, where she was in the lead with between 42 percent and 57 percent and where name recognition extended beyond the funeral business. Even if voters didn't know McLeod or Cunningham, they likely recognized her last name, which adorns Florence's hospital and a major farming operation based in McBee known for its peaches and strawberries. But those counties had far fewer voters than where Cunningham won by big spreads. Fewer than 2,250 people total voted in the contest in Marlboro County. Cunningham didn't run ads in the Florence/Myrtle Beach TV market. Nor did he run ads in the Charlotte or Augusta markets, which helps explain why she won in the Charlotte suburbs of York and Lancaster counties, as well as Chester, and Aiken County across the border from Augusta. "Where people knew Joe, they voted for him," Jones said. "Where they didn't, it was a game of eenie meanie miny mo." Two days after Republican U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace won her South Carolina GOP primary, she stopped and paused on her way to the stage, embracing Katie Arrington, the woman who for months fought to defeat her. The pair who had called themselves fighters during the campaign called a truce in the political war between them, holding each other close in front of hundreds of applauding Republicans at the Harbour Club in downtown Charleston. Seconds ticked by. Arrington said something in Mace's ear. Mace said something back. The audience, which was on its feet, continued to cheer. The election was now officially over. Mace had defeated Arrington by nearly 9 points. And for South Carolina Republicans in the state's 1st Congressional District, it was time on June 16 to unify behind their party's nominee. "It's really simple: When Republicans unify, there's no way a Democrat can win," Arrington said, stressing "and we have to unify. And I know that may be hard right now. But guys, one team, one fight. Let's remember that." Mace will face Democrat Annie Andrews, a Charleston pediatrician, in November. Already, the fight for the 1st District is underway. At the same time Mace and Arrington urged their party to unite, Andrews was holding a meet-and-greet at a brewery on Daniel Island. The post-primary GOP unity event, which was hosted by the S.C. Republican Party, had been in the works for about a month, said state party Chairman Drew McKissick. That it happened so soon after the election was intentional. "When you have a primary, you want to come together as quick as you can and get everybody behind what we're supposed to be doing, which is all battling in the same direction to win in November," McKissick said in an interview. Asked whether a similar unity event will be held in the 7th Congressional District, where incumbent U.S. Rep. Tom Rice lost his GOP primary to state Rep. Russell Fry, McKissick replied: "possibly." "We need this," Mace said of the unity event, which was not held after she won the GOP nomination in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic that halted large, in-person events. Sign up for updates! Get the latest political news from The Post and Courier in your inbox. Email Sign Up! "Because what Joe Biden, and Nancy Pelosi, and Chuck Schumer are doing to our nation and its children is insanity," she continued. "And the Democrats think that Charleston is the political battleground for 2022. We need to unite tonight and show them it is (their) political burial ground in November. And it starts right here, tonight, in the 1st Congressional District." Arrington also sought to rally the crowd, referring to Biden as "Brandon," and calling Andrews "crazy little Annie." Ingrid Centurion, who ultimately dropped out early in the 1st District GOP primary and endorsed Arrington, was in the audience, as was Lynz Piper-Loomis, who famously quit the GOP race and endorsed Arrington before walking off a Charleston debate stage. "It's time to come together," said Centurion, who also said she planned to give Mace "a big old hug" before the night was over. Maurice Washington, chairman of the Charleston County Republican Party, said unifying behind the party's Republican nominee is crucial for GOP success here moving forward. But he also cautioned that unity alone is not enough. "Unity in the absence of trust is only going to take us 50 percent of the way. When you blend in the trust factor that's what ensures we will have success," he said. Mace closed out her speech by promising Arrington voters that she would "work really hard" to earn their vote in November. Afterward, Arrington wiped away tears each time a supporter hugged her. Then, she joined Mace for a photo. As soon as it was done, they broke apart. On Tuesday, South Carolinians went to the polls to vote in the 2022 primary election. This week, were talking about a few of the most closely-watched races with help from our politics team at The Post and Courier. In this primary, there was a kind of tale of two Trump endorsements: There were two Congressional races in South Carolina where a stamp of approval from Donald Trump was in play. In each of those districts, the Republican incumbent had fallen out of favor with the former president. Their challengers had earned Trump's support. Things played out very differently in each of those races. Politics reporters Nick Reynolds and Caitlin Byrd break down what happened in the Republican primary races in the state's 1st and 7th congressional districts, and Columbia bureau chief Seanna Adcox explains the results of the Democratic primary for this year's race for governor in South Carolina. Understand SC is a weekly podcast from The Post and Courier that draws from the reporting resources and knowledge of our newsroom to help you better understand South Carolina. Are there any stories you'd like to hear on the show? Contact us at understandsc@postandcourier.com. This episode was hosted and edited by Emily Williams. Related reading: DFS announced Friday in a press release the recent promotion of Rachel Tan as DFS new vice president of operations for T Galleria by DFS, Mid Pacific. In her new role, Tan will work on the development of the growth strategies for Guam and Saipan, and foster relationships with local business leaders, government agencies and tourism business alliances, DFS stated in the release. Tan joined DFS in May 2005 as a retail management trainee and served in multiple locations in retail management roles, including as general manager of DFS, Singapore Changi Airport and the Singapore Cruise Centers, from 2015 to 2018. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. Tan has more than 10 years of retail operations management experience, and for the last three years also served as regional director of human resources, managing the emerging markets since December 2018. Most recently she covered Asia South, including the Oceania markets, in July 2020. Tan received her bachelor's degree in business administration from Les Roches International School of Hotel Management in Switzerland. In this bracing essay, David Horowitz calls out the Left for what it iscriminal, racist, and sometimes fascist. David argues that conservatives need to understand the utter bad faith with which the Left conducts itself, and stand up bravely to defend our country from the ravages of the Left. The crisis currently facing our nation is a crisis of faith faith in the Constitution that has shaped our destiny, faith in the rule of law, and faith in the principle of equality before the law. The root cause of the lawlessness that is consuming our country is the monopoly of the executive power in Washington by a political party that has fallen under the control of the radical left. This left describes itself as progressive, but is focused on the goal of re-imagining American institutions and principles, in other words of dismantling the constitutional order that created the prosperity and freedoms that have shaped this country since its beginnings. Having been born into this political left and then rejected it, I have acquired an intimate perspective on its nature, and the threat it poses to the American future, which is grave. I was raised by Communists who always referred to themselves as progressives, and were sworn enemies of America and its institutions, as was I. We saw ourselves as warriors for social justice, acting on the right side of history. We could not have been more mistaken. The moral arc of history is not bent towards justice, as progressives like to say. If it were, the 20th Century would be the most enlightened instead of the scene of the greatest atrocities and oppressions on human record. Worse yet, for this progressive myth, these atrocities and oppressions were perpetrated by progressives in the name of social justice. The practical achievement of the revolutionaries was the dismantling of whole societies, and their reconstruction as national prisons, and slave labor camps. Supported by progressives everywhere, Communists bankrupted whole continents while killing more than 100 million people in peacetime in order to realize their radical schemes. Their atrocities and failures continued until the day they saw their progressive future collapse under its own weight. This failure was entirely predictable because as every similar attempt to re-imagine society and change it by force has shown, it is simply beyond the power of human beings to create a just world. Forty years ago, a series of tragic events that I have described in my autobiography, Radical Son, stopped me in my tracks, and caused me to re-evaluate what I had believed until then. These second thoughts turned me against the cause to which I had been devoted since my youth, and which I now saw as a threat to everything human beings hold dear. Most of my generation of radicals, however, chose to continue on their destructive course. Over the next decades I watched the radical movement I was born into infiltrate and then take control of the Democrat Party and the nations cultural institutions, until one of its own, Barack Obama, became President of the United States. From the moment I joined the conservative right forty years ago, I was impressed and also alarmed by the disparity in political rhetoric used by the two sides fighting this fateful conflict. My radical comrades and I always viewed these battles as episodes in a war conducted by other means even as our opponents did not. Our rhetoric proclaimed our goals to be peace, equality and social justice. But this was always a deception. We used terms that demonized our opponents as racists, and oppressors because we believed our goals could only be achieved by vanquishing our opponents and destroying Americas constitutional order. The Constitution valorized political compromise and was built on the defense of individual rights most prominently the right to own property. Americas founders regarded property ownership as the basis of individual freedom. As radicals, we regarded property as the root cause of the evils that oppressed us. Consequently, the principles we operated under were not the same as those we gave lip service to in order to win public support. The Bolshevik revolutionary Leon Trotsky explained our attitude in a famous pamphlet called Their Morals and Ours1. Their morals, he denigrated as bourgeois morals. They were morals based on class values that served the oppressors. One can hear the same sophistry today in the lefts attacks on meritocracy and standards as racist, and in their demands for equal outcomes regardless of whether they are earned or not. While their morals served a ruling class, our morals served the people, and therefore social justice. Because we believed these propositions, our morals were by default Machiavellian: The end justifies the means. Trotskys pamphlet was, in fact, a desperate attempt to avoid admitting that there was anything amoral or immoral in this cynical outlook. He did so by denying the existence of moral principles, claiming instead that all morality was self-interested and designed to serve a class interest. Whoever does not care to return to Moses, Christ or Mohammed, i.e., to accept universal moral standards, Trotsky argued, must acknowledge that morality is a product of social development; that there is nothing invariable about it; that it serves social interests; that these interests are contradictory; that morality more than any other form of ideology has a class character. But this is just an admission that our morals were indeed accurately summarized as, the end justifies the means. The future we imagined we were creating was so noble that achieving it justified any means to get there, which included the lies that hid our destructive purposes, and the atrocities they led to. The full import of this belief was brought home to me in the spring of 1975 when our so-called anti-war movement forced America out of Indo-China, allowing the North Vietnamese and Cambodian Communists to win. For more than a decade, we had claimed to care about the people of Indo-China, championed their rights to self-determination and condemned the war as a case of American imperialism and American racism oppressing Asian victims. By the time America withdrew from the conflict and abandoned its Indo-Chinese allies, I already knew that Communism was a monstrous evil. But I remained a supporter of the anti-war cause, and of the rights of the Indo-Chinese to self-determination. To defend the commitments I had made, I deluded myself into believing that self-determination meant the Vietnamese and Cambodians should be able to choose even this evil if they wanted. This was so much sophistry because I knew that the Communists would not give them an inch of space in which to breathe free. The end that justified my position was that I believed America was the worlds arch imperialist power and its defeat was an absolute good. What I was not prepared for was the moral depths to which the movement I had been part of had sunk. These depths were revealed in the events that followed the Communist victory. When America left Cambodia and Vietnam, the Communists proceeded to slaughter between two and three million peasants who were politically incorrect and did not welcome their Communist solutions. It was the largest genocide since Hitlers extermination of the Jews. In Cambodia they killed everyone who wore glasses on the grounds that as readers they would transmit the oppressive ideas of the past and obstruct the Communist future. But there was no resistance to these atrocities from the anti-war left. As the genocidal slaughter proceeded, prominent leftists like Noam Chomsky provided cover for the Communists crimes by denying that the atrocities were taking place. More disturbingly, there was not a single demonstration to protest the slaughter by the activists who claimed to be anti-war and to care about the Cambodians and Vietnamese. This silence unmasked the true agendas of the movement I had been part of. My comrades abandonment of the peoples they claimed to defend, showed in a definitive manner that the anti-war movement was never anti-war. It was anti-American. It wanted America to lose and the Communists to win. Progressives had lied about the nature of their movement and its agendas in order to accomplish their real goal, which was the fundamental transformation of America and the creation of a socialist state. I had known this to be the case for many years, but had accepted the lies because they served what I imagined was a noble end. But when the lies led to the embrace of genocide, my eyes were opened to the realization that the movement I had been part of my whole life was evil. On my way out of the left, I spent several years re-thinking what I had believed, and trying to understand the nature of the cause that I had served. Perhaps, my most profound and certainly most disturbing conclusion was that revolutionaries were by nature and of necessity criminals, who would routinely lie and break laws to achieve their ends. Every radical who believed in a revolution or a re-imagining of society from the ground up, every progressive who believed in a fundamental transformation of America as Barack Obama described his own agenda on the eve of his 2008 election, was a criminal waiting to strike. Americas Constitution includes methods to amend it, and therefore to reform the American social order when and where changes are needed. In making such changes there are procedures to ensure that these changes represent the will of the American people, and are done lawfully. But revolutionaries do not respect a constitutional order created by rich, white men, many of whom were slaveowners. Radicals believe instead that social justice requires them to dismantle the social order, and due process along with it. Radicals are not reformers. In the name of social justice, they refuse to be bound by the laws and procedures that an unjust and oppressive ruling class has created. The end justifies the means. Before President Obama a constitutional law professor decided to break Americas immigration laws and grant 800,000 illegals resident status, he admitted to his fellow Americans on twenty-two public occasions that he had no constitutional authority to do so none. Creating such an amnesty by executive order was illegal and unconstitutional. And he knew it. But he did it anyway because to him and his party, violating the fundamental law of the land was justified because the system that had created the law was oppressive and unjust racist. In committing this crime against the nation he led, Obama was guided by a radical ideology that justified the illegal means as a victory for social justice. As a former radical I understood how high the stakes had become with Obamas election. Since the right was defending Americas freedoms while the left was paying lip-service to patriotic pieties but intending nothing less than the destruction of constitutional order, I also understood that the rhetorical disparity between the two factions posed a grave threat to Americas future. In fighting this cold war, progressives regularly demonize Republicans as racists, white supremacists, insurrectionists, Nazis and traitors. Republicans respond to these reckless attacks by calling Democrats liberals and similarly tepid descriptions. For example, they describe Democrats as soft on crime. Democrats are not soft on crime. They are pro-crime: Democrat prosecutors have systematically refused to prosecute violent criminals; Democrat mayors and governors have released tens of thousands of violent criminals from Americas prisons, and abolished cash bail so that criminals are back on the streets immediately after their crimes and arrests; Democrat mayors supported the mass violence orchestrated by Black Lives Matter in 220 cities in the summer of 2020, provided bail for arrested felons, de-funded police forces, and instructed law enforcement to stand down in Democrat-run cities, which allowed protesters to loot and burn, and criminal mobs to loot and destroy downtown shopping centers. Democrats regard the criminal riots that took place in the summer of 2020, as social justice. The riots cost $2 billion in property damage, killed scores of people and eventually thousands as their De-Fund the Police campaign triggered a record crime wave in Americas major cities. Democrats regard criminal lawlessness and mayhem as understandable responses to what they perceive as social injustice courts and the law be damned. To them, mass lootings are reparations, and individual robberies and thefts a socialist redistribution of wealth.2 If you are in a battle of words which is the nature of political warfare and you are calling your enemies liberals, portraying them as not really understanding the gravity of what they are doing, while they are calling you white supremacists and Nazis, you are losing the war. Why are Republicans so self-destructively polite? Why do they fail to see, or to identify their opponents as the criminals they are or, at least, when they are? Ever since Donald Trump won the Republican Partys presidential nomination in 2016, Democrats have conducted a verbal war against white America. This war has been so effective that Gallup polls show that 61% of Democrats think Republicans are white racists. At the same time the Biden administration has made Equity a centerpiece of its policies and programs. Equity is a weasel word to cover a socialist agenda. The White House defines Equity as privileging select racial groups with government largesse on the basis of skin color a policy that is racist, inequitable, unconstitutional and illegal. Even when it is the government doing the redistribution and not street mobs, social justice the policy of equalizing outcomes among politically select groups, regardless of merit, is another name for theft. Redistributing income on the basis of race is not equity, it is racism. Joe Biden is the first overt racist to occupy the White House since Woodrow Wilson who not coincidently was also a progressive Democrat. Yet Republicans avert their eyes from this anti-American travesty. Why dont Republicans call Democrats out for their racism? Over the years I gave a lot of thought to these questions, and eventually I came up with an answer that should have been obvious in the first place. The disparity in rhetorical voltage between the two political parties stems from a fundamental disparity in outlooks, and more importantly in attitudes towards the future. The lefts obvious goal is a fundamental transformation of American society.3 Such a transformation, as I have already observed, requires a dismantling of the existing social order. To justify this destruction, the left creates narratives that provide it with ways to condemn and delegitimize the present and its defenders, and justify its criminal agendas. Todays left is driven by a Cultural Marxist ideology, which is itself a product of the transformation of Americas universities and schools into one-party training and recruitment centers for the political left. A similar colonization of Americas philanthropic institutions and corporate cultures has taken place enabling this ideology to become a conventional wisdom nationally and the strategic outlook of the Democrat Party. Cultural Marxism, also known as Critical Race Theory, and also encapsulated in the historical travesty called The 1619 Project, has led to a narrative in which America is portrayed as a white supremacist, systemically racist nation since its inception. Cultural Marxists regard the Constitution as a white supremacist document written by slaveowners, and therefore not to be respected. Worse, according to The New York Times editors who sponsored the 1619 Project, its purpose is to demonstrate, that nearly everything that has made America exceptional grew out of slavery. This disgraceful slander against an entire people is an American version of The Protocols of the Elders of Zion, which is still used in many parts of the world to justify a genocide of the Jews. From this script, it is relatively effortless for progressive activists to lift a single negative incident or atrocity from the complex history of the American Republic and frame an indictment of Americas very existence. The script always leads to the same conclusion: America is a society whose institutions are systemically racist and must be first demolished, and then re-imagined according to the dictates of social justice. Conservatives approach politics from a diametrically opposed perspective. Unlike progressives, conservatives are not wedded to abstract ideologies that imagine a perfect future and use it to delegitimize an imperfect present. Conservatives seek to conserve the values of a remarkable Constitution, whose principles in actual practice have made America the worlds most prosperous, most tolerant and most free nation, and have inspired her to be a beacon of freedom throughout the world. One consequence of conservatives regard for the proven virtues of the U.S. Constitution and the social order it made possible is the very diffidence conservatives and Republicans exhibit in their political battles with progressives. A primary concern of the American founders was the threat of factions whose outlooks and agendas did not encompass the well-being of the whole society but merely their own divisive interests and claims. A main theme of Americas founding documents, therefore, is the importance of compromise. The founders regarded attacks on the spirit of compromise as threats to the social order itself. The demonization of opponents by the Democrat Party is therefore anathema or should be to anyone who believes in the wisdom of the constitutional order. In other words, conservatives instincts are to willfully tie their hands behind their backs in order to support the well-being of the civic whole. The Electoral College, to take one important example, is an institution the constitutional framers envisaged as a means of forcing compromise between warring political factions. Election by the College instead of the popular vote, compels contending parties to compete in states where they dont have natural majorities, and therefore need to compromise their agendas to win victories in battleground states. But radicals who abhor compromise are determined to abolish the Electoral College, justifying its abolition by smearing it as racist. Another target of their anti-compromising zeal are the filibuster and the United States Senate which they denigrate as undemocratic. Of course, the Senate is undemocratic but thats what the founders intended it to be. By giving lower population states equal senatorial power with higher population states, the founders ensured that the more populous states would not overwhelm the less populous ones and establish a tyranny of the majority. America is not a democracy; it is a republic, and thats what the founders created and thats why individual freedoms have been protected, and Americans have prospered. The federal system and decentralization of power, vital to the freedoms Americans enjoy, are also instruments of compromise, and also abhorred by progressives who have been busily proposing legislation to federalize elections and police forces, and put them in the hands of a single centralized faction. The Democrats campaign to pack the Supreme Court and destroy the independence of the judiciary is yet another attempt to dismantle the constitutional system and consolidate power in the hands of a single faction. Their assaults on the First Amendment are equally sinister attempts to establish a one-party state. Conservatives and Republicans are reluctant to use terms like criminal and racist and fascist to describe Democrats whose policies are criminal, racist and fascist because to do so would threaten the constitutional principle of compromise, on which civil peace and civil freedoms depend. Well and good, but in the current crisis defenders of America need to find a way to develop a stronger rhetoric, along with a more realistic attitude towards the enemy they are facing, if America is to survive at all. As long as conservatives continue to respect and enforce due process which the Democrats have abandoned there is no danger that they will follow in the destructive path the Democrats have chosen. The principal weapon progressives have developed to advance their destructive agendas is race. But in responding to their attacks, Republicans and conservatives generally have displayed an unsteady hand. For example, Republican leaders like Mitch McConnell have referred to slavery as Americas original sin, in an effort to provide a compromising view. And they have often conceded that America had a regrettable racist past, and wrung their hands over it. Well and good, but to leave it at that does a grave injustice to the American reality. For there never was a moment in American history when there was not a white movement calling for the abolition of slavery and racism, and even willing to lay down their lives for it. To put this history in a more accurate perspective: America didnt invent slavery, and accounted for less than one percent of the global slave trade. If slavery is anyones original sin it is Africas, where slavery existed for a thousand years before a white man ever set foot there. Virtually, every slave shipped to America was enslaved by black Africans and sold to Americans at auctions. Americas founding fathers Washington, Jefferson, Madison deplored the slave system but saw no way to abolish it immediately without a war with England and the South, which they would have lost. Eventually their heirs did fight a war to free the slaves that cost more American mainly white lives than all Americas subsequent wars combined. Every black descendant of slaves in America owes his or her freedom to white Americans like Thomas Jefferson, even though Jefferson was a reluctant slaveowner, or to Abraham Lincoln and the 360,000 Union soldiers who gave their lives to free the slaves. Is there in all history a comparable example of one race making such a sacrifice to free another? I am unaware of one. No American, mindful of their history, should turn their backs on this record, or bury it in silence, or compromise its truth. When Americas racial past is viewed as a whole, Americans have no need to be ashamed. People who demand reparations for a slavery they never experienced, should sue the Confederacy, which fought to preserve it. They should not sue the United States government which made such enormous sacrifices to do the right thing. And no American patriots should make apologies for an American past that was shaped by lovers of freedom who set a standard for ending slavery not only in America, but also in the Western Hemisphere, and finally on global scale. For more than 60 years following the Emancipation Proclamation, America joined white Christian powers like Britain and France who sent gunboats throughout their empires to end the global slave trade. They were opposed by brown and black potentates who defended the institution and refused to free their human chattel.4 Black and brown slaveowners still thrive in Africa today. The fact that these facts have been buried by progressives who control Americas cultural institutions, and who have replaced them with slanders worthy of Americas enemies underscores the enormity of the threat we face. The Democrats are now a national lynch mob. They have spent the last seven years in one attempt after another to destroy a president, whose political signature is America First, by libeling him, his supporters and the country they love as white supremacist and systemically racist, when there is no sound basis for either charge. They have broken precedent, tradition, protocol, and the law, and violated the Constitution to hang Donald Trump and demonize his supporters as domestic terrorists and insurrectionists traitors all in order to advance radical policies that have destroyed Americas borders, triggered record crime waves in American cities, and blown up the best economy in our lifetimes. To defend our country against these radical destroyers, Americans need to get a firm grip on the facts of their heritage and the realities of their present. In particular they need to understand that America never was a racist nation even during the brief 20-year period when slavery was legal in the North, and the 76-year period when slavery was legal in the South. Not the alleged 400 years of slavery as its ignorant and malicious enemies like Al Sharpton maintain. Slavery in America was an English implant and the extension of an African business. There were 500,000 free blacks in America on the eve of the Civil War. That is inexplicable if America was actually a white supremacist nation. The slavery issue only became an issue of racial oppression when Southern slaveowners chose to defend their system in a nation dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal, by arguing that blacks were not. What was distinctly American, however, was the declaration of equality, not the racist defense of slavery by soon to be defeated owners of slaves in the South. Given the prejudices and bigotries that are endemic to human beings of all races, Americans can be proud of their racial past and its contribution to human freedom. The raw facts are these: Slavery was an inherited system, which Americans abolished in little over a generation. There never was a successful revolt by the slaves themselves. If whites had been as universally racist as leftists maintain, blacks in America would still be slaves, and not the most prosperous, most privileged and free-est blacks in the world today, including all of black Africa and the West Indies. Above all, conservative, patriotic Americans need to stop compromising the truth to appease their political enemies who want to destroy them and the country they love. 1 https://www.marxists.org/archive/trotsky/1938/morals/morals.htm 2 I examined the lack of substance to Black Lives Matters inflammatory claims of police racism in I Cant Breathe: How A Racial Hoax Is Killing America. Regnery 2021 3 I have documented the Democrats anti-democratic, anti-constitutional efforts to create a one-party state in my books, Dark Agenda: The War to Destroy Christian America, Humanix 2019 and The Enemy Within: How A Totalitarian Movement Is Destroying America, Regnery 2021 4 https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=how+slavery+ended+thomas+sowell Today is the 50th anniversary of the infamous Watergate break-in that toppled Richard Nixon and transformed American politics for the worse ever after. The Watergate saga, and especially the medias role in it, remains large a heroic tale for liberalism, though second thoughts about the whole matter are starting to emerge. To this day no one can say for sure what the Watergate burglars were after when they were discovered on that fateful June night in 1972. Strangely, accounts differ as to whether electronic listening devices (bugs) were found in their possession; this turned out to be the second time the team had been inside the DNC Watergate offices, and this second trip was ostensibly to fix a previously planted bug that wasnt working. One reason the bug wasnt working is that someone had already removed it days or weeks before the burglars came back (it is possible that the DNC had been tipped off, according to one recent review of the matter)one of the many anomalies of the Watergate story. When it emerged a few days after the burglary that the burglars had connections to the CIA, the White House, and the Committee to Re-Elect the President, it was evident that a scandal of some dimension might unfold. The conspiratorial food chain led eventually up through President Nixons senior staff to the Oval Office and Nixon himself. Nixon might never have been driven from office without the taped evidence indicating his early knowledge of the Watergate cover up, and the tapes provided the so-called smoking gun that was the final blow to his presidency. The infamous tape of June 23, 1972 captured Nixon, Haldeman, and John Dean discussing how to use the CIA to try to head off the FBIs investigation into Watergate. The attempt failed, and the investigation went ahead. Yet the conversation alone was thought sufficient evidence of conspiracy to obstruct justice. The final irony of this Tale of the Tape is that Nixon was appalled when President Johnson explained the Oval Office taping system to him before he took office in 1969. Nixon ordered the taping system removed, but reinstalled another taping system in February 1971, after his concern for leaks and the accuracy of notes of decisions taken in innumerable Oval Office meetings, along with his desire to use the tapes as an aide memoire for his inevitable post-presidency writings, got the better of him. Nixons taping system differed in one significant way from Johnsons: while Johnson had to turn his taping system on manually (which means he could be selective about what was taped), Nixons was voice-activated. It vacuumed up everything that took place in Nixons offices. Haldeman decided to install a voice-activated system because Nixon was notoriously inept with mechanical devices. Just over 4,000 hours of conversation were taped by the time the system was shut off following its inadvertent public disclosure during the Senate Watergate hearings in 1973. The culpability of Nixon in the Watergate cover-up is a supposedly well-established fact of the Watergate affair. What might be called the Standard Heroic Account of Watergate finds its wellsprings in Nixons much-exaggerated paranoia, i.e., Nixons fixation that his enemies were out to get him. The operation to plug leaks through the Plumbers, along with the wiretapping and intelligence gathering efforts against the Left and other targets, is said to have melded with an overzealous effort at opposition research against Nixons Democratic opponents in the 1972 campaign season that culminated in the Watergate break-in. Because earlier operations of the Plumberssuch as the break-in at the office of Dr. Lewis Fielding, Daniel Ellsbergs psychiatristhad been illegal, it was feared that any probe of the Watergate affair would expose the entire underside of White House activities, which is exactly what happened over the next two years. The Standard Heroic Account of the Watergate saga played out over two years as an epic struggle between the truth-seeking crusaders in Congress, the Justice Department, and the media against the villains in the White House trying to cover it all up, complete with a Saturday Night Massacre (when Nixon fired special prosecutor Archibald Cox and attempted to close down the investigation), missing or tampered evidence (the unexplained 18 1/2 minute gap in a key Oval Office tape), hush money (cash payoffs to Howard Hunt and others), mystery figures like Deep Throat, and betrayals (White House counsel John Dean, whose 1973 Senate testimony first implicated Nixon in the cover up). With Nixons resignation in August, 1974, the outcome of Watergate is regarded as a triumph of American constitutional democracy. The combination of a vigilant media and an aroused Congress supposedly showed that the system works. While the Standard Heroic Account as plain narrative will doubtless remain in place, many key aspects of Watergate remain mysterious or controversial, and what Hollywood calls the back story has never been widely understood. Who in the White House actually authorized the break-ins? Nixons Attorney General and re-election campaign manager John Mitchell received the blame, but denied to his dying day that he ordered or approved either the burglary or the cover up. Did Nixon know about the break-in beforehand? Most historians think not, yet Nixon speechwriter Bryce Harlow once remarked that Watergate happened because Some damn fool got into the Oval Office and did what he was told, meaning that Watergate occurred because of the paranoid atmosphere Nixon generated around him. What were they hoping to learn by bugging the Democratic National Committee? National committee offices are bureaucratic institutions, far removed from the inner circle of key decisions of presidential campaigns. The quadrennial campaign chronicler Theodore White wrote that the DNC might more aptly be described as the central stationery supply closet of the party. . . A good clipping service would have provided the Committee to Re-Elect with more information than any number of wiretaps. By the time of the first Watergate break in, it was known that Sen. George McGovern would be the Democratic nominee against Nixon, and there was little significant information that could be learned about his campaign at the DNC offices. G. Gordon Liddy is reported to have wanted to bug McGoverns campaign office, but McGovern had retained 24-hour security after the office had been burglarized by someone else (apparently a routine burglar after valuables, and not a political operation). Most fundamentally, what factors gave rise to the bugging operation in the first place? The number of conflicting accounts, strange anomalies, and conspiracy theories now rivals the Kennedy assassination. A leading explanation of Watergate, which was given by, among others, G. Gordon Liddy, who headed the burglary team, is that the Nixon campaign wanted to see what information Democratic National Committee chairman Lawrence OBrien might have had about Nixon, and particularly Nixons connections to eccentric billionaire Howard Hughes or to a Greek tycoon, Thomas Pappas, whose secret contributions to Nixons campaign would have been embarrassing if publicly revealed. This is the explanation that was generally accepted for most of the decade following Watergate. There may be an anomaly to this claim, however: According to some accounts, OBriens office was never bugged (other accounts say a bug was planted, but didnt work), and the burglars were caught far from OBriens office on that fateful night. The original bug the burglars thought had malfunctionedbut which had in fact been removedhad been placed in the office of a low-level subordinate employee who was seldom at the office. A more outlandish explanation that reappears from time to time holds that at the root of the Watergate break in was an attempt to gain embarrassing information about a call girl ring that had ties to someone working at the DNC. From this supposition, which rests on a web of circumstantial evidence, the threads of the story go in several directions. According to some accounts, the burglary team was after information about potentially prominent Democratic clients of the call girl ring, which information the Nixon campaign could use for public embarrassment or private blackmail. (The White House may also have worried about Republicans who might have been clients of the ring.) Another variation of the story, propounded by author Jim Hougan in 1984, holds that the CIA was clandestinely involved the burglary and deliberately botched the effort so as to avoid exposing the call girl ring. Why else, skeptics have asked, would veteran CIA agent James McCord do something as stupid as tape a door open a second time, which would be an obvious tip off to Watergate security? Why the CIA would wish to do this is murky, but is said to have involved agency suspicions that Nixon was trying to exert too much control over the agency, which Nixon disliked. A faction of the military is also alleged to have helped exploit Watergate as a means to derail Nixons arms control efforts. (This was, coincidentally, the line the Soviet press adopted.) If we didnt know better, Nixon remarked on one of the famous tapes, [we] would have thought it was deliberately botched. More on Watergate and its legacy over the weekend. Ive got Week in Pictures to get done! Nigerian stocks capped a bearish week with depreciation worth N749.8 billion on Friday as the main equity index shed 1.21 per cent, a retreat triggered by sell-off in bank shares. It has been an especially difficult week for bank stocks in finding investors, which has set the banking index (the benchmark that tracks the top lenders by market capitalisation and liquidity) on a free fall since the start of the trading week. MTN Nigeria contributed most to the plunge with support from big lenders like Zenith, GTCO, Access Corporation and FBN Holdings. The bourse posted a negative breadth as 11 losers emerged against 24 advancers. The all-share index dropped 633 points to 51,778.1, while market capitalisation eased to N27.9 trillion. Since the beginning of the year, the index has returned 21.2 per cent. TOP FIVE GAINERS Ellah Lakes led advancers, appreciating by 8.40 per cent to N4. UACN climbed up by 6.48 per cent to N11.50. Livestock added up 6.12 per cent to end trade at N1.56. Living Trust advanced by 5.26 per cent to N1.20. Mutual Benefits rose to N0.25, notching up 4.17 per cent. TOP FIVE LOSERS McNichols topped the losers chart, declining by 9.76 per cent to close at N1.85. Ardova went down by 9.70 per cent to end trade at N13.50. International Breweries fell to N6.25, losing 9.42 per cent. Courtville slumped to N0.49, recording 9.26 per cent slip. ETI closed at N10.10, going down by 8.60 per cent. TOP FIVE TRADES In all, 233.8 million shares valued at N3.6 billion were traded in 4,964 deals. Jaiz was the most active stock, with 40.4 million of its shares worth N36.9 million traded in 79 deals. UBA saw 35.7 million units of its shares priced at N269.4 million exchanged hands in 245 transactions. Zenith traded 33.1 million shares valued at N716.1 million in 932 deals. GTCO traded 16.5 million shares estimated at N354.6 million in 448 transactions. Transcorp transacted 10.9 million shares valued at N14 million in 95 deals. Famous Nollywood actor, Moses Armstrong, arrested for allegedly raping a minor, is expected to appear in court on Friday. Like his colleague, James Olanrewaju, also known as Baba Ijesha, Armstrong is the second Nigerian actor to be entangled in an alleged rape case with a minor. The President of the Akwa Ibom State chapter of the Actors Guild of Nigeria, Prince Uduak, confirmed to PREMIUM TIMES that the actor was arrested for allegedly raping a 16-year-old earlier in the week. He said: I have received a confirmed report that he was arrested, although the reason for his arrest is under investigation. However, he was taken to court on Thursday, and the court would determine what played out. I only heard that he was arrested for an alleged rape case, but I cannot independently verify how true the rape case is until proven otherwise by the court. As it stands now, it is an allegation levelled at him until the court finds him guilty or not. Mr Uduak also said the actor is currently facing trial at a High court at FULGA Street off Ikot Epene road, Akwa Ibom state, and he was supposed to appear in court on Thursday However, findings by this newspaper, as provided by the court clerk, show that the actor is to appear in court on Friday. This newspaper also spoke with the Akwa Ibom State Police Public Relations Officer, Odiko Macdon, who confirmed the actors arrest and detention, saying an investigation is ongoing. Mr Macdon said: Armstrong is in police custody, and we are investigating the matter. He has been charged to court for trial. Profile Armstrong is a special assistant to the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom Emmanuel. The Akwa Ibom State-born actor, who started his career 23 years ago, lost his wife, Rita, in 2018. The mother-of-two was returning to her husbands residence in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state, from Lagos when the Akwa Ibom Transport Company (AKTC) bus conveying her was involved in a crash at the Ugbogui axis of Benin Ore Lagos Expressway. The deceased, a Nollywood actress, died from spinal cord injuries sustained during the accident. The commanders of the South West Security Network, codenamed Amotekun, have lamented the terror attack on St Francis Catholic Church in Owo, vowing to put up measures to forestall future occurrences. PREMIUM TIMES reported how about 40 people were killed by the terrorists who attacked the church with guns and dynamite. Many others sustained varying degrees of injuries. The corps commanders from the states of Ekiti, Osun, Oyo, Ogun, and Ondo, were in Ondo to review the attack. The commanders include Joe Komolafe of Ekiti, Olayinka Olayanju of Oyo, David Akinremi of Ogun, B. Aderonbi of Osun, and Adetunji Adeleye of Ondo. Mr Adeleye, who spoke on their behalf of the commanders, said they had also come to condole with the families of the dead. We are also here to express our condolences to the families who lost their loved ones in the attack and we pray that Almighty God grant their souls eternal rest, Mr Adeleye said. He also said the corps commanders were in Owo to assess the security situation and proffer solutions. This, he said, would ensure that there was no repeat of the incident anywhere in the southwest. We feel very sad about this attack because these animals invaded this ever peaceful town and massacred defenceless worshippers. it is a sad moment for us, he said. To Ondo State people, we want to reassure them that the executives of all the western states are determined to continue to ensure your security of lives and property are guaranteed. We want you all to be rest assured that even the federal government and all the security agencies are not leaving any stone unturned in apprehending the perpetrators of this dastardly act and ensuring that we prevent a repeat of it. Mr Adeleye, who is also the Special Adviser to Ondo State Governor on Security Matters, appealed to residents to be vigilant, as security was the business of all and not limited to law enforcement agencies alone. We need information everywhere to assist us in apprehending these people and prevent reoccurrence of this type of incident, Mr Adeleye said. He, however, thanked governments of the region for their immense contributions and support towards ensuring that the corps responded swiftly and checkmate criminal activities. The corps commander for Osun, Mr Aderonbi, said it was unfortunate that some criminals thought they could test the will of the people of the region and disrupt the peace enjoyed in the area. We want to assure them that we will do everything within our power that they are not just brought to book, but that any other person or group planning similar attack in any part of the South-west states will have us to contend with, he said. So we are here on condolence visit and to show solidarity for our leader, the chairman of our group and also, to access the extent of the damage. From there, we should be able to sit down and do some arithmetic. We are here to assure him that we are here for him and we will be ever ready to support him. This is not only an attack on Ondo, it is an attack on the Yoruba race and we the Amotekun will not condole that. The Bishop of Ondo Catholic Diocese, Jude Arogundade, who received the corp commanders in his residence, thanked them for the visit and charged them to fish out perpetrators of the ungodly act. He, however, urged them to work together for the peace, harmony and stability of the South-west states. In the same vein, the Deji of Akure and Chairman, Ondo State Council of Obas, Aladetoyinbo Aladelusi, who condemned the attack in strong terms, lauded the efforts of the corps in the area of crime prevention which had earned them the confidence and respect of residents. While praying for the timely arrest of the perpetrators, he assured the corps of traditional rulers supports towards effective discharge of their responsibilities, so that Yoruba land may continue to enjoy peace. Also speaking, the Olowo of Owo, Ajibade Ogunoye, commended the Amotekun commanders for effectively securing the South-west region. You are all trying your best to ensure that peace reigns in Yoruba land. We know you have your own challenges. If only the federal government would support and allow you carry sophisticated weapons, no crime will be difficult for you to burst, the traditonal ruler said. Mr Ogunoye, however, appealed to the federal government on the need to transform the Amotekun corps to state police so as to effectively combat crimes and criminality in the region. An Army major has been killed in an ambush on a military convoy by terrorists in Mariga local government area of Niger State. Military sources who are in the picture of the situation told PREMIUM TIMES the convoy belonged to the Nigerian Military School (NMS) and Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC). The incident which took place on Wednesday happened around Rijiyan Daji village in the local government area. At the time of the report, one officer was declared missing after the incident while three others sustained gunshot wounds as a result of the exchange of gunfire with the terrorists. The deceased officer, who was conscious after the attack, gave up the ghost after he was rushed to a nearby general hospital in Kontagora, another local government in the state. Aside from human casualty, the terrorists also set ablaze a Toyota hilux escort van belonging to the military and carted away sophisticated weapons. The source also said search and rescue efforts are currently being made for the missing officer. Efforts to speak with the Army spokesperson, Onyema Nwachukwu, on the incident were unsuccessful. Troubled Niger Both security agents and civilians have suffered several attacks at the hands of terrorists in Niger State in recent times. This led to the directive by President Muhammadu Buhari, to the military to respond robustly to killings and kidnappings by bandits in Niger State. But the killings have however continued. In January, the state governor revealed that 25 security personnel, 165 civilians and 30 vigilante members were killed within 17 days. Apart from those killed, dozens are being kidnapped almost on daily basis in the state and other neighbouring states. The state has been the epicenter of terrorism in the North-central zone. It borders other similarly troubled states like Kaduna, Kebbi and Zamfara. Other states affected by terrorism in the North-west are Sokoto and Katsina. The Supreme Court on Friday gave approval to female Muslim students to wear hijab to school in Lagos State. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that five out of the seven members of the courts panel which sat on the case ruled in favour of hijab while the two remaining members dissented. The majority decision affirmed the earlier Court of Appeals decision which restored the use of hijab by female Muslim students in Lagos State. The case involved the Lagos State Government as the appellant and Asiyat AbdulKareem (through her father), Moriam Oyeniyi, and the Muslim Students Society of Nigeria as the respondents. Judge Grace Onyeabo of the Lagos State High Court had in a judgement, on October 17, 2014, upheld the state governments decision to ban the use of hijab in public primary and secondary schools in the state. But the High Courts decision was upturned by the Lagos Division of the Court of Appeal in a judgement delivered on July 21, 2016. In a unanimous judgement, the appeal court panel ruled that the ban on the use of hijab in public schools in the state was discriminatory against Muslim pupils. Displeased with the judgement, the Lagos State government attempted to obtain a stay of execution of the Court of Appeals decision but failed. In February 2017, it appealed against the July 21, 2016 judgement of the Court of Appeal. Lagos State government became the appellant in the suit marked SC/910/16. Delivering judgement in the case on Friday, five members of the seven-member bench affirmed the Court of Appeals decision. It dismissed the appeal challenging the Court of Appeals decision as lacking in merit. The Supreme Courts majority lead decision was prepared by Kudirat Kekere-Ekun but was read on her behalf by another member of the panel, Tijjani Abubakar. Other members of the panel are Olukayode Ariwoola, John Okoro, Uwani Baba-Aji, Mohammed Garba, and Emmanuel Agim. The Court of Appeal had ruled that the hijab ban violated the students rights to freedom of thought, conscience, religion, the dignity of human persons and freedom from discrimination guaranteed by the Nigerian A.B Gumel, who delivered the lead judgement of the Court of Appeal panel, held that wearing the hijab was an Islamic injunction and an act of worship required of Muslims. He said the use of hijab by Muslim pupils could not cause disunity, distraction and discrimination against students of other faiths as declared by the lower court judge. Lawyer speaks Commenting on the judgement on his Facebook page on Friday, Ahmad Adetola-Kazeem, a lawyer in the pro-hijab legal team, noted that the Supreme Courts decision is applicable in all the states in Nigeria. Supreme Court of Nigeria rules in favour of Hijab for Secondary School Students in Lagos State and by extension all states of the country. Re: SC/910/16- Lagos State Govt. and Ors V. Asiyat AbdulKareem, the lawyer, whose father, the late Gani Adetola-Kaseem, was leading the legal team, stated. May Allah reward Alh. Gani Adetola-Kaseem, SAN who led the team of lawyers in this case and also signed and filed the brief of argument few weeks before his death, May He reward everyone who contributed to the success of the case abundantly, he added. Muslim group hails verdict A Muslim rights advocacy group, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has hailed the judgement of the Supreme Court. MURIC, in its statement signed by its director, Ishaq Akintola, a professor, said: This is the moment of truth. Divine truth has overwhelmed social truth. He added: No matter how long, truth will prevail in the end. MURIC hails this judgement. We salute the courage of the honourable justices who stood by the sanctity of the Constitution and the inviolability of our font et origo. He said the pronouncement had infused hope in the Nigerian judiciary. The justices have refused to be swayed by religious sentiment. They stuck to the facts of the case and relied on the supremacy of the Nigerian Constitution. This is evident in the constitution of the panel: only three of them are Muslims while the remaining four are Christians. Yet five of them were in favour, he stated. Implement judgement immediately He called on the Lagos State government to immediately implement the letter and spirit of this judgement by issuing a circular on the approval of hijab in all its public schools without any delay. He said MURIC had earlier demanded the issuance of this circular but the Lagos State government ignored our demand to date. A police officer was killed on Friday when gunmen attacked a police checkpoint in Ibagwa-Ani, a community in Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State, Nigerias South-east. The gunmen razed a police truck during the attack which occurred in the early hours of the day. A resident of the area, Ebere Ugwuoke, told PREMIUM TIMES that they heard heavy gunshots early in the morning at a junction in the area, but were scared to go out. Ms Ugwuoke said many people gathered at the scene after the gunmen zoomed off. I didnt see the gunmen. I just came out and saw a policeman lying dead and a police vehicle burning there, Ms Ugwuoke said. The police spokesperson in the state, Daniel Ndukwe, confirmed the incident. Mr Ndukwe said the information about the incident was still sketchy. He promised to get back to our reporter as soon as he gets a report of the attack. Enugu, like other states in Nigerias South-east, has witnessed an increase in deadly attacks lately. Gunmen recently killed two police officers in Mkpamte Community, Igbo-Eze North Council Area of the state. Arsonists, believed to be enforcing the illegal sit-at-home order in the South-east, razed a truck laden with cement in the Nsukka area of the state. The state governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, recently banned the operations of motorcycles and tricycles in some local government areas to check the frequent attacks in the area. The government later lifted the ban following public outcry, and assurances from leaders of the transport operators to assist the government in bringing an end to the attacks. The attacks, mostly targeted at security officials and government facilities, have been attributed to 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. Outspoken Catholic priest, Ejike Mbaka, has apologised for his scathing remarks against Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi. Mr Mbaka, during his weekly ministration service on Wednesday, said Mr Obi will not be president of Nigeria in 2023 because he is a stingy man who does not give out money to people. He also said unless Mr Obi returned to his Adoration Ministry to apologise for refusing to make a donation to the ministry when he was asked to do so, his ambition to become president of Nigeria would be fruitless. But in a statement on Friday, the cleric, who is the spiritual director of the Adoration Ministry, Enugu, said he did not intend to malign the LP presidential candidate, but to pray for him. In any way, the supporters of Mr Peter Obi feel offended by my utterances or, however, I was misunderstood by them, I ask for their understanding and forgiveness. Peter Obi is my friend and remains my friend and brother. I love him and I wish him success. May God bless him and his good supporters. Gods will be done in his political endeavour, he said. Mr Mbaka said the supporters of the former governor are youths whom he has been fighting for, stressing that he is yearning for good governance and leaders that will better the Nigerian society for the youths. He regretted Nigeria is passing through hard times, with insecurity, rising unemployment, corruption and bad governance bedevilling the country. I am a servant of God. I am not in any political party, but I support good people and good governance. Any good person that God can give us is my choice candidate. For the sake of peace, I ask for forgiveness in any way I am misunderstood. What the youths are passing through and their conditions give me sleepless nights. It is for this reason that I yearn for good governance and worthy leaders that will take care of them, the cleric said. And to Peter Obi himself, I ask God to bless him and manifest his will in his life. When God says yes, who can say no? And when he says no, who can say yes? I bless Peter Obi and pray for him. he added. Mr Mbakas apology comes hours after many Nigerians criticised him over his comment on Mr Obi. The Catholic Diocese of Enugu has condemned the cleric for his comment on Mr Obi. The church said Mr Mbakas comment did not represent the position of the church and violated the various provisions of the canon laws of the church. Residents of Ekiti State will elect their next governor on Saturday after weeks of campaigns by the candidates. The contest will be keen with the contending parties exuding optimism that they would win the election and produce the successor to Governor Kayode Fayemi in the South-west state. But the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is edgy, this time not over its regular rival, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), but over the Social Democratic Party (SDP), which appears to have become the darling of residents of the state. Does that mean the PDP is now the third force in the state? The frenzy is hovering around the SDP and the APC. The fights and clashes are occurring between the two parties. While these may not be the scientific test for their electoral performance, the observations on the streets point in that direction. In a state where an incumbent governor has never been reelected, the ruling party surely has a reason to be uneasy. Adeniyi Adebayo, who was elected in 1999 under the platform of the defunct Alliance for Democracy (AD), was defeated by Ayo Fayose of the PDP in 2003. But Mr Fayoses first advent was cut short in 2006 when the states lawmakers impeached him in controversial circumstances over allegations of corruption. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Segun Oni of the PDP the winner of the 2007 election, but his tenure was also cut short by the court after a prolonged battle with the ACN candidate, Kayode Fayemi, who was affirmed by the court as the validly elected governor. Mr Fayemi was sworn in in 2010 but his attempt to return for a second term was aborted by the return of Mr Fayose in 2014. Mr Fayoses attempt to enthrone his deputy, Olusola Kolapo, in 2018 was rejected when Mr Fayemi was elected again after admitting to the people that he made many mistakes in his administration and needed their forgiveness. Mr Oni is drawing inspiration from those precedents set by Messrs Fayose and Fayemi in his determined effort to also return to the Government House in Ado-Ekiti. Nature of the strife A total of 16 political parties have presented candidates for Saturdays poll. Two of the candidates are women: Christiana Olatawura of the Action Peoples Party (APP) and Kemi Elebute-Halle of the Action Democratic Party(ADP). However, pundits regard Biodun Oyebanji of the APC, Bisi Kolawole of the PDP and Segun Oni of the SDP as the actual contenders. The APC and the PDP, which are the established parties, in the state, have been stunned by the attention that the SDP is drawing in the campaigns. The campaigns have seen sparks of violence. In April, thugs disrupted a rally being held by Mr Oni in Efon Alaaye. Many people were wounded and cars burnt. In spite of warnings from security agencies, pockets of violence and intimidation continued until last week, when one person was killed and several others injured in a clash between rival groups of SDP and PDP supporters. The police have been trying to bring the situation under control, with reports saying several persons believed to be political thugs were being detained ahead of the election. In spite of that report, many residents remain apprehensive of violence marring the election. The PDP campaign has been notably less rancourous. The partys campaign spokesperson, Lere Olayinka, said the party was conducting its activities peacefully and was sure its candidate will emerge victorious on Saturday. Segun Onis strides Mr Oni is riding on the waves of his achievements during his stint as governor of the state. There is a general impression that he would replicate some of the policies that endeared him to workers and the general public if he becomes the next governor. Mr Onis journey to recover the governorship seat had begun in the APC. He left the party for the PDP after losing its ticket to Mr Fayemi for the 2018 election. After changing parties between APC and PDP, he finally moved to the SDP. Wilson Obasa, an Ado Ekiti-based motor driver, said Mr Onis popularity did not surprise him because many people believe the SDP candidate is a good person whose policies would benefit the masses. Mr Obasas opinion is shared by many other respondents, who said disenchantment with the APC-led government especially at the centre, is sending people away from the ruling party to the SDP. Mr Oni is from the northern senatorial district of the state with a total voting strength of 267,242, while Messrs Oyebanji and Kolawole are from the Central District with a higher voting strength of 397,850. But the presence of the two in the race will reduce their voters numerical advantage against Mr Oni. However, the governor, Mr Fayemi, is from Isan in Oye Ekiti, which is also in the northern senatorial district. Oye Local Government Area (LGA) has 65,422 registered voters while Mr Onis Ikole LGA has 71,971 registered voters. Securing large votes from these areas will brighten Mr Onis chances in the election. Jackson Adebayo, the spokesperson of the Segun Oni Campaign Organisation, said his candidate will win the election if it is free and fair. However, he expressed fear over the vote-buying syndrome. He said Mr Oni does not have a deep pocket like his opponents and in any case would not engage in vote-buying. But Mr Adebayo praised INEC for changing the voting arrangement to prevent people from monitoring how the voters vote. The people will vote for us, and we will win although we dont have money. We will be successful if we get a level playing field, he said. Oyebanji on tight rope The APC candidate is a former commissioner and former Secretary to the State Government. He was the anointed candidate of Mr Fayemi. He is from Efon, in Ekiti Central Senatorial District, which has the highest number of registered voters. Mr Oyebanji has the political and financial structures of the APC behind him. But SDPs deputy governorship candidate, Ladi Owolabi, is also from this district. He is from Ado Ekiti, which has the strongest voting strength of all the local governments. The spokesperson for the campaign, Taiwo Olatunbosun, said the voters are behind Mr Oyebanji and he expects him to record a landslide victory on Saturday. But his assertion has been contested by Mr Onis supporters. This is understandable, as the APC state government is owing workers and pensioners, leaving many people disenchanted. With what we are seeing, it will not be easy for the APC because wherever you turn, the people are looking in the direction of the SDP, Samson Orilade, a blogger in Ekiti, said. You know the Nigerian politics. Unless the APC uses its state powers, it may just be on its way out. Softly and slowly win with Bisi Kolawole He is largely seen as an Ayo Fayose-imposed candidate, who sent Mr Oni out of the party. He is a former state chairman of the PDP and a former member of the state House of Assembly. Analysts believe that the party is yet to overcome the bad blood created by the outcome of the governorship primary. Fingers are pointing at Mr Fayose for the poor handling of the exercise which forced the partys leading aspirants to the background. Mr Fayoses former deputy governor, Olusola Kolapo, who was the partys governorship candidate in 2018, was forced to withdraw from the race for the ticket. He accused Mr Fayose of forcing his preferred candidate on the party. Mr Olusolas voice has not been heard in favour of this campaign so far. The worries of the PDP are even bigger with many of its supporters moving into the SDP. Mr Fayose is the biggest campaigner for the PDP candidate, but he had spent much of his time and energy pursuing his presidential ambition. Since returning from Abuja empty-handed, there has not been much steam left in him to push the campaign train of his protege. But Mr Olayinka, the campaign spokesperson, said it is not about the noise. On why his party did not hold a mega rally like the APC and the SDP to round off its campaign, Mr Olayinka said the campaign organisation instead chose to go from house to house to woo the real voters. Ayodele Benson, a lawyer, has been following events in Ekiti. He said the people are sophisticated enough not to be taken for granted by their leaders. From Niyi Adebayo, no governor has been able to win the election back to back, and not to talk of imposing their candidates on the people, he said. This is what is about playing out in the coming governorship election. There is no doubt that there would certainly be an upset if the election is not tainted. A Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Johnson Kokumo, who is leading the police coverage of the elections, enjoined registered voters to come out to cast their votes without fear of intimidation. He said the police will be neutral and ensure that the votes are protected. The INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubi, also said the Ekiti people alone would decide who becomes the next governor of their state. If these assurances are carried out, the majority of Ekiti voters will get their choice for the next governor of the state. A former aide to ex-president Goodluck Jonathan, Doyin Okupe, on Friday, said he has been selected as the running mate to Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP). Mr Okupe disclosed this in an interview on Channels Televisions programme Politics Today on Friday. The former presidential aide said he will be standing in as the vice-presidential candidate to meet up with the June 17 deadline fixed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the submission of the candidates list. Mr Okupe, a medical doctor, hails from Ogun State, South-west Nigeria. He also served as spokesperson for former President Olusegun Obasanjo. Details shortly The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, has confirmed that he quietly submitted his nomination forms to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Mr Tinubu, in a statement issued by his spokesperson, Tunde Rahman, on Friday, said the forms were submitted on Wednesday, two days ahead of the June 17 deadline. As stipulated by the electoral law and Independent National Electoral Commission guidelines and timetable, the standard-bearer of the APC, HE Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has returned his duly completed nomination forms to INEC. The forms were returned on Wednesday, June 15, two days ahead of schedule. We wish to reiterate that HE Asiwaju Tinubu stands ready to contest the February 25, 202,3 presidential election to deliver progressive good governance to our people, the statement said. However, the statement did not disclose the identity of the running mate to Mr Tinubu, despite speculations that Kabir Masari has been nominated as a place holder until a decision is made on a running mate. Mr Masari is from Katsina State and served as former Welfare Secretary of the APC under ex-Chairman Adams Oshiomhole. Mr Tinubu, who is a Muslim from the South-west, faces an uphill task in picking a running mate as many Nigerian have condemned the option of a Muslim/Muslim ticket. It is believed that Mr Masari is holding the slot until a decision is made on the ideal running mate. There are speculations that former governor of Borno State, Kashim Shettima, Governors Umar Ganduje of Kano State, Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State and Abubakar Badaru of Jigawa State are also believed to be jostling for the position. Mr Shettima served as the Director-General of the Tinubu Campaign Organisation and was also one of the first northern politicians to join the team. Also, Mr Ganduje played a major role in the campaign. In addition, Mr Bagudu, who is the Chairman of the Progressives Governors Forum, played a prominent role in ceding the presidential slot to the south. The northern governors and other leaders of the ruling party had insisted that power must rotate back to the south after eight years of President Muhammadu Buhari in office. Authorities of the Federal High Court have refuted media reports that one of its judges, Inyang Ekwo, disqualified the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Biodun Oyebanji from the Ekiti State governorship election. The governorship election in Ekiti State is scheduled for Saturday, June 18. The said report is unfounded, very mischievous and aimed at not only misleading members of the public, but also causing tension, a statement by the courts Chief Information Officer, Catherine Christopher, said on Thursday evening. The statement further debunked the existence of any such case before Mr Ekwo or any other judge of the court. The Federal High Court hereby debunks the existence of any such case in its entire jurisdiction and indeed the Court Order as alleged. The court states categorically that there has been no such case before Hon. justice I.E Ekwo. It is worrisome that some media practitioners hasten to give false information to the public for their own selfish interests, thereby unduly heating up the polity, the court management lamented. This spurious reportage sold out to the public is most unfortunate and unacceptable. It should be totally ignored, the statement advised. It advised journalists to imbibe ethical values of professionalism and truth in their reportage of issues. Some news platforms m reported earlier on Thursday that the Federal High Court in Abuja nullified the APCs governorship primary election in Ekiti State on the grounds of alleged irregularities characterising the process. But APC in Ekiti State had earlier faulted the report insisting that Biodun Oyebamiji who emerged as the partys governorship candidate in the primary election remained its candidate in this Saturdays election. The party urged its supporters to ignore any report to the contrary. A former Nigerian Attorney-general of the federation and Minister of Justice, Bello Adoke, has hailed the judgment of the Commercial Court of England and Wales which ruled that there was no evidence of fraud in the transfer of proceeds from the sale of OPL 245 in the controversial Malabu oil deal. Mr Adoke in a statement Wednesday said although he did not expect a contrary judgement, it is very gratifying that foreign courts have declared over and over again that there were no fraudulent or corrupt practices involved in the OPL 245 Settlement Resolution. Nigeria on Tuesday lost its $1.7 billion claim against JP Morgan Chase Bank over the transfer of proceeds from the sale of OPL 245 in the controversial Malabu oil deal. In the ruling of the court, Judge Sara Cockerill declared that the Nigerian government couldnt show that it had been defrauded in the case. Nigeria is claiming more than $1.7 billion for the banks role in the controversial deal, with allegations that JP Morgan was grossly negligent in its decision to transfer funds paid by oil giants Shell and Eni into an escrow account controlled by a former Nigerian oil minister, Dan Etete. Nigerian lawyer, Roger Masefield, argued that the nations case rested on proving that there was fraud and JP Morgan was aware of the risk of fraud. Under its Quincecare duty, the bank was entitled to refuse to pay for as long as it had reasonable grounds for believing its customer was being defrauded. But Judge Cockerill said Tuesday that by the time of the 2013 payments, the bank was on notice of a risk of fraud. There was a risk but it was, on the evidence, no more than a possibility based on a slim foundation, the judge ruled. OPL The OPL deal details how Shell and Italys Eni in 2011 paid the Nigerian government of then president Goodluck Jonathan a combined $1.3 billion for an oil block. Of that amount $875 million was paid to Malabu Oil & Gas, a company controlled by former oil minister Dan Etete. Mr Etete had awarded Malabu the rights to the block in 1998 when he was Nigerias oil minister. Within weeks of the deal in April 2011, half of Malabus money was allegedly packed into bags and paid out to Nigerian government officials and Western oil executives as cash bribes. The deal has also spawned further lawsuits, including efforts by a new presidential regime in Nigeria to recover assets. A panel of judges in Milan acquitted the companies and executives, who all denied any wrongdoing, of bribery last March. Prosecutors have however appealed the ruling. Classified documents from Britains financial crime agency seen by this newspaper revealed how it allowed JP Morgan to pay $875 million of suspicious funds to Mr Etete, a former Nigerian oil minister widely known as a convicted money launderer. Earlier in March, JP Morgan Chase faulted the allegations leveled against it by the Nigerian government in the scandal. The bank also faulted the claim put forward by the government against former President Goodluck Jonathan and a former Nigerian Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke. In the JP Morgan case, Nigerias lawyer, Roger Masefield, argued that the nations case rested on proving that there was fraud and JP Morgan was aware of the risk of fraud but took no action to prevent it. The Nigerian government, through its lawyers, equally informed the court that Mr Adoke contacted JP Morgan through telephone call and email, and acted while he was no longer in the ministerial position, an act linked to impersonation and fraud. Adokes Position In his responses to the allegations since the scandal broke, Mr Adoke has always denied wrongdoing. On Wednesday, Mr Adoke said that he had been unjustly defamed locally and internationally, and his livelihood has been taken from him. I am grateful to friends, colleagues and well-wishers who have stood by me throughout this challenging and depressing period, he said. Now that it is clear to all discerning minds that no fraud was perpetrated in the OPL 245 Resolution Agreement, the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation should be advised to refrain from wasting Nigerias hard-earned foreign exchange by way of legal fees on local and foreign counsel in a bid to prove the existence of a fraud that never was. The former minister said he was not expecting a contrary judgment knowing well that I did no wrong and I served Nigeria with all honesty and every sense of duty and patriotism, adding that he was pleased with the outcome of the suit because if it were to be Nigerian courts, he would have been accused of buying justice by his traducers who are hell-bent on tarnishing his name and destroying him for political reasons. Fuel queues have resurfaced in the city of Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, and its environs as residents prepare to cast their votes for the governorship election on Saturday. Some fuel stations along Adebayo and major streets are under lock and key for lack of the product. However, a few that are selling have very long queues with crowds of okada riders and those buying in plastic kegs. However, at the outskirts of the city, marketers are ceasing the occasion to hike the price of the product. Our reporter bought the product at N180 per litre on Thursday evening in one of the stations along Afao Road as panic buying raged through the state. The Chairman of South-West zone of Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Dele Tajudeen, said on Wednesday that the association might instruct its members in the zone to increase the pump prices of Premium Motor Spirit (P.M.S), as well as the A.G.O popularly called Diesel if the appropriate federal governments regulatory agency failed to address the continuous non -supply of the products to its members. He said members of IPMAN in his chapter had been unable to access supplies of the products from any of the six government-owned depots for the past six months. Mr Tajudeen added that members of the association had resorted to making purchases from the private depot owners, who had continued to exploit the situation to put an extra cost on IPMAN members. Journalists and security operatives are apprehensive that movement on election day might be difficult if the product could not be accessed before the end of Friday. Travellers from Ibadan and Akure had also reported scarcity of the product in the cities, raising fears of widespread scarcity in the coming days. Although INEC had begun the distribution of sensitive materials on Thursday, the deployment of polling officials on election day would depend on the availability of means of transportation, and residents say fuel scarcity could be a major impediment. The trial of the convicted kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, popularly known as Evans, was on Friday stalled due to a fire incident which affected his transportation to an Ikeja Special Offences Court. Evans is standing trial alongside Joseph Emeka for the attempted kidnap of the chairman of Young Shall Grow Motors, Vincent Obianodo. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the court had on June 15 fixed Friday to hear the evidence of Mr Obianodo, via zoom. At the beginning of the proceedings on Friday, Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo said that there was a fire incident which affected the transportation of the defendants. I was informed by the Officer in Charge of legal (OC) that there was a fire incident which affected the transportation of the defendants For security reasons, the defendants can not be present in court, the judge said. Mrs Oluwatoyin adjourned the case until July 25 for trial. NAN reports that the court had on March 11 ordered Evans to engage a lawyer before the next date of an adjournment or be ready to defend himself. Frank Udeme, one of the co-defendants of Evans, had been sentenced to five years imprisonment on March 11. Mr Udeme had pleaded guilty to selling firearms to Evans. According to the prosecution, Evans and Mr Emeka committed the offence on August 27, 2013, at Third Avenue in Festac Town, Lagos. Evans and his accomplice are alleged to have killed one Ngozi Chijioke and attempted to kidnap and kill Mr Obianodo. The defendants pleaded not guilty to a seven-count charge of murder, attempted murder, conspiracy to commit kidnapping, attempt to kidnap, and sale and transfer of firearms over the attempted kidnap of Mr Obianodo. NAN also report that the sister case before Mrs Taiwo has also been adjourned until July 25 for the second defendant to open his defence. The court had on June 15 rejected the submission of the new counsel to Evans, Amobi Nzelu, to postpone the trial. Evans is standing trial along with Victor Aduba, an ex-soldier for allegedly kidnapping a businessman, Sylvanus Ahamonu, and collecting a $420,000 ransom from his family. Evans had on February 4 opened his defence and denied kidnapping Mr Ahamonu and collecting $420,000 ransom from his family. NAN also reports that the judge expressed dissatisfaction at the absence of the defendants on March 28 which stalled the trial. Evans is facing four kidnapping charges at various high courts of Lagos State. Justice Hakeem Oshodi on February 25 sentenced him and two others to life imprisonment for kidnapping Donatius Dunu, the Chief Executive Officer of Maydon Pharmaceuticals Ltd. (NAN) The governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) has accused the All Progressives Congress-led state government of masterminding the arrest and abduction of key members of his party hours before the governorship election. But the government has described the allegation as misleading. The police in Ekiti have also denied knowledge of the development. Mr Oni told journalists in Ado Ekiti on Friday that the sudden and indiscriminate arrest of his supporters hours before the election was provoking and threatening the peace agreement signed on Wednesday. He said security agents were walking into the houses of leaders of the SDP and arresting them. He said it was worrisome that some of the leaders of the SDP were being kidnapped by some APC agents. He specifically warned the Chief Security Officer to Governor Kayode Fayemi not to use his office to set Ekiti State on fire. A situation where you go from house to the houses of our people and kidnap them as is being done now is worrisome, he said. They should be told to stop because they are testing the patience and tolerance of the people. We wont tell our people to resist them at all costs and we cant say they should obey them at all costs because they are carrying out illegal orders. The governorship candidate noted that the action of the security agents could ignite the state and disrupt the process of the election on Saturday. However, the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Yinka Oyebode, said the allegation against the office of the governor was spurious like other allegations made by the SDP candidate. He said he was not aware of any order to arrest anyone as it was the responsibility of the police high command to deal with such matters. The office of the governor or the CSO is not involved in any arrest, he said. As we speak, the action you speak about is not within the purview of the CSO and we are not aware of such arrest. He said the police had made a huge deployment for the election led by a DIG of Police, and there would be no reason for the CSO to the governor to be involved in any way. The police spokesperson for Ekiti Command, Sunday Abutu, said if there was any such indiscriminate arrest, the party concerned should make a formal report to any of the police units for prompt action. President Muhammadu Buhari Friday in Abuja restated Nigerias commitment to a safer and healthier global climate, listing the countrys updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) to include elimination of kerosene lighting by 2030, increase in the use of buses for public transport and reduction in burning of crop residues. In a virtual meeting, hosted by President Joe Biden of the United States, on Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate Change (MEF), President Buhari said that an updated Nationally Determined Contribution to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change had been submitted to replace the interim contribution of May 27, 2021. Our updated NDC includes the waste sector which is expected to contribute to the reduction of Nigerias Greenhouse Gas emissions. This development raised an additional two per cent to the Nationally Determined Contribution from 45 per cent to 47 per cent conditionally and 20 per cent unconditionally below business-as-usual. Other action plans that are inherent in our NDC include; elimination of kerosene lighting by 2030, increase in the use of bus rapid transit as a means of transportation for the general public, 50 per cent reduction in the fraction of crop residues burnt by 2030 and implementation of forest programmes. Initiatives to deliver 20 per cent Green House Gas emission reductions and enhanced removals equivalent to approximately 74.2 Metric tons of Carbon Dioxide by 2030, and Ratification of the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol to phase out Hydro-fluoro-carbon emissions, the president said. President Buhari also noted that Nigeria was developing National Frameworks for Article 6 and for carbon pricing, adding, we have finalized the Sectoral Action Plan for the implementation of the revised NDC in the key priority sectors, namely Energy, Oil & Gas, Agriculture & Land use, Power, Transport and Water and Waste. On the Global Methane Pledge, the president told the world leaders that Nigeria joined the Global Methane Alliance in 2019 with a commitment to methane reduction targets of at least 45 per cent by 2025 and a 60-75 per cent reduction by 2030. Nigerias 2019 National Plan to Reduce has started through the required voluntary actions, with an initial focus on elimination of Short-Lived Pollutants methane in the Oil and Gas sector. Our plan aims to improve air quality and reduce Nigerias contribution to climate change through 22 specific mitigation measures in 8 source sectors (transportation, cooking and lighting in households, industry, waste, oil and gas, agriculture, power and Hydro-Fluoro-Carbon), as well as adoption and ratification of the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol aimed at phasing out Hydro- fluoro-carbon emissions. The full implementation of these measures would be effective in reducing Short-Lived Pollutants, with an 83 per cent reduction in black carbon emissions by 2030 compared to a business-as-usual scenario, and 61 per cent reduction in methane emissions. These measures are also effective in reducing other air pollutants, such as nitrogen oxides and particulate matter, and also reduce Carbon Dioxide emissions, he added. The president said implementation of the measures could reduce exposure to air pollution across Nigeria by 22 per cent in 2030 while reducing Nigerias contribution to climate change. Furthermore, President Buhari said: My administration approved Nigerias Sustainable Energy for All Action Agenda in 2016, which has a target of almost tripling generation capacity in the next decade, to reach a total of 30 Gigawatt by 2030. Of this, 30 per cent will be generated from renewable resources, with almost half of this provided by medium and large hydro. The Clean Energy Transport Scheme in major Nigerian cities involves the introduction of compressed natural gas for buses in public transport. Nigeria is aware that its heavy dependence on fossil fuel makes the country especially vulnerable in a world that has a target to reduce or even eliminate fossil fuel as a key driver of the global economy. The president noted that a number of countries were already setting bans on the sale of oil-consuming Internal Combustion Engine vehicles: However, Nigeria is also aware that short-term response to transition from fossil fuel to clean energy may jeopardize our economic growth. As a result, we intend to use the Long-Term Low-Emissions Development Strategy as our transition process. President Buhari explained that the Long-Term Low-Emissions Development Strategy provides Nigeria with the pathway to carefully assess the opportunities that might arise in terms of a cleaner, more dynamic, and more sustainable growth model. It will also provide the options for the country to implement a less carbon-intensive model of economic development in the face of decreasing global reliance on fossil fuel energy, he said. According to President Buhari, achieving a climate-neutral economy by 2050 will require progressively phasing out or profoundly changing the countrys carbon-intensive industries, which will be particularly challenging and will require a well-managed transition through effective visioning and full financial support from partners. Nigeria is ready to partner with countries and relevant stakeholders to achieve the goals of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and objectives of the Paris Agreement while combining both local and international solutions in its quest to mitigate the challenges of climate change and adapt to the realities of the catastrophic environmental destruction facing our world, he assured. The president thanked President Biden for convening the important event which remains crucial to the well-being of national economies as well as the continued existence of all people on the planet. President Buhari also appreciated other members of the Major Economies Forum for Energy and Climate Change for their commitment to climate action, particularly the consensus on the deployment of clean energy technologies at the lowest possible cost and establishment of the Global Partnership to drive transformational progress across the globe. It is our fervent hope and expectation that the partnership will be vigorously pursued in order to mitigate the consequential adversities of climate change on our environment. Your Excellencies, the bad effects of climate change are disastrous to humanity, considering the magnitude of environmental destruction and its negative impacts on our respective countries. In Nigeria, we have witnessed several environmental challenges including creeping land degradation, desertification and drought in the northern part, wanton deforestation, land encroachment, invasion of coastal lines, biodiversity loss, flooding and coastal erosion in the Southern region of our country. These developments reinforce Nigerias commitment to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change geared towards the stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic consequences and to the rules of the 2015 Paris Agreement, the president added. President Buhari said he had already signed the Nigerian Climate Change Bill on November 18, 2021, in fulfilment of Nigerias commitment to the Glasgow Climate Pact. According to the President, The Climate Change Act provides a legal framework for achieving low Greenhouse Gas emissions while ensuring green and sustainable economic growth. The Act will support and enable the implementation of national climate actions, including accessing climate finance and carbon trading that will enable reduction in greenhouse gases that are contributory factors to climate change and its attendant effects. The virtual summit was addressed by about 20 Presidents and Prime Ministers or their representatives, and those who personally did so included the host, President Biden, President Buhari, the German Chancellor, the President of Turkey, Prime Ministers of Japan and Canada as well as the Secretary-General of the United Nations and the President of the European Commission. Garba Shehu Senior Special Assistant to the President (Media & Publicity) The Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) has called for punitive measures against fake news peddlers ahead of Saturdays governorship election in Ekiti state. Idayat Hassan, the CDD Director represented by Austin Aigbe, said this at a pre-election press conference held in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital on Friday. Ms Hassan described fake news as the major threat to the success of the election. The major contenders in the governorship race are the Social Democratic Party (SDP)s Segun Oni, a former governor of the state, All Progressives Congress (APC)s Biodun Oyebanji, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)s Bisi Kolawole and 13 others. The civil society boss appealed to the federal government, particularly the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and security agencies to begin a clampdown on purveyors of fake news to protect the integrity of the electoral process in the country. Some of this news is meant to divide the polls, mislead the voters, affect turnout and incite electoral violence, she said. In the last one week, the CDD had heard news saying that Segun Oni had sealed a deal with Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to step down and work for APC to win. Another news that we got was that the SDP Mega rally billed for Thursday was cancelled, this also surfaced. There was further news that a court in Abuja had disqualified the APC candidate, Biodun Oyebanji from the race. But our facts showed that all these were fake. Deployment The organisation said it has deployed 205 trained election observers to monitor the electoral process across the 16 local governments of the state. Ms Hassan said the observers have been mandated to report issues that threaten the integrity of the process to the electoral umpire and the police to forestall a recurrence. She urged the electorate to vote their conscience on Saturday and resist the temptation of vote-buying. A former Commissioner for Environment in Ogun State, Tony Ojeshina, has emerged as the governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Ogun State, ahead of the 2023 general election. The chairman of the party, Yinka Ola-Williams, presented Mr Ojeshina to the public on Friday. Mr Ojeshina was a commissioner in the administration of former Governor Gbenga Daniel. While speaking at the Sweet Sensation Hall venue of the ceremony located in the Oke-Ilewo area of Abeokuta, Mr Ojeshina said if elected he would run the affairs of the state without federal government allocations. He presented his manifesto tagged Creating A Model State to the public. He said his desire to seek the highest office in the state is borne out of a conviction that the people deserve the best in governance. I see Ogun state not only as a bastion of hope but as a bulwark of liberty and socio-justice. I see Ogun state experiencing a socio-economic, human political and development regeneration in the next four years, he said The party flag bearer said with the experience he had garnered, his mission in the government house was to use his creative initiative alongside a team of intelligent, resourceful, dedicated and patriotic Ogun State indigenes. We shall deploy the resources of Ogun state to create the atmosphere whereby every adult and children alike would have the capacity to create wealth for themselves. Ogun state people would have equal opportunities and veritable platform to create the chance for better future. Ogun State of my dream is a state that will be economically and financially secured and sustainable, even if federal allocations are not available I present to you today, my governance manifesto tagged, Creating A Model State. I enjoin all our citizens to follow us in thought and prayers, as we discuss and debate true governance. A National Centre for the Coordination of Early Warning and Response Mechanism has been established with the signing of Executive Order 12 by President Muhammadu Buhari. The order signed on June 10, 2022, establishes the National Early Warning Centre pursuant to Article 58 of the Treaty of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and Article 16 of the Protocol on the Mechanism related to Conflict Prevention, Management, Resolution, Peacekeeping and Security. Under the ECOWAS instruments, including the 1993 Revised ECOWAS Treaty, each member state is to establish a national early warning centre to address issues related to threats to human security as part of the regional bodys peace and security architecture. The Nigerian Centre is domiciled in the Office of the Vice President, and with the support of relevant national and transnational institutions, will provide research, analysis and advisory on trends in the human security sector cutting across the environment, public health and governance. Other areas the Centre will focus on include human rights, food security and crime among others, as well as support governments responses to emerging situations in these domains. The President had earlier approved the appointment of Chris Ngwodo as the Director General of the National Centre. Before his last appointment as Senior Special Assistant to the President on Policy Research in the Office of the Vice President, Mr Ngwodo had served as Technical Assistant to the President on Justice, Conflict and Security in the Office of the Vice President. A lawyer by profession, Mr Ngwodo has worked on conflict, human security, policy and development issues for over a decade. He was a member of the Presidential Committee on the North-East Initiative and has served in various capacities on numerous human security-related assignments. Laolu Akande Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity Office of the Vice President 17th June 2022 The Nigeria Police Force on Thursday disobeyed an order of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Apo, Abuja, to produce a murder suspect, Uwani Usman, to answer for the alleged killing of her husband. Instead of complying with the court order, the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, our reporter learnt, decided to grant the suspect bail after the court issued the production order at Tuesdays sitting. The deceased, Hussaini Usman, a businessman, was allegedly strangled to death on October 28, 2018, at his Apo residence in Abuja. But efforts to arrest and prosecute Mrs Usman and her son, Huzaifa Usman, who are the prime suspects in the alleged murder, have been futile until last Saturday, June 11, when the police apprehended her in Abuja. The trial judge, Angela Otaluka, had on Tuesday ordered the police to produce the defendant on Thursday. However, in disregard of the court order, the police failed to bring Mrs Usman whom they said was at its clinic in Abuja for medical attention. At Thursdays proceedings, the prosecuting lawyer, Godwin Ijioma, urged the court for an adjournment to enable the police to sort out some administrative issues that had stalled the defendants prosecution. Mr Ijioma had informed the judge that Mrs Usman was feigning ill health to delay her arraignment. Displeased with the lawyers explanation, Mrs Otaluka wondered how can one person overpower the entire Federal Republic of Nigeria? I am giving you the last chance in this matter to produce the defendant for her to take her plea, the angered judge said before adjourning the suit until September 26, 2022. Mr Otaluka renewed an earlier order she had made on Tuesday, directing the Nigeria Police Force to produce Mrs Usman before the court. Police sources informed this reporter that Mrs Usman had asked the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) to review her case to withdraw his earlier legal advice which asked the IGP to immediately prosecute the suspects in Mr Usmans gruesome killing. Mrs Usman has been granted bail by the police despite the courts order to produce her for arraignment, a source said. Suspect seeks AGFs fresh review of the case file I have been briefed that the AGF has to vet the case file for the second time, the prosecuting lawyer told the court. I plead with the court for an adjournment to deal with some administrative issues, Mr Ijioma pleaded. AGFs legal advice Mrs Usman, who is charged alongside her son, Huzaifa, for the alleged strangulation of her husband, had been evading arrest for nearly four years until last Saturday. Sources familiar with the case said top police officers and politicians have been shielding Mrs Usman from prosecution. However, a piece of legal advice from the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) revealed that there is a prima facie case against the duo Mrs Usman and Huzaifa. The AGFs letter addressed to the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali, the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation (DPPF), Mohammed Abubakar, asked the police to immediately arrest and prosecute the suspects. In the letter dated May 13, the DPPF said: The office of the Attorney General of the Federation having reviewed the case file is of the view that the duo of Musa Ndanusa and Adamu Umar be used as prosecution witnesses. In view of the above, I am further directed to inform your office to continue with the prosecution of the case. The letter added: The office of the Attorney General of the Federation having reviewed the case file is of the view that the duo of Musa Ndanusa and Adamu Umar be used as prosecution witnesses. In view of the above, I am further directed to inform your office to continue with the prosecution of the case. But police sources said Mrs Usman would only be brought to court for trial if the Inspector-General of Police directs the commissioner in charge of homicide in Abuja to comply with the courts orders. It will be recalled that the case first came up before Samira Bature, a judge of the FCT High Court, where Huzaifa, 25, was first arraigned for murder. He pleaded not guilty and was remanded at Kuje prison in Abuja. Huzaifa has been in detention and was brought to court on Tuesday. Background Family sources who are familiar with the case told Daily Trust that Mr Usmans murder was initially linked to an armed robbery incident. He (Mr Usman) was said to be on his way to the mosque around 5 a.m. with Huzaifa when the assailants attacked him and asked Huzaifa to face the wall, a family source, who asked not to be named, said. The younger Usman was said to have told people that after he discovered his father had been killed and the assailants had left, he dragged the corpse to the sitting room from the compound and he went to call his mother before they went to the mosque to call for assistance. The family source said this conflicting narrative led to further questions. The Catholic Diocese of Enugu has disassociated itself from the scathing remarks against Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, by its outspoken priest, Ejike Mbaka. Mr Mbaka, during his weekly ministration service on Wednesday, said Mr Obi will not be president of Nigeria in 2023 because he is a stingy man who does not give out money to people. He also said unless Mr Obi returned to his Adoration Ministry to apologise for refusing to make a donation to the ministry when he was asked to do so, his ambition to become president of Nigeria would be fruitless. Reacting through a statement by the Auxiliary Bishop of the diocese, Ernest Obodo, the Catholic Church condemned the cleric for his utterances against Mr Obi. The church described the comments as provocative and divisive. The statement was also signed by the Secretary of the diocese, Wilfred Agubuchie, and the Vicar General of the church, Geoffrey Aguigwo. The Catholic Diocese of Enugu hereby condemns and disassociates herself from such unbecoming and divisive utterances from Fr. Mbaka. We notify the general public that Fr. Mbakas views on the matter are entirely personal to him and do not represent the position of the Catholic Diocese of Enugu, the statement read in part. It said the comments by the cleric was a clear violation of the provisions of canon 287 (2) which forbids catholic priests from engaging in partisan politics. It added that the comments were also contrary to Canon 220 of the 1983 Code of the Canon Law in the church which prohibits anyone from illegitimately harming the good name of a person. In an effort to keep him united to the Body of Christ, we enjoin him to refrain from making further provocative prophecies or utterances capable of heating up the polity. We assure the people of God and the general public that the Catholic Diocese of Enugu is taking the due canonical process, the statement added. The statement asked Nigerians to continue to pray for peaceful elections in the country, and to act like good citizens by getting their Permanent Voters Card ahead of the 2023 general elections. Mr Mbaka has been criticised by many Nigerians over his comment on Mr Obi. The U.S. Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, Victoria Nuland, on Thursday, said Nigeria needs to address its security challenges holistically. Ms Nuland, who is visiting Nigeria for two days, described as an evil thing, the way terrorists get into communities and destroy the fabric. But what we are trying to do now, what Nigeria is trying to do, is really integrate the air and ground approach to security I think Nigeria with our support needs to address this in a holistic way. She noted that it is one thing to root out terrorists from communities, but the government must then provide sustainable police and community security as well as better services and governance, else, those guys are just going to be back. We also need a regional approach to this problem because these terrorists are running across borders, we all need to work together, she added. Commenting on the leadership Nigeria provides at the regional level (ECOWAS), she said Nigeria plays a huge role not only in its own security but also the security of the region through ECOWAS. The way Nigeria goes, is the way the continent goes. So if Nigeria can become increasingly stable and secure, empowering its population, diversifying the economy and empowering the next generation, it will be a powerful engine not only for Nigeria but for the African continent and the democratic world. During her visit, Ms Nuland had a roundtable with civil society organisations to discuss the 2023 elections. She noted that the U.S. was very pleased to see the new Electoral Act and a longer period for campaigns. She also met with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and Chief of Staff to the President Ibrahim Gambari. We have been focusing on a number of issues: security, free, fair and peaceful elections, she said about her meeting with the officials. We also talked about our security relationship more broadly but at the high end in terms of the holistic approach to security we are about to have a new delivery of helicopters as well. But we talked about the fact that security in our cooperation needs to be about countering terrorism at the high end but it also needs to be about what comes behind better governance, better opportunity , driving out the ability of terrorists to make inroads to community. She said the U.S. will support the electoral commission, INEC, and the police, to provide security because we know there is quite a bit of anxiety about that. Ms Nuland said the U.S. would love to see more investors in Nigeria but there needs to be an improvement in the enabling environment and corruption remains an obstacle. About Ms Nulands visit Ms Nuland visited Djibouti, Mozambique, and Nigeria, between June 11 and 17, 2022. In Djibouti, with an interagency team, she met with government counterparts to advance U.S.-Djibouti relations and close security cooperation. In Mozambique, she also met with government and civil society members to discuss the full range of bilateral and regional issues, including opportunities to advance stability and economic recovery in conflict-affected areas in support of a new partnership under the U.S. Strategy to Prevent Conflict and Promote Stability. Ms Nuland was sworn-in as Under Secretary for Political Affairs in April, 2021. Prior to that, she was Senior Counselor at the Albright Stonebridge Group, a global strategic advisory and commercial diplomacy firm based in Washington DC. She was also a non-resident Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution, Distinguished Practitioner in Grand Strategy at Yale University, and a Member of the Board of the National Endowment for Democracy. With 33 year as a U.S. diplomat, she served as Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs from September 2013 until January 2017 under President Obama. She was State Department spokesperson during Secretary Hillary Clintons tenure, and U.S. Ambassador to NATO during President George W. Bushs second term, 2005-2008. Ms Nuland served as Special Envoy and chief negotiator on the Treaty on Conventional Arms Control in Europe from 2010-2011, and as Deputy National Security Advisor to Vice President Cheney from 2003-2005. In addition to two tours at NATO in Brussels, she has served overseas in Russia, China and Mongolia, and in various assignments at the State Department in Washington. The Catholic Diocese of Ondo on Friday held a funeral service for victims of the June 5 attack at St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State. The attack by gunmen during mass, claimed at least 40 lives of worshippers while over 80 worshippers are still receiving treatment at the Federal Medical Centre and St. Louis Hospital, both in Owo. The service, held at the Mydas Event and Resort, Owo, was attended by Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, his wife, Betty, immediate past Governor of the state, Dr Segun Mimiko and prominent indigenes of the state. Speaking at the service, Ayo Badejo, the Bishop of Oyo Catholic Diocese, condemned the attack and killing of the worshippers. The diocese had shared photos of those killed in the attack. Mr Badejo, while appreciating those who had brought succour to the victims of the attack, described the incident as sheer brutality and crudeness without any justification. While saying that the attack was a total desecration of the body of Christ and humanity, the cleric recounted that the lives of children between the age of two and three were lost in the incident. According to him, the church is battered but not down. He explained that none of the injured did anything wrong before their sudden death, saying though they are dead, we have solace that they are in the hands of Jesus Christ. Mr Badejo, who read Psalm 22: verse 1-3 and Psalm 42, verse 8-10, said tragedy and sorrow could only prevail if succumbed to it. He appealed to the Christian faithful to refuse to be crushed, noting that every Christian who died in Christ Jesus has hope in the resurrection. He called on the Federal Government and other stakeholders to address, in earnest, the prevalent brutality and senseless killings across the country. He enjoined the countrys leaders to shun discrimination and listen to the cries of the people, noting that the Owo attack might not be the last. Mr Badejo said if the situation is allowed to continue, people might resort to self-defence. The bishop also appealed to bandits to have a change of heart, repent and embrace good life to build a country of peace and prosperity. Speaking during the service, Mr Akeredolu reiterated his administrations commitment to the safety of lives and property of residents. The governor, while condemning the attack, called for the immediate rejig of the countrys security architecture. The governor announced that the mass burial planned for the victims had been cancelled because some of the victims had been buried, as their families could not wait for the funeral. He said some victims would be buried today, Friday, while some would be returned to the morgue. (NAN) At least, 20,802 out-of-school children including girls and Almajiris in three local governments of Katsina State will benefit from N332,833,000 support from the United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF) as part of efforts to improve school enrollment in the state. The local government areas to benefit from the Educate a Child (EAC) Cash Transfer Programme for Out of School Children, as the financial aid is called are: Kafur, Mani and Safana. The UNICEF chief of the Kano office, Rahama Farah, said the funds will be disbursed through 10,557 female parents and caregivers to assist 20,802 children to return to school. Mr Farah was speaking Friday afternoon in Mani during the official flag-off of the cash transfer programme. Each female parent/caregiver will receive N8,000 per tranche, twice in 2022, amounting to N16,000 per beneficiary, he said. The cash transfer, he said, would ensure that beneficiaries are not only enrolled in school but retained. Mr Farah said the schools, including the Integrated Quranic Schools, have been provided with literacy and Numeracy skills linked to employability and livelihood schemes. He also called on the Katsina State government to allocate more resources to the education sector. In addition to putting in place necessary legislations, I would like to urge the Katsina State Government to allocate and dispense more resources to the education sector, especially the development budget that addresses the improvement of the learning environment that directly impacts the quality of learning outcomes, he said. In a short speech, Aminu Masari, the governor of Katsina State, said the intervention was a welcome development that would help in decreasing the number of out-of-school children in the state. The partnership between Katsina State Government and UNICEF has yielded many positive results, not just in the education sector but in other sectors of the state, he said. We are grateful to UNICEF and the Educate A Child (EAC) project for the funds. The Programme Implementation Unit for the cash transfer programme will monitor the programme closely and ensure that the beneficiaries make judicious use of the resources, Mr Masari said. The Katsina State commissioner for education, Badamasi Charanci, said the administration has employed teachers, and provided learning materials and infrastructure which have helped to improve the academic performance of the students. He commended the UNICEF for sponsoring the Educate A Child (EAC) and Girls Education Project (GEP) which he said has improved the literacy rate in Katsina State. These activities of Qatar Foundation/UNICEF and the efforts of the Katsina State Government in the provision of improved Quality of Education in the State. This is witnessed by having our Primary School Pupils winning Prizes in Presidential Debates, Quiz and Quranic Recitation Competitions, he said. Bashir Maru, former deputy chief of staff to Zamfara State governor, has accused the governor of gifting vehicles bought to support security agencies in the state to his cronies and members of his family. In a statement, Mr Maru also accused the governor, Bello Matawalle, of plotting to have him arrested. He also said he has evidence that will reveal the beneficiaries of the Toyota Hilux vehicles. Back story Mr Maru, a medical doctor, recently resigned his position as the executive secretary of the states hospital service management board to contest the All Progressives Congress (APC) House of Representatives ticket for Maru/Bungudu constituency but local commentators say the governor decided that the ticket should be given to a supporter of a former governor of the state, Abdulaziz Yari, as part of a reconciliation deal with Mr Yari. Mr Maru went ahead to contest for the ticket despite pleas from the governor and other top party officials in the state, who had decided that the ticket should be given to a consensus candidate. Abdulmalik Zanna emerged as the winner of the primaries. Before the primary election, Mr Maru accused some elements of trying to abduct him for his insistence to contest which he said led him to go underground to avoid being harmed. The vehicles Mr Maru said in the statement, also posted on his Facebook account, that the governor gifted the vehicles bought for security agencies in the state to his friends and family members. The vehicles, he said, were bought through the Local Government Joint Accounts. He alleged that 200 vehicles were bought and 60 per cent of them were given to the police command, Army and Air Force formations as well as paramilitary security agencies. Unfortunately, more than 35% 40% of those vehicles were dashed to family members, friends and political associates in far away Kano, Kogi, Osun, Nasarawa, Abuja, Borno, Adamawa, Zamfara and others. A proper detail of such distribution will be provided in due course for the public to have insight of the happenings behind the scenes. Sadly, most of those vehicles have been sold out by the beneficiaries of the Governors largesse. I am challenging the Zamfara State Governor to assemble just 15% of all official vehicles allocated since May 29, 2019, he said. Not the beginning Mr Maru alleged that aside from his insistence to contest against the governors wish, he had issues with the governor over his role to ensure due process and ensure the governor attended all official matters. He said while he was the deputy chief of staff, he kept complaining to the governor to treat files which had been submitted to him for six month earlier. The former aide said other issues that pitched him against Mr Matawalle include: his insistence on payment of outstanding debts to WAEC and NECO Examination bodies, advocating for a permanent solution in the payment of local and foreign scholarships and the issue revolving around stranded scholars abroad. In his days at the Hospital Service Management Board, Mr Maru said the untouchable and powerful cartel was angry with him for stepping on their toes. The governors spokesman, Zailani Bappa, didnt answer calls nor did he respond to SMS sent to him. When contacted, the Director-General of New Media at the Government House, Ibrahim Zauma, said he was not authorised to comment on the matter. The real issue, however, is that there is too much opportunism in the way in which Nigerian politics is being played presently. Why did they not override the president when they threatened to earlier on? How come there is so much focus on the particular section of the Electoral Act which concerns the direct political interest of legislators, who want to be voters in primaries they would be contesting in?.. They need to think about how to develop a delegate system that is truly democratic, rather than one that serves their own direct interests alone. As it has happened with each legislature in the life of the Fourth Republic, the majority of members of the Senate and House of Representatives would not be returning for the next legislative assembly. The reason is simple: State governors who decide on behalf of the people who should or should not be a candidate, do not like their States legislators to stay long in office to build powerful political bases that could one day challenge their absolute power as governors. The Senate president, Ahmad Lawan, is the most spectacular exception that breaks the rule. He has been in the National Assembly since 1999, first in the House of Representatives and subsequently in the Senate. For some reason, successive governors of Yobe State have always given him the green light to stay on. I wonder why? Could it be linked to his style and record of being unobtrusive and inconspicuous as a legislator who does nothing and is therefore perceived as non-threatening? What is clear is that until he became the Senate president, hardly did anyone notice him. He was discovered when he became Senate president three years ago and then broke the Richter scale of political arrivism when the APC chairman announced him to be the presidential choice of President Buhari. I guess his governor must have noticed him then and decided to checkmate his excessive ambition. The reason is simple: Only governors have the right to the ultimate in political ambition. The new phrase in Nigerias political lexicon is PLACE-HOLDER. This is a person elected in a primary election to hold the seat for the real occupant who has gone off to attempt the ambition of seeking a bigger chair and is calculating that he needs a place-holder to keep his incumbent seat in conformity with the tough Electoral Act that has placed stumbling blocks in the pathway of political nomadism and serial contests in primary elections. Mr Bashir Machina is the place-holder for Senator Lawans Yobe North senatorial seat and was directed to resign immediately Oga Lawan lost the presidential ticket. Then came the bombshell with his announcement that he was not going to step down because he had duly won the primary election and that no one has a birth right to the constituency seat. Meanwhile, two camps have arisen resign now and no you won, keep your mandate. We await the outcome of this struggle. Nonetheless, a pertinent question is: On whose side is the Yobe State governor? I guess we shall soon find out. This was the context in which Senator Ahmad Lawan welcomed his colleagues back after a six-week recess to contest primary elections. He expressed his sadness that 70 per cent of the senators would not be returning to the National Assembly. He also had the difficult task of announcing that my good friend, his close ally and majority leader, Dr Yahaya Abdullahi, has moved from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), after the unceremonious manner in which the new ruling class in his Kebbi State set out to put a stop to his political ambition. The minority leader, Enyinnaya Abaribe has also resigned his post, having defected from the PDP to the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA). In the House of Representatives, Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila directly blamed the delegate system used in conducting the primary elections of political parties for the significant number of members that fell by the way side. His view was that the loss was really not for members who lost but for democracy, to the institution and the country Speaking on the outcome of the party primaries, Senate President Lawan said some of them had participated in the congresses for their senatorial districts, some had gone for the governorship of their states, and four of them, including him, went for the presidency: We have recorded different results from those activities, but as politicians, it is never over until it is over. We should continue to support the political system that we believe in. Those of our colleagues who have recorded successes, we wish them more successes in the general election. And those who have not succeeded as much, we are hopeful that between now and then, the situation may be better. The message, therefore, is that there is still hope that maybe the place-holder will read the memo and resign, so that the owner of the Yobe North senatorial constituency could reclaim his birth right. In the House of Representatives, Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila directly blamed the delegate system used in conducting the primary elections of political parties for the significant number of members that fell by the way side. His view was that the loss was really not for members who lost but for democracy, to the institution and the country: If it means anything, I know and I am aware that many of our members did not lose their primaries because they were rejected by their constituents. Many of our members lost because of the process, the process which we foresaw in the House of Representatives. The delegate system, which unfortunately is not what a delegate system is supposed to be. At the time, the National Assembly initially threatened to override the presidents veto over the question of delegates, but the members finally chickened out. Now that so many of them have become victims, they want to try again to pass an amendment to Section 84(8) to include statutory delegates as eligible voters in the primary elections. Like everyone else in the country, Mr Gbajabiamila considers the horror that has ensued as not due to the delegates per se, but the way in which godfathers have been able to plant their surrogates as delegates. He added that, When we fought for direct primaries in this house, we knew exactly what we were saying. It pains me very deeply that the process has gone the way it has gone. At the time, the National Assembly initially threatened to override the presidents veto over the question of delegates, but the members finally chickened out. Now that so many of them have become victims, they want to try again to pass an amendment to Section 84(8) to include statutory delegates as eligible voters in the primary elections. The Senate passed the bill on May 10, while the House passed the same bill on May 11. However, President Buhari did not sign the bill. My impression is that what they want to do it now is to engineer a sweet revenge for the manner in which so many of them were thrown out of the national legislature. When the history of the Ninth Assembly is written, the chapter on the titanic battle between national legislators and state governors would be a long one. The real issue, however, is that there is too much opportunism in the way in which Nigerian politics is being played presently. Why did they not override the president when they threatened to earlier on? How come there is so much focus on the particular section of the Electoral Act which concerns the direct political interest of legislators, who want to be voters in primaries they would be contesting in? The dropping of a majority of legislators from parliament started in 2003, why has there been no real attempt to address the issues involved all these years? The answer is that each legislator believes s/he could cosy up to his/her governor and be allowed to continue. By the time many of them realised that this would not happen, it was too late and the harm had been done. They need to think about how to develop a delegate system that is truly democratic, rather than one that serves their own direct interests alone. A professor of Political Science and development consultant/expert, Jibrin Ibrahim is a Senior Fellow of the Centre for Democracy and Development, and Chair of the Editorial Board of PREMIUM TIMES. The Gombe State Police Command has arrested five youth for allegedly possessing illegal weapons. The commissioner of police in the state, Ishola Babaita, alleged in a statement Thursday that the youth were suspected to be assailants in the states recent Lunguda and Waja communal crisis. Suspects were arrested by the joint team of the Nigerian Army and the Nigeria police led by Captain Akeem A. M on special duty at Nyuwar village of Balanga LGA of Gombe state. The suspects have confessed to having participated in the recent clash between Lunguda and Waja crisis, where three single barrel guns were recovered from them. The suspects are suspected to be hired fighters by one of the two tribes, Waja or Lunguda who recently engaged themselves in a communal clash. Suspects have confessed to the crime and the case is under investigation at the SCID Gombe, he wrote. The commissioner alleged that the following weapons were recovered from the suspects: one cutlass, three knives, one bow, one quiver containing 52 arrows and charms. The age-long animosity between the Lunguda and Waja people turned bloody in June after four people were killed and several properties destroyed. Violent clashes between the neighbouring ethnic groups have been traditionally ignited by land ownership at the start of the planting seasons, around June. After a gunfight with bandits in Saminaka, Lere Local Government Area of Kaduna State, the police said security operatives killed four of the gunmen and arrested a female accomplice. The spokesperson of the police in the state, Muhammed Jalige, said in a statement on Thursday that the team of security operatives including police officers from the Special Tactical Squad Force Headquarters, Abuja (STS), in conjunction with soldiers of Operation Yaki, Kaduna State Command, tracked down the bandits to a spot on the Saminaka-Jos Highway on Wednesday morning. He said the gunmen were in a Sharon vehicle driven by one James Dawi, a 31 years old resident of Vom town, Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State. The suspected bandits on sensing an unavoidable danger posed in their way to deliver some dangerous weapons to their cohorts immediately engaged the operatives in a fierce gun duel. However, the operatives with tactical precision were able to terminally injure four bandits while others retreated into the forest with severe bullet wounds. The injured suspects were evacuated to Barau Dikko Teaching Hospital Kaduna where they were pronounced dead by a medical doctor on call. When the search was conducted in the vehicle and around the vicinity, the following exhibits were recovered, one AK47 rifle loaded with six rounds of live ammunitions, 2 AK47 rifles, One empty magazine, One hundred and thirty-four rounds of different calibres of live ammunition and one operational motor vehicle, he said. Mr Jalige said the police arrested a female accomplice of the gunmen who allegedly confessed to being their arms supplier. Meanwhile discreet investigation into the case has been instituted with a view to unravelling the identities of other criminal members of the gang as well as finding the source of these dangerous weapons in order to make the criminals face the full wrath of the law, Mr Jalige added. The police urged residents in the area to report people with suspected gunshot wounds to security agencies as injured criminal elements will be hibernating around nearby communities to access healthcare services. Andres has extensive leadership experience, including more than a decade at Honeywell International Inc., leading global businesses in Environmental and Control Solutions, Building Solutions, Honeywell Homes, and Sensing and Control. Prior to joining Honeywell, Andres led the Americas business for the Topcon-Danfoss joint venture and led the Latin America business for the Danfoss Mobile Electronics division. More recently, Andres has founded and run three businesses active in management consulting, AI technology, and music. "I am delighted to welcome Andres to Uponor," says Rauterkus. "He is a leader with a strong customer and commercial focus and has broad international experience in the manufacturing industry. His entrepreneurial spirit and proven track record in growing businesses will be important in taking our Uponor North America operation to the next level, while also expanding the company's leadership position through new channels and new offerings." "I am honored to join a leading organization like Uponor," says Caballero. "I am excited by the company's growth strategy, tradition of innovation, and people-first culture. I look forward to working with the Executive Committee and the North American leadership team to continue accelerating the growth of the company." Current interim president of Building Solutions North America, John Reutter, will return to his duties as vice president of Finance upon Andres' commencement with the company. "I warmly thank John for his strong commitment to the organization," says Rauterkus. "I value the leadership he provided during this interim period and look forward to continuing to work with him in his vice president of Finance role of Building Solutions North America." To learn more about Uponor, click here. To download high-res photography, visit https://uponor.greenhousedigitalpr.com/andres-caballero-una-president/ 2022 Uponor Inc. Uponor is a trademark of Uponor Corporation and Uponor Inc. SOURCE Uponor Market Dynamics Key Driver The rising volume of electronic data is one of the key factors driving the growth of the global eDiscovery software market. Enterprises generate data from various sources such as enterprise applications, social networks, web-based searches, and cloud-based applications. It is practically impossible for big organizations to analyze large volumes of data on a daily basis without using advanced technologies. With huge volumes of data at hand, organizations are looking to make the best use of raw data and convert it into useful information that would help in their decision-making process. They are focusing on installing data management and data discovery solutions such as eDiscovery solutions as a part of data analytics. Cloud-based solutions offer easy big data management and analytics in a cost-effective manner. Moreover, the adoption of cloud-based applications is significantly rising, owing to their low cost, and making it possible to upload, review, and produce documents online without delays. Thus, the increasing use of this type of application is also leading to the generation of a huge amount of electronic data which further enhances the demand for eDiscovery solutions. eDiscovery vendors provide the software and services required for the functioning of big databases at low subscription fees. EDiscovery Software Market Scope Report Coverage Details Page number 120 Base year 2020 Forecast period 2021-2025 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 12.71% Market growth 2021-2025 $ 2.70 million Market structure Fragmented YoY growth (%) 11.12 Regional analysis North America, Europe, APAC, MEA, South America, North America, Europe, APAC, MEA, and South America Performing market contribution North America at 44% Key consumer countries US, China, Germany, France, and Canada Competitive landscape Leading companies, competitive strategies, consumer engagement scope Companies profiled Casepoint Pvt. Ltd., Exterro Inc. , International Business Machines Corp., Logik Systems, Inc., Micro Focus International Plc, Microsoft Corp., Nuix Pty Ltd., Open Text Corp., Relativity Global LLC, and ZyLAB 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. The eDiscovery Software Market is segmented by end-user (government and regulatory organizations and Non-governmental organizations), deployment (on-premises and off-premises), and geography (North America, Europe, APAC, MEA, and South America). Market Segmentation By End User- The global ediscovery software market share growth by the government and regulatory organizations segment will be significant during the forecast period. Government and regulatory organizations are generating a huge amount of data each day, which has led to the need for document review software rather than search boxes, mouse clicks, and a sluggish user interface. Such factors will increase the demand for the market in focus during the forecast period. By Geography- 44% of the market's growth will originate from North America during the forecast period. The US and Canada are the key markets for the global eDiscovery software market in North America . Market growth in this region will be slower than the growth of the market in regions. The rising volume of electronic data will facilitate the global e-discovery software market growth in North America over the forecast period. Get more insights on the market share & contribution of various regions & segments. Learn More COVID Impact and Recovery Analysis The eDiscovery software market in North America witnessed a temporary decline in 2020, owing to the COVID-19 outbreak. Many eDiscovery consultation companies partially shut down their operations due to the pandemic. However, many companies that can operate remotely are gradually increasing the use of cloud-based eDiscovery software to continue operations with employees that can work from home. Thus, the demand for cloud-based eDiscovery software has increased, which will drive the regional market during the forecast period. Related Reports Embedded Software Market by End-user and Geography - Forecast and Analysis 2021-2025: The embedded software market has the potential to grow by USD 5.99 billion during 2021-2025, and the market's growth momentum will accelerate at a CAGR of 7.67%. Latest Exclusive Research Insights Here Data Loss Prevention Market by Deployment and Geography - Forecast and Analysis 2022-2026: The predicted growth for the data loss prevention market share from 2021 to 2026 is USD 6.03 billion at a progressing CAGR of 23.78%. More Exclusive Research Insights Here Table of Contents 1 Executive Summary 2 Market Landscape 2.1 Market ecosystem Exhibit 01: Parent market Exhibit 02: Market characteristics Exhibit 03: Value chain analysis: Application software 2.2 Value chain analysis 3 Market Sizing 3.1 Market definition Exhibit 05: Market segments 3.2 Market segment analysis 3.3 Market size 2020 3.4 Market outlook: Forecast for 2020 - 2025 Exhibit 06: Global - Market size and forecast 2020 - 2025 ($ million) Exhibit 07: Global market: Year-over-year growth 2020 - 2025 (%) 4 Five Forces Analysis 4.1 Five forces summary 4.2 Bargaining power of buyers Exhibit 09: Bargaining power of buyers Exhibit 10: Bargaining power of suppliers 4.3 Bargaining power of suppliers Exhibit 11: Threat of new entrants 4.4 Threat of new entrants Exhibit 12: Threat of substitutes 4.5 Threat of substitutes 4.6 Threat of rivalry Exhibit 13: Threat of rivalry Exhibit 14: Market condition - Five forces 2020 4.7 Market condition 5 Market Segmentation by End-user 5.1 Market segments Exhibit 16: Comparison by End-user 5.2 Comparison by End-user Exhibit 17: Government and regulatory organizations - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ million) 5.3 Government and regulatory organizations - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Exhibit 18: Government and regulatory organizations - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%) Exhibit 19: Non-governmental organizations - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ million) 5.4 Non-governmental organizations - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Exhibit 20: Non-governmental organizations - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%) Exhibit 21: Market opportunity by End-user 5.5 Market opportunity by End-user 6 Market Segmentation by Deployment 6.1 Market segments Exhibit 23: Comparison by Deployment 6.2 Comparison by Deployment Exhibit 24: On-premises - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ million) 6.3 On-premises - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Exhibit 25: On-premises - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%) Exhibit 26: Off-premises - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ million) 6.4 Off-premises - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Exhibit 27: Off-premises - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%) Exhibit 28: Market opportunity by Deployment 6.5 Market opportunity by Deployment 7 Customer landscape 7.1 Customer landscape 8 Geographic Landscape 8.1 Geographic segmentation Exhibit 31: Geographic comparison 8.2 Geographic comparison Exhibit 32: North America - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ million) 8.3 North America - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Exhibit 33: North America - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%) Exhibit 34: Europe - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ million) 8.4 Europe - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Exhibit 35: Europe - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%) Exhibit 36: APAC - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ million) 8.5 APAC - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Exhibit 37: eDiscovery rules and practices followed in APAC Exhibit 38: APAC - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%) Exhibit 39: MEA - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ million) 8.6 MEA - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Exhibit 40: MEA - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%) Exhibit 41: South America - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ million) 8.7 South America - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Exhibit 42: South America - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%) Exhibit 43: Key leading countries 8.8 Key leading countries 8.9 Market opportunity by geography Exhibit 44: Market opportunity by geography ($ million) 9 Drivers, Challenges, and Trends 9.1 Market drivers 9.2 Market challenges Exhibit 45: Impact of drivers and challenges 9.3 Market trends 10 Vendor Landscape 10.1 Overview Exhibit 47: Landscape disruption 10.2 Landscape disruption 11 Vendor Analysis 11.1 Vendors covered 11.2 Market positioning of vendors Exhibit 50: Market positioning of vendors Exhibit 51: Casepoint Pvt. Ltd. - Overview Exhibit 52: Casepoint Pvt. Ltd. - Product and service Exhibit 53: Casepoint Pvt. Ltd. - Key offerings 11.3 Casepoint Pvt. Ltd. Exhibit 54: Exterro Inc. - Overview Exhibit 55: Exterro Inc. - Product and service Exhibit 56: Exterro Inc. - Key offerings 11.4 Exterro Inc. Exhibit 57: International Business Machines Corp. - Overview Exhibit 58: International Business Machines Corp. - Business segments 11.5 International Business Machines Corp. Exhibit 59: International Business Machines Corp. - Key offerings Exhibit 60: International Business Machines Corp. - Segment focus Exhibit 61: Logik Systems, Inc. - Overview Exhibit 62: Logik Systems, Inc. - Product and service Exhibit 63: Logik Systems, Inc. - Key offerings 11.6 Logik Systems, Inc. Exhibit 64: Micro Focus International Plc - Overview Exhibit 65: Micro Focus International Plc - Product and service 11.7 Micro Focus International Plc Exhibit 66: Micro Focus International Plc - Key offerings Exhibit 67: Microsoft Corp. - Overview Exhibit 68: Microsoft Corp. - Business segments 11.8 Microsoft Corp. Exhibit 69: Microsoft Corp. - Key offerings Exhibit 70: Microsoft Corp. - Segment focus Exhibit 71: Nuix Pty Ltd. - Overview Exhibit 72: Nuix Pty Ltd. - Product and service Exhibit 73: Nuix Pty Ltd. - Key news 11.9 Nuix Pty Ltd. Exhibit 74: Nuix Pty Ltd. - Key offerings Exhibit 75: Open Text Corp. - Overview Exhibit 76: Open Text Corp. - Business segments Exhibit 77: Open Text Corp. - Key offerings 11.10 Open Text Corp. Exhibit 78: Relativity Global LLC - Overview Exhibit 79: Relativity Global LLC - Product and service 11.11 Relativity Global LLC Exhibit 80: Relativity Global LLC - Key offerings Exhibit 81: ZyLAB - Overview Exhibit 82: ZyLAB - Product and service Exhibit 83: ZyLAB - Key news 11.12 ZyLAB Exhibit 84: ZyLAB - Key offerings 12 Appendix 12.1 Scope of the report Exhibit 85: Currency conversion rates for US$ 12.2 Currency conversion rates for US$ Exhibit 86: Research Methodology 12.3 Research methodology Exhibit 87: Validation techniques employed for market sizing Exhibit 88: Information sources Exhibit 89: List of abbreviations 12.4 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; Technavio Global Mobility Call brought together more than 4,500 on-site attendees and 13,000 online attendees from 40 countries, with more than 1.3 million views of the live programme. In addition, 250 journalists have covered the more than 100 multi-sector dialogues, where over 300 panelists, representatives from public and private sectors, entrepreneurs, academics and experts have presented proposals, ideas, reports and reflections on the rapid processes of changes in mobility. Among the main conclusions was the need to carry out national and international projects that promote digitalisation, decarbonisation, connectivity, intermodal and multimodal transport, industrial transformation, urban design, improvement of rural transport, funding and professional services. The President of the Spanish Government, Pedro Sanchez, closed the Global Mobility Call by stating that this forum "is the best example of the capacity for resilience, ambition to transform, the essential collaboration between the public and private sectors, the strength of companies and of Spanish society as a whole. Both private and public sectors share a special ability to face difficulties and adapt to new scenarios". He has underlined that the uncertainties provoked by the war "should not delay" the sustainable mobility transformation. In closing the event, the President of the Executive Committee of IFEMA MADRID, Jose Vicente de los Mozos, explained that these days at Global Mobility Call have shown "the inspiration and the keys to enter into business of enormous proportions, for which priority is to access recovery funds", while the event has generated "content and professional networking, which will translate into a real boost for sustainable mobility". "We have to process the vast content and contacts of highest interest which have been produced during these days. It will be our job to organise and make this important legacy available to the different sectors and the thousands of professionals who have participated in Global Mobility Call", he said. Global Mobility Call has responded to the need to bring together all mobility actors at a time of profound transformation. The need to act on both climate and energy crises, seizing the opportunity provided by the EUR 800 billion NextGenerationEU European recovery funds, has made Global Mobility Call an unprecedented opportunity to shape the future of a decarbonised, safe, digitised mobility, which respects the planet and the people's health, aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals, the Paris Agreement and the European Green Pact. Among the panellists, Jeffrey Sachs, American economist and specialist in sustainable development, called for further digital development of mobility and insisted that this be approached as an integrated ecosystem of sectors, just as Global Mobility Call does. Clotilde Delbos, CEO of Mobilize, stressed the need to work towards providing users with mobility services tailored to their needs. Michio Kaku, physicist and futurist, predicted how the quantum physics of the future will generate computers that will connect to the brain and the robotisation of the automotive industry. Adina Valean, European Commissioner for Transport, highlighted the opportunity presented by the Next GenerationEU Funds to boost projects in many of Europe's mobility sectors. It was also stressed that it is important to make this coincide with the drive for energy transition, to make Europe less dependent on fossil fuels. Monica Araya, Climate Mobility Advisor and member of the ClimateWorks & Partners' Steering Committee suggested incorporating into the sustainable mobility agenda the questions of generating employment, fostering talent and economic value, at a time when countries are trying to remain within supply chains, and society is very anxious about the climate crisis and the retraining of labour in many sectors. Urban planner and MIT professor Carlo Ratti called for reflection on deep structural changes in the mobility of people, jobs and products, at a time of disruption accelerated by the Covid crisis and war. More information: https://www.ifema.es/en/global-mobility-call/ CONTACTS: Marta Cacho, Directrice de la Communication, [email protected] Elena Valera, Presse Internacionale, [email protected] Photo- https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1842428/Global_Mobility_Call.jpg Photo- https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1842429/Pedro_Sanchez.jpg Logo- https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1706777/Global_Mobility_Call_Logo.jpg SOURCE Global Mobility Call DUBLIN, June 16, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The 'Global Single Lead ECG Equipment Market (2022-2027) by Product, Application, 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 Single Lead ECG Equipment Market is estimated to be USD 405.2 Bn in 2022 and is projected to reach USD 589.88 Bn by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 7.8%. Market dynamics are forces that impact the prices and behaviors of the Global Single Lead ECG Equipment Market stakeholders. These forces create pricing signals which result from the changes in the supply and demand curves for a given product or service. Forces of Market Dynamics may be related to macro-economic and micro-economic factors. There are dynamic market forces other than price, demand, and supply. Human emotions can also drive decisions, influence the market, and create price signals. As the market dynamics impact the supply and demand curves, decision-makers aim to determine the best way to use various financial tools to stem various strategies for speeding the growth and reducing the risks. Company Profiles The report provides a detailed analysis of the competitors in the market. It covers the financial performance analysis for the publicly listed companies in the market. The report also offers detailed information on the companies' recent development and competitive scenario. Some of the companies covered in this report are AliveCor, Ambisea Technology, Cardiac Design Labs, DailyCare BioMedical, Dimetek Digital Medical Technologies, Eurocamina, iRhythm Technologies, Longfian Scitech, 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 Single Lead ECG Equipment Market. Ansoff Matrix, also known as Product/Market Expansion Grid, is a strategic tool used to design strategies for the growth of the company. The matrix can be used to evaluate approaches in four strategies viz. Market Development, Market Penetration, Product Development and Diversification. The matrix is also used for risk analysis to understand the risk involved with each approach. The report analyses the Global Single Lead ECG Equipment Market using the Ansoff Matrix to provide the best approaches a company can take to improve its market position. Based on the SWOT analysis conducted on the industry and industry players, the analyst has devised suitable strategies for market growth. Why buy this report? The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the Global Single Lead ECG Equipment Market. The report includes in-depth qualitative analysis, verifiable data from authentic sources, and projections about market size. The projections are calculated using proven research methodologies. The report has been compiled through extensive primary and secondary research. The primary research is done through interviews, surveys, and observation of renowned personnel in the industry. The report includes an in-depth market analysis using Porter's 5 forces model and the Ansoff Matrix. In addition, the impact of Covid-19 on the market is also featured in the report. The report also includes the regulatory scenario in the industry, which will help you make a well-informed decision. The report discusses major regulatory bodies and major rules and regulations imposed on this sector across various geographies. The report also contains the competitive analysis using Positioning Quadrants, the analyst's Proprietary competitive positioning tool. Key Topics Covered: 1 Report Description 2 Research Methodology 3 Executive Summary 4 Market Dynamics 4.1 Drivers 4.1.1 Increasing Use of Single-Lead ECG Monitors in Hospitals and Home Care 4.1.2 Increasing Prevalence of Lifestyle Diseases 4.2 Restraints 4.2.1 Unstable Reimbursement Policies 4.3 Opportunities 4.3.1 Conduction Disorders to Show Substantial Demand for Single-Lead ECG Monitors 4.3.2 Favorable Government Initiatives for Remote Monitoring 4.4 Challenges 4.4.1 Technical Problems in Lead ECG Equipment 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 Single Lead ECG Equipment Market, By Product 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Recording Based Single-Lead ECG Monitors 6.3 Real-Time Single-Lead ECG Monitors 7 Global Single Lead ECG Equipment Market, By Application 7.1 Introduction 7.2 Atrial Fibrillation 7.3 Bradycardia 7.4 Conduction Disorders 7.5 Tachycardia 8 Global Single Lead ECG Equipment Market, By End-User 8.1 Introduction 8.2 Hospital facilities 8.3 Home Care Settings 8.4 Other End Users 9 Americas' Single Lead ECG Equipment Market 9.1 Introduction 9.2 Argentina 9.3 Brazil 9.4 Canada 9.5 Chile 9.6 Colombia 9.7 Mexico 9.8 Peru 9.9 United States 9.10 Rest of Americas 10 Europe's Single Lead ECG Equipment Market 10.1 Introduction 10.2 Austria 10.3 Belgium 10.4 Denmark 10.5 Finland 10.6 France 10.7 Germany 10.8 Italy 10.9 Netherlands 10.10 Norway 10.11 Poland 10.12 Russia 10.13 Spain 10.14 Sweden 10.15 Switzerland 10.16 United Kingdom 10.17 Rest of Europe 11 Middle East and Africa's Single Lead ECG Equipment Market 11.1 Introduction 11.2 Egypt 11.3 Israel 11.4 Qatar 11.5 Saudi Arabia 11.6 South Africa 11.7 United Arab Emirates 11.8 Rest of MEA 12 APAC's Single Lead ECG Equipment Market 12.1 Introduction 12.2 Australia 12.3 Bangladesh 12.4 China 12.5 India 12.6 Indonesia 12.7 Japan 12.8 Malaysia 12.9 Philippines 12.10 Singapore 12.11 South Korea 12.12 Sri Lanka 12.13 Thailand 12.14 Taiwan 12.15 Rest of Asia-Pacific 13 Competitive Landscape 13.1 Competitive Quadrant 13.2 Market Share Analysis 13.3 Strategic Initiatives 13.3.1 M&A and Investments 13.3.2 Partnerships and Collaborations 13.3.3 Product Developments and Improvements 14 Company Profiles 14.1 AliveCor 14.2 Ambisea Technology 14.3 Cardiac Design Labs 14.4 DailyCare BioMedical 14.5 Dimetek Digital Medical Technologies 14.6 Eurocamina 14.7 iRhythm Technologies 14.8 Longfian Scitech 14.9 Lohman Technologies 14.10 LifeWatch 14.11 Medtronic 14.12 Smart Solutions Technologies (NUUBO) 14.13 OMRON Healthcare 14.14 LifeWatch 14.15 Perlong Medical Equipment 14.16 Qardio 14.17 Shenzhen Creative Industry 14.18 Suzuken (Kenz) 14.19 Tianjin Chase Sun Pharmaceutical Group (Beijing Choice Electronic Tech) 14.20 Thermo Fisher Scientific 14.21 Vital Connect 14.22 Zenicor Medical Systems 15 Appendix For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/5ewygp 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 Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/539438/Research_and_Markets_Logo.jpg SOURCE Research and Markets DUBLIN, June 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Wood Adhesives Market, by Product Type, by Technology, by Substrate, by End User, and by Region - Size, Share, Outlook, and Opportunity Analysis, 2022 - 2030" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. Wood adhesive refers to adhesive that assists in bonding pieces of wood together. They are commonly used in furniture, shipbuilding, and arts and crafts. Hide glue, epoxy, PVA glue, and polyurethane are some of the most used wood adhesives. These adhesives are water resistant and designed to ensure that there are no gaps between wooden parts. Adhesives are becoming more popular as a substitute for traditional fasteners, which is driving the market growth. They are lightweight and give strong bonding and clean finishes. They are non-corrosive and contain anti-sealing qualities. The Asia-Pacific region has the largest market for wood adhesives. A solvent-based adhesive is a glue or adhesion agent that comes in the form of a liquid. Because they include an adhesive inside a more flexible or spreadable material, solvent-based adhesives are easier to apply. It helps users to apply the adhesive with greater care, covering areas where hard glue would be impossible to cover. When solvent-based adhesives are introduced, the solvent evaporates, allowing the polymer solution to dry quickly. The glue becomes stronger as the solvent evaporates, until there is no more solvent in the solution and the adhesive reaches its maximum strength. As a result of these factors, the wood adhesives market is predicted to advance in the future. Wood adhesive consumption in particleboard (PB) is estimated to grow at a significant rate during the forecast period. Particleboard is made by combining flakes and wood particles with glue and making thin sheets out of the sticky mixture. In Europe, particleboards are extremely popular. Because of its reduced cost, particleboard can be used to replace other materials such as plywood. When compared to plywood, it is denser, less expensive, and more consistent. Over the forecast period, this is expected to have a favorable impact on product demand. In the woodworking industry, soy-based adhesives have essentially replaced petrochemical-based adhesives. These adhesives are safe for the environment and increase the wood panel's overall performance. The raw material or feedstock obtained from petroleum or crude oil for the manufacture of these adhesives is one of the primary challenges facing the global market for wood adhesives. As a result, price fluctuation has an impact on the cost of producing wood adhesives, which is a significant concern for the producers. Key features of the study: This report provides an in-depth analysis of the global wood adhesives market, and provides market size (US$ Million and Kilotons) and compound annual growth rate (CAGR %) for the forecast period (2022-2030), considering 2021 as the base year It elucidates potential revenue opportunity across different segments and explains attractive investment proposition matrix for this market This study also provides key insights about market drivers, restraints, opportunities, new product launches or approvals, regional outlook, and competitive strategies adopted by key players It profiles key players in the global wood adhesives market based on the following parameters - company overview, financial performance, product portfolio, geographical presence, distribution strategies, key developments and strategies, and future plans Key companies covered as a part of this study include Henkel AG & Co. KGaA, Sika AG, The 3M Company, Arkema, HB Fuller, Bostik SA, Ashland Inc., Pidilite Industries Limited, Akzo Nobel NV, and Jubilant Industries Ltd. Company, Arkema, HB Fuller, Bostik SA, Ashland Inc., Pidilite Industries Limited, Akzo Nobel NV, and Jubilant Industries Ltd. Insights from this report would allow marketers and management authorities of companies to make informed decision regarding future product launches, technology up gradation, market expansion, and marketing tactics The global wood adhesives market report caters to various stakeholders in this industry including investors, suppliers, extruded aluminum profiles manufacturers, distributors, new entrants, and financial analysts Stakeholders would have ease in decision-making through various strategy matrices used in analyzing the global wood adhesives market Key Topics Covered: 1. Research Objectives and Assumptions 2. Market Purview Report Description Market Definition and Scope Executive Summary Market Snippet, By Product Type Market Snippet, By Technology Market Snippet, By Substrate Market Snippet, By End User Market Snippet, By Country/Region Opportunity Map (COM) 3. Market Dynamics, Regulations, and Trends Analysis Market Dynamics Drivers Restraints PEST Analysis PORTER's Five Forces Analysis Market Opportunities Regulatory Scenario Key Developments Market Trends Market Attractiveness Analysis Market Opportunity Assessment 4. Global Wood Adhesives Market - Impact of Coronavirus (Covid-19)Pandemic Overview Factors Affecting Global Wood Adhesives Market - COVID-19 Impact Analysis 5. Global Wood Adhesives Market, By Product Type, 2017-2030 (US$ Mn & KT) Introduction Market Share Analysis, 2021, 2025, and 2030(%) Y-o-Y Growth Analysis, 2022 - 2030 Segment Trends Urea-formaldehyde (UF) & Melamine urea-formaldehyde (MUF) Introduction Market Size and Forecast, and Y-o-Y Growth, 2022 - 2030, (US$ Mn & KT) Phenol-formaldehyde Introduction Market Size and Forecast, and Y-o-Y Growth, 2022 - 2030, (US$ Mn & KT) Epoxy Introduction Market Size and Forecast, and Y-o-Y Growth, 2022 - 2030, (US$ Mn & KT) Polyurethane Introduction Market Size and Forecast, and Y-o-Y Growth, 2022 - 2030, (US$ Mn & KT) Polyvinyl acetate (PVA) Introduction Market Size and Forecast, and Y-o-Y Growth, 2022 - 2030, (US$ Mn & KT) Others (Soy Based, etc.) Introduction Market Size and Forecast, and Y-o-Y Growth, 2022 - 2030, (US$ Mn & KT) 6. Global Wood Adhesives Market, By Technology, 2017-2030 (US$ Mn & KT) Introduction Market Share Analysis, 2021, 2025, and 2030(%) Y-o-Y Growth Analysis, 2022 - 2030 Segment Trends Solvent-based Introduction Market Size and Forecast, and Y-o-Y Growth, 2022 - 2030, (US$ Mn & KT) Water-based Introduction Market Size and Forecast, and Y-o-Y Growth, 2022 - 2030, (US$ Mn & KT) Others (Solvent less, etc.) Introduction Market Size and Forecast, and Y-o-Y Growth, 2022 - 2030, (US$ Mn & KT) 7. Global Wood Adhesives Market, By Substrate, 2017-2030 (US$ Mn & KT) Introduction Market Share Analysis, 2021, 2025, and 2030(%) Y-o-Y Growth Analysis, 2022 - 2030 Segment Trends Solid Wood Introduction Market Size and Forecast, and Y-o-Y Growth, 2022 - 2030, (US$ Mn & KT) Oriented Strand Boards Introduction Market Size and Forecast, and Y-o-Y Growth, 2022 - 2030, (US$ Mn & KT) Plywood Introduction Market Size and Forecast, and Y-o-Y Growth, 2022 - 2030, (US$ Mn & KT) Fiberboards Introduction Market Size and Forecast, and Y-o-Y Growth, 2022 - 2030, (US$ Mn & KT) Others (Particle Board, etc.) Introduction Market Size and Forecast, and Y-o-Y Growth, 2022 - 2030, (US$ Mn & KT) 8. Global Wood Adhesives Market, By End User, 2017-2030 (US$ Mn & KT) Introduction Market Share Analysis, 2021, 2025, and 2030(%) Y-o-Y Growth Analysis, 2022 - 2030 Segment Trends Furniture Introduction Market Size and Forecast, and Y-o-Y Growth, 2022 - 2030, (US$ Mn & KT) Flooring Introduction Market Size and Forecast, and Y-o-Y Growth, 2022 - 2030, (US$ Mn & KT) Housing Components Introduction Market Size and Forecast, and Y-o-Y Growth, 2022 - 2030, (US$ Mn & KT) Doors & Windows Introduction Market Size and Forecast, and Y-o-Y Growth, 2022 - 2030, (US$ Mn & KT) Others Introduction Market Size and Forecast, and Y-o-Y Growth, 2022 - 2030, (US$ Mn & KT) 9. Global Wood Adhesives Market, By Region, 2017-2030 (US$ Mn & KT) 10. Competitive Landscape Heat Map Analysis Market Share Analysis Company Profiles Henkel AG & Co. KGaA Company Overview Key Developments Product Portfolio Recent Developments/Updates Sika AG Company Overview Key Developments Product Portfolio Recent Developments/Updates The 3M Company Company Company Overview Key Developments Product Portfolio Recent Developments/Updates Arkema Company Overview Key Developments Product Portfolio Recent Developments/Updates HB Fuller Company Overview Key Developments Product Portfolio Recent Developments/Updates Bostik SA Company Overview Key Developments Product Portfolio Recent Developments/Updates Ashland Inc. Company Overview Key Developments Product Portfolio Recent Developments/Updates Pidilite Industries Limited Company Overview Key Developments Product Portfolio Recent Developments/Updates Akzo Nobel NV Company Overview Key Developments Product Portfolio Recent Developments/Updates Jubilant Industries Ltd. Company Overview Key Developments Product Portfolio Recent Developments/Updates 11. Section For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/zctfog 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 Houston innovation leader will help maximize the incubator's energy transition efforts SOMERVILLE, Mass. and HOUSTON, June 16, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Greentown Labs , the largest climatetech startup incubator in North America, today announced that it has appointed Barbara J. Burger, Ph.D. , former Vice President of Innovation and President of Chevron Technology Ventures, to its board of directors . Dr. Burger has been a long-time, transformative supporter of Greentown Labs and the opening of its Houston incubator. While at Chevrona Greentown Labs partner since 2013she spearheaded the corporate's partnership with Greentown, and Chevron became the first Founding Partner of Greentown Houston , which opened in 2021. Today, she continues to be an ally to Greentown's community of entrepreneurs and hosts semi-annual Women of Greentown Houston dinners. As an experienced corporate executive with demonstrated leadership in base business, innovation, venture investment, and the energy transition, Dr. Burger has played a pivotal role in advancing Houston's energy innovation ecosystem throughout her career. "Barbara Burger is a tireless advocate for the energy transition and the unique role that the City of Houston can play in it," said Ryan Dings, Greentown Labs' Chief Operating Officer & General Counsel. "Barbara is a key reason why our vision for Greentown Houston became reality. We are honored to welcome Barbara to the Board and look forward to benefiting from Barbara's industry expertise and deep technical knowledge as Greentown continues to grow." Dr. Burger has held management positions across international marketing, chemicals, technology marketing, lubricants, ventures, and innovation. While at Chevronfrom which she recently "graduated" she also held a wide range of civic and industrial leadership positions, including the governing board of the MIT Energy Initiative, the external advisory council for the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, the Greentown Houston Advisory Board, the Rice University Corporate Innovation Advisory Board, Houston Exponential, the Activate Leadership Council, the Houston Symphony Society, and the Board of the Oil and Gas Climate Initiative Climate Investment LLP. "I am honored and excited to join the Greentown Labs Board of Directors," said Dr. Burger. "Combatting the effects of climate change requires bringing a wide range of innovative solutions to scale. There is work for incumbents and startups alike in this enormous challenge that WE all face. Greentown Labs plays an essential role in providing facilities, tools, programs, and an inclusive community to nurture and grow innovation that matters." Dr. Burger holds a bachelor's degree in chemistry from the University of Rochester, a doctoral degree in chemistry from the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), and an academic honor MBA in finance from the University of California, Berkeley. She is an active alumnus of the University of Rochester, where she serves on the Board of Trustees and the university's River Campus Libraries National Council. She established the Barbara J. Burger Endowed Scholarship in the Sciences and founded the Barbara J. Burger iZone, where students generate, refine, and communicate ideas for social, cultural, community, and economic impact. At Caltech, she supports graduate women in chemistry who aim to contribute through careers beyond academia and serves on the Strategic Advisory Board for the Resnick Sustainability Institute. Dr. Burger joins 11 existing board members : "I am thrilled to welcome Barbara to our already outstanding Board of Directors at Greentown Labs," said Barton. "She brings a wealth of private and nonprofit sector expertise to our growing organization, and Barbara's deep expertise in helping climate technology startups accelerate their growth and deliver pioneering solutions to the world's energy and climate problems will help further propel Greentown and its members forward." About Greentown Labs Greentown Labs is a community of climate action pioneers working to design a more sustainable world. As the largest climatetech startup incubator in North America, Greentown Labs brings together startups, corporates, investors, policymakers, and many others with a focus on scaling climate solutions. Driven by the mission of providing startups the resources, knowledge, connections, and equipment they need to thrive, Greentown Labs offers lab space, shared office space, a machine shop, an electronics lab, software and business resources, and a large network of corporate customers, investors, and more. With its headquarters in Somerville, Mass. and a recently opened incubator in Houston, TX, Greentown Labs is home to more than 200 startups and has supported more than 450 startups since the incubator's founding in 2011. These startups have collectively created more than 8,400 jobs and have raised more than $2.2 billion in funding. For more information, please visit www.greentownlabs.com or Twitter , Facebook , and LinkedIn . Greentown Labs Media Contact: Lara Cottingham Chief of Staff, Greentown Labs [email protected] 281-797-9246 SOURCE Greentown Labs Lightship, a leading provider of virtual-first and hybrid clinical research solutions, is attending DIA (Drug Information Association) Global Annual Meeting June 20th 23rd at McCormick Place West in Chicago, Illinois. Conference attendees will have the opportunity to tour Lightship's MRU, located across from their Booth #2538. EL SEGUNDO, Calif. and LONDON, June 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Lightship, a leading virtual-first provider of clinical trials, is attending DIA (Drug Information Association) annual meeting in Chicago, June 20th 23rd. Attendees will have the opportunity to tour Lightship's MRU (mobile research unit) and talk with Lightship colleagues about how bringing clinical trials to participants can increase diversity in clinical research and build retention rates for sponsors. "Data from our recent thought leadership report reveals that 85% of UK respondents and 79% of US respondents said they would be more likely to take part in a clinical trial in the future if it were to be conducted at home or in a mobile research unit," says David MacMurchy, CEO, Lightship. "A virtual-first approach to clinical research provides participants with more choices around where they can be seen, but not everyone is comfortable having nursing staff visit them at their home. The MRU can bring the clinical trial directly to the patient, reducing geographic and logistical barriers to participation," says Sepehr Shojaei, Vice President, Design, Lightship. "The MRU is designed with state-of-the-art medical technology that puts patient safety and comfort at the forefront." Virtual-first clinical trials encompass both DCTs (decentralized clinical trials), which refers to clinical trials that are not conducted in a medical setting and use digital tools and assessments to collect data, and hybrid models, which include a combination of assessment in tradition medical settings with DCT elements. Many appointments with the Principal Investigator managing the study are also done using telehealth. "In Lightship clinical trials, patients can be seen at home, work, or a 'third place', such as the MRU," says Rachael Scott, Chief Commercial Officer, Lightship. "We are excited to attend DIA and share how deploying MRUs in clinical trials can increase access and equity in clinical research for all people." Lightship's market research was conducted in November 2021, with 1,378 people from both the US and UK, in partnership with Dyanata. To receive a copy of the report, contact Melissa E. Daley, Associate Director, Marketing, Lightship at [email protected]. About Lightship Lightship is leading the way in providing innovative, virtual-first and hybrid clinical research services that create access to clinical trials for all people by removing barriers, increasing inclusion, and driving equity in health care. Our flexible delivery model optimizes operational excellence, helmed by colleagues with years of extensive experience in clinical research. Learn more at www.lightship.com . SOURCE Lightship.com ALEXANDRIA, Va., June 16, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- National PTA today released the results of a national survey exploring parents' current mindsets related to COVID-19, in-person learning and mental health. The survey, which included more than 2,500 parents and guardians with children in grades K-12 in public schools, was conducted in April 2022 by Edge Research. This is the third in a series of surveys commissioned by National PTA and supported by the CDC Foundation, including one reported in January 2022 and one reported in September 2021. Key findings of the latest survey show: Parents and their children have adapted to living with the COVID-19 pandemic, and despite believing the country still has a long way to go, parents have also grown more comfortable with their children being in school. Parents of color remain more cautious about where the country stands with the pandemic, and their COVID-specific worries about their children being in school remain significantly stronger than the perspectives of White parents. The emotions of both children and parents are trending in a positive direction, and parents reported this year going very/pretty good for their child regarding academics, social experiences and emotional/mental health. Parents believe the 2022-2023 school year will be even better. "From the first through the third survey, we have seen a positive progression in parents' mindsets related to COVID-19, in-person learning and both their own and their children's mental health," said Anna King, president of National PTA. "The survey results are an encouraging sign that schools have been and will continue to be able to address needs and concerns of families as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve and planning begins for the 2022-2023 school year." In the survey, 51% of parents reported they believe the worst part of the pandemic is over, but the country still has a long way to go. Overall, 43% of parents reported being very comfortable with in-person learning, though Black parents were less comfortable compared to White and Latino/a/x parents, and 80% of parents reported they think the 2022-2023 school year will be better. The survey showed an increase in the number of parents who reported both themselves and their child feeling happy, excited, safe and calm. The survey also showed a decrease in the number of parents who reported both themselves and their child feeling anxious, frustrated, angry, sad and confused. "These findings are hopeful; they highlight the resilience of children and families," said Dr. Kathleen Ethier, Division of Adolescent and School Health Director at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "They also provide valuable insight into areas where we can continue to partner with schools to ensure that all students feel safe, supported and connected at school. Students and their families need that support more than ever." Most parents surveyed (88%) indicated they are comfortable with children learning social skills like respect, cooperation, perseverance and empathy in schools. Almost as many parents (76%) support schools teaching social and emotional learning. While most parents (over 60%) say they are following debates over curriculum and what topics should be taught in schools, only one-in-four indicate they are doing so very closely. "Understanding parents' views about their children's health and overall well-being is essential to protecting all of our schoolchildren all of the time, including during the COVID-19 pandemic," said Judy Monroe, MD, president and CEO of the CDC Foundation. "As the pandemic continues to evolve, it is vital that schools, teachers and administrators, parents and their children follow the best available guidance from our nation's public health protection experts." As in-person learning remains vital to ensure the continuity of education for every child and to support children's success socially and emotionally, National PTA will host a symposium on maximizing in-person learning on Friday, June 17, at 4:45 p.m. EDT during the National PTA 125th Anniversary Convention. The symposium will feature a two-part panel discussion on how our nation can plan a path forward from the COVID-19 pandemic and how parents and caregivers can support student safety and well-being with key officials from the Administration; American Academy of Pediatrics; Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL); and National PTA's Healthy Minds Ambassador. Among the key officials will be U.S. Secretary of Education Dr. Miguel Cardona, U.S. Surgeon General Vice Admiral Dr. Vivek Murthy and Timothy Shriver. The symposium will be moderated by NBC News Correspondent Rehema Ellis. The event will be held in-person with livestream and recorded viewing options available, including on National PTA's Facebook page. "At PTA, we remain committed to meeting parents and families where they are, making sure their voices and perspectives are heard, and providing them with important information, resources and professional expertise," added Nathan R. Monell, CAE, National PTA executive director. "We are also staying focused on safeguarding the education, health and safety of our nation's children and making sure students, families and schools have what they need as the COVID-19 pandemic evolves and all the time." About the Survey The online survey was conducted by Edge Research among a nationwide sample of more than 2,500 parents and guardians with children in grades K-12 in public school. The survey, fielded in English and Spanish, included oversamples of Latino/a/x parents representing a mix of acculturation levels and Black parents. Data were weighted to be representative of public-school parents in the U.S. The survey was fielded in April 2022. This project was supported by the CDC Foundation by way of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and as part of a financial assistance award totaling $447,531 with more than 99% funded by CDC/HHS and $2,400, less than 1%, funded by non-government source(s). The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by CDC/HHS, or the U.S. Government. About National PTA National PTA comprises millions of families, students, teachers, administrators, and business and community leaders devoted to the educational success of children and the promotion of family engagement in schools. PTA is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit association that prides itself on being a powerful voice for all children, a relevant resource for families and communities, and a strong advocate for public education. Membership in PTA is open to anyone who wants to be involved and make a difference for the education, health, and welfare of children and youth. For more information, visit PTA.org. SOURCE National PTA Consulting firm honored as one of 25 Best Large Companies for its employee experience and company culture MENLO PARK, Calif., June 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Global consulting firm Protiviti has been named to the 2022 list of Best Workplaces in the Bay Area by Great Place to Work and Fortune. The list recognizes companies headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area that are successfully creating a great employee experience for all, defined by high levels of trust, respect, credibility, fairness, pride and camaraderie regardless of race, gender, age, disability status and role within the organization. "We are very pleased to be recognized as a company where people feel a genuine sense of belonging and pride in what they do," said Tyler Graham, a Protiviti managing director and market leader for its San Francisco Bay Area office. "Protiviti offers a rewarding career in a diverse and supportive environment, including extensive on- and off-the-job training, employee network groups, tuition reimbursement, a robust mentoring program, a flexible work schedule and the opportunity to make an impact." "As employee demands and expectations have dramatically changed over the past year, these companies have risen to the occasionand it's not been easy," said Kim Peters, executive vice president of global recognition, research and strategic partnerships at Great Place to Work. "Their hard work and dedication to listen to and care for the well-being of every employee and support them in a way that's meaningful to all, is the standard all organizations will be held to." The Best Workplaces in the Bay Area list is highly competitive. Great Place to Work selected the list using rigorous analytics and confidential employee feedback. Companies are only considered for the Best Workplaces list if they are a Great Place to Work-Certified organization. In April, Protiviti was ranked #15 on the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For 2022 list, its eighth consecutive year on this list. In 2021, Protiviti was named by Fortune and Great Place to Work as a Best Workplace for Diversity, Working Parents, Millennials and Women and was ranked #14 on Great Place to Work's list of Best Workplaces in Consulting and Professional Services. Protiviti was also named to the 2021 PEOPLE Companies that Care list. About Protiviti Protiviti (www.protiviti.com) is a global consulting firm that delivers deep expertise, objective insights, a tailored approach and unparalleled collaboration to help leaders confidently face the future. Protiviti and its independent and locally owned Member Firms provide clients with consulting and managed solutions in finance, technology, operations, data, digital, legal, governance, risk and internal audit through its network of more than 85 offices in over 25 countries. Named to the 2022 Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For list, Protiviti has served more than 80 percent of Fortune 100 and nearly 80 percent of Fortune 500 companies. The firm also works with smaller, growing companies, including those looking to go public, as well as with government agencies. Protiviti is a wholly owned subsidiary of Robert Half (NYSE: RHI). Founded in 1948, Robert Half is a member of the S&P 500 index. Protiviti is not licensed or registered as a public accounting firm and does not issue opinions on financial statements or offer attestation services. Editor's note: photo available upon request. SOURCE Protiviti JenCare encourages Richmond to turn out and hear Grammy-winning artist Bishop Hezekiah Walker + nine more top gospel acts at Virginia Union University between 3:00 and 7:00 PM RICHMOND, Va., June 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- JenCare Senior Medical Center, a senior-focused primary care practice providing best-in-class care for thousands of underserved seniors in Richmond and Tidewater Virginia, as well as in Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky and Louisiana is a proud sponsor of this Saturday's Sounds of Freedom: Juneteenth Gospel Concert and Health Fair at Virginia Union University (1500 North Lombardy Street, Richmond, VA 23220). More than 2,000 Richmond residents already have confirmed plans to attend the free event at the Hezekiah Walker Center for Gospel Music at VUU by registering online, about doubling the prior year's free Juneteenth concert attendance. Happily, the VUU campus has beautiful outdoor areas where large monitors and speakers could provide on the grass seating for up to 3,000 more gospel music enthusiasts. "I pray that there is a JenCare center in every city and state. We need what you guys are giving out." Hezekiah Walker Tweet this During an interview this week, the Grammy-winning artist, Bishop Hezekiah Walker, explained, "I am so excited about this year, because we partnered with JenCare. And when we met with JenCare they were very passionate about the older people. We wanted to do this concert to celebrate our seniors. And I said, 'yes, let's do it.'" Bishop Walker added, "It's 100 percent free. So, we need everybody to come and support it. Let's pack our Virginia Union campus ground. Let's make our voice be heard. I pray that there is a JenCare center in every city and state. We need what you guys are giving out. You know, I'm going to be pushing for New York, for Pennsylvania, where I have another church. Our seniors need to experience that all over the world. So, I tip my hat to you. So, we are going to make sure that everyone coming knows we need JenCare in our area." "We are regular folks, helping regular folks like they are members of our family," said Lisa Price Stevens, M.D., MPH, MBA, FACP, regional chief medical officer for all JenCare centers in Virginia. "We deliver affordable VIP care that includes patients having their primary care doctor's cell phone number, and being able to see their doctor same day, either by telehealth or a safe in-person appointment." "Please join us this Saturday at VUU, the beautiful campus founded in 1865 to give newly emancipated freedmen an opportunity for education of the mind in an ethical, religious environment," added Dr. Stevens. "You are going to love seeing and hearing four hours of truly amazing performances by Bishop Hezekiah Walker, Dorinda Clark Cole, Anthony Brown & group therAPy, Patrick Riddick & D'vyne Worship, Donte McCutchen & Levitical Priest, Earl Bynum, The Legendary Ingramettes, Peggy Brit & Latter Reign, JR Nelson, Virginia Union Gospel Choir, and more." Doors open at 2:00 PM and lawn chairs and blankets are recommended. There is no parking on campus. The Why The free Sounds of Freedom: Juneteenth Gospel Concert and Health Fair, is a special celebration of Richmond seniors, especially those living in underserved neighborhoods, where lack of access to high quality primary care and other social determinants of health have, for many years, negatively impacted longevity. These barriers have shortened average life spans by as much as 20 years when compared to older adults living in nearby more affluent zip codes. JenCare centers, including the four serving Richmond, operate exclusively in underserved neighborhoods. As they work diligently to transform care, they help address what Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. heralded more than 50 years ago: "Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health is the most shocking and inhuman." In Virginia, more than 72 percent of JenCare patients are African American seniors living with multiple and major chronic diseases. About Hezekiah Walker Bishop Hezekiah Walker is a Grammy Award-winning gospel music artist and Founder of the new Hezekiah Walker Center for Gospel Music at Virginia Union University in Richmond, Virginia. Bishop Walker, known for his chart-topping gospel anthems "Souled Out," "Every Praise" and Grammy-nominated "Better," is the Founder and Senior Pastor of Love Fellowship Tabernacle located in Brooklyn, New York and Bensalem, Pennsylvania. He is known as the "Hip-Hop Pastor" due to the celebrity status of some who attend his church. With a heart for seeing people saved, Bishop Walker has seen Love Fellowship grow from 8 people to now, thousands and counting. A second-year student of VUU's Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology, Bishop Walker founded the Center for Gospel Music as an extension of his mantra: "And because God is the greatest power, we will not be defeated." About JenCare / ChenMed JenCare is part of ChenMed, which operates nearly 100 centers in 12 states. The company employs outstanding primary care physicians and specialist doctors who are empowered to do whatever it takes to deliver VIP service; to detect and effectively manage high-risk diseases; and to reduce hospital sick days for Medicare-eligible seniors, many of whom are living with multiple and major chronic conditions. ChenMed, headquartered in Miami, is a privately owned medical, management and technology company that delivers the high-touch and personalized primary care Medicare-eligible seniors need to enjoy better health. The company currently operates nearly 100 senior medical centers in 12 states. Named a Fortune 2020 "Change the World" company, ChenMed nurtures a corporate culture where shared values of love, accountability and passion are celebrated; and where community service is a hallmark. Bringing concierge-style medicine and better health outcomes to the neediest populations, ChenMed was named a "Most Loved Workplace" by Newsweek Magazine, and a certified Best Place to Work by the Best Place to Work Institute. ChenMed brands include Chen Senior Medical Center, Dedicated Senior Medical Center and JenCare Senior Medical Center. SOURCE ChenMed NEW YORK, June 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- (S&P Global Ratings) -- Decentralized finance (DeFi) needs digital currencies that can dependably act as a bridge with the world of traditional finance to become mainstream, said an article published today by S&P Global. In "Stablecoins: Common Promises, Diverging Outcomes," the authors discuss how stablecoins--cryptocurrencies with a market value generally tied to a specific fiat currency--have emerged to fulfill that role. The recent market rout has demonstrated that not all stablecoins are equal and contain idiosyncratic risks, where certain algorithmic types are less likely to maintain their promised stability. Stablecoins will ultimately compete with central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) or tokenized deposits of commercial banks from the traditional finance world. Spurred by recent market turbulence, stablecoins are attracting increasing regulatory scrutiny and constitute arguably the hottest regulatory topic in the crypto world at the moment. This is no surprise. The implications will only grow with volumes issued. These are multifaceted--from traditional anti-money laundering issues to potential financial stability considerations, such as a run on a stablecoin leading to a fire sale of assets held as reserves. The currency policy stance towards stablecoins varies across jurisdictions. In China, for instance, stablecoins and other cryptocurrencies are banned outright so that the focus is on the launch of a central bank-backed e-CNY. In the U.S., discussions are progressing on how to regulate stablecoins; so far, over 95% of outstanding coins are linked to the U.S. dollar. The U.K. government has also made it a priority to legislate in this area to foster the country's future role as a crypto-hub. Japan is allowing banks and other registered financial services entities to issue stablecoins from next year. The report looks into many of the implications around stablecoins and potential competitors from the traditional finance world, how they work, the roles they play, and the risks they pose. This report does not constitute a rating action. Media Contact: Jeff Sexton, New York +1 (917) 596-3417 [email protected] S&P Global Ratings is the world's leading provider of independent credit ratings. Our ratings are essential to driving growth, providing transparency and helping educate market participants so they can make decisions with confidence. We have more than 1 million credit ratings outstanding on government, corporate, financial sector and structured finance entities and securities. We offer an independent view of the market built on a unique combination of broad perspective and local insight. We provide our opinions and research about relative credit risk; market participants gain independent information to help support the growth of transparent, liquid debt markets worldwide. S&P Global Ratings is a division of S&P Global (NYSE: SPGI), which provides essential intelligence for individuals, companies and governments to make decisions with confidence. For more information, visit www.spglobal.com/ratings. SOURCE S&P Global Nearly 2,000 Products Competed for the Top Specialty Food Association Award ELVERTA, Calif., June 16, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- STERLING CAVIAR Royal Grade has won the Product of the Year as part of the Specialty Food Association's (SFA) 2022 sofi Awards, a top honor in the $170.4 billion specialty food industry. This award followed Sterling Caviar's win, last month, of the sofi Gold Award in the Seafood Category. This the first time in the history of the sofi Awards where caviar, as a first-time entry, has taken home the top Gold Award in the Seafood Category and Product of the Year. Sterling Caviar Royal Grade was one of 102 winnerseventually taking the coveted top prize--selected by a panel of specialty food experts from nearly 2,000 entries across 53 product categories. Products are judged on taste, including flavor, appearance, texture and aroma, ingredient quality, and innovation. All tastings are anonymous and are held at the Rutgers Food Innovation Center. "We are honored that Sterling Caviar ROYAL Grade has won a Gold Award in the Seafood Category, and also the prestigious Product of the Year Award," says Myra Tallerico, General Manager/COO of Sterling Caviar. "This is a true testament to the commitment and pride our entire staff have in producing a quality product. We have such a hard-working team and it's very humbling to know that our product is appreciated. Winning both these two awards within weeks of each other is the ultimate stamp of approval and we're very grateful. We thank the Specialty Food Association for this amazing honor." Sterling Caviar ROYAL Grade can be found at www.sterlingcaviar.com. The sofi Awards are open to members of the SFA and have been given each year since 1972. Winners were showcased at the 2022 Summer Fancy Food Show, that ran June 12-14, at the Javits Center in New York City. Open only to the trade, it is the largest East Coast B2B-only specialty food and beverage show. For more information, visit specialtyfood.com. About STERLING CAVIAR Sterling Caviar is the largest producer of caviar in the U.S. They offer an environmentally friendly and sustainable way of producing caviar that has helped reduce the pressure on wild sturgeon stocks. In 1988, the Company became the first commercial sturgeon farming operation in California, and in 1993, the first farm-raised caviar in the world was processed and produced on their farm! They are recognized by Monterey Bay Aquarium as a Seafood Watch "Best Choice". They originally sourced the White Sturgeon from the Sacramento River, but in 1994, the team worked with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the University of California - Davis to develop an environmentally responsible brood stock program and replaced all the wild fish it borrowed from the river. Today, Sterling Caviar maintains an online store that introduces customers to top-quality caviar. Its rich flavors, ethical farming, and friendly service have impressed people across the U.S. The team has a lot of pride in being the pioneer of culturing sustainability of the White Sturgeon. All the White Sturgeon fish they process/sell have been raised on their northern California farms! Their caviar is packed fresh from the farm and sent by overnight delivery. Their farm-to-fork system eliminates the middleman. The Company maintains a good reputation in the culinary community because of its high-integrity and high-quality approach to caviar production. They do not cut corners or settle for second-rate. Their fish biologists can trace each product back to an individual sturgeon and they're able to tell customers which tanks it swam in, what it was fed, when it was hatched, and who its parents were. That transparency and traceability is unmatched in the industry. Sterling Caviar came under new ownership in October 2020 when Eugene Fernandez acquired the Company and put together a management team that transformed the Company. Since then, Sterling Caviar has focused on ensuring the quality of their products and the integrity of the Company. About the Specialty Food Association The Specialty Food Association (SFA) has been the leading trade association and source of information about the $170.4 billion specialty food industry for 70 years. Founded in 1952 in New York City, the SFA represents manufacturers, importers, retailers, distributors, brokers, and others in the trade. The SFA is known for its Fancy Food Shows ; the sofi Awards , which have honored excellence in specialty food and beverage for 50 years; the Trendspotter Panel Show reports and annual predictions; the State of the Specialty Food Industry Report and Today's Specialty Food Consumer research; the ecommerce enabled SFA Product Marketplace , where members showcase products and sell directly to qualified buyers; SFA Feed , the daily source for industry news, trends and new product information, and Spill & Dish: A Specialty Food Association Podcast . SOURCE Sterling Caviar Global competitiveness and key competitor percentage market shares Market presence across multiple geographies - Strong/Active/Niche/Trivial Online interactive peer-to-peer collaborative bespoke updates Access to our digital archives and MarketGlass Research Platform Complimentary updates for one year Edition: 9; Released: June 2022 Executive Pool: 893 Companies: 75 - Players covered include Biodit ; Calamp ; Continental AG ; Deepglint; Delphi Automotive ; Denso Corporation ; Fingerprint Cards AB ; Hypr ; Intellicar and Others. Coverage: All major geographies and key segments Segments: Type (Non-Biometric Systems, Biometric Systems); End-Use (Passenger Cars, Light Commercial Vehicles, Heavy Commercial Vehicles) Geographies: World; United States; Canada; Japan; China; Europe (France; Germany; Italy; United Kingdom; Spain; Russia; and Rest of Europe); Asia-Pacific (Australia; India; South Korea; and Rest of Asia-Pacific); Latin America (Argentina; Brazil; Mexico; and Rest of Latin America); Middle East (Iran; Israel; Saudi Arabia; United Arab Emirates; and Rest of Middle East); and Africa. Complimentary Project Preview - This is an ongoing global program. Preview our research program before you make a purchase decision. We are offering a complimentary access to qualified executives driving strategy, business development, sales & marketing, and product management roles at featured companies. Previews provide deep insider access to business trends; competitive brands; domain expert profiles; and market data templates and much more. You may also build your own bespoke report using our MarketGlass Platform which offers thousands of data bytes without an obligation to purchase our report. Preview Registry ABSTRACT- Amid the COVID-19 crisis, the global market for Vehicle Access Control estimated at US$9.8 Billion in the year 2022, is projected to reach a revised size of US$13.8 Billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 7.8% over the analysis period. Non-Biometric Systems, one of the segments analyzed in the report, is projected to grow at a 7.6% CAGR, while growth in the Biometric Systems segment is readjusted to a revised 8.7% CAGR. The global market continues to be driven by increasing vehicle thefts. The rise in car thefts and crime is largely due to the growing black market for cars in developing countries in Asia-Pacific, Africa and Eastern Europe. In addition, the relative ease in liquidating stolen car parts, such as, engines, transmissions, air bags, radios, GPS units, radios, batteries, front/rear bumpers etc., is encouraging the rise in crime rates. Vehicle thieves can strip a car in less than 45 minutes and make money three times the value of the vehicle's worth by selling the individual parts. In the United States alone, an automobile is stolen every 5 seconds. Despite technology innovations in automotive security systems and growing sophistication of theft-deterrent devices, vehicle crime continues to result in billions of dollars of losses worldwide. Most often, harvesting of key components can occur even while the car is parked and happens so quickly that it can difficult to notice even during daytime. One of the most commonly stolen components in a vehicle is the catalytic converter, which is specifically a very valuable component of a vehicle's emission control system that utilizes expensive precious metals, such as rhodium, platinum, and palladium for converting the environmentally harmful exhaust from an engine into less hazardous gasses. A stolen catalytic converter can typically fetch a price of US$50-250. Moreover, it takes only a few minutes and the use of certain readily-available, basic battery-operated tools to remove a catalytic converter from a vehicle, in turn costing the vehicle owner substantial levels of stress and inconvenience as well as thousands of dollars for arranging an alternate transportation and getting their vehicle fixed. Passive Keyless Entry (PKE) represents an evolving technology that the convenience of keyless entry without the need to press buttons. Although currently still a niche technology, passive keyless entry (PKE) is nevertheless poised for a period of strong growth, as the technology steadily makes it way towards the mainstream market. While a number of car brands offer pre-installed PKE systems, higher cost of PKE over RKE remains a major hindrance to widespread adoption. Although a smaller market in terms of unit installations, higher average prices make for a lucrative dollar market, thus explaining manufacturers' growing interest in this space. Cost reductions, consumer awareness and achieving economies of scale will remain prime challenges frustrating penetration of this technology in the marketplace. Increasing competition from low cost suppliers in the Asia-Pacific region is forecast to play its part in bringing down the high price structure. Manufacturer's strategies are therefore currently geared towards designing, developing and producing affordable, low cost systems. Penetration into the low-end auto segment is forecast to gain momentum as the technological moves higher up in its lifecycle. Long-term growth typically hinge onto successful development of low cost integrated solutions with value added features and functions. Continuous technology innovations remain crucial for growth in this market segment. With currently available RKE (remote keyless entry) systems being vulnerable to hacking, efforts are underway to develop an innovative RFID (radio frequency identification) approach. Researchers are exploring the use of unique RFID cards in combination with a password authorization system to lock vehicles. The project is working to use driving license of a car owner as a unique RFID card in combination with password for added protection for vehicle access. The password-protected vehicle access system involves the use of a microcontroller based vehicle lock designed to enable authorized entry. The system consists of an LCD display with a touch screen module, mounted on the door and allows passwords to be entered through the touch screen. Entering the right password unlocks the vehicle; while 3 incorrect entries activates an alert to the car owner's registered mobile number. The project Password Protected Vehicle Access System, is designed to reduce hardware equipment. While in early stages, the project also intends to develop a theft alarm to be integrated into the RFID entry system to alert the car owner in the event of unauthorized access attempts. Biometric technology is expected to witness robust growth in the coming years. Access control devices built on biometrics technology offer total access of all the system parameters to users, with functions such as advanced auto-alarming, anti-theft protection and anti-carjacking among others. The devices mostly use fingerprints for encoding security system of the vehicles. A few devices are able to store fingerprints of up to nine users. Biometrics based access control systems are also the most accurate and at the same-time user-friendly systems because they exclude the need for carrying keys. Entry can be gained in less time contrary to the traditional entry methods. The systems use algorithms to work and are therefore considered a key example of the use of artificial intelligence in vehicles. Furthermore, biometric-based vehicle access systems are becoming more and more affordable due to technological advancements in the area. This backdrop suggests opportunities for fingerprint scans on door handles, ensuring authorized entry into a vehicle. Chevrolet, for instance, announced an FNR self-driving concept featuring iris scan for authorized entry into vehicles. While the FNR is still deemed a future technology, iris scanning biometric technology is expected to be commercialized shortly. Ford recently secured patent approval for its novel biometric car access system also equipped with biometric sensors for keyless entry. The system utilizes fingerprints, retinal scans, and voice recognition for permitting access to the car and allows for programming and storing of physiological data of multiple drivers and vehicle users to enable easy car sharing. There are currently dedicated companies developing automotive biometrics. These companies focus on different areas of the vehicle, including ignition switch, vehicular access, health monitoring, rationalization, and vehicle immobilizer among others. Integration of biometrics in automobiles makes the car models safer and more user-friendly providing a competitive edge to automakers. Biometric solutions therefore are here to stay for the automotive industry and the scope of applications for the technology would only increase in the years ahead. Already, quite a few car makers can be seen experimenting to see how the latest biometric solutions can be integrated into newer areas. Biometric access system in a car matches the different physiological and behavioral attributes for automating the access monitoring system. The technology could take any form including iris scan, fingerprint recognition, voice recognition or facial recognition. Primary focus is on the behavioral and physiological characteristics of an individual trying to gain access to a car or any component in a car, which differentiate the person from others. A biometric vehicle access systems works with high accuracy, which is one of its greatest advantages. It demands biological evidences from the individual trying to gain access, for ensuring utmost protection. The systems do not require passwords which also makes them less at risk of being stolen or getting hacked. Biometrics-based vehicle access controls systems are also easy-to-use. Requests are processed almost hassle-free provided the credentials match. All these benefits offered are anticipated to result in strong growth for the biometric vehicle access systems market in the years ahead. Continued technological advancements would also contribute to market growth. More MarketGlass Platform Our MarketGlass Platform is a free full-stack knowledge center that is custom configurable to today`s busy business executive`s intelligence needs! This influencer driven interactive research platform is at the core of our primary research engagements and draws from unique perspectives of participating executives worldwide. Features include - enterprise-wide peer-to-peer collaborations; research program previews relevant to your company; 3.4 million domain expert profiles; competitive company profiles; interactive research modules; bespoke report generation; monitor market trends; competitive brands; create & publish blogs & podcasts using our primary and secondary content; track domain events worldwide; and much more. Client companies will have complete insider access to the project data stacks. Currently in use by 67,000+ domain experts worldwide. Our platform is free for qualified executives and is accessible from our website www.StrategyR.com or via our just released mobile application on iOS or Android About Global Industry Analysts, Inc. & StrategyR Global Industry Analysts, Inc., (www.strategyr.com) is a renowned market research publisher the world`s only influencer driven market research company. Proudly serving more than 42,000 clients from 36 countries, GIA is recognized for accurate forecasting of markets and industries for over 33 years. CONTACTS: Zak Ali Director, Corporate Communications Global Industry Analysts, Inc. Phone: 1-408-528-9966 www.StrategyR.com Email: [email protected] LINKS Join Our Expert Panel https://www.strategyr.com/Panelist.asp Connect With Us on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/global-industry-analysts-inc./ Follow Us on Twitter https://twitter.com/marketbytes Journalists & Media [email protected] SOURCE Global Industry Analysts, Inc. Global competitiveness and key competitor percentage market shares Market presence across multiple geographies - Strong/Active/Niche/Trivial Online interactive peer-to-peer collaborative bespoke updates Access to our digital archives and MarketGlass Research Platform Complimentary updates for one year Edition: 9; Released: June 2022 Executive Pool: 732 Companies: 54 - Players covered include Akzo Nobel N.V.; Alfa Aesar; Arkema Group; Avantor Performance Materials, Inc.; GFS Chemicals, Inc.; Jiangsu Jinshan Chemical Co. Ltd.; Liaonian Ruixing Chemical; Manass Jinyunli Chemical Co. Ltd.; Merck KGaA; Nouryon; Parchem Fine & Specialty Chemicals; Seidler Chemical Co.; Shanghai Baijin Chemical Group Co., Ltd.; ShanXi Jinxinghua Chemical Co. Ltd.; Tedia; Toyobo and Others. Coverage: All major geographies and key segments Segments: End-Use (Textile, Industrial, Packaging, Agriculture, Pharmaceuticals, Other End-Uses) Geographies: World; United States; Canada; Japan; China; Europe (France; Germany; Italy; United Kingdom; Spain; Russia; and Rest of Europe); Asia-Pacific (Australia; India; South Korea; and Rest of Asia-Pacific); Latin America (Argentina; Brazil; Mexico; and Rest of Latin America); Middle East (Iran; Israel; Saudi Arabia; United Arab Emirates; and Rest of Middle East); and Africa. Complimentary Project Preview - This is an ongoing global program. Preview our research program before you make a purchase decision. We are offering a complimentary access to qualified executives driving strategy, business development, sales & marketing, and product management roles at featured companies. Previews provide deep insider access to business trends; competitive brands; domain expert profiles; and market data templates and much more. You may also build your own bespoke report using our MarketGlass Platform which offers thousands of data bytes without an obligation to purchase our report. Preview Registry ABSTRACT- Amid the COVID-19 crisis, the global market for Carbon Disulfide estimated at US$158.9 Million in the year 2022, is projected to reach a revised size of US$181.9 Million by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 3.1% over the analysis period. Textile, one of the segments analyzed in the report, is projected to grow at a 3.7% CAGR, while growth in the Industrial segment is readjusted to a revised 3.1% CAGR. The global market, post pandemic, is displaying robust health and is predicted to experience impressive growth in the coming years on account of strong demand from diverse end-use industry verticals. Market expansion is slated to be favored by increasing cellophane demand from the packaging industry coupled with rising fertilizer consumption in emerging economies. The global market for the compound is gaining from rising consumption of cellulose and cellulosic fibers in different industries. Increasing demand for rayon or other cellulosic fibers from the fabric and textile industry, mainly in Asia-Pacific, is anticipated to augur well for the market. Carbon disulfide is also benefitting from increasing use for production of mining chemicals. Factors such as escalating prices of key raw materials are prompting various companies to rely on carbon disulfide for mining chemicals production. The carbon disulfide market is slated to benefit from growing demand for fertilizers across developing countries to push agricultural yield. The trend is likely to create new avenues for specific niche applications like fumigants and insecticides. In addition, escalating demand for various chemicals like carbon tetrachloride, rayon and cellophane in end-use industries including refrigeration, food packaging and textile is bound to bolster the market growth. Future expansion of the market is anticipated to be favored by continuous growth of the carbon nanotube market along with increasing investments in R&D activity associated with nanomaterials. Carbon disulfide is commonly used as non-polar solvent in various applications. The compound presents an effective solvent for sulfur, phosphorus, selenium, bromine, asphalt, iodine, resin, fats and rubber. Moreover, carbon disulfide is also used to clean carbon nanotubes. In the recent years, increasing demand for specific nanomaterials, mainly carbon nanotubes, has pushed overall uptake of carbon disulfide as an effective bipolar cleaning solvent. The global market will benefit from increasing demand from various applications across end-use industry verticals. Carbon disulfide is a key ingredient for production of various chemicals like rayon, carbon tetrachloride and cellophane that are enjoying increasing demand from the refrigeration, textile and food packaging industries. Carbon disulfide is widely used for cleaning of carbon nanotubes, and poised to gain from increasing uptake of advanced nanomaterials. While growing demand of the compound for cellophane production is slated to benefit the packaging segment, rising popularity of carbon disulfide as an effective substitute for ammonia fertilizers is anticipated to create new growth avenues. Moreover, the market is likely to benefit from increasing use of carbon disulfide for protection of fruits from insects and fungus. Rubber continues to be one of the primary applications and dominating segments of the carbon disulfide market. The compound has been extensively used as accelerator in rubber vulcanization process since the late 19th century. The rubber segment is anticipated to exhibit a healthy growth owing to increasing vehicle production along with use of rubber for non-tire products. On the other hand, the packaging segment of the carbon disulfide market is estimated to post considerable growth over the coming years. The segment is gaining from increasing uptake of cellophane in the packaging industry. The carbon disulfide market is expected to also receive an impressive contribution from increasing demand of the compound for fertilizer production. In addition, the fiber segment is predicted to witness the fastest growth due to extensive use of carbon disulfide in the textile industry along with increasing use as catalyst for fiber production. In terms of purity, the carbon disulfide market is segregated into pure and impure compound, with the latter holding the commanding share of the global market. Overall expansion of the carbon disulfide market is being restrained by stringent regulations due to negative health effects of the compound, including confusion and migraines. Long term exposure of people to carbon disulfide is found to result in various neurologic effects such as neurophysiologic and behavioral changes. These health implications have prompted leading environmental agencies to impose stringent regulations pertaining to use of the compound in several products. These regulations are compelling various manufacturers to investigate specific alternatives to the compound, which is slated to hinder the market growth. Future expansion of the market is likely to be also affected by increasing substitution of rayon by lyocell. More MarketGlass Platform Our MarketGlass Platform is a free full-stack knowledge center that is custom configurable to today`s busy business executive`s intelligence needs! This influencer driven interactive research platform is at the core of our primary research engagements and draws from unique perspectives of participating executives worldwide. Features include - enterprise-wide peer-to-peer collaborations; research program previews relevant to your company; 3.4 million domain expert profiles; competitive company profiles; interactive research modules; bespoke report generation; monitor market trends; competitive brands; create & publish blogs & podcasts using our primary and secondary content; track domain events worldwide; and much more. Client companies will have complete insider access to the project data stacks. Currently in use by 67,000+ domain experts worldwide. Our platform is free for qualified executives and is accessible from our website www.StrategyR.com or via our just released mobile application on iOS or Android About Global Industry Analysts, Inc. & StrategyR Global Industry Analysts, Inc., (www.strategyr.com) is a renowned market research publisher the world`s only influencer driven market research company. Proudly serving more than 42,000 clients from 36 countries, GIA is recognized for accurate forecasting of markets and industries for over 33 years. CONTACTS: Zak Ali Director, Corporate Communications Global Industry Analysts, Inc. Phone: 1-408-528-9966 www.StrategyR.com Email: [email protected] LINKS Join Our Expert Panel https://www.strategyr.com/Panelist.asp Connect With Us on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/global-industry-analysts-inc./ Follow Us on Twitter https://twitter.com/marketbytes Journalists & Media [email protected] SOURCE Global Industry Analysts, Inc. VANCOUVER, BC, June 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - B2Gold Corp. (TSX: BTO) (NYSE AMERICAN: BTG) (NSX: B2G) ("B2Gold" or the "Company") will host its 2022 Annual General and Special Meeting of Shareholders (the "Meeting") on Wednesday, June 22, 2022, at 2pm PDT/5pm EDT. The Annual General and Special Meeting will be held at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver, Pacific Ballroom, 900 West Georgia Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada, V6C 2W6, and in a virtual format conducted via live audio webcast online. The Meeting will be available to registered and non-registered shareholders and guests, and accessible via live webcast by clicking here: https://web.lumiagm.com/484692983. B2Gold strongly encourages all registered shareholders who would like to attend, participate and/or vote virtually online via live webcast to carefully follow the procedures outlined in the Company's Management Information Circular and the Meeting's User Guide (both filed on SEDAR on May 11, 2022). If you are a non-registered shareholder, you will be able to attend, participate and/or vote at the Meeting online via live webcast only if you duly appoint yourself as proxyholder through the method specified by your intermediary and comply with all of the requirements set out in the Management Information Circular relating to appointment and registration, which must be properly completed before the proxy deadline on Monday, June 20, 2022 at 2pm PDT/5pm EDT. How to vote in advance of the Meeting: Whether you intend to attend the meeting in person or virtually, shareholders are encouraged to vote in advance of the meeting. In order for your proxy to be valid you must submit your vote by no later than 2pm PDT/5pm EDT on Monday, June 20, 2022. Shareholders are encouraged to vote today via the internet or telephone using the control number found on the proxy or voting instruction form that was mailed to you to ensure your vote is received in a timely manner. Registered Shareholders Beneficial Shareholders Common Shares held in own name and represented by a physical certificate or DRS. Common Shares held with a broker, bank or other intermediary. Internet www.investorvote.com www.proxyvote.com Telephone 1-866-732-8683 Call the applicable number listed on the voting instruction form. Mail Return the form of proxy in the enclosed envelope. Return the voting instruction form in the enclosed envelope. Shareholder assistance: Shareholders who have questions, including with respect to Notice and Access, or need assistance with voting their shares, should contact Laurel Hill Advisory Group, the proxy solicitation agent, by telephone at +1 877-452-7184 (North America toll free) or +1 416-304-0211 (outside North America), or by email at [email protected]. How to attend and vote at the virtual Meeting as a registered shareholder or duly appointed proxyholder: Registered Shareholders and duly appointed proxyholders may virtually attend the Meeting using an internet connected device such as a laptop, computer, tablet or mobile phone, and the meeting platform will be supported across browsers and devices that are running the most updated version of Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge or Internet Explorer. Registered Shareholders and duly appointed proxyholders attending the Meeting must remain connected to the internet at all times during the Meeting in order to vote when balloting commences. It is your responsibility to ensure that you remain connected to the internet for the duration of the Meeting. Registered Shareholders wishing to attend and to vote virtually at the Meeting should not complete or return the proxy form should instead follow the steps below, which are the same steps to be undertaken by duly appointed proxyholders: Log into https://web.lumiagm.com/484692983 on the Meeting date at least 15 minutes before the start of the Meeting. You should allow ample time to check into the virtual Meeting and to complete the related procedures. Click on "I have a login". Enter your 15-digit control number as your username (located on the form of proxy or in the email notification you received). Enter the Password: "b2gold2022" (case sensitive). Registered Shareholders who have duly appointed a proxyholder to attend and vote at the Meeting must register such proxyholder with Computershare by visiting http://www.computershare.com/B2Gold on or before 2 pm PDT/5 pm EDT on Monday, June 20, 2022. Computershare will ask for the appointed proxyholder's contact information and will send such appointed proxyholder a user ID number or username via email shortly after this deadline and then may proceed with the steps above to log into the virtual Meeting. Registered Shareholders should note that if they participate and vote on any matter at the virtual Meeting they will revoke any previously submitted proxy. Non-registered shareholders wishing to attend and participate in the virtual meeting must duly appoint themselves as proxyholder through the method specified by their intermediary and comply with all of the requirements set out in the Management Information Circular relating to appointment and registration, which must be properly completed before the proxy deadline on Monday, June 20, 2022 at 2pm PDT/5pm EDT. How to ask questions at the virtual Meeting: The Company believes that the ability to participate in the Meeting in a meaningful way, including asking questions, remains important despite the decision to offer participation at this year's Meeting virtually. It is anticipated that Registered Shareholders and proxyholders (including Non-Registered Shareholders who have appointed themselves as proxyholder) will have substantially the same opportunity to ask questions on matters of business before the Meeting as those Shareholders and proxyholders attending in person. Upon Shareholders logging into the virtual meeting platform, they will have the opportunity to start submitting questions prior to the Meeting and will continue to have the opportunity to submit questions during the Meeting. Questions may be sent to the Chair of the Meeting using the online Q&A tool on the meeting portal. Only Registered Shareholders and duly appointed proxyholders will be able to submit questions. Guests will not be able to submit questions. To ask a question, please follow the steps outlined below: Tap on the icon and then type your question. Compose your question and then press the send to deliver your question to the Chair. Once you have pressed the send icon in step 2, confirmation that your question has been received by the Chair will appear. Questions will be read by the Chair of the Meeting or a designee of the Chair and responded to by a representative of the Company. To ensure fairness for all attendees, the Chair of the Meeting will decide on the amount of time allocated to each question and will have the right to limit or consolidate questions and to reject questions that do not relate to the business of the Meeting or which are determined to be inappropriate or otherwise out of order. As part of the Meeting, the Company will hold a Q&A session during which the Chair and the Company's senior management intend to answer questions submitted during the Meeting. How to attend the virtual Meeting as a guest: Log into https://web.lumiagm.com/484692983 on the Meeting date at least 15 minutes before the start of the Meeting. You should allow ample time to check into the virtual Meeting and to complete the related procedures. Click on "I am a guest". Enter the password: "b2gold2022" (case sensitive). Dial-in and playback details: In the event that you are unable to attend the Meeting in person or in the unlikely event that your internet connection to the webcast is lost or interrupted, or as an alternative method to access the webcast, the Meeting will also be accessible by dialing +1 416-764-8659 (local Toronto), +1 778-383-7413 (local Vancouver) or +1 888-664-6392 (toll free North America). However, participation through the conference line during the Meeting will only allow the attendees to listen in and you will not be able to vote or ask questions. A playback of the Meeting will be available until Wednesday, July 6, 2022, on B2Gold's events page or by dialing +1 416-764-8677 (local Toronto) or +1 888-390-0541 (toll free North America) (passcode 420261#). Presentation: Once the Meeting is adjourned, there will be presentations from Clive Johnson, President & CEO, and other B2Gold senior executives and personnel. The presentations will provide a review of B2Gold's performance in 2021, a general corporate update of the first half of 2022, and will conclude with a Q&A session. About B2Gold Corp. B2Gold is a low-cost international senior gold producer headquartered in Vancouver, Canada. Founded in 2007, today, B2Gold has operating gold mines in Mali, Namibia and the Philippines and numerous exploration and development projects in various countries including Mali, Colombia, Finland and Uzbekistan. On Behalf of B2GOLD CORP. "Clive T. Johnson" President & Chief Executive Officer For more information on B2Gold, please visit the Company's website at www.b2gold.com or contact: Randall Chatwin Cherry DeGeer SVP, Legal & Corporate Communications Director, Corporate Communications +1 604-681-8371 +1 604-681-8371 [email protected] [email protected] The Toronto Stock Exchange and NYSE American LLC neither approve nor disapprove the information contained in this news release. SOURCE B2Gold Corp. As an accomplished and well-respected surgeon, researcher, and educator, Yeu has contributed greatly to the field of ophthalmology throughout her more than 20-year career. Yeu is an avid proponent of novel technologies and disruptive therapeutics that improve the current standard of care for patients. She is recognized and sought after as an industry leader in clinical care and new product development in the ophthalmic surgical and therapeutics spaces. "I am excited to begin working with AVG in this capacity. I have closely followed the ongoing development of the Laser Scleral Microporation (LSM) technology which began with restoring the loss of dynamic range of focus (DRoF) related to the manifestation of presbyopia," said newly appointed Chief Strategic Advisor, Yeu. "I have been impressed by the detailed science behind the VisioLite technology and the clinical results of the multiple LSM studies. The sustainability of the results of each, as well as the consistent reproducible clinical results seen from patient to patient are noteworthy. I am looking forward to serving in this role with AnnMarie Hipsley, DPT, Ph.D. and the AVG executive management team." AVG is a privately held U.S. ophthalmic medical device company developing Laser Microporation Therapeutic technologies to treat diseases of the aging eye. The LSM technology is a minimally invasive rejuvenation procedure for the treatment of presbyopia, glaucoma, and other eye diseases. Currently, AVG is preparing for the commercialization of its VisioLite ophthalmic laser system, an innovative, first-in-class touchless laser technology offering. In addition to her clinical practice at Virginia Eye Consultants, Yeu serves on the board of directors for STAAR Surgical, Avellino Lab USA, OSRX Pharmaceuticals, and the Virginia Eye Foundation. She also serves as chief medical advisor for Tarsus Pharmaceuticals and executive board member of CVP Physicians, Mid-Atlantic. Yeu earned her bachelor's degree in science and completed her M.D. through an accelerated academic program at the University of Florida, Gainesville, and the UF College of Medicine. She completed her ophthalmology residency at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois where she served as chief resident. Yeu then went on to Cullen Eye Institute, Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas to complete her fellowship in cornea, anterior segment and refractive surgery where she was as assistant professor. In 2013, Yeu joined Virginia Eye Consultants and became a partner in 2014. She continues her commitment to residency training in ophthalmology as assistant professor at the Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk. She is also the medical director at Virginia Surgery Center. "At AVG, we are working diligently to pioneer a new area of understanding of the true biomechanical mechanisms that underly the loss of DRoF which typically starts around the age of 40 and beyond," said AnnMarie Hipsley, DPT, Ph.D., Founder and CEO of Ace Vision Group. "We have developed a touchless technology that is outside of the visual axis to address the ocular rigidity caused by age-related crosslinking which manifests as the well-known symptoms of presbyopia. This contributes to progressive visual disability for one of the largest markets in the ophthalmic space. LSM is the first biomechanical solution to address the underlying cause of presbyopia pathogenesis, while also illuminating the potential ocular health benefits of accommodation recovery." Hipsley continued, "We are extremely fortunate to have Dr. Yeu join our team at this critical time as we translate our VisioLite laser system into the commercial pathway. Her expertise and guidance will be invaluable as we make strategic decisions related to the treatment paradigm platform in order to convert AVG's new technology into clinical practice." About Ace Vision Group Ace Vision Group, Inc. (AVG) is a privately held Delaware corporation, established in 2006 to develop laser-based therapeutic technologies to address age-related eye dysfunction and restore the eye's natural biomechanical performance. AVG's Laser Scleral Microporation or LSM, is the only therapeutic eye laser treatment that restores visual function naturally without involving vision correction, artificial implants or devices. The goal of AVG is to provide the field of ophthalmology with innovative devices, procedures and education for the treatment and delay of onset of age-related ocular dysfunction, disability and disease. For more information about Ace Vision Group please visit www.acevisiongroup.com. Media Contact: Cassandra Dump [email protected] 619-971-1887 Organization Contact: Emily Zimcosky [email protected] 330-807-1929 SOURCE Ace Vision The jury panel lead by Mr. Anil Razdan, former Secretary, Ministry of Power and Additional Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Government of India included Mr, D K Sarraf, former Chairperson, Petroleum & Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) and CMD, ONGC, Mr. B Ashok, former Chairman, Indian Oil, Mr. Ashish Khanna, President, Renewables, Tata Power, Mr. Prachur Sah, Dy CEO, Cairn Oil & Gas, Mr. V R Sharma, Managing Director, Jindal Steel & Power, Mr. Partha S Bhattacharyya, former Chairman, Coal India Ltd, Mr. K.S. Popli, former Chairman and Managing Director, Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA), Mr. Tim Buckley, Director, Climate Energy Finance and Mr. Pranav R Mehta, Director, Global Solar Council, Chairman, NSEFI. Mr. Abhilesh Gupta, Managing Director & CEO, AG&P Pratham said, "We are immensely thankful to Mr. Anil Razdan and the esteemed jury members for this incredible award and honour for AG&P Pratham. We are grateful to be acknowledged for excellence in performance, our culture of safety and innovative implementation approach that allows us to meet the requirements of multiple demand centres in parallel instead of sequentially. Despite the hardship of Covid, we have been able to launch ~170 CNG stations in the last 8 months and are setting up 2 CNG stations every 3 days. We are strongly focussed as well on the households and are working hard to bring clean, natural gas to our customers' doorstep at a rapid pace." Mr. Joseph Sigelman, Chairman & CEO, AG&P Group, said, "AG&P Pratham is pioneering a clean natural gas network across large areas of Southern and Northwestern India for vehicles, homes, businesses and factories. We are proudly and safely building out our system, hooking up more customers every day. On behalf of our large team who are working so hard and so loyally, we are extremely honored that Mr. Anil Razdan and the distinguished jury panel have chosen to recognize AG&P Pratham with this prestigious award." AG&P Pratham is developing CGD networks across 12 concessions covering 28 districts across 8% of India and ~80 Mn people in the states of Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala. In its twelve concessions, AG&P Pratham is responsible for developing and operating Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) stations for vehicles, piped natural gas to homes, and the distribution of Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) to industrial and commercial customers. Recently, on June 8th, 2022, AG&P Group was also adjudged the 2022 APAC Company of the Year (LNG category) at the Energy Council's 'Annual Awards of Excellence' in Singapore. About AG&P City Gas: Operating under the brand of AG&P Pratham, AG&P City Gas is one of the largest private City Gas Distribution (CGD) companies in India. The company is developing CGD networks across 12 concessions in the Indian states of Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka. and Kerala. About AG&P Group: Atlantic Gulf & Pacific (AG&P) develops LNG import and regasification facilities as well as downstream city gas networks. AG&P also provides engineering and project management services for LNG and other infrastructure. AG&P is part-owned by Osaka Gas, JBIC (the Japan Bank of International Cooperation) and Asiya, a publicly-traded Kuwait fund, as well as its management. Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1842155/AG_P.jpg SOURCE AG&P Download the Sample Report Now! Key Agrochemicals Sourcing and Procurement Report Highlights: Market growth 2022-2026: USD 46.6 Billion Growth momentum & CAGR : Accelerate at a CAGR of 3.55% Top Pricing Models : Volume-based pricing, Spot pricing, and Fixed pricing Key consumer countries : North America , Europe , and APAC Supplier Selection Scope : Quality of product, Plant utilization rate, Certifications, and Labor unrest issues Top Suppliers : China National Chemical Corp., Bayer AG, and BASF SE Know More About This Market: Request for a Free Sample Report Now! Insights into buyer strategies and tactical negotiation levers: Several strategic and tactical negotiation levers are explained in the report to help buyers achieve the best prices for the Agrochemicals market. The report also aids buyers with relevant Agrochemicals pricing levels, pros, and cons of prevalent pricing models such as Unit-based pricing, and Bundled pricing, category management strategies and best practices to fulfil their category objectives. For more insights on buyer strategies and tactical negotiation levers, www.spendedge.com/report/agrochemicals-market-procurement-research-report Key Drivers and Trends Fueling Market Growth: The pressure from substitutes and a moderate level of threat from new entrants has resulted in the low bargaining power of suppliers. Price forecasts are beneficial in purchase planning, especially when supplemented by the constant monitoring of price influencing factors. Identify favorable opportunities in Agrochemicals TCO (total cost of ownership). Expected changes in price forecast and factors driving the current and future price changes. Identify pricing models that offer the most rewarding opportunities. To know more about various other market drivers, trends and challenges. Download our free sample report Smart Procurement Starts Here SpendEdge's procurement intelligence platform is the go-to tool for companies looking to access latest procurement research insights and supplier data on an easy-to-use platform. STARTER PACK Get 6 Full Reports, View 800+ report samples, Pre-order upcoming reports, Pre-order upcoming reports. Subscribe Now for FREE Want to know about various other Subscription packs? Click here Get the Details That You Are Looking for: Buy our detailed market analysis report to uncover: Changing market landscape with yearly forecast till 2026. Analyze the market's competitive and vendor landscape. How much marketing budget to set aside for geographical market expansion? Understanding the most adopted procurement strategies by buyers across industries. Download the FREE sample Report Now! 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, 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 Led by Next Coast Ventures and Lorne Abony, this investment round will enable Amy to bolster its deep tech offering and take its B2P solution to market TEL AVIV, Israel, June 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Amy, the pioneering AI-driven sales intelligence solution that automates pre-meeting prospect research and enables meaningful business connections, today announced that it has raised a $6 million Seed Round led by Next Coast Ventures and Lorne Abony. Additional investors in the round include Jim Mellon and Eric Ludwig, Micha Breakstone, Joey Low, and James Kong among others. Amy will utilize the funds to further enhance its AI, natural language processing, and machine learning capabilities as well as launch its B2P solution to the market. "The pandemic completely upended the way in which business professionals conduct meetings and close business deals, however, one thing remains the same: the importance of building strong, meaningful relationships," said Nimrod Ron, CEO and Co-founder of Amy. "At Amy, we've automated the prospect research and meeting preparation process which takes on average 17% of the workday so that business professionals can focus on establishing authentic relationships with their customers, closing deals and excelling at what they do. We help salespeople create a lasting network of connections that transcends their current role, boosting long-term sales prospects." Amy's sales intelligence platform saves sales professionals time and money while enhancing business outcomes by automating prospect research and providing actionable insights that generate deeper, long-lasting business relationships. The platform analyzes all publicly available information about a business prospect, transforming strands of random data into digestible briefs which contain insights about the prospect, the company they work for, and common experiences. The platform's unique algorithm collects information about the respective prospect and, through proprietary NLP technology, extracts and presents a personalized meeting brief comprised solely of information relevant to business professionals. "There is a clear market need to optimize meeting experiences, given that the average professional spends hours each day in meetings," said Michael Smerklo, Co-founder & Managing Director of Next Coast Ventures. "Amy's offering addresses this need by tapping into the art of human connection in business. The platform makes business personal by enabling professionals to understand who they are about to speak with and why that person is interested in speaking with them making meetings more effective and efficient." "In today's market, a solution like Amy's is set to be a real game-changer for salespeople at companies of all sizes," said Lorne Abony. "Despite most being connected to their digital channels 24/7, in today's business environment, real connections are lacking. Amy's AI-driven easy-to-use platform represents the next generation of sales tools, reinventing 'relationship selling' what was once a crucial pillar of the sales world and bringing it to the forefront of the digital sales landscape. Amy is equipping salespeople with the information they need to offer personalized experiences, and we're confident that its solution will quickly become an industry must-have." The funding round comes at an exciting time for Amy; its sales intelligence solution is now widely available to users after it was ranked #1 on Product Hunt during a successful alpha-testing stage. About Amy Amy's AI-driven sales intelligence platform is revolutionizing the way that business professionals prepare for external meetings. By automating the pre-meeting prospect research process, Amy empowers business professionals to focus on what really matters building relationships with customers and driving sales. Leveraging deep technology, Amy's platform analyzes thousands of data sources and provide users with actionable insights regarding their business connections and professional networks. With personalized meeting briefs at their fingertips, business professionals can effectively prepare for their meetings in seconds. The company is headquartered in Tel Aviv, Israel with offices in Austin, Texas. For more information, please go to https://myamy.io/. Media Contact Sarah Tahor Amy, VP Marketing & Operations [email protected] +1(312)885-0792 SOURCE Amy -- Report is aimed at helping practitioners and the industry understand and prepare for the future by supporting the evolving needs of patients -- -- Built on robust market research and analysis of global social listening data, industry research, academic studies, and Allergan Aesthetics* proprietary global research into thousands of consumer attitudes1 -- -- Developed with specialist trend forecasting agency Wunderman Thompson Intelligence and validated by interviews with 13 leading aesthetics practitioners from around the world1 -- IRVINE, Calif., June 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Allergan Aesthetics, an AbbVie company, and a global leader in medical aesthetics treatments, today launched 'The Future of Aesthetics' global trends report via a high-profile virtual event for media and industry. Commissioned by Allergan Aesthetics and independently developed by specialist trend forecasting agency Wunderman Thompson Intelligence, the report aims to help the industry understand the developments driving today's aesthetics market, and to highlight the key trends that may shape it in the years ahead. Register HERE to receive a copy of the report. Consumer interest in medical aesthetics continues to rise, with the number of dermal filler treatments worldwide growing by almost two million between 2017 and 2020.2,3,4,5 In parallel, 'The Future of Aesthetics' global trends report found that physicians around the world are now catering to an increasingly diverse patient population spanning different ages, races and genders.1 Carrie Strom, SVP, AbbVie and President, Global Allergan Aesthetics, comments; "The Future of Aesthetics global trends report, helps us to understand what is driving aesthetics today and what will shape the aesthetics industry of tomorrow. The report builds on our 2019 research Allergan 360 Aesthetics Report about evolving global beauty perceptions and priorities6 and reaffirms our commitment to innovative science and the future growth of the market. The input we received from practitioners and consumers provides a unique view of what tomorrow may hold for aesthetics. It's an exciting time to be in this industry and we are thankful to our partners who participated in this important study." Virtual event led by cross-industry leaders Today's launch was led by prominent experts from the world of aesthetics, innovation and futurology. It was opened by leading aesthetic surgeon and report co-contributor Dr Jonquille Chantrey, UK, who talked delegates through the drivers behind today's behaviour change: Beauty Empowerment, Untabooing Treatments, Aesthetics-Fluency and a desire to move Back to Nature.1 Dr Chantrey then gave an overview of the 10 major trends identified in the report as most likely to impact medical aesthetics practice in the coming five years,1 more on which can be found here: https://global.allerganaesthetics.com/. Guest panellists also included: Geraldine Wharry, Futurist, US; Dr Steven Liew, Specialist Plastic Surgeon, Australia; Vania Goy, Journalist, Brazil; Dr. Leonard Nenad Josipovic, Germany/ Dubai; Elliot Langerman, Creative Director, ZS. Dr Chantrey, commented; "I'm proud to be a part of the launch of 'The Future of Aesthetics' global trends report - a must-read for anyone interested or involved in the aesthetics industry. The report represents three important things: change, choice and curiosity. We have all had to change, significantly. We have the power to decide what change represents in the future, and what it represents for patients. We need to support our patients to make the best possible choices as practitioners by applying our curiosity to cultural shifts and being as creative as possible in our work. This report will enable us to understand the patients of tomorrow and implement practical changes that appeal to them." Brought to you by some of the world's leading practitioners 'The Future of Aesthetics' global trends report was validated via interviews with 15 world leading aesthetics practitioners** from 13 trend-led countries*** between May and September 2021.1 It is informed by extensive research and analysis across consumer and business media, social listening data, and market research from around the globe. Healthcare professionals and media can sign up to receive a copy of the report. To register your interest and receive a copy when it goes live in your country, or for more information on the trends identified and about Allergan Aesthetics, please visit us at https://global.allerganaesthetics.com/. For more information, please contact your local Allergan Aesthetics representative. Notes to Editors About Allergan Aesthetics At Allergan Aesthetics, an AbbVie company, we develop, manufacture, and market a portfolio of leading aesthetics brands and products. Our aesthetics portfolio includes facial injectables, body contouring, plastics, skin care, and more. Our goal is to consistently provide our customers with innovation, education, exceptional service, and a commitment to excellence, all with a personal touch. About AbbVie AbbVie's mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people's lives across several key therapeutic areas: immunology, oncology, neuroscience, eye care, virology, women's health and gastroenterology, in addition to products and services across our Allergan Aesthetics portfolio. About Wunderman Thompson Intelligence Wunderman Thompson Intelligence is Wunderman Thompson's futurism, research and innovation unit. It charts emerging and future global trends, consumer change, and innovation patternstranslating these into insight for brands. It offers a suite of consultancy services, including bespoke research, presentations, co-branded reports and workshops. It is also active in innovation, partnering with brands to activate future trends within their framework and execute new products and concepts. The division is led by Emma Chiu and Marie Stafford, Global Directors of Wunderman Thompson Intelligence. Footnotes: * An AbbVie company ** Chytra Anand, Cosmetic Dermatologist, India; Jonquille Chantrey, Aesthetic Surgeon, United Kingdom, Ligia Colucci, Dermatologist, Brazil; Dmitry Durdyklychev, Dermatologist, Russia; Tijion Esho, Cosmetic Doctor, United Kingdom; Nobutaka Furuyama, Plastic and Cosmetic Surgeon, Japan; Lana Kashlan, Consultant Dermatologist, UAE; Steven Liew, Specialist Plastic Surgeon, Australia; Jose R. Montes, MD and Oculoplastic Surgeon, Puerto Rico/USA; Roni Munk, Medical and Cosmetic Dermatologist, Canada; Kyung-Ho Park, MD and Dermatologist, South Korea; Chantal Sciuto, Dermatologist, Italy; Rashmi Shetty, Dermatologist, India; Danru Wang, Professor of Cosmetic Surgery, China; Gong Wei, Editor-in-Chief of Medical Aesthetics Observer, China *** Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Japan, Italy, Russia, Spain, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, UAE, UK References 1 Allergan Aesthetics, The Future of Aesthetics global trends report. March 2022 ALL-AGNA-220005 2 ISAPS international survey 2017. Available at ISAPS_2017_International_Study_Cosmetic_Procedures_NEW.pdf. Accessed March 2022. 3 ISAPS international survey 2018. Available at: ISAPS-Global Survey Results 2018.indd. Accessed March 2022. 4 ISAPS International survey 2019. Available at: Global Survey_2019_Stand_2020.indd (isaps.org). Accessed March 2022. 5 ISAPS international survey 2020. Available at: ISAPS-Global-Survey_2020.pdf. Accessed March 2022. 6 Allergan 360 Aesthetics Report. 2019. RES-214052 SOURCE AbbVie Focus on epigenetics, neurovascular health, and other novel approaches CLEVELAND, June 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Harrington Discovery Institute at University Hospitals and the Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF) announce a joint request for proposals for the 2022 ADDF-Harrington Scholar Award. The ADDF-Harrington Scholar Award is designed to accelerate the translation of innovative research that could treat, prevent, or slow Alzheimer's disease or related dementias. The Request for Proposal (RFP) is open to academic investigators at accredited medical centers, research institutions, and universities in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Researchers working on drug development programs that are relevant to, but not presently focused on, the Alzheimer's field are also encouraged to apply. This award provides a combination of financial support and expert drug development guidance to provide the best chance to move research beyond the bench to the bedside. "The ADDF-Harrington partnership supports researchers in moving academic discoveries toward clinical trials, bringing the science one step closer to developing effective treatments for people living with and at risk of Alzheimer's," said Howard Fillit, MD, Co-Founder and Chief Science Officer of the ADDF. "Our focus on novel treatment approaches will add to the promising pipeline of drugs that target the many different biological pathways that contribute to Alzheimer's. The ultimate goal is to develop an arsenal of effective treatments that we can combine in different ways to personalize care tailored to each patient's needs." "This is a tremendous opportunity for innovative researchers who are seeking to develop ways to protect and treat patients with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias," said Andrew A. Pieper, MD, PhD, Director, Center for Brain Health Medicines at Harrington Discovery Institute, Morley Mather Chair in Neuropsychiatry at University Hospitals and Rebecca Barchas, MD, Chair in Translational Neuropsychiatry at Case Western Reserve University. "The ADDF-Harrington Scholar Award demonstrates our commitment to developing diverse new classes of medicines that are not otherwise traditionally pursued in the field." The 2022 ADDF-Harrington Scholar RFP places high priority on targets related to emerging therapeutic areas for dementia and is particularly seeking projects related to: Epigenetics including nucleosome dynamics, chromatin remodeling, DNA methylation, histone modifications [methylation, acetylation, phosphorylation, ubiquitylation, sumoylation], bromodomain protein modulators, isocitrate dehydrogenase modulators. including nucleosome dynamics, chromatin remodeling, DNA methylation, histone modifications [methylation, acetylation, phosphorylation, ubiquitylation, sumoylation], bromodomain protein modulators, isocitrate dehydrogenase modulators. Neurovascular Health including blood brain barrier function and integrity, cerebral hypoperfusion, nutrient supply to the brain, endothelial interaction with pericytes and astrocytes. Other novel targets are encouraged. These include, but are not limited to, the following: Proteostasis Neuroprotection Synaptic activity and neurotransmitters Inflammation Mitochondria and metabolic function ApoE Other aging targets (e.g. senescent cells) Award recipients will receive financial support up to $600,000 over two years, as well as dedicated drug development and project management support. Proposals should offer creative science or novel approaches to treat, prevent, or slow Alzheimer's disease or related dementias. Letters of Intent (LOI) will be accepted through July 18, 2022 5:00 pm EDT. LOI applications must be submitted online here. We encourage an interactive application process in efforts to solicit the best applications. Scientific inquiries can be directed to either: SOURCE Harrington Discovery Institute BANGALORE, India , June 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The global Anti Drone market is segmented By Type (Detection System Detection and Disruption), By Application (Military and Defense, Commercial, Homeland Security) : Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 20222028. It is published in Valuates Reports under the Business & Industrial Category. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the global Anti Drone market size is estimated to be worth USD 1323.8 Million in 2022 and is forecast to be a readjusted size of USD 5098.4 Million by 2028 with a CAGR of 25.2% during the review period. Major factors driving the growth of the Anti-Drone Market Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for commercial and recreational users have increased dramatically over the world. As a result, incidences of public safety infractions and important government infrastructure have increased dramatically. The finding and identification of these drones have played a significant role in preserving security, resulting in an increase in the anti-drone market. Furthermore, issues such as the growing usage of drones for terrorism and unlawful activities around the world, as well as an increase in unidentified drone security breaches are driving the anti drone market growth. Get Your Sample Today: https://reports.valuates.com/request/sample/QYRE-Auto-9C8004/Global_Anti_Drone_Market TRENDS INFLUENCING THE GROWTH OF THE ANTI DRONE MARKET The increasing use of anti drones in military and defense applications is expected to drive the anti drone market growth. Drones are increasingly being used for espionage, attacking with armed drones, and even smuggling. This has required the use of anti-drone technologies by military and defense industries throughout the world. The anti-drone market is predicted to increase as a result of this issue. Detection systems and disruption units are two types of anti-drone systems utilized by the military. The detection system is used for detecting, classifying, identifying, locating, and alerting. The detection and disruption units, on the other hand, are employed to physically destroy the drone, neutralize it, or take control of it. The anti-drone market is predicted to increase in response to the rising demand for drone detection at airports. Drones, according to aviation experts, pose a significant threat. When a drone collides with an airplane or a terror group utilizes armed drones, the resultant catastrophic damage poses a clear security danger to airports. At the same time, the risk of a drone incident is rising due to an all-time high in the number of remote-controlled drones for private use, including video-equipped aerial vehicles. Airports are prone to future costly interruptions, safety accidents, and potential security breaches without a clear protocol or adequate technology in place. To detect such UAVs, an anti-drone system can be employed at the airport. The rapid rise in the availability and sophistication of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) poses a serious issue, as their capabilities advance faster than the ability to assess and mitigate the threat posed by malevolent small Unmanned Aerial Vehicle. As a result, a number of governments are investing in homeland security to protect against Unmanned Aerial Vehicle strikes. The anti-drone market is predicted to increase as a result of this issue. For example, the United States' Science and Technology Directorate's (S&T) program evaluates Counter UAV technologies in both lab and real-world operational environments and assists DHS Components in developing and refining requirements, completing the Congressionally-mandated 6 UAV 124n process to test and evaluate prototype C-UAV capabilities at a covered asset or mission, and executing limited-duration C-UAV technology pilots at DHS Component locations. Browse The Table Of Contents And List Of Figures At: https://reports.valuates.com/market-reports/QYRE-Auto-9C8004/global-anti-drone ANTI DRONE MARKET SHARE ANALYSIS Based on application, the detection and disruption segment is expected to be the most lucrative during the forecast period. This is due to the growing demand for opposing, identifying, and disrupting drones. It's commonly employed in military, defense, and homeland security applications. Based on Type, the military and defense segment is expected to be the most lucrative during the forecast period. . This is due to the pressing need for adaptable anti-drone systems to combat UAV-based terrorism, smuggling, surveillance, and border protection Based on region, North America is expected to be the most lucrative region during the forecast period. This is due to rising cases of security breaches, terrorist attacks, and privacy concerns. Inquire for Regional Report: https://reports.valuates.com/request/regional/QYRE-Auto-9C8004/Global_Anti_Drone_Market ANTI DRONE MARKET SEGMENTATIONS Anti-Drone Market Segment By Type Detection System Detection and Disruption Anti-Drone Market Segment By Application Military and Defense Commercial Homeland Security Major Players The Boeing Company Airbus Group SE SAAB AB Thales Group Lockheed Martin Corporation Israel Aerospace Industries Selex Es S. P. A. Blighter Surveillance Systems Droneshield Raytheon Company. 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SIMILAR REPORTS: - The global Perimeter Security market size is estimated to be worth USD 124860 million in 2022 and is forecast to be a readjusted size of USD 186330 million by 2028 with a CAGR of 6.9% during the review period. - The global Counter UAV market size is projected to reach USD 3948.6 Million by 2028, from USD 736 Million in 2021, at a CAGR of 26.8% during 2022-2028. - The global Security as a Service (SECaaS) market size is projected to reach USD 15610 million by 2028, from USD 3615.2 million in 2021, at a CAGR of 22.7% during 2022-2028. - The global Network Cameras and Video Analytics market size is projected to reach USD 18430 Million by 2027, from USD 4579.2 Million in 2020, at a CAGR of 21.8% during 2021-2027. - The global video surveillance market size was valued at USD 42.94 Billion in 2019, and is projected to reach USD 144.85 Billion by 2027, registering a CAGR of 14.6% from 2020 to 2027. - The global Unmanned Aerial Vehicle market size is estimated to be worth USD 32350 million in 2022 and is forecast to be a readjusted size of USD 72320 million by 2028 with a CAGR of 14.4%. - The global Military Drone market size is estimated to be worth USD 11770 million in 2022 and is forecast to be a readjusted size of USD 17270 million by 2028 with a CAGR of 6.6%. - The global Physical Security market size is projected to reach USD 102470 million by 2028, from USD 74850 million in 2021, at a CAGR of 4.1% during 2022-2028. - The global Video Surveillance As A Service (VSaaS) market size is projected to reach USD 6248.8 million by 2028, from USD 2661.4 million in 2021, at a CAGR of 12.5% during 2022-2028. - The global Drone Analytics market size is projected to reach USD 2931.6 million by 2028, from USD 1070.7 million in 2021, at a CAGR of 15.4% during 2022-2028. - In 2020, the global Security & Surveillance market size was USD 14900 million and it is expected to reach USD 26420 million by the end of 2027, with a CAGR of 8.5% during 2021-2027. - The global Drone Sensor market size is estimated to be worth USD 410.7 million in 2022 and is forecast to a readjusted size of USD 1184.1 million by 2028 with a CAGR of 19.3% during the review period. - In 2020, the global Surveillance market size was USD 34790 Million and it is expected to reach USD 67670 Million by the end of 2027, with a CAGR of 9.6% during 2021-2027. - The global Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance & Reconnaissance(C4ISR) market size is projected to reach USD 104550 million by 2028, from USD 87810 million in 2021, at a CAGR of 2.5% during 2022-2028. - The global Drone Package Delivery market size will be USD 241.53 Million and it is expected to reach USD 3694.38 Million by the end of 2027, with a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 57.55% during the forecast period 2021-2027. - Global C4ISR Software Market Insights, Forecast to 2028 - Global Military Command and Control System Market Research Report 2022 - Global Cyber Security for Space and Defense Market Insights, Forecast to 2028 - Global Defense Cyber Security Market Insights, Forecast to 2028 - Global Home Security Solutions Market Insights and Forecast to 2028 - Global Drone Accessories Market Insights, Forecast to 2028 Click here to see related reports on Anti Drone 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 Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1082232/Valuates_Reports_Logo.jpg SOURCE Valuates Reports DALLAS, June 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- ARMM Inc. (OTCQB: ARMM) (the "Company" or "ARMM") a firearms lifestyle platform focused on Self-Reliance, is pleased to announce that on Wednesday, June 22, 2022 at 2pm EST / 11am PST, ARMM and American Tactical Defense will be hosting an Active Shooter School Training Live Webinar, at the Maglite Campus in Ontario, California. To register for the event, please use the following link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/368694002687 Teachers that participate in the Webinar will receive a free copy of the Teachers Pocket Guide to Active Shooter Response, and School Administrators will receive the School Threat Assessment Checklist. About American Tactical Defense American Tactical Defense is certified under the Schools A.C.T. (Active-Shooter Counter Training). This program is the most advanced training currently provided to schools. Bryan McKenrick, the COO, is a Federal Law Enforcement Instructor who supervises, instructs, trains, and develops all training for over 1,000 Federal Officers four times per year. He wrote the book on Federal active shooter response and training and currently keeps it up to date. Bryan has an extensive history, background and experience in Federal Law Enforcement for the past 24 years. Bryan has always realized his calling in helping people, providing protection and serving our great country, the United States of America. He served in an Operational capacity for 8 years in the U.S. Coast Guard and 15 years for a Federal Law Enforcement Agency. https://www.ustacdefense.com/ ABOUT ARMM ARMM is a firearms lifestyle platform focused on SELF RELIANCE and is disrupting the $51 Billion consumer firearms and rugged outdoor recreational market. The platform includes an app in which users can take safety & training course via the ARMM Academy, access firearms insurance products, firearms related apparel and accessories, and engage with like minded outdoor enthusiasts while gaining exposure to your favorite brands. SOURCE ARMM Inc. NEW YORK, June 16, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Baby Food Market is segmented by Type (prepared baby food, dried baby food, and other baby food). The market share growth by the prepared baby food segment will be significant during the forecast period. Prepared baby foods are fortified with the necessary amount of iron and other nutrients that are essential for the growth of babies. Globally, demand for prepared baby food is rising, owing to factors such as growing consumer awareness about the health benefits of consuming food products that have fewer pesticide residues. Key industry trends, opportunities & threats, market players, brand, strategy, and development. Find Out More The Baby Food Market value is set to grow by USD 6.75 billion, progressing at a CAGR of 5.38% from 2020 to 2025, as per the latest report by Technavio. Baby Food Market Scope Report Coverage Details Page number 120 Base year 2020 Forecast period 2021-2025 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 5.38% Market growth 2021-2025 $ 6.75 billion Market structure Fragmented YoY growth (%) 4.88 Regional analysis APAC, North America, Europe, South America, and MEA Performing market contribution APAC at 59% Key consumer countries China, US, Hong Kong (SAR, Russian Federation, and UK Competitive landscape Leading companies, competitive strategies, consumer engagement scope Companies profiled Abbott Laboratories, Cargill Inc., Danone SA, Hero Group, Nestle SA, Perrigo Co. Plc, Reckitt Benckiser Group Plc, Royal FrieslandCampina NV, The Hain Celestial Group Inc., and The Kraft Heinz Co. 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. Baby Food Market: Regional Analysis & Forecast The market is segmented by geography (APAC, North America, Europe, South America, and MEA). 59% of the market's growth will originate from APAC during the forecast period. China and Hong Kong (SAR) are the key markets for baby food in APAC. Market growth in this region will be faster than the growth of the market in other regions. The increasing number of working women is leading to a rise in the overall household income will facilitate the baby food market growth in APAC over the forecast period. Baby Food Market: Driver One of the key factors driving the baby food market growth is the increasing women's participation in the workforce. Urbanization and the growth of the middle-class population have encouraged consumers to adopt convenience-oriented lifestyles, which is likely to make baby food products a necessary option among working women. A majority of working mothers return to their jobs shortly after childbirth and are therefore on the lookout for healthy and convenient food options for their babies. This makes baby food products an appealing option as they can combine health and nutrition with convenience. The number of working women in several developed, as well as developing countries, has increased substantially in recent years. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, women held approximately 50.04% of American jobs as of December 2019, registering a growth of about 49.7% compared to the previous year. This increase in the number of working women on a global level has also led to an increase in dual-income households and the per capita income of families, thereby strengthening their purchasing power and increasing their affordability. This will be a major factor in driving the growth of the global baby food market during the forecast period. Baby Food Market: Trend Growing packaging innovation will be a key trend in near future. Packaging is often considered to be an extension of a brand's value. Good packaging not only provides better protection and tamper resistance, but it can also be used for marketing. Marketing communication and graphic designs on the surface of the package help garner customer attention. Therefore, baby food manufacturers are adopting innovative packaging strategies to increase the shelf life of their products and attract consumers. Vendors operating in the global baby food market continue to experiment with novel packaging concepts and invest heavily in the development of innovative, eco-friendly, and recyclable alternatives to conventional packaging. In February 2020, Danone announced the launch of Track & Connect, a digitally-enabled service that enables access to new data-driven, personalized after-sales support and services for the company's baby formula brands like Aptamil, Karicare, Laboratoire Gallia, and Nutrilon. The focus of vendors on offering baby food products in attractive packaging, coupled with other packaging innovations in the market, can help increase the sales of baby food products and, subsequently, have a positive impact on the growth of the global baby food market during the forecast period. Baby Food Market: Challenge Increasing number of product recalls is one of the key challenges hindering the baby food market growth. Manufacturers of baby food products issue product recall due to various factors such as product contamination and incorrect labeling. Frequent product recalls can severely affect a company's brand image, sales, and growth. Product recalls increasing the operational and financial costs for companies operating in the market. They can adversely affect market growth as consumers lose confidence in the products and the reputation of manufacturers issuing recalls. Manufacturers may also incur additional costs in the form of compensation for settling various legal litigations filed against them. In February 2020, Lidl GB (Lidl) recalled ten different types of baby food of its private brand, Lupilu Organic Baby Food, due to the possible presence of mold in the products. In January 2020, Cow & Gate (a popular brand of Danone), along with Tesco, announced the recall of 15 types of baby food jars as a precautionary measure due to the possible contamination of some jars. Download sample Report for more insights on the drivers, trends, and challenges that will help companies evaluate and develop growth strategies Baby Food Market: Vendor Landscape The report analyzes the market's competitive landscape and offers information on several market vendors, including: Abbott Laboratories Cargill Inc. Danone SA Hero Group Nestle SA Perrigo Co. Plc Reckitt Benckiser Group Plc Royal FrieslandCampina NV The Hain Celestial Group Inc. The Kraft Heinz Co. The baby food market is fragmented and the vendors are deploying growth strategies such as new product launches, employing innovative marketing strategies, and various packaging innovations to compete in the market. Related Reports Include: Global Ready-to-Eat Pureed Baby Foods Market: This market research report identifies Beech-Nut, HiPP, Kraft Heinz, Nestle, and Plum, PBC as the leading vendors in the global ready-to-eat pureed baby foods market. To get more exclusive research insights: Download Our Sample Report Organic Baby Food Market by Product, Distribution Channel, and Geography - Forecast and Analysis: The organic baby food market size is expected to grow by $ 4.38 bn and record a CAGR of 10% during 2020-2024. This market report further entails segmentations by Product (Organic prepared, Organic infant formula, Organic dried, and Organic other), Geography (North America, APAC, Europe, South America, and MEA), and Distribution channel (offline and online).To get more exclusive research insights: Download Our Sample Report Table of Contents 1 Executive Summary 2 Market Landscape 2.1 Market ecosystem Exhibit 01: Parent market Exhibit 02: Market characteristics 2.2 Value chain analysis Exhibit 03: Value Chain Analysis: Packaged Foods and Meats 3 Market Sizing 3.1 Market definition Exhibit 04: Offerings of vendors included in the market definition 3.2 Market segment analysis Exhibit 05: Market segments 3.3 Market size 2020 3.4 Market outlook: Forecast for 2020 - 2025 Exhibit 06: Global - Market size and forecast 2020 - 2025 ($ million) Exhibit 07: Global market: Year-over-year growth 2020 - 2025 (%) 4 Five Forces Analysis 4.1 Five Forces Summary Exhibit 08: Five forces analysis 2020 & 2025 4.2 Bargaining power of buyers Exhibit 09: Bargaining power of buyers 4.3 Bargaining power of suppliers Exhibit 10: Bargaining power of suppliers 4.4 Threat of new entrants Exhibit 11: Threat of new entrants 4.5 Threat of substitutes Exhibit 12: Threat of substitutes 4.6 Threat of rivalry Exhibit 13: Threat of rivalry 4.7 Market condition Exhibit 14: Market condition - Five forces 2020 5 Market Segmentation by Type 5.1 Market segments Exhibit 15: Type - Market share 2020-2025 (%) 5.2 Comparison by Type Exhibit 16: Comparison by Type 5.3 Prepared baby food - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Exhibit 17: Prepared baby food - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ million) Exhibit 18: Prepared baby food - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%) 5.4 Dried baby food - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Exhibit 19: Dried baby food - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ million) Exhibit 20: Dried baby food - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%) 5.5 Other baby food - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Exhibit 21: Other baby food - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ million) Exhibit 22: Other baby food - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%) 5.6 Market opportunity by Type Exhibit 23: Market opportunity by Type 6 Customer landscape 6.1 Customer landscape Exhibit 24: Customer landscape 7 Geographic Landscape 7.1 Geographic segmentation Exhibit 25: Market share by geography 2020-2025 (%) 7.2 Geographic comparison Exhibit 26: Geographic comparison 7.3 APAC - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Exhibit 27: APAC - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ million) Exhibit 28: APAC - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%) 7.4 North America - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Exhibit 29: North America - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ million) Exhibit 30: North America - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%) 7.5 Europe - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Exhibit 31: Europe - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ million) Exhibit 32: Europe - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%) 7.6 South America - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Exhibit 33: South America - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ million) Exhibit 34: South America - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%) 7.7 MEA - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Exhibit 35: MEA - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ million) Exhibit 36: MEA - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%) 7.8 Key leading countries Exhibit 37: Key leading countries 7.9 Market opportunity by geography Exhibit 38: Market opportunity by geography ($ million) 8 Drivers, Challenges, and Trends 8.1 Market drivers 8.2 Market challenges Exhibit 39: Impact of drivers and challenges 8.3 Market trends 9 Vendor Landscape 9.1 Vendor landscape Exhibit 40: Vendor landscape 9.2 Landscape disruption Exhibit 41: Landscape disruption Exhibit 42: Industry risks 9.3 Competitive Scenario 10 Vendor Analysis 10.1 Vendors covered Exhibit 43: Vendors covered 10.2 Market positioning of vendors Exhibit 44: Market positioning of vendors 10.3 Abbott Laboratories Exhibit 45: Abbott Laboratories - Overview Exhibit 46: Abbott Laboratories - Business segments Exhibit 47: Abbott Laboratories -Key news Exhibit 48: Abbott Laboratories - Key offerings Exhibit 49: Abbott Laboratories - Segment focus 10.4 Cargill Inc. Exhibit 50: Cargill Inc. - Overview Exhibit 51: Cargill Inc. - Product and service Exhibit 52: Cargill Inc. -Key news Exhibit 53: Cargill Inc. - Key offerings 10.5 Danone SA Exhibit 54: Danone SA - Overview Exhibit 55: Danone SA - Business segments Exhibit 56: Danone SA -Key news Exhibit 57: Danone SA - Key offerings 10.6 Hero Group Exhibit 58: Hero Group - Overview Exhibit 59: Hero Group - Business segments Exhibit 60: Hero Group -Key news Exhibit 61: Hero Group - Key offerings Exhibit 62: Hero Group - Segment focus 10.7 Nestle SA Exhibit 63: Nestle SA - Overview Exhibit 64: Nestle SA - Business segments Exhibit 65: Nestle SA -Key news Exhibit 66: Nestle SA - Key offerings Exhibit 67: Nestle SA - Segment focus 10.8 Perrigo Co. Plc Exhibit 68: Perrigo Co. Plc - Overview Exhibit 69: Perrigo Co. Plc - Business segments Exhibit 70: Perrigo Co. Plc -Key news Exhibit 71: Perrigo Co. Plc - Key offerings Exhibit 72: Perrigo Co. Plc - Segment focus 10.9 Reckitt Benckiser Group Plc Exhibit 73: Reckitt Benckiser Group Plc - Overview Exhibit 74: Reckitt Benckiser Group Plc - Business segments Exhibit 75: Reckitt Benckiser Group Plc -Key news Exhibit 76: Reckitt Benckiser Group Plc - Key offerings Exhibit 77: Reckitt Benckiser Group Plc - Segment focus 10.10 Royal FrieslandCampina NV Exhibit 78: Royal FrieslandCampina NV - Overview Exhibit 79: Royal FrieslandCampina NV - Business segments Exhibit 80: Royal FrieslandCampina NV -Key news Exhibit 81: Royal FrieslandCampina NV - Key offerings Exhibit 82: Royal FrieslandCampina NV - Segment focus 10.11 The Hain Celestial Group Inc. Exhibit 83: The Hain Celestial Group Inc. - Overview Exhibit 84: The Hain Celestial Group Inc. - Business segments Exhibit 85: The Hain Celestial Group Inc. -Key news Exhibit 86: The Hain Celestial Group Inc. - Key offerings Exhibit 87: The Hain Celestial Group Inc. - Segment focus 10.12 The Kraft Heinz Co. Exhibit 88: The Kraft Heinz Co. - Overview Exhibit 89: The Kraft Heinz Co. - Business segments Exhibit 90: The Kraft Heinz Co. -Key news Exhibit 91: The Kraft Heinz Co. - Key offerings Exhibit 92: The Kraft Heinz Co. - Segment focus 11 Appendix 11.1 Scope of the report 11.2 Currency conversion rates for US$ Exhibit 93: Currency conversion rates for US$ 11.3 Research methodology Exhibit 94: Research Methodology Exhibit 95: Validation techniques employed for market sizing Exhibit 96: Information sources 11.4 List of abbreviations Exhibit 97: 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 Look out for more information on market dynamics scenario, demand & supply forces, product offerings, financial information, and SWOT analysis. All at affordable Plans The Biofuels Market value is set to grow by USD 23.21 billion, progressing at a CAGR of 3.35% from 2020 to 2025, as per the latest report by Technavio. Moreover, the market is segmented by product (ethanol and biodiesel) and geography (North America, Europe, APAC, South America, and MEA). Biofuels Market Product Outlook (Revenue, USD bn, 2020-2025) Ethanol - size and forecast 2020-2025 Biodiesel - size and forecast 2020-2025 The biofuels market share growth by the ethanol segment will be significant during the forecast period. The need to reduce GHG emissions is the prime reason for the rising adoption of ethanol biofuel globally. The major use of ethanol is in the domestic transport sector by privately owned vehicles that mostly have a gasoline engine and are capable of running on ethanol-blended gasoline as well. This improves engine life, lowers harmful emissions, and has no effect on the efficiency of gasoline engines. Biofuels Market Geography Outlook (Revenue, USD bn, 2020-2025) North America - size and forecast 2020-2025 Europe - size and forecast 2020-2025 APAC - size and forecast 2020-2025 South America - size and forecast 2020-2025 MEA - size and forecast 2020-2025 25% of the market's growth will originate from APAC during the forecast period. China and India are the key markets for biofuels market in APAC. Market growth in this region will be faster than the growth of the market in all other regions. Rising need for cleaner fuels will facilitate the biofuels market growth in APAC over the forecast period. Biofuels Market Scope Report Coverage Details Page number 120 Base year 2020 Forecast period 2021-2025 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 3.35% Market growth 2021-2025 $ 23.21 billion Market structure Fragmented YoY growth (%) 2.87 Regional analysis North America, Europe, APAC, South America, and MEA Performing market contribution APAC at 25% Key consumer countries US, Brazil, China, India, UK, and Germany Competitive landscape Leading companies, competitive strategies, consumer engagement scope Companies profiled ALTEN Group, Archer Daniels Midland Co., Argent Energy UK Ltd., BIOX Corp., Bunge Ltd., Cargill Inc., Louis Dreyfus Co. BV, RB FUELS, Renewable Energy Group Inc., and Wilmar International Ltd. Market Dynamics Parent market analysis, Market growth inducers and obstacles, Fast-growing and slow-growing segment analysis, COVID 19 impact and future consumer dynamics, market condition analysis for forecast period, Customization preview If our report has not included the data that you are looking for, you can reach out to our analysts and get segments customized. The increased adoption of renewable sources of energy is a major factor driving the global biofuels market growth. The rise in GHG emissions is of prime concern to mankind as these emissions are responsible for a number of environmental hazards, including ozone layer depletion. The need to reduce GHG emissions and prevent the degradation of the environment are the major driving forces behind the rapid adoption of renewable sources of energy. Renewable sources of energy are now cost-competitive and are now considered established sources of primary energy in many countries. Many countries in Europe, including Norway, Iceland, and Sweden, meet more than half of their total annual energy requirement through renewable sources of energy. The need to reduce GHG emissions and the increased adoption of renewables will be major driving forces for the global biofuels market during the forecast period. Market data points, ranging from trend analyses to market estimates & forecasts. Request for More Details Some of the Major Biofuels Companies: The report analyzes the market's competitive landscape and offers information on several market vendors, including: ALTEN Group Archer Daniels Midland Co. Argent Energy UK Ltd. BIOX Corp. Bunge Ltd. Cargill Inc. Louis Dreyfus Co. BV RB FUELS Renewable Energy Group Inc. Wilmar International Ltd. The biofuels market is fragmented and the vendors are deploying growth strategies such as organic and inorganic growth strategies to compete in the market. Related Reports Include: Global Soy-based Chemicals Market 2018-2022: This industry research report presents a comprehensive analysis of the global soy-based chemicals market based on applications such as biodiesel, plastic and polymers, food and beverages, paper and pulp, personal care and cosmetics, and others. Latest Exclusive Research Insights Here Road Transportation Fuel Market by End-user and Geography - Forecast and Analysis 2022-2026: The road transportation fuel market share is estimated to reach a value of USD 192.84 billion from 2021 to 2026 at an accelerating CAGR of 1.87%. More Exclusive Research Insights Here Table of Contents 1 Executive Summary 2 Market Landscape 2.1 Market ecosystem Exhibit 01: Parent market Exhibit 02: Market characteristics 2.2 Value chain analysis Exhibit 03: Value chain analysis: Oil and gas exploration and production 3 Market Sizing 3.1 Market definition Exhibit 04: Offerings of vendors included in the market definition 3.2 Market segment analysis Exhibit 05: Market segments 3.3 Market size 2020 3.4 Market outlook: Forecast for 2020 - 2025 Exhibit 06: Global - Market size and forecast 2020 - 2025 ($ billion) Exhibit 07: Global market: Year-over-year growth 2020 - 2025 (%) 4 Five Forces Analysis 4.1 Five forces summary Exhibit 08: Five forces analysis 2020 & 2025 4.2 Bargaining power of buyers Exhibit 09: Bargaining power of buyers 4.3 Bargaining power of suppliers Exhibit 10: Bargaining power of suppliers 4.4 Threat of new entrants Exhibit 11: Threat of new entrants 4.5 Threat of substitutes Exhibit 12: Threat of substitutes 4.6 Threat of rivalry Exhibit 13: Threat of rivalry 4.7 Market condition Exhibit 14: Market condition - Five forces 2020 5 Market Segmentation by Product 5.1 Market segments Exhibit 15: Product - Market share 2020-2025 (%) 5.2 Comparison by Product Exhibit 16: Comparison by Product 5.3 Ethanol - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Exhibit 17: Ethanol - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ billion) Exhibit 18: Ethanol - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%) 5.4 Biodiesel - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Exhibit 19: Biodiesel - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ billion) Exhibit 20: Biodiesel - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%) 5.5 Market opportunity by Product Exhibit 21: Market opportunity by Product 6 Customer landscape 7 Geographic Landscape 7.1 Geographic segmentation Exhibit 23: Market share by geography 2020-2025 (%) 7.2 Geographic comparison Exhibit 24: Geographic comparison 7.3 North America - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Exhibit 25: North America - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ billion) - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ billion) Exhibit 26: North America - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%) 7.4 Europe - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Exhibit 27: Europe - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ billion) - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ billion) Exhibit 28: Europe - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%) 7.5 APAC - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Exhibit 29: APAC - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ billion) Exhibit 30: APAC - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%) 7.6 South America - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Exhibit 31: South America - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ billion) - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ billion) Exhibit 32: South America - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%) 7.7 MEA - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Exhibit 33: MEA - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ billion) Exhibit 34: MEA - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%) 7.8 Key leading countries Exhibit 35: Key leading countries 7.9 Market opportunity by geography Exhibit 36: Market opportunity by geography 8 Drivers, Challenges, and Trends 8.1 Market drivers 8.2 Market challenges Exhibit 38: Impact of drivers and challenges 8.3 Market trends 9 Vendor Landscape 9.1 Vendor landscape Exhibit 39: Vendor landscape 9.2 Landscape disruption Exhibit 40: Landscape disruption Exhibit 41: Industry risks 10 Vendor Analysis 10.1 Vendors covered Exhibit 42: Vendors covered 10.2 Market positioning of vendors Exhibit 43: Market positioning of vendors 10.3 ALTEN Group Exhibit 44: ALTEN Group - Overview Exhibit 45: ALTEN Group - Business segments Exhibit 46: ALTEN Group Key news Exhibit 47: ALTEN Group - Key offerings 10.4 Archer Daniels Midland Co. Exhibit 48: Archer Daniels Midland Co. - Overview Exhibit 49: Archer Daniels Midland Co. - Business segments Exhibit 50: Archer Daniels Midland Co. Key news Exhibit 51: Archer Daniels Midland Co. - Key offerings Exhibit 52: Archer Daniels Midland Co. - Segment focus 10.5 Argent Energy UK Ltd. Exhibit 53: Argent Energy UK Ltd. - Overview Exhibit 54: Argent Energy UK Ltd. - Product and service Exhibit 55: Argent Energy UK Ltd. - Key offerings 10.6 BIOX Corp. Exhibit 56: BIOX Corp. - Overview Exhibit 57: BIOX Corp. - Product and service Exhibit 58: BIOX Corp. - Key offerings 10.7 Bunge Ltd. 10.8 Cargill Inc. Exhibit 63: Cargill Inc. - Overview Exhibit 64: Cargill Inc. - Product and service Exhibit 65: Cargill Inc. Key news Exhibit 66: Cargill Inc. - Key offerings 10.9 Louis Dreyfus Co. BV Exhibit 67: Louis Dreyfus Co. BV - Overview Exhibit 68: Louis Dreyfus Co. BV - Business segments Exhibit 69: Louis Dreyfus Co. BV Key news Exhibit 70: Louis Dreyfus Co. BV - Key offerings Exhibit 71: Louis Dreyfus Co. BV - Segment focus 10.10 RB FUELS Exhibit 72: RB FUELS - Overview Exhibit 73: RB FUELS - Product and service Exhibit 74: RB FUELS - Key offerings 10.11 Renewable Energy Group Inc. Exhibit 75: Renewable Energy Group Inc. - Overview Exhibit 76: Renewable Energy Group Inc. - Business segments Exhibit 77: Renewable Energy Group Inc. - Key offerings Exhibit 78: Renewable Energy Group Inc. - Segment focus 10.12 Wilmar International Ltd. Exhibit 79: Wilmar International Ltd. - Overview Exhibit 80: Wilmar International Ltd. - Business segments Exhibit 81: Wilmar International Ltd. - Key offerings Exhibit 82: Wilmar International Ltd. - Segment focus 11 Appendix 11.1 Scope of the report 11.2 Currency conversion rates for US$ Exhibit 83: Currency conversion rates for US$ 11.3 Research methodology Exhibit 84: Research Methodology Exhibit 85: Validation techniques employed for market sizing Exhibit 86: Information sources 11.4 List of abbreviations Exhibit 87: 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 ARLINGTON, Va., June 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Boeing (NYSE: BA) and the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) announced a new $8 million, multi-year partnership to support the development of future technical talent. The Boeing l TMCF partnership renewal will support campus recruitment initiatives, career immersion activities, TMCF Leadership Institute programming and student scholarships at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) through 2026. "Our company's success and our ability to innovate for our customers is driven by how we work together and live our values," said Ted Colbert, president and CEO of Boeing Defense, Space & Security. "That includes prioritizing equity, diversity and inclusion, which is vital to achieving better business outcomes. Strategic partnerships, like those with HBCUs and the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, help create a space where students can flourish and they establish a talent pipeline that is vital to future innovation across the aerospace industry and here at Boeing." Building on a previous $6 million strategic investment made in 2018, the partnership will expand to include a new fast-track hiring program that will supply technical talent for open positions at Boeing locations in close geographic proximity to HBCUs. "We are thrilled to continue our ground-breaking partnership with Boeing," said Dr. Harry Williams, president & CEO of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF). "The Boeing l TMCF HBCU investment represents what we deem as best practice for companies who are committed to DEI. Through this partnership, Boeing has made a deep and long-term commitment to HBCUs and the talented students that attend them. We're excited about the continued success of the collaboration." Since establishing the award-winning Boeing l TMCF partnership, Boeing has quadrupled intern hiring through priority partner HBCUs and extended the company's reach to more than 6,800 HBCU students. The partnership has been key to addressing Boeing's racial equity commitments and improving the representation of Black talent at the company. The partnership supports Boeing's racial equity commitments and goal to improve the representation of Black talent at the company. "The Boeing l TMCF Scholar Program has been nothing short of amazing. It gave me the reassurance and confidence to continue to reach for the stars," said Jaida West, a member of the Boeing l TMCF Inaugural Cohort. "The Boeing and TMCF Teams have poured into me over the past two years, aiding my professional and personal development." TMCF university partners receiving support from Boeing include the following: Alabama A&M University Clark Atlanta University Florida A&M University Howard University Morehouse College Morgan State University North Carolina A&T State University Prairie View A&M University South Carolina State University Southern University and A&M College and A&M College Spelman College Tennessee State University Tuskegee University To date, TMCF has awarded more than $500 million in assistance to HBCUs. In addition to scholarships, TMCF provides programmatic, capacity building, public policy and advocacy support for the 47 TMCF member schools and the nearly 300,000 students who attend them. About The Boeing Company As a leading global aerospace company, Boeing develops, manufactures and services commercial airplanes, defense products and space systems for customers in more than 150 countries. As a top U.S. exporter, the company leverages the talents of a global supplier base to advance economic opportunity, sustainability and community impact. Boeing's diverse team is committed to innovating for the future, leading with sustainability, and cultivating a culture based on the company's core values of safety, quality and integrity. Join our team and find your purpose at boeing.com/careers. About Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) Established in 1987, the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) is the nation's largest organization exclusively representing the Black College Community. TMCF member-schools include the publicly-supported Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Predominantly Black Institutions (PBIs). Publicly-supported HBCUs enroll over 80% of all students attending HBCUs. Through scholarships, capacity building and research initiatives, innovative programs, and strategic partnerships, TMCF is a vital resource in the K-12 and higher education space. The organization is also a source for top employers seeking top talent for competitive internships and good jobs. Contact Jason Capeheart Boeing Communications Phone: +1 703-209-5560 [email protected] Andrea Horton TMCF Communications Phone: +1 202-888-1648 [email protected] SOURCE Boeing MIAMI, June 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Brand Institute is proud to announce having worked with Myovant Sciences in developing the brand name ORGOVYX (relugolix), for an oral medication used to treat adult patients with advanced hormone-sensitive prostate cancer. ORGOVYX was developed by Myovant Sciences and is the first and only oral androgen deprivation therapy available in Europe for the treatment of advanced hormone-sensitive prostate cancer. The European Commission (EC) has granted marketing authorization for ORGOVYX in all member states of the European Union, Iceland, Lichtenstein, and Norway. ORGOVYX received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for the treatment of adult patients with advanced prostate cancer in December 2020. "The entire Brand Institute and Drug Safety Institute team congratulates Myovant Sciences on the EC approval for ORGOVYX," said Brand Institute's Chairman and C.E.O., James L. Dettore. About Brand Institute and our wholly owned regulatory subsidiary, Drug Safety Institute Brand Institute is the global leader in pharmaceutical and healthcare-related name development, with a portfolio of over 3,800 marketed healthcare brand names, 1,200 USAN/INN nonproprietary names for 1,100 clients. The company partners on over 75% of pharmaceutical brand and nonproprietary name approvals globally every year with healthcare manufacturers. Drug Safety Institute is composed of former naming regulatory officials from global government health agencies, including Food and Drug Administration (FDA), European Medicines Agency (EMA), Health Canada (HC), American Medical Association (AMA), and the World Health Organization (WHO). These regulatory experts co-authored the name review guidelines while with their respective agencies, with many responsible for ultimately approving (or rejecting) brand name applications. Now working for a private company, these professionals provide Brand Institute's clients with industry-leading guidance pertaining to drug name safety (i.e., preventing medication errors), packaging, and labeling. Contact: James Dettore Chairman & C.E.O. [email protected] www.brandinstitute.com SOURCE Brand Institute, Inc. ATLANTA, June 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- On the heels of a $200 million funding facility, Capital on Tap announced they are celebrating 200,000 customers as they enter their second decade of existence. The company unveiled a 10th birthday rebrand to reflect their emergence as a leading FinTech committed to championing the success of small businesses in the US and UK. David Luck, Co-Founder and CEO of Capital on Tap Capital on Tap launched in the UK in the summer of 2012 providing fixed-term loans to small businesses. After several product iterations, Capital on Tap began providing a small business credit card and spend management platform in 2017. That was when the business really took off. "We really have experienced explosive growth over the past decade," said David Luck, Co-Founder and CEO of Capital on Tap. "More than 200,000 small business customers in the US and UK have spent more than $5 billion on their Capital on Tap Business Credit Cards." Recognizing small businesses in the US were underserved by traditional banking models, Capital on Tap made the product available to US customers in March 2021, in partnership with WebBank. Though the launch took place amidst a global pandemic, more than 12,000 small business customers signed on to the platform in the first year. In April of this year, Capital on Tap settled into their US headquarters in their Midtown, Atlanta, Georgia office. Capital on Tap's new look opts for sleek and bold, but most importantly, simple. Guided by the mission of making running a small business easier, Capital on Tap realized simplicity needs to be at the core of both their product and the way they present themselves to cardholders. "Our new logo, updated website and mobile app, and overall look and feel better reflect a global company that's relied on by hundreds of thousands of small businesses on two sides of the Atlantic," Luck said. The rebrand comes at the tail end of a Q2 loaded with a plethora of product releases including redeeming points for gift cards at a discounted rate, enabling Apple Pay and Google Pay, and a new feature-packed mobile app. Not to mention the closure of a $200 million funding facility to fuel continued growth in the US. As part of the birthday rebrand, Capital on Tap will begin issuing black cards instead of their signature yellow. "The color of our card may appear to be just a cosmetic change, but to our customers it represents a level of sophistication they very much deserve," Luck said. "It's time we back them with a product that looks as powerful as it is." About Capital on Tap Capital on Tap makes it easy for small businesses to manage their business spending, access funding, and earn best-in-class rewards. More than 200,000 small businesses have spent $5 billion on their Capital on Tap Business Credit Cards across the US and UK. The Capital on Tap Business Credit Card is issued by WebBank. About WebBank WebBank is a Utah chartered Industrial Bank headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah. Since its inception in 1997, WebBank has originated and funded over $150 billion in consumer and commercial credit products. WebBank engages in a full range of banking activities including consumer and commercial loan products, revolving lines of credit, credit cards, private-label card issuance, auto-refinancing, and more. Media Contact: Kiera Wiatrak 404-216-8767 [email protected] SOURCE Capital on Tap 2022 Adjusted Diluted EPS of $5.55 to $5.70 Reduces Real Estate Footprint, Resulting in Long-Term Savings and One-Time Costs Board Authorizes $3 Billion Increase to Stock Repurchase Program and New $1 Billion Debt Repurchase Program ST. LOUIS, June 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Centene Corporation (NYSE: CNC) will host its June investor day today. During the presentation, the Company will discuss its updated 2022 Premium and Service Revenues and Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Share (EPS) guidance and provide updates on its Value Creation Plan. For 2022, the Company has increased its Premium and Service Revenues guidance range by $2.0 billion to a new range of $134.3 billion to $136.3 billion and has increased its Adjusted Diluted EPS guidance range by $0.15 to a new range of $5.55 to $5.70. "We are pleased to report Centene's business continues to perform well, and we are increasing our 2022 full year guidance. Our Value Creation Plan is operating at scale, and we are executing our capital allocation strategy through the increased stock repurchase program and new debt repurchase program. Overall, the work we are doing today not only positions Centene to deliver on our financial objectives but also to better serve our members, providers, and communities, now and in the future," said Sarah M. London, Chief Executive Officer of Centene. The Company's 2022 financial guidance has been updated to reflect the following: Increased Medicaid premium revenue reflecting the assumed ongoing suspension of Medicaid eligibility redeterminations to November 1, 2022 , and , and Favorable second quarter performance to date, primarily in Marketplace. Following a strategic review of the Company's real estate portfolio as part of the Value Creation Plan and the adoption of a more modern, flexible work environment, the Company has initiated a reduction of its real estate footprint. As a result, the Company expects to record estimated pre-tax costs including impairments of approximately $750 million to $800 million attributable to leased space (reflecting a 65% decrease in domestic leased space), inclusive of the cost to decommission space and lease termination fees, and $750 million to $850 million attributable to owned real estate. The costs are expected to be recorded primarily during the second and third quarters of 2022 and will be recorded outside of Adjusted Diluted EPS. The Company expects to decrease its leased real estate expense by an annualized run rate of $180 million to $200 million. In addition, in preparation for the Magellan Rx and PANTHERx divestitures, as well as planning for the future, the Company also announced today that its Board of Directors has authorized a $3.0 billion increase to the Company's existing stock repurchase program and a new $1.0 billion debt repurchase program. The Company repurchased $200 million of stock in May 2022 and currently has $3.6 billion of authorization remaining. The Company's guidance does not reflect the effects of the pending divestitures of Magellan Rx and PANTHERx. Investor Day The Company will host a virtual investor meeting on June 17, 2022, including a question-and-answer session. The event will begin promptly at 8:30 AM (Eastern Time). Investors and other interested parties can access the full Centene Investor Day event and presentation online at: https://investors.centene.com/news-events/events-presentations. Non-GAAP Financial Presentation The Company is providing certain non-GAAP financial measures in this release as the Company believes that these figures are helpful in allowing investors to more accurately assess the ongoing nature of the Company's operations and measure the Company's performance more consistently across periods. The Company uses the presented non-GAAP financial measures internally to allow management to focus on period-to-period changes in the Company's core business operations. Therefore, the Company believes that this information is meaningful in addition to the information contained in the GAAP presentation of financial information. The presentation of this additional non-GAAP financial information is not intended to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for the financial information prepared and presented in accordance with GAAP. Specifically, the Company believes the presentation of non-GAAP financial information that excludes amortization of acquired intangible assets, acquisition related expenses, as well as other items, allows investors to develop a more meaningful understanding of the Company's performance over time. The Company is unable to provide a reconciliation of its 2022 Adjusted Diluted EPS guidance range to the corresponding GAAP measure without unreasonable effort. This is due to the uncertainty and inherent difficulty of predicting, within a reasonable range, the amount and/or timing of various items and the periods in which such items may be recognized, including costs related to lease impairments, owned real estate impairments, cost to decommission space, and lease termination fees that have not yet occurred and may be out of the Company's control or cannot be reasonably predicted. The Company currently estimates these lease and real estate costs to be in the range of $1.50 billion to $1.65 billion, on a pre-tax basis. However, the Company maintains its estimates of the amortization of acquired intangible assets of approximately $1.02 to $1.04 per diluted share (net of an estimated tax benefit of $0.32 to $0.33) and acquisition related expenses of approximately $0.19 to $0.21 per diluted share (net of an estimated tax benefit of $0.04 to $0.05) for the full year 2022. About Centene Corporation Centene Corporation, a Fortune 500 company, is a leading healthcare enterprise that is committed to helping people live healthier lives. The Company takes a local approach with local brands and local teams to provide fully integrated, high-quality, and cost-effective services to government-sponsored and commercial healthcare programs, focusing on under-insured and uninsured individuals. Centene offers affordable and high-quality products to nearly 1 in 15 individuals across the nation, including Medicaid and Medicare members (including Medicare Prescription Drug Plans) as well as individuals and families served by the Health Insurance Marketplace, the TRICARE program, and individuals in correctional facilities. The Company also serves several international markets, and contracts with other healthcare and commercial organizations to provide a variety of specialty services focused on treating the whole person. Centene focuses on long-term growth and value creation as well as the development of its people, systems, and capabilities so that it can better serve its members, providers, local communities, and government partners. Centene uses its investor relations website to publish important information about the Company, including information that may be deemed material to investors. Financial and other information about Centene is routinely posted and is accessible on Centene's investor relations website, https://investors.centene.com/. Forward-Looking Statements All statements, other than statements of current or historical fact, contained in this press release are forward-looking statements. Without limiting the foregoing, forward-looking statements often use words such as "believe," "anticipate," "plan," "expect," "estimate," "intend," "seek," "target," "goal," "may," "will," "would," "could," "should," "can," "continue" and other similar words or expressions (and the negative thereof). Centene (the Company, our, or we) intends such forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe-harbor provisions for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and we are including this statement for purposes of complying with these safe-harbor provisions. In particular, these statements include, without limitation, statements about our future operating or financial performance, market opportunity, value creation strategy, competition, expected activities in completed and future acquisitions, including statements about the impact of our recently completed acquisition of Magellan Health (the Magellan Acquisition), other recent and future acquisitions and dispositions, investments and the adequacy of our available cash resources. These forward-looking statements reflect our current views with respect to future events and are based on numerous assumptions and assessments made by us in light of our experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions, business strategies, operating environments, future developments and other factors we believe appropriate. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and are subject to change because they relate to events and depend on circumstances that will occur in the future, including economic, regulatory, competitive and other factors that may cause our or our industry's 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. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions. All forward-looking statements included in this press release are based on information available to us on the date hereof. Except as may be otherwise required by law, we undertake no obligation to update or revise the forward-looking statements included in this press release, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, after the date hereof. You should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, as actual results may differ materially from projections, estimates, or other forward-looking statements due to a variety of important factors, variables and events including, but not limited to: our ability to accurately predict and effectively manage health benefits and other operating expenses and reserves, including fluctuations in medical utilization rates due to the impact of COVID-19; the risk that the election of new directors, changes in senior management, and inability to retain key personnel may create uncertainty or negatively impact our ability to execute quickly and effectively; uncertainty as to the expected financial performance of the combined company following the recent completion of the Magellan Acquisition; the possibility that the expected synergies and value creation from the Magellan Acquisition or the acquisition of WellCare Health Plans, Inc.(the WellCare Acquisition) (or other acquired businesses) will not be realized, or will not be realized within the respective expected time periods; disruption from the integration of the Magellan Acquisition or from the integration of the WellCare Acquisition, unexpected costs, or similar risks from other acquisitions we may announce or complete from time to time, including potential adverse reactions or changes to business relationships with customers, employees, suppliers or regulators, making it more difficult to maintain business and operational relationships; a downgrade of the credit rating of our indebtedness; competition; membership and revenue declines or unexpected trends; changes in healthcare practices, new technologies, and advances in medicine; increased healthcare costs; changes in economic, political or market conditions; changes in federal or state laws or regulations, including changes with respect to income tax reform or government healthcare programs as well as changes with respect to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the Health Care and Education Affordability Reconciliation Act (collectively referred to as the ACA) and any regulations enacted thereunder that may result from changing political conditions, the new administration or judicial actions; rate cuts or other payment reductions or delays by governmental payors and other risks and uncertainties affecting our government businesses; our ability to adequately price products; tax matters; disasters or major epidemics; changes in expected contract start dates; provider, state, federal, foreign and other contract changes and timing of regulatory approval of contracts; the expiration, suspension, or termination of our contracts with federal or state governments (including, but not limited to, Medicaid, Medicare, TRICARE or other customers); the difficulty of predicting the timing or outcome of legal or regulatory proceedings or matters, including, but not limited to, our ability to resolve claims and/or allegations made by states with regard to past practices, including at Envolve Pharmacy Solutions, Inc. (Envolve), as our pharmacy benefits manager (PBM) subsidiary, within the reserve estimate we recorded in 2021 and on other acceptable terms, or at all, or whether additional claims, reviews or investigations relating to our PBM business will be brought by states, the federal government or shareholder litigants, or government investigations; timing and extent of benefits from strategic value creation initiatives, including the possibility that these initiatives will not be successful, or will not be realized within the expected time periods; challenges to our contract awards; cyber-attacks or other privacy or data security incidents; the exertion of management's time and our resources, and other expenses incurred and business changes required in connection with complying with the undertakings in connection with any regulatory, governmental or third party consents or approvals for acquisitions; changes in expected closing dates, estimated purchase price and accretion for acquisitions; restrictions and limitations in connection with our indebtedness; our ability to maintain or achieve improvement in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Star ratings and maintain or achieve improvement in other quality scores in each case that can impact revenue and future growth; availability of debt and equity financing, on terms that are favorable to us; inflation; foreign currency fluctuations; and risks and uncertainties discussed in the reports that Centene has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. This list of important factors is not intended to be exhaustive. We discuss certain of these matters more fully, as well as certain other factors that may affect our business operations, financial condition and results of operations, in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including our annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and current reports on Form 8-K. Due to these important factors and risks, we cannot give assurances with respect to our future performance, including without limitation our ability to maintain adequate premium levels or our ability to control our future medical and selling, general and administrative costs. SOURCE Centene Corporation Part of the Ukuleles for Ukraine campaign, the Ukulele Kids Club seeks to help children and teens impacted by the war. MIAMI, June 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Ukulele Kids Club (UKC), a music non-profit from Florida, has always believed in music's ability to bring comfort and hope during difficult times. The recent events in Ukraine have motivated them to expand their mission to reach children impacted by the war. The UKC is rallying the music community around their 'Ukulele. Ukraine. U kan.' campaign with the message that music can heal the wounds of war and an instrument for children to keep is a gift for wellness and for life. Ukuleles can provide comfort. Ukraine's kids need comfort. U kan help Ukrainian kids through ukuleles and music therapy. Since February 2022, over 7 million people have crossed Ukraine's borders seeking refuge from the war, in what the United Nations calls "the biggest refugee crisis in Europe since World War II." The majority of those seeking shelter are women and children. At the same time, some Ukrainian families who have remained in their homes also require psychosocial and emotional support. The Ukulele Kids Club has partnered with the World Federation of Music Therapy to identify music therapists working with refugee kids abroad and those still in Ukraine, with the idea that music and ukuleles can provide much-needed support. "Children exposed to war and conflict are at heightened risk for mental health issues including depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)," said Marlen Rodriguez-Wolfe, CEO of Ukulele Kids Club. "But as music therapists, we know that music can facilitate healthy coping strategies, help manage anxiety and provide a sense of comfort during difficult times." Music Therapy is the clinical use of music interventions that achieve physical and mental health goals delivered by a trained clinician. Music therapy is applied in migrant care in countries known for receiving a large influx of refugees, such as Colombia, Germany, Poland, and Turkey. In these settings, music therapists apply a combination of music-making activities and therapeutic interventions to help refugee children and adults experiencing health benefits from music and support their transition or acclimation to a new environment. For children and teens experiencing heightened stress and uncertainty related to the Ukraine war, the Ukulele becomes a way to gain a sense of control over their wellbeing. Making music allows them to engage in an activity that promotes self-expression and connection while sparking joy. The children get to keep the instrument and engage in ongoing support through UKC's online programs. To learn more and support this initiative, please visit www.ukulelesforukraine.com The Ukulele Kids Club (UKC) is a nonprofit organization based in Lakeland, Florida. Since its founding, the UKC has supported the health care of more than 12,000 medically fragile children through music, music therapy and donations of its signature instrument. The UKC works with more than 280 music therapy programs in the U.S.A and around the world. Learn more at www.theukc.org. Media Contact: Marlen Rodriguez-Wolfe 786-606-9944 [email protected] SOURCE Ukulele Kids Club GUANGZHOU, China, June 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- China's State Council issued an overall plan to promote comprehensive cooperation among Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao by further deepening opening-up in the Nansha district of South China's Guangdong province, according to a circular released on June 14. Nansha will step up such cooperation to build it into a center of strategic importance that collaborates with Hong Kong and Macao and benefits the Greater Bay Area (GBA) and beyond, the circular said. The district is set to further drive cooperation and opening-up in the GBA as it embraces an opportunity to evolve from the region's geographic center to a key functional role. The district significantly connects to urban clusters in the GBA as it serves as Guangzhou's only gateway to sea routes. "About 38 nautical miles away from Hong Kong and 41 nautical miles away from Macao, Nansha can link to the GBA's 11 cities and the international airports of Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Hong Kong within a 100-kilometer radius," noted Dong Ke, mayor of Nansha. The district has put the building of a "half-hour transportation circle" on a fast track since the start of constructing the GBA. That provides more solid groundwork for collaboration with Hong Kong and Macao to develop Nansha into a door for high-level opening-up, according to Nansha District People's Government of Guangzhou City. Colored container trucks shuttle back and forth throughout the Nansha Port area dominated by the sounds of cranes humming. In 2021, the port became one of the world's busiest seaports, seeing up to 17.66 million TEU containers shipped across its foreign trade network that comprises 135 sea routes. On May 30, 2022, a China-Europe freight train departed from the Nansha Port, a move marking the integration of the Silk Road Economic Belt with the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. The multimodal rail-water-road transport system was made possible by the operation of the Nansha Port Railway, said Song Xiaoming, vice general manager of Guangzhou Port Company, adding that an increase in China-Europe freight-train services put the district in a better position to support the GBA in building the Belt and Road and to connect with the rest of the world. Buy from and sell to the world. The commitment to opening up has turned Nansha into a hub for cross-border e-commerce, with a total of nearly 600 companies registered for that particular business to date. The value of trade in cross-border e-commerce between January and May grew by some 87% year-on-year to about RMB 15 billion. At the same time, Nansha features more prominently in the global business landscape as it is on track to emerge as a brand-new center for international exchanges. While the permanent site of the Greater-Bay Science Forum is being planned, the International Finance Forum (IFF) annual meeting has been hosted nonstop. That being said, Nansha will build a new platform for the GBA to increase international economic cooperation under the Belt and Road framework. This is how Nansha further integrates into the regional and global economy. Nansha now leads the GBA in sci-tech innovation endeavors. To be specific, it is home to over 620 companies in artificial intelligence and biotechnology. A host of homegrown high-tech firms, such as Zhaoke Ophthalmology and CloudWalk Technology, went public, and CAS Space Exploration, Guangdong's first unicorn company in commercial spaceflight, was relocated to Nansha. Innovations emerge at a faster rate. Moreover, the district has stayed committed to Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao joint sci-tech innovation systems and mechanisms, as evidenced by the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou), which will start operation this September. The HKUST (GZ) project, in turn, enables Nansha to motivate universities to play their inherent role in driving innovation. And among others, an industrial park for entrepreneurs and innovators from Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao will be in place around the HKUST (GZ) campus as a way to create synergy among the government, industries, universities and research institutes. Founded as a state-level new area and part of China (Guangdong) Pilot Free Trade Zone, Nansha has grown from a demonstration zone of all-round cooperation among Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao to the world-facing carrier of strategic importance for greater collaboration with Hong Kong and Macao. That means the district has an increasingly significant role to play in national development strategies. More importantly, it shows the world where the GBA will go and how China remains committed to reform and opening up. SOURCE Nansha District People's Government of Guangzhou City Bank of America's investment will support student scholarships; enhance technological resources such as laptops, keyboards, printers, routers, and wi-fi hotspots. Funding for the partnership will also be used to increase the number of qualified faculty and staff to ensure incarcerated students receive the same high-quality educational experience that has earned Claflin national recognition as one of the nation's premier liberal arts universities. "We are extremely grateful for Bank of America's support for our Center for Social Justice and the Pathways From Prison Program. Research indicates a dramatic reduction in recidivism rates for incarcerated individuals who participate in prison education programs," said Claflin President Dr. Dwaun J. Warmack, a 2019 USA Eisenhower Fellow. Warmack's research during his fellowship explored global best practices for reducing mass incarceration through education and rehabilitation. "Bank of America's reputation as a global leader in banking and finance is widely recognized. This partnership amplifies their commitment to equality, equity, and expanding economic opportunities for diverse populations." "Education is a gateway to a better life," said Kim Wilkerson, President, Bank of America South Carolina. "We appreciate Claflin University's leadership and recognize the success and progress made through the Pathways From Prison Program. Issues of racial equality and economic opportunity are deeply connected, and it's important to remove the barriers to success and focus on areas where systemic, long-term gaps have existed." The Pathways From Prison Program was established through the Second Chance Pell Grant Pilot Program, a U.S. Department of Education (DOE) initiative. The grant provides need-based Federal Pell Grants to individuals incarcerated in federal and state prisons. Claflin University was the only historically black college/university (HBCU) in South Carolina among 67 colleges and universities nationwide selected for the program. Claflin University Claflin University is a comprehensive institution of higher education affiliated with the United Methodist Church. A historically black University founded in 1869, Claflin is dedicated to providing a student-centered, liberal arts education grounded in cutting-edge research, experiential learning, state-of-the art technology, community service, and life-long personal and professional fulfillment. Claflin is a diverse and inclusive community of students, faculty, staff and administrators who work to cultivate practical wisdom, judgment, knowledge, skills and character needed for globally engaged citizenship and effective leadership. Bank of America Environmental, Social and Governance At Bank of America (NYSE: BAC), we're guided by a common purpose to help make financial lives better, through the power of every connection. We're delivering on this through responsible growth with a focus on our environmental, social and governance (ESG) leadership. ESG is embedded across our eight lines of business and reflects how we help fuel the global economy, build trust and credibility, and represent a company that people want to work for, invest in and do business with. It's demonstrated in the inclusive and supportive workplace we create for our employees, the responsible products and services we offer our clients, and the impact we make around the world in helping local economies thrive. An important part of this work is forming strong partnerships with nonprofits and advocacy groups, such as community, consumer and environmental organizations, to bring together our collective networks and expertise to achieve greater impact. Connect with us on Twitter (@BofA_News). For more Bank of America news, including dividend announcements and other important information, visit the Bank of America newsroom and register for news email alerts. Reporters may contact: Claflin University George Johnson Phone: 1.803.535.5077 (office) / 1.240.338.2219 (cell) [email protected] J. Craig Cotton Phone: 1.803.535.5350 (office) / 1.757.708.4622 (cell) [email protected] Bank of America Eliza Murphy, Bank of America Phone: 1.347.603.6845 [email protected] SOURCE Bank of America Corporation Key Market Dynamics: Market Driver One of the key factors driving the clinical reference laboratory services market is the increasing prevalence of chronic and infectious diseases. Medical diagnostic procedures are in high demand due to the rising prevalence of chronic and infectious diseases. Furthermore, reference laboratories are providing services for the rapid detection of infectious diseases that require specialized laboratory testing instruments and skills, such as swine flu, hepatitis A and B, and HIV. These labs also provide low-cost diagnostic tests for common chronic diseases like cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Furthermore, during peak seasons of infection, the lack of expertise in hospitals and clinics to perform critical diagnostic testing procedures for pandemic and highly communicable diseases, such as swine flu and Zika virus infection, necessitates the outsourcing of these tests to specialized reference laboratories. According to the World Bank Group, 1.4 million people die each year from hepatitis virus infections of various types. Hepatitis B vaccination based on blood test results has increased over time, according to the CDC, from 12.3% in 1999-2002 to 25.2% in 2015-2018. Furthermore, the CDC estimates that since 2010, influenza has caused 9-45 million cases, 140,000-810,000 hospitalizations, and 12,000-61,000 deaths. As a result, the global clinical reference laboratory services market will continue to grow during the forecast period due to the rising prevalence of chronic and infectious diseases. Market Challenge Stringent regulations will be a major challenge for the clinical reference laboratory services market during the forecast period. Vendor-provided laboratory testing services are influenced by or subjected to complex and frequently changing laws and regulations around the world. Vendors' ability to operate their businesses quickly in a competitive market is hampered by frequent changes in laws. Furthermore, reference tests are important because they provide results for clinical diagnostic testing, and test results that are inaccurate can have serious and life-threatening consequences for patients' health. As a result, regulatory agencies all over the world have put in place strict regulations and defined standards. CLIA, for example, oversees the operation of clinical laboratories in the United States, ensuring that they meet various operational, technical, quality, and personnel requirements in order to provide reliable, accurate, and timely service. Similarly, the FDA in the US regulates devices, instruments, kits, software, and reagents used in reference test services. Similarly, in Europe, laboratory testing is governed by the European Parliament and Council Regulation (EC) No 882/2004 on official controls. The EU requires national reference laboratories to operate in accordance with EN ISO/EN 17011 and EN ISO/IEC 17025, which are updated on a regular basis. By limiting the operational capacities of reference laboratories, these standards and regulations limit the market's growth. Clinical Reference Laboratory Services Market Scope Report Coverage Details Page number 120 Base year 2020 Forecast period 2021-2025 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 6.71% Market growth 2021-2025 $ 26.09 billion Market structure Fragmented YoY growth (%) 6.15 Regional analysis North America, APAC, Europe, South America, and MEA Performing market contribution North America at 35% Key consumer countries US, UK, Germany, France, and Japan Competitive landscape Leading companies, competitive strategies, consumer engagement scope Companies profiled amedes Holding GmbH, Clinical Reference Laboratory Inc., Exact Sciences Corp., Mayo Medical Laboratories, OPKO Health Inc., Quest Diagnostics Inc., Sonic Healthcare Ltd., SYNLAB Bondco Plc, and Unilabs AB 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. Segmentation Analysis & Forecast: The Clinical Reference Laboratory Services Market is segmented by end-user (hospitals and private clinics, corporate offices and companies, and government entities), service (stand-alone reference laboratories, hospital-based reference laboratories, and clinic-based reference laboratories). Hospitals and private clinics segment will be significant during the forecast period. Hospitals and clinics outsource a significant number of clinical testing procedures that cannot be performed in in-house laboratories. Hence, the hospitals and private clinics segment is the major revenue-contributing end-user segment of the market. Hospital budgets are rapidly constraining, owing to the lack of funding and declining reimbursement coverage. The reducing cost of laboratory expenditure in hospitals is a primary driver for the outsourcing of laboratory services. Download this market report to uncover new strategies to make the most of future growth opportunities. Some Companies Mentioned amedes Holding GmbH Clinical Reference Laboratory Inc. Exact Sciences Corp. Mayo Medical Laboratories OPKO Health Inc. Quest Diagnostics Inc. Sonic Healthcare Ltd. SYNLAB Bondco Plc Unilabs AB Related Reports: Laboratory Centrifuge Market by Product, Application, and Geography - Forecast and Analysis 2021-2025: The laboratory centrifuge market has the potential to grow by USD 269.25 million during 2021-2025, and the market's growth momentum will accelerate at a CAGR of 3.17%. To get more exclusive research insights: Download Our Sample Report Laboratory Disposables Market by End-user and Geography - Forecast and Analysis 2022-2026: Based on Technavio's market sizing methodology, the laboratory disposables market size is predicted to surge by USD 12.32 billion from 2021 to 2026 at a CAGR of 10.83%. To get more exclusive research insights: Download Our Sample Report Key Topics Covered: 1 Executive Summary 2 Market Landscape 2.1 Market ecosystem Exhibit 01: Parent market 2.2 Market characteristics Exhibit 02: Market characteristics 2.3 Value chain analysis Exhibit 03: Value chain analysis- Life sciences tools and services 3 Market Sizing 3.1 Market definition Exhibit 04: Offerings of vendors included in the market definition 3.2 Market segment analysis Exhibit 05: Market segments 3.3 Market size 2020 3.4 Market outlook: Forecast for 2020 - 2025 Exhibit 06: Global - Market size and forecast 2020 - 2025 ($ billion) Exhibit 07: Global market: Year-over-year growth 2020 - 2025 (%) 4 Five Forces Analysis 4.1 Five Forces Summary Exhibit 08: Five forces analysis 2020 & 2025 4.2 Bargaining power of buyers Exhibit 09: Bargaining power of buyers 4.3 Bargaining power of suppliers Exhibit 10: Bargaining power of suppliers 4.4 Threat of new entrants Exhibit 11: Threat of new entrants 4.5 Threat of substitutes Exhibit 12: Threat of substitutes 4.6 Threat of rivalry Exhibit 13: Threat of rivalry 4.7 Market condition Exhibit 14: Market condition - Five forces 2020 5 Market Segmentation by Application 5.1 Market segments Exhibit 15: Application - Market share 2020-2025 (%) 5.2 Comparison by Application Exhibit 16: Comparison by Application 5.3 Clinical chemistry - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Exhibit 17: Clinical chemistry - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ billion) Exhibit 18: Clinical chemistry - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%) 5.4 Human and tumor genetics - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Exhibit 19: Human and tumor genetics - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ billion) Exhibit 20: Human and tumor genetics - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%) 5.5 Medical microbiology and cytology - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Exhibit 21: Medical microbiology and cytology - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ billion) Exhibit 22: Medical microbiology and cytology - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%) 5.6 Other esoteric tests - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 Exhibit 23: Other esoteric tests - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 ($ billion) Exhibit 24: Other esoteric tests - Year-over-year growth 2020-2025 (%) 5.7 Market opportunity by Application Exhibit 25: Market opportunity by Application 6 Market Segmentation by Service 6.1 Market segments 6.2 Stand-alone reference laboratories 6.3 Hospital-based reference laboratories 6.4 Clinic-based reference laboratories 7 Market Segmentation by End-user 7.1 Market segments 7.2 Hospitals and private clinics 7.3 Corporate offices and companies 7.4 Government entities 8 Customer landscape 8.1 Customer landscape 9 Geographic Landscape 9.1 Geographic segmentation 9.2 Geographic comparison 9.3 North America - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 9.4 Europe - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 9.5 Asia - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 9.6 ROW - Market size and forecast 2020-2025 9.7 Key leading countries 9.8 Market opportunity by geography 10 Drivers, Challenges, and Trends 10.1 Market drivers 10.2 Market challenges 10.3 Market trends 11 Vendor Landscape 11.1 Vendor landscape 11.2 Landscape disruption 12 Vendor Analysis 12.1 Vendors covered 12.2 Market positioning of vendors 12.3 amedes Holding GmbH 12.4 Clinical Reference Laboratory Inc. 12.5 Exact Sciences Corp. 12.6 Mayo Medical Laboratories 12.7 OPKO Health Inc. 12.8 Quest Diagnostics Inc. 12.9 Sonic Healthcare Ltd. 12.10 SYNLAB Bondco Plc 12.11 Unilabs AB 13 Appendix 13.1 Scope of the report 13.2 Currency conversion rates for US$ 13.3 Research methodology 13.4 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 Colambda Technologies sites revenues of its subsidiary, Job Aire Group Tweet this Nick Ammons, JAG President, indicated the year-to-date revenues are over $10,000,000 (ten million dollars). Ammons expects to grow JAG, diversify its market presence, and facilitate Colambda Technologies' move into manufacturing of the Emissions Zero Module technology on a much larger scale. JAG was acquired to facilitate the development of Colambda Technologies' flagship product, the Emissions Zero Module, for use on piston driven general aviation (GA) aircraft and to obtain Premarket Approval from the FAA for use on all GA aircraft. JAG is a multi-technical aviation company specializing in contract labor, aircraft and engine inspection, and aeronautical engineering. The company also assists clients with aircraft repair and refurbishment. Explanatory Note Colambda Technologies Inc is awaiting final FINRA/OTC approval on a new ticker symbol and completion of the previously announced merger contemplated by a Merger Agreement entered into on November 19, 2021, between New Century Resources Corporation and privately held Emissions Zero Module, Inc., (EZM), a Wyoming company. Although final closing of the merger has not yet been completed, FINRA/OTC required the parties to file the certificates of merger with their respective states prior to final closing. As a result, for corporate state law purposes, the entities have merged. The Company filed an amendment to its certificate of incorporation to change its name to Colambda Technologies, Inc. The name change became effective under Nevada law on January 4, 2022. Job Aire Group was acquired by Emissions Zero Module, Inc on January 1, 2022. The Company previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission a definitive Proxy Statement with respect to the Merger and proposed related transactions, (filed on December 12, 2021). See SEC website for a copy of filing: https://www.sec.gov/edgar/browse/?CIK=1104462. Upon completion of the merger and following FINRA/OTC approval the Company intends to file a Form 8-K with the SEC that will include information relative to the new management, financial condition and financial statements as required under SEC regulations to include the business of EZM and JAG. SOURCE Colambda Technologies New partnership allows PEOs to offer their clients tailored, value-added benefit plans NEW YORK, June 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America (Guardian) today announced a new partnership with PrismHR that allows Professional Employer Organizations (PEOs) access to Guardian's full suite of dental, vision, life, disability, supplemental health, and mental wellness benefits. "The Guardian PrismHR relationship reinforces Guardian's commitment and leadership in the PEO space. We are excited to bring our innovative product portfolio to more employees, helping PEO members obtain lifelong well-being," said Jeff Wasco, Head of Specialty and Emerging Markets for Guardian. The partnership will provide several benefits to PEOs including: Access to comprehensive employee benefits that prioritize well-being like mental wellness benefits through Spring Health, tailored solutions to improve benefits communication, and value-added benefits such as Will Prep Services and an Employee Assistance Program, all with a focus on helping PEO member firms attract and retain employees No ongoing EDI maintenance fees and zero set up cost PrismHR Data Bridge, which automatically extracts, transforms, validates, and securely transfers enrollment data to carriers and providers "I'm excited about the union of PrismHR's technology and Guardian's insurance offerings," said Tim Pratte, President, HRO Business Unit at PrismHR. "This partnership allows PEOs to offer worksite employees attractive benefit offerings that keep cost, value, and variety in mind." About The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America (Guardian) Every day, Guardian provides Americans the security they deserve through our insurance and wealth management products and services. Since our founding in 1860, our long-term view has helped our customers prepare for whatever life brings, whether starting a family, planning for the future, or taking care of employees. Today, we're a Fortune 250 mutual company and a leading provider of life, disability, dental, and other benefits for individuals, at the workplace, and through government sponsored programs. The Guardian community of over 9,000 colleagues and our network of over 2,500 financial representatives is committed to serving with expertise when, where, and how our clients need us. Our commitments rest on a strong financial foundation, which at year-end 2021 included $10.7 billion in capital and $1.9 billion in operating income. For more information, please visit guardianlife.com or follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter , and YouTube. About PrismHR PrismHR's mission is to fuel the growth of small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) across the U.S. Our HR software, combined with our ecosystem of HR service providers, enables SMBs to manage payroll, benefits, and HR, leveling the playing field with large enterprises. Today, PrismHR software delivers world-class HR services to more than 80,000 organizations and over 2 million worksite employees, processing greater than $80 billion in payroll each year. PrismHR is located in Hopkinton, Mass. For more information, visit www.prismhr.com. GUARDIAN and the Guardian Logo are registered trademarks of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America. Copyright 2022 The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, New York, N.Y. Media Contacts For Guardian: Lou Haber ([email protected]) For PrismHR: Ginny Carpenter ([email protected]) SOURCE Guardian SILVER SPRING, Md. , June 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized emergency use of the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine and the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine for the prevention of COVID-19 to include use in children down to 6 months of age. For the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine, the FDA amended the emergency use authorization (EUA) to include use of the vaccine in individuals 6 months through 17 years of age. The vaccine had been authorized for use in adults 18 years of age and older. For the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, the FDA amended the EUA to include use of the vaccine in individuals 6 months through 4 years of age. The vaccine had been authorized for use in individuals 5 years of age and older. Key points: The FDA's evaluation and analysis of the safety, effectiveness and manufacturing data of these vaccines was rigorous and comprehensive, supporting the EUAs. The agency determined that the known and potential benefits of the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines outweigh the known and potential risks in the pediatric populations authorized for use for each vaccine. Prior to making the decision to authorize these vaccines for the respective pediatric populations, the FDA's independent Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee was consulted and voted in support of the authorizations. "Many parents, caregivers and clinicians have been waiting for a vaccine for younger children and this action will help protect those down to 6 months of age. As we have seen with older age groups, we expect that the vaccines for younger children will provide protection from the most severe outcomes of COVID-19, such as hospitalization and death," said FDA Commissioner Robert M. Califf, M.D. "Those trusted with the care of children can have confidence in the safety and effectiveness of these COVID-19 vaccines and can be assured that the agency was thorough in its evaluation of the data." The Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine is administered as a primary series of two doses, one month apart, to individuals 6 months through 17 years of age. The vaccine is also authorized to provide a third primary series dose at least one month following the second dose for individuals in this age group who have been determined to have certain kinds of immunocompromise. The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine is administered as a primary series of three doses in which the initial two doses are administered three weeks apart followed by a third dose administered at least eight weeks after the second dose in individuals 6 months through 4 years of age. Information about each vaccine is available in the fact sheets for healthcare providers administering vaccine and the fact sheets for recipients and caregivers. "As with all vaccines for any population, when authorizing COVID-19 vaccines intended for pediatric age groups, the FDA ensures that our evaluation and analysis of the data is rigorous and thorough," said Peter Marks, M.D., Ph.D., director of the FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research. "In addition to making certain the data for these vaccines met FDA's rigorous standards, the agency's convening of an advisory committee was part of a transparent process to help the public have a clear understanding of the safety and effectiveness data supporting the authorization of these two vaccines for pediatric populations." Evaluation of the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine for Individuals 6 Months through 17 Years of Age Effectiveness The effectiveness and safety data evaluated and analyzed by the FDA for the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine to support the EUA for these pediatric populations were generated in two ongoing, randomized, blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trials in the United States and Canada which enrolled infants, children and adolescents. Children 6 months through 5 years of age: Immune responses of a subset of 230 children 6 through 23 months and a subset of 260 children 2 through 5 years of age who received a two-dose primary series of the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine at 25 micrograms (mcg) of messenger RNA (mRNA) per dose were compared to immune responses among 290 adults 18 through 25 years who received two higher doses of the vaccine in a previous study which determined the vaccine to be effective in preventing COVID-19. In these FDA analyses, the immune response to the vaccine, of both age groups of children, was comparable to the immune response of the adults. An analysis of cases of COVID-19 occurring at least 14 days after the second dose among approximately 5,400 children in this age group without evidence of prior infection with SARS-CoV-2 was conducted during the time period in which the omicron variant was the predominant circulating strain. In this analysis, among participants 6 through 23 months of age, 64% of whom had blinded follow-up for more than two months after the second dose, the vaccine was 50.6% effective in preventing COVID-19. Among participants 2 through 5 years of age, 72% of whom had blinded follow-up for more than two months after the second dose, the vaccine was 36.8% effective in preventing COVID-19. Immune responses of a subset of 230 children 6 through 23 months and a subset of 260 children 2 through 5 years of age who received a two-dose primary series of the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine at 25 micrograms (mcg) of messenger RNA (mRNA) per dose were compared to immune responses among 290 adults 18 through 25 years who received two higher doses of the vaccine in a previous study which determined the vaccine to be effective in preventing COVID-19. In these FDA analyses, the immune response to the vaccine, of both age groups of children, was comparable to the immune response of the adults. An analysis of cases of COVID-19 occurring at least 14 days after the second dose among approximately 5,400 children in this age group without evidence of prior infection with SARS-CoV-2 was conducted during the time period in which the omicron variant was the predominant circulating strain. In this analysis, among participants 6 through 23 months of age, 64% of whom had blinded follow-up for more than two months after the second dose, the vaccine was 50.6% effective in preventing COVID-19. Among participants 2 through 5 years of age, 72% of whom had blinded follow-up for more than two months after the second dose, the vaccine was 36.8% effective in preventing COVID-19. Children 6 years through 11 years of age: Immune responses of a subset of 320 children in this age group who received a two-dose primary series of the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine at 50 mcg of mRNA per dose were compared to immune responses among 295 adults 18 through 25 years who received two higher doses of the vaccine in a previous study which determined the vaccine to be effective in preventing COVID-19. In the FDA analysis, the immune response of the children to the vaccine was comparable to the immune response of the adults. An additional analysis pertaining to the occurrence of COVID-19 cases was determined not to be reliable due to the low number of COVID-19 cases that occurred in study participants. Immune responses of a subset of 320 children in this age group who received a two-dose primary series of the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine at 50 mcg of mRNA per dose were compared to immune responses among 295 adults 18 through 25 years who received two higher doses of the vaccine in a previous study which determined the vaccine to be effective in preventing COVID-19. In the FDA analysis, the immune response of the children to the vaccine was comparable to the immune response of the adults. An additional analysis pertaining to the occurrence of COVID-19 cases was determined not to be reliable due to the low number of COVID-19 cases that occurred in study participants. Adolescents 12 through 17 years of age: Immune responses of a subset of 340 adolescents in this age group who received a two-dose primary series of the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine at 100 mcg of mRNA per dose were compared to immune responses among 296 adults 18 through 25 years who received two equivalent doses of the vaccine in a previous study which determined the vaccine to be effective in preventing COVID-19. In this analysis, the immune response of adolescents was comparable to the immune response of the older participants. An analysis was also conducted of cases of COVID-19 occurring at least 14 days after the second dose among approximately 3,000 adolescents in this age group without evidence of prior infection with SARS-CoV-2, in which approximately 42% of participants had two or more months of blinded follow-up after the second dose. In this analysis, among participants 12 through 17 years of age, the vaccine was 93.3% effective in preventing COVID-19. The data for this analysis were obtained before the omicron variant became the predominant circulating strain. Safety The safety data to support the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine EUA in individuals 6 months through 17 years of age are as follows: Children 6 months through 5 years of age: Safety was evaluated in approximately 1,700 children 6 through 23 months of age who received the vaccine and 600 who received the placebo. Of these, approximately 1,100 vaccine recipients were followed for safety for at least two months following the second dose. For participants 2 through 5 years of age, approximately 3,000 received the vaccine and approximately 1,000 received a placebo; approximately 2,200 vaccine recipients were followed for safety for at least two months following the second dose. In clinical trial participants 6 months through 5 years of age, the most commonly reported side effects across all age subgroups included pain, redness and swelling at the injection site, fever and underarm (or groin) swelling/tenderness of lymph nodes in the same arm (or thigh) as the injection. In clinical trial participants 6 through 36 months of age, the most commonly reported side effects also included irritability/crying, sleepiness, and loss of appetite. In clinical trial participants 37 months through 5 years of age, the most commonly reported side effects also included fatigue, headache, muscle ache, chills, nausea/vomiting and joint stiffness. Safety was evaluated in approximately 1,700 children 6 through 23 months of age who received the vaccine and 600 who received the placebo. Of these, approximately 1,100 vaccine recipients were followed for safety for at least two months following the second dose. For participants 2 through 5 years of age, approximately 3,000 received the vaccine and approximately 1,000 received a placebo; approximately 2,200 vaccine recipients were followed for safety for at least two months following the second dose. In clinical trial participants 6 months through 5 years of age, the most commonly reported side effects across all age subgroups included pain, redness and swelling at the injection site, fever and underarm (or groin) swelling/tenderness of lymph nodes in the same arm (or thigh) as the injection. In clinical trial participants 6 through 36 months of age, the most commonly reported side effects also included irritability/crying, sleepiness, and loss of appetite. In clinical trial participants 37 months through 5 years of age, the most commonly reported side effects also included fatigue, headache, muscle ache, chills, nausea/vomiting and joint stiffness. Children 6 through 11 years of age: Safety was evaluated in approximately 3,000 children who received the vaccine and approximately 1,000 children who received placebo. The majority of vaccine recipients (98.7%) had at least two months of safety follow-up after their second dose. Safety was evaluated in approximately 3,000 children who received the vaccine and approximately 1,000 children who received placebo. The majority of vaccine recipients (98.7%) had at least two months of safety follow-up after their second dose. Adolescents 12 through 17 years of age: Safety was evaluated in approximately 2,500 participants who received the vaccine and 1,200 who received placebo. The majority of vaccine recipients (95.6%) had at least six months of follow-up after the second dose. The most commonly reported side effects in the clinical trial participants for both the 6 through 11 age group and the 12 through 17 age group who received the vaccine include, pain, redness and swelling at the injection site, tiredness, headache, muscle pain, chills, joint pain, underarm swollen lymph nodes in the same arm as the injection, nausea and vomiting and fever. Evaluation of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine for Children 6 Months through 4 Years of Age The effectiveness and safety data evaluated and analyzed by the FDA for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine were generated in an ongoing, randomized, blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial in the United States and internationally, which enrolled infants and children. Effectiveness The effectiveness data to support the EUA in children 6 months through 4 years of age is based on a comparison of immune responses following three doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine in a subset of children in this age group to the immune responses among adults 16 through 25 years of age who received two higher doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine in a previous study which determined the vaccine to be effective in preventing COVID-19. The study was conducted in two age subgroups. The immune response to the vaccine of approximately 80 children, 6 through 23 months of age, and approximately 140 children, 2 through 4 years of age, were compared to the immune response of approximately 170 of the older participants. In these FDA analyses, the immune response to the vaccine for both age groups of children was comparable to the immune response of the older participants. An additional analysis pertaining to the occurrence of COVID-19 cases was determined not to be reliable due to the low number of COVID-19 cases that occurred in study participants. Safety The available safety data to support the EUA in children 6 through 23 months of age include approximately 1,170 who received the vaccine and approximately 600 who received placebo; approximately 400 vaccine recipients were followed for safety for at least two months following the third dose. For the participants 2 through 4 years of age, approximately 1,800 received the vaccine and approximately 900 received placebo; approximately 600 vaccine recipients were followed for safety for at least two months following the third dose. The most commonly reported side effects in clinical trial participants 6 through 23 months of age who received the vaccine were irritability, decreased appetite, fever and pain, tenderness, redness and swelling at the injection site. These side effects were also reported for the vaccine recipients 2 through 4 years age, in addition to fever, headache, and chills. Risks of Myocarditis and Pericarditis The FDA and CDC safety surveillance systems have previously identified increased risks of myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle) and pericarditis (inflammation of tissue surrounding the heart) following vaccination with the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine and the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, particularly following the second dose. The observed risk is highest in males 18 through 24 years of age for the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine and in males 12 through 17 years of age for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine. The FDA and the CDC analyses of available safety surveillance data from the U.S. and other countries on myocarditis outcomes continue to strengthen the evidence that most cases of myocarditis associated with the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines are characterized by rapid resolution of symptoms following conservative management, with no impact on quality of life reported by most patients who were contacted for follow-up at 90 days or more after reporting myocarditis. The risks of myocarditis and pericarditis are described in the fact sheets for each of these vaccines. Ongoing Safety Monitoring As part of their original EUA requests, both ModernaTX Inc. and Pfizer Inc. submitted plans to continue to monitor the safety of the vaccines as they are used under EUA. These plans for monitoring the overall safety of the vaccines and ensuring that any safety concerns are identified and evaluated in a timely manner, and which include monitoring for myocarditis and pericarditis, have been updated to include the newly authorized populations. In addition, longer-term safety follow-up is ongoing for participants enrolled in the clinical trials for both vaccines. Furthermore, the FDA and the CDC have several systems in place to continually monitor COVID-19 vaccine safety and allow for the timely detection and investigation of potential safety concerns. It is mandatory for both ModernaTX Inc. and Pfizer Inc., as well as vaccination providers, to report the following to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) for these two COVID-19 vaccines: serious adverse events, cases of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome and cases of COVID-19 that result in hospitalization or death. It is also mandatory for vaccination providers to report all vaccine administration errors to VAERS for which they become aware and for vaccine manufacturers to include a summary and analysis of all identified vaccine administration errors in monthly safety reports submitted to the FDA. The EUA amendment for the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine was issued to ModernaTX Inc. and the EUA amendment for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine was issued to Pfizer Inc. Additional Resources: Media Contact: Abby Capobianco, 240-461-9059 Consumer Inquiries: Email or 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. SOURCE U.S. Food and Drug Administration "Our findings indicate that where governments around the world restrict their citizens' online freedom, there is a corresponding increased risk of people falling victim to cyber attacks. This is often tied to a lower GDP in these countries which leads to the use of older systems which are more prone to attack, and the use of free and potentially illegal content which often is less secure. However, the distinction isn't cut and dried - people in countries with more digital freedom still face frequent attacks, and our findings show that there is still work to do when it comes to privacy protection - in free and in unfree countries," said Ondrej Vlcek, CEO of Avast. "To solve the problem of digital freedom, innovation is needed in the field of cybersecurity and digital trust solutions that will create more safety and transparency for all." For the Digital Wellbeing Report, Avast combined its own data on cybersecurity risks and privacy challenges with Freedom House's " Freedom on the Net " report 2021, which assesses how much freedom people have using the internet in a country, based on the existence of surveillance and restrictions such as blocked social networks, censorship, or deliberately manipulated online discussions and disrupted ICT networks. Avast defines digital wellbeing as a combination of digital freedom, cybersecurity and privacy, with the ability of an internet user to utilize the internet in an open, regulated, private, secure, and informed way. Amidst concerning global trends that include rising cybercrime and malicious activity, and governments around the world adopting increasingly authoritarian tactics, today wellbeing and free expression online are increasingly under threat across the globe. For the report, Avast compared data including risks of falling victim to cyber attacks, users' computer system age, and presence, transparency and readability of privacy policies to data of Freedom House's Freedom on the Net report, which assesses the online freedom of countries by looking at aspects such as whether their government blocked social media platforms, deliberately disrupted ICT networks, or arrested, or physically harmed a blogger or ICT user for political or social content. "This vital report illustrates that cyberattacks go hand in hand with online repression. We're proud that Freedom House's Freedom on the Net report informs Avast's work to strengthen digital wellbeing," said Mike Abramowitz, President of Freedom House. Less digital freedom, higher cyber risks The report found that people living in Free countries are at a lower risk of falling victim to a cyber attack (30%) than people in countries that are Partly Free or Not Free (both 36%). This could be related to factors that include a higher rate of violation of user rights, prohibition of encryption services, large scale state surveillance, data collection and the presence of backdoors used for state surveillance, showing an indirect correlation between the Freedom on the Net Index score of a state and the risk ratio of encountering a cyber-attack. Moreover, countries that are Not Free often have a lower GDP per capita which can lead to a higher use of torrent sites to access free content, games, movies via unsecure sources, which in turn can expose users to a high number of online risks. Risk of falling victim to a cyber attack in the top ten Free countries (no. 1 being most free) Risk of falling victim to a cyber attack in the lowest ten countries Not Free (no. 1 being least free) Iceland 33.2% Estonia 30.8% Canada 26.9% Costa Rica 27.6% Taiwan 36.6% Germany 24.1% France 27% United Kingdom 24.4% Georgia 33.6% Italy 23.9% China 46.8% Myanmar 33.7% Vietnam 43.3% Saudi Arabia 33.9% Pakistan 40.2% Egypt 44.7% United Arab Emirates 36.1% Ethiopia 43.2% Venezuela 37.5% Uzbekistan 32.9% Avast's researchers further observed a correlation between the age of operating systems being used and the risk of citizens to cyber-attacks. By comparing the ranking in the Freedom House Freedom on the Net Index to Avast's internal data, it can be inferred that in wealthier countries, such as those found higher up in the Index including Germany, France and the UK, users tend to have up-to-date operating systems, which can better guard them against cyberattacks. Conversely, users in countries that scored lower on the Freedom on the Net Index, like Indonesia, Turkey, and Belarus, have on average a lower GDP per capita and tend to use more outdated operating systems, which increases the risk of a cyberattack. The researchers found that only 28% of users in Free countries are still using outdated operating systems. By contrast, 38% percent of users in Partly Free countries are using outdated systems, and this figure is even higher in Not Free countries as ranked by the Freedom on the Net Index (41%). Research shows that privacy policies aren't enough The report published today also found that privacy policies in general can be found more often in Free countries, with websites in Free countries (as designated by the Freedom on the Net Index) more likely to have in place privacy policies (70%) than websites in countries considered Partly Free and Not Free (52% and 47%). However, the report also found that even though privacy policies are more prevalent in Free countries, there does not seem to be a direct correlation between the vagueness and readability of those policies and the level of online freedom in those countries. In other words, it appears that the mere presence of a robust privacy policy in a country may not be enough to guarantee enough privacy protection to its citizens. "Privacy regulations such as GDPR in Europe and CCPA in California require that users are informed about how their data is used, which is supposed to create more transparency for the user. However, if privacy policies are written in a vague and unreadable way, this goal is essentially missed," said Ondrej Vlcek. Average readability of English privacy policies in top ten Free countries (higher is better) Average readability of English privacy policies in lowest ten countries Not Free (no. 1 being least free) / (higher is better) Iceland 49% Estonia 48% Canada 45% Costa Rica 46% Taiwan 45% Germany 49% France 46% United Kingdom 48% Georgia 48% Italy 44% Myanmar 47% Vietnam 49% Saudi Arabia 46% Pakistan 48% Egypt 48% United Arab Emirates 46% Ethiopia 48% Venezuela 48% Russia 46% Bahrain 46% Metrics: <46% very difficult to read; 46%-58% difficult to read; Please note that data for the least free country, China, and the tenth least free country, Uzbekistan were not assessed and therefore not included in this table. This study further builds on Avast's Digital Citizenship Report published in September 2021, which explored post-pandemic online behaviors, and is part of Avast's efforts in understanding how our life online can be improved. For more detailed information visit the full report: https://press.avast.com/digital-wellbeing-report About Avast: Avast (LSE: AVST), a FTSE 100 company, is a global leader in digital security and privacy, headquartered in Prague, Czech Republic. With over 435 million users online, Avast offers products under the Avast and AVG brands that protect people from threats on the internet and the evolving IoT threat landscape. The company's threat detection network is among the most advanced in the world, using machine learning and artificial intelligence technologies to detect and stop threats in real time. Avast digital security products for Mobile, PC or Mac are top-ranked and certified by VB100, AV-Comparatives, AV-Test, SE Labs and others. Avast is a member of Coalition Against Stalkerware, No More Ransom, and the Internet Watch Foundation. Visit: www.avast.com . Keep in touch with Avast: For security and privacy insights, visit the Avast blog: https://blog.avast.com/ For handy guides, advice and tips, visit Avast Academy: https://www.avast.com/c-academy For more information about Avast visit: https://www.avast.com/en-gb/about and https://www.avast.com/company-faqs and Follow us on Twitter: @Avast Join our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/company/avast/ Visit our Facebook group: www.facebook.com/avast Media Contact: Marina Ziegler, [email protected] SOURCE Avast Software, Inc. Gord Jessop, CycurID Co-founder and COO said, "Based on the response we received to our ID Solution at the most recent Sigma Gaming Conference in Toronto, it is obvious there is both a real need and demand for our product. Even though there are a lot of other 'competing ID solutions' in the marketplace, most of their offerings are akin to rearranging the deck chairs, and just maintain the status quo. At the end of the day, they do not solve any of the inherent problems in regard to identity theft or the sharing of personal information with unwanted third parties." Collision is one of the world's biggest tech conferences with an estimated 1,250 journalists, 200+ partners, 850 investors and over 35,000 attendees all from over 140 countries. This year Collision will be held in Toronto June 20-23 at Enercare Centre. "I don't want to beat the proverbial dead horse, but the majority of market participants are merely repackaging existing processes with their identity and KYC offerings. There is no innovative thinking. Our product, immeTM, puts the interests of consumers at the forefront and is designed to truly benefit consumers" Jessop said. You can visit CycurID Technologies at Collision in Toronto on June 22, booth number A2427. For more information about CycurID's complete suite of identity solutions visit our corporate website https://cycurid.com or contact us, and find us on social media, through our contact page here . Learn more about imme at imme.io . No Offer or Solicitation. This press release shall not constitute a solicitation of a proxy, consent, or authorization with respect to any securities or in respect of the proposed business combination. This press release shall also not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any provinces, states or jurisdictions in which such offer, solicitation, or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. About CycurID Technologies Ltd is a privately held personal identity management and security software developer based in Vancouver, British Columbia. CycurIDTM has developed proprietary patent pending identity management and privacy software which is available via its consumer app immeTM (I'm me). CycurID is registered with the Chamber of Commerce, Better Business Bureau, WorkSafe BC and with Fintrac as Money Service Business (MSB). CycurIDTM and immeTM are Registered Trademarks of CycurID Technologies Ltd. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information This release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, that address events or developments that the Company expects to occur, are forward-looking statements including without limitation, expected growth and success of the Company. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance, and actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include regulatory actions, market prices, and continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Forward looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates, and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made. Except as required by applicable securities laws, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that management's beliefs, estimates, opinions or other factors should change. SOURCE CycurID Technologies Ltd. The initial two drill holes were collared from the same site oriented southwest at -50 and -60 degree dips. The holes are designed to establish the eastern carbonatite contact near surface, and for the purpose of resource infill near 2021drill hole WI21-33 that yielded 3.17% TREO over 196 metres; including 4.29% TREO over 55 metres 1 at depth that expanded high-grade REE mineralization beyond the mineral resource pit shell. Both holes intersected significant intervals of visually REE mineralized dolomite carbonatite between as predicted by the geological model (Image 1). As announced in its June 7, 2022, drilling commencement news release, the Company plans to complete up to 5,000 metres of diamond drilling designed to further delineate existing resources, assess near deposit exploration targets, collect geotechnical and hydrogeological drilling for the purpose of optimization of open pit slope design, and generate additional REE mineralized material for continued metallurgical testwork. Kristopher Raffle, P.Geo., Director and QP of Defense Metals commented: "With the second drill hole of our 2022 resource infill campaign nearing completion, we look forward in the coming days to initiating co-purposed infill and pit slope geotechnical drill holes in the main deposit and PEA mine schedule pit highwall areas, in addition to continuation of pad building for planned exploration holes. With 2022 drilling operations once again based at the Wicheeda Deposit site field camp, we expect to be able to take advantage of logistical efficiencies; most notably a reduction on helicopter utilization." ________________________________ 1 The true width of REE mineralization is estimated to be 70-100% of the drilled interval Other Company Updates The Company attended the Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada Convention (PDAC) in Toronto, Ontario from June 13, 2022 to June 15, 2022 and met with several industry stakeholders including shareholders, investment firms, and strategic industry companies. Defense Metals recently staked additional mineral claims contiguous to the Wicheeda REE Property. The 100% owned Wicheeda REE Property is now 4,244-hectares. Further to the Company's news release dated May 24, 2022, the Company paid US$100,000 to Digitonic Limited, an arm's-length party to provide investor relations services and to provide content creation, digital and video marketing services. About the Wicheeda REE Property The 100% owned 4,244-hectare Wicheeda REE Property, located approximately 80 km northeast of the city of Prince George, British Columbia, is readily accessible by all-weather gravel roads and is near infrastructure, including power transmission lines, the CN railway, and major highways. The Wicheeda REE Project yielded a robust 2021 PEA that demonstrated an after-tax net present value ([email protected]%) of $517 million, and 18% IRR2. A unique advantage of the Wicheeda REE Project is the production of a saleable high-grade flotation-concentrate. The PEA contemplates a 1.8 Mtpa (million tonnes per year) mill throughput open pit mining operation with 1.75:1 (waste:mill feed) strip ratio over a 19 year mine (project) life producing and average of 25,423 tonnes REO annually. A Phase 1 initial pit strip ratio of 0.63:1 (waste:mill feed) would yield rapid access to higher grade surface mineralization in year 1 and payback of $440 million initial capital within 5 years. Qualified Person The scientific and technical information contained in this news release as it relates to the Wicheeda REE Project has been reviewed and approved by Kristopher J. Raffle, P.Geo. (BC) Principal and Consultant of APEX Geoscience Ltd. of Edmonton, AB, a director of Defense Metals and a "Qualified Person" as defined in NI 43-101. Mr. Raffle verified the data disclosed which includes a review of the sampling, analytical and test data underlying the information and opinions contained therein. ____________________________ 2 Independent Preliminary Economic Assessment for the Wicheeda Rare Earth Element Project, British Columbia, Canada, dated January 6, 2022, with an effective date of November 7, 2021, and prepared by SRK Consulting (Canada) Inc. is filed under Defense Metals Corp.'s Issuer Profile on SEDAR (www.sedar.com). About Defense Metals Corp. Defense Metals Corp. is a mineral exploration and development company focused on the acquisition, exploration and development of mineral deposits containing metals and elements commonly used in the electric power market, defense industry, national security sector and in the production of green energy technologies, such as, rare earths magnets used in wind turbines and in permanent magnet motors for electric vehicles. Defense Metals owns 100% of the Wicheeda Rare Earth Element Property located near Prince George, British Columbia, Canada. Defense Metals Corp. trades in Canada under the symbol "DEFN" on the TSX Venture Exchange, in the United States, under "DFMTF" on the OTCQB and in Germany on the Frankfurt Exchange under "35D". For further information, please contact: Todd Hanas, Bluesky Corporate Communications Ltd. Vice President, Investor Relations Tel: (778) 994 8072 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 news release. Cautionary Statement Regarding "Forward-Looking" Information This news release contains "forwardlooking information or statements" within the meaning of applicable securities laws, which may include, without limitation, statements relating to advancing the Wicheeda REE Project, completion of drilling, receipt of drill results including anticipated timeline of such results/assays, the Company's plans for its Wicheeda REE Project, expanded resource and scale of expanded resource, expected results and outcomes, the technical, financial and business prospects of the Company, its project and other matters. All statements in this news release, other than statements of historical facts, that address events or developments that the Company expects to occur, are forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Such statements and information are based on numerous assumptions regarding present and future business strategies and the environment in which the Company will operate in the future, including the price of rare earth elements, the anticipated costs and expenditures, the ability to achieve its goals, that general business and economic conditions will not change in a material adverse manner, that financing will be available if and when needed and on reasonable terms. Such forward-looking information reflects the Company's views with respect to future events and is subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including the risks and uncertainties relating to the interpretation of exploration results, risks related to the inherent uncertainty of exploration and cost estimates, the potential for unexpected costs and expenses and those other risks filed under the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. While such estimates and assumptions are considered reasonable by the management of the Company, they are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive and regulatory uncertainties and risks. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward looking statements include, but are not limited to, continued availability of capital and financing and general economic, market or business conditions, adverse weather and climate conditions, failure to maintain or obtain all necessary government permits, approvals and authorizations, failure to maintain community acceptance (including First Nations), risks relating to unanticipated operational difficulties (including failure of equipment or processes to operate in accordance with specifications or expectations, cost escalation, unavailability of personnel, materials and equipment, government action or delays in the receipt of government approvals, industrial disturbances or other job action, and unanticipated events related to health, safety and environmental matters), risks relating to inaccurate geological and engineering assumptions, decrease in the price of rare earth elements, the impact of Covid-19 or other viruses and diseases on the Company's ability to operate, an inability to predict and counteract the effects of COVID-19 on the business of the Company, including but not limited to, the effects of COVID-19 on the price of commodities, capital market conditions, restriction on labour and international travel and supply chains, loss of key employees, consultants, or directors, increase in costs, delayed drilling results, litigation, and failure of counterparties to perform their contractual obligations. The Company does not undertake to update forwardlooking statements or forwardlooking information, except as required by law. SOURCE Defense Metals Corp. In recent years, VR have been constantly updated and iterated rapidly on chips, displays, and data transmission. Since the metaverse concept exploded, the industry has become even more competitive. DPVR has focused on designing and manufacturing VR headsets for seven years. Despite hundreds of technology patents it owns, it does not slow down its pace. In 2015, it was founded to focus on VR headsets; in 2016, it released the world's first mass-producible standalone VR headset M2; in 2018, it launched the first PC-VR E3 Polaris with laser 6DoF positioning technology. In 2021, DPVR released Qualcomm Snapdragon 845-based standalone VR headset P1 Ultra-4K. In June 2022, DPVR announced that it would enter the mass market with the launch of a new generation 6DoF gaming VR headset based on machine vision technology, bringing users a superior "metaverse" interactive experience. Huaqiang Equity is now focusing on AR/VR industry, intelligent manufacturing, new energy vehicles, aerospace, industrial software, new materials, and other technology fields. It has made investments across the whole AR/VR industry chain. This time, investing in DPVR will perfect its metaverse strategy. DPVR will also fully take advantage of its resource to reach more cooperation with content creators and supply chain partners. Although the investment process was not that fluent due to Shanghai's lockdown and previous investors, the delivery was accomplished with the full collaboration of both existing and new shareholders. The Co-founder of Huaqiang Equity, Yu Chen, said: With the breakthrough of interaction technology, 5G, XR chip, optical module, and other related complex technologies, VR hardware has gone through the "0 to 1" technology pioneering stage. The content ecosystem is even mature, and it is now accelerating development with the positioning of consumer electronics. In addition, other related concepts and industries such as Web3.0, NFT, new consumption of metaverse, virtual social, virtual human, etc., are also rapidly developing. As a "metaverse" infrastructure builder, DPVR has a long-term investment and advanced strategy in headset hardware and critical core technologies, a stable and mature supply chain system, and excellent mass production capabilities. All of which are expected to keep DPVR at the forefront of the industry and drive the steady growth of the "metaverse" market worldwide. Dong Long, investment director of Huaqiang Equity, added, "DPVR has experienced the industry ups and downs since 2015. It still kept the same vision and persistence for the VR sector." The hardware in the VR business is currently developing and maturing, while the introduction of spectacular VR games is driving the richness and wealth of VR content. I believe, shortly, DPVR will be able to introduce a competitive VR headset and achieve significant success by drawing on years of VR expertise and constant R&D innovation. QIANYI Equity and LSCF invested in DPVR in 2021, and this increase reflects their sustained belief in the "metaverse" development potential and the technological benefits of DPVR products. Sunny (Chaoyang) Chen, the founder of DPVR, stated that our team keeps fulfilling its responsibilities and has been working on value creation for a long time. We may be foolish birds, but we have the ambition to soar higher. DPVR, as the vital role in the Chinese VR industry, has serviced many early VR gamers over the last seven years, with the initial purpose of improving virtual reality. The team has been through the mill for seven years and has been mature, stable, and robust. DPVR 6DoF gaming headset will be available shortly for elite gamers worldwide, offering users a superior VR experience. Relying on the core gaming community, DPVR will give more specialized product options for global gamers, empower global partners, and provide high-quality export products from China to the globe. SOURCE DPVR VANCOUVER, BC, June 16, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Entree Resources Ltd. (TSX:ETG) (OTCQB:ERLFF) (the "Company" or "Entree") is pleased to announce the results of voting at its annual general meeting of shareholders which was held today (the "Meeting"). All matters submitted to shareholders for approval as set out in the Company's Notice of Meeting and Information Circular, both dated May 12, 2022, were approved by the requisite majority of votes cast at the Meeting. NUMBER OF DIRECTORS Shareholders approved setting the number of directors at six. ELECTION OF DIRECTORS The details of the voting results for the election of directors are set out below: Votes For Withheld Votes Director # % # % Teresa Conway 82,934,292 98.47 1,289,512 1.53 Alan Edwards 82,832,009 98.35 1,391,795 1.65 Allan Moss 82,856,430 98.38 1,367,374 1.62 Michael Price 82,836,430 98.35 1,387,374 1.65 Paula Rogers 82,969,257 98.51 1,254,547 1.49 Stephen Scott 82,450,330 97.89 1,773,474 2.11 APPOINTMENT OF AUDITORS Davidson & Company LLP, Chartered Professional Accountants was re-appointed auditors of the Company for the ensuing year at the remuneration to be fixed by the directors. Detailed voting results for the Meeting are available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. ABOUT ENTREE RESOURCES LTD. Entree Resources Ltd. is a well-funded Canadian mining company with a unique carried joint venture interest on a significant portion of one of the world's largest copper-gold projects the Oyu Tolgoi project in Mongolia. Entree has a 20% or 30% carried participating interest in the Entree/Oyu Tolgoi joint venture, depending on the depth of mineralization. Royalty North Partners, Rio Tinto and Turquoise Hill Resources are major shareholders of Entree, holding approximately 25%, 9% and 7% of the shares of the Company, respectively. More information about Entree can be found at www.EntreeResourcesLtd.com. SOURCE Entree Resources ATLANTA, June 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Ernst & Young LLP (EY US) today announced that Chairman, Founder and Chief Medical Officer S. Mark McKenna, MD, MBA of OVME was named an Entrepreneur Of The Year 2022 Southeast Award winner. Entrepreneur Of The Year is one of the preeminent competitive business awards for entrepreneurs and leaders of high-growth companies who think big to succeed. An independent panel of judges selected Mark based on his entrepreneurial spirit, purpose, growth and impact, among other core contributions and attributes. S. Mark McKenna, MD, MBA "I am honored to receive this esteemed honor. The fuel of any great entrepreneur is a great team, and this instance is certainly no exception," says Dr. McKenna who founded OVME, a trusted medical aesthetics studio, which has garnered a loyal following and a reputation as a pioneer for its luxury treatments, expertly trained medical staff, tech-enabled approach, and self-love mantra. Known for bringing out the best in others by delivering exceptional aesthetic outcomes, the brand currently has a total of nineteen studios in eleven markets across the US, with another six set to open by the end of 2022. As a Southeast award winner, Mark will now be considered by the National independent panel of judges for the Entrepreneur Of The Year 2022 National Awards. National finalists and winners, as well as the Entrepreneur Of The Year National Overall Award winner, will be announced in November at the annual Strategic Growth Forum. The Entrepreneur Of The Year National Overall Award winner will then move on to compete for the EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year Award in June 2023. The Entrepreneur Of The Year program has honored the inspirational leadership of entrepreneurs such as: Cherie Kloss of SnapNurse of SnapNurse SaejuJeong of Noom Joe DeSimone of Carbon, Inc. of Carbon, Inc. Howard Schultz of Starbucks Coffee Company of Starbucks Coffee Company Jodi Berg of Vitamix of Vitamix Reid Hoffman and Jeff Weiner of LinkedIn Corporation and of LinkedIn Corporation Hamdi Ulukaya of Chobani, Inc. of Chobani, Inc. Kendra Scott of Kendra Scott LLC of Kendra Scott LLC Andreas Bechtolsheim and Jayshree Ullal of Arista Networks and of Arista Networks James Park of Fitbit of Fitbit Daymond John of FUBU of FUBU Sheila Mikhail of AskBio Sponsors Founded and produced by Ernst & Young LLP, the Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards are presented by PNC Bank. In the Southeast, sponsors also include PNC, King & Spalding and Cresa. About Entrepreneur Of The Year Entrepreneur Of The Year is the world's most prestigious business awards program for unstoppable entrepreneurs. These visionary leaders deliver innovation, growth and prosperity that transform our world. The program engages entrepreneurs with insights and experiences that foster growth. It connects them with their peers to strengthen entrepreneurship around the world. Entrepreneur Of The Year is the first and only truly global awards program of its kind. It celebrates entrepreneurs through regional and national awards programs in more than 145 cities in over 60 countries. National overall winners go on to compete for the EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year title. ey.com/us/eoy About EY Private As Advisors to the ambitious, EY Private professionals possess the experience and passion to support private businesses and their owners in unlocking the full potential of their ambitions. EY Private teams offer distinct insights born from the long EY history of working with business owners and entrepreneurs. These teams support the full spectrum of private enterprises including private capital managers and investors and the portfolio businesses they fund, business owners, family businesses, family offices and entrepreneurs. Visit ey.com/us/private About EY EY exists to build a better working world, helping create long-term value for clients, people and society and build trust in the capital markets. Enabled by data and technology, diverse EY teams in over 150 countries provide trust through assurance and help clients grow, transform and operate. Working across assurance, consulting, law, strategy, tax and transactions, EY teams ask better questions to find new answers for the complex issues facing our world today. EY refers to the global organization, and may refer to one or more, of the member firms of Ernst & Young Global Limited, each of which is a separate legal entity. Ernst & Young Global Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee, does not provide services to clients. Information about how EY collects and uses personal data and a description of the rights individuals have under data protection legislation are available via ey.com/privacy. EY member firms do not practice law where prohibited by local laws. For more information about our organization, please visit ey.com. Ernst & Young LLP is a client-serving member firm of Ernst & Young Global Limited operating in the US. About OVME OVME, pronounced "of me," is a medical aesthetic enterprise that connects aspirational women and men with skilled health care providers in select cities nationwide. OVME offers a bespoke selection of minimally invasive cosmetic services within contemporary yet welcoming retail boutiques that promise to deliver the "Fountain Ov You." Made up of thought leaders and status-quo challengers, the OVME team adheres to exacting standards of excellence and unwavering attention to detail, combining community and culture with superior cosmetic outcomes. For more information, visit ovme.com and follow OVME on Facebook and Instagram . Media Contact: Laura Henson HVM Communications [email protected] (917)539-7812 SOURCE OVME FDA Won't Let You Speak Against the Menthol Ban Tweet this Jemmise Bowen, of North Carolina, was also upset that she was not chosen to speak, frustratingly stating, "The FDA didn't see value in my words. They didn't want to hear from smokers. People smoke for different reasons. A lot of menthol smokers smoke because we quit drugs, but you didn't hear that." In order to be selected you had to register by June 6, and had to be prepared to speak any time between 10am and 4pm. Once selected speakers were given a two hour window, in which their name would be called. Out of the 105 speakers, approximately 15 were not affiliated with any organization. Many who participated viewed them as a failed attempt to create an equal opportunity for the average American to participate in the rulemaking process that will decide the fate of menthol cigarettes. Alejandra Rocha of Iowa, highlighted the digital divide noting, "Many people in the US don't have or can't afford the Internet, and those are the exact people who will be most affected by this ban people of color." "...When you take into account race, ethnicity, socio-economic status, plus owning a laptop, having broadband Internet, and having enough time and money to take off work to comment, this Listening Session is only for the elite in our society." Still others who participated felt as though it wasn't transparent. Mary Peterson of Iowa said, "I felt censored from the beginning because according to their instructions, I couldn't say anything about the FDA. It wasn't freedom of speech. I'm very concerned about the power of the FDA." The public has until July 5 to submit a written comment via the FDA website at https://www.regulations.gov/commenton/FDA-2021-N-1349-0001. SOURCE Menthol Is Not A Crime Through pilot program, company is working to create 225 pollinator-friendly acres by 2025 AKRON, Ohio, June 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE) is on track to exceed its goal of developing 225 acres of pollinator habitat across its service territory by 2025, including the creation of new habitat in transmission right of ways, at its utility substation properties and at parks and nature preserves. After beginning with a pilot program in 2020, the company has expanded the initiative within its service territory and is on pace to reach nearly 190 pollinator-friendly acres by the end of third quarter in 2022. Insects and small animals that pollinate plants, such as birds, bats, bees, butterflies and beetles, help to sustain ecosystems. By helping plants reproduce, they play a vital role in producing natural resources such as fruits and vegetables, preventing soil erosion and increasing carbon sequestration. Many pollinator populations are in decline due to a loss in feeding and nesting habitats, according to Pollinator Partnership, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the protection and promotion of pollinators and their ecosystems. The organization initiated and manages Pollinator Week, an annual celebration in support of pollinator health that runs from June 20-26 this year. In early 2020, FirstEnergy's transmission vegetation management group established a pilot program to find opportunities to restore work areas following transmission construction projects with flowering vegetation to develop a pollinator-friendly habitat. The company worked with a horticulturist in Meadville, Pennsylvania, to develop two seed mixes with more than 20 flowering species which are native throughout the six states in which FirstEnergy operates. One of the mixes contains added grasses that will help it take root along steep slopes, and both mixes can be used across the company's service territory. FirstEnergy's 2022 plans include the development of 90 pollinator-friendly acres by the end of the third quarter. In April, the company seeded 28 acres at a substation property in Potomac Edison's service territory in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia, and in May the company seeded an additional 25 acres at a new transmission substation and line in Trumbull County, Ohio, as well as 14 acres at a substation in southwestern Pennsylvania. The company is also conducting follow-up site inspections and examining best practices for pollinator cultivation after seeding, including invasive species prevention and strategic mowing to promote native pollinator species. "Environmental stewardship is a key part of our company's mission, and with this initiative, we are taking steps to increase biodiversity through the responsible replacement of vegetation and supporting the creation of pollinator habitats across our service territory," said Michael Haines, supervisor of transmission construction vegetation management, who is managing the program. FirstEnergy is dedicated to integrity, safety, reliability and operational excellence. Its 10 electric distribution companies form one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems, serving customers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, Maryland and New York. The company's transmission subsidiaries operate approximately 24,000 miles of transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions. Follow FirstEnergy online at www.firstenergycorp.com and on Twitter @FirstEnergyCorp. Editor's Note: Photos of pollinator habitat developed by FirstEnergy are available for download on Flickr SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp. "It is a great achievement for our team, our contractor and the entire County of Los Angeles to have been able to keep this important regional infrastructure project on schedule during the first years of the Pandemic," stated Foothill Gold Line Board Chairman and Claremont Mayor Pro Tem Ed Reece. "We are now just a few short years away from delivering light rail to more of the San Gabriel Valley and one step closer to completing our agency mission of connecting Los Angeles, the San Gabriel Valley and Inland Empire by light rail." To reach the halfway milestone, the design-build team of Kiewit-Parsons, a Joint Venture (KPJV), with over 350 staff and crew members, have to date expended nearly 1.1 million work hours designing and constructing the various elements that make up the light rail project. Here is a highlight of the work completed or underway so far: Project Design: 100% Complete Relocation of Freight Track Within Shared Corridor to Make Room for New Light Rail Tracks: 98% Complete Reconstruction of 21 At-Grade Crossings: 91% Complete Construction of 19 New or Renovated Bridges: 39% Complete Overall Freight Bridges: 97% Complete Light Rail Bridges: 31% Complete Installation of New Light Rail Tracks: 43% Complete Construction of Light Rail Electric Power System: 23% Complete Construction of Four New Light Rail Stations: 13% Complete "I want to thank the staff at the Construction Authority, KPJV, and the corridor cities for their dedication and hard work these last three years that ensured the project reached this important milestone on time and on budget," stated Construction Authority CEO, Habib F. Balian. "We still have a lot of work to complete, but I am confident that we will be successful in delivering a great project that will make our County and City partners proud." Today's historic event was attended by elected officials at all levels of government, the Foothill Gold Line Board of Directors, LA Metro Board of Directors, transportation officials including Foothill Gold Line CEO, Habib F. Balian and Metro CEO, Stephanie Wiggins and San Gabriel Valley stakeholders. The notable list of speakers included U.S. Representative, Grace Napolitano; U.S. Representative, Judy Chu; California State Senator, Anthony Portantino; California State Assembly Members, Chris Holden and Freddie Rodriguez; Metro Board Chair and Los Angeles County Supervisor, Hilda Solis; Metro Board Member and Los Angeles County Supervisor, Kathryn Barger; Metro Board Member, Foothill Gold Line Board Member and Pomona Mayor, Tim Sandoval; Foothill Gold Line Board Chair and Claremont Mayor Pro Tem, Ed Reece; and Metro Board Member, Metrolink Board Chair and Glendale Council Member, Ara Najarian. Mayors and council members from the Foothill Gold Line cities also attended. The event concluded with a cake-cutting ceremony. "This project was the first to break ground under Measure M, and reaching the 50% mark for this project demonstrates that we are serious about delivering on the promise made to voters," said Metro Board Chair and Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda L. Solis. "As the Chair of the Metro Board of Directors, I am ecstatic that the Foothill Gold Line Construction Authority and KPJV are bringing this project to fruition for the San Gabriel Valley." The Foothill Gold Line was the first Measure M-funded light rail project to break ground and is named one of Metro's 28 priority projects to be completed before the 2028 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles. It is being funded by Los Angeles County's Measure M, along with residual funds from Measure R not used to complete the Pasadena to Azusa segment; as well as State of California greenhouse gas reduction funds. "Metro aims to be the first choice for transportation for the people of LA County," said Stephanie Wiggins, CEO of Metro. "Reaching this 50% milestone is moving us closer to that goal by expanding our system and fully connecting the San Gabriel Valley to key county destinations. Thank you to the Metro Board, and all the leaders in the corridor cities that have pushed this project forward; and thank you to all the workers who have helped get us to this point. Most of all, thank you to the voters who supported Measure M and Measure R, without whom none of this would have been possible." Benefits and Economic Impact of the Foothill Gold Line When completed, the light rail project will add new stations to the Metro Gold Line system (currently referred to as the L Line) in the cities of Glendora, San Dimas, La Verne and Pomona and increase ridership on the Metro system by an estimated 11,600 daily weekday boardings when the extension opens for passenger service. It will provide connections to important regional destinations like the LA County Fairplex, colleges and universities, historic downtowns, museums, regional parks and open space areas, and much more. In addition, the extension will provide a direct link between the Metro and Metrolink systems in Pomona, allowing riders from each system to easily transfer creating endless possibilities for connections throughout the region. The Construction Authority is currently seeking additional funding to complete the project to Claremont and Montclair, which would add an additional nearly 8,000 daily weekday boardings to the Metro system when completed. It is estimated that during construction, the project from Glendora to Montclair will create as many as 17,000 jobs and up to $2.6 billion in economic output for the region, as well as up to $1 billion in labor income and potentially $40 million in tax revenue (according to an economic study by Beacon Economics). The Foothill Gold Line continues to be a catalyst for transit-oriented development projects, having spurred more than $13 billion of private investment in residential and commercial developments within a half-mile of a current or future station with more already planned or underway within a half-mile of the stations from Arcadia to Montclair. Media kit with project photos, artist renderings of stations and maps is available at https://bit.ly/FoothillGoldLine50PercentComplete. About the Foothill Gold Line Construction Authority The Foothill Gold Line Construction Authority is an independent transportation planning and construction agency created in 1998 by the California State Legislature to plan, design and build the Metro Gold Line (currently called the L Line) light rail system from Union Station to Montclair. The agency completed the first segment from Union Station to Pasadena in 2003 and the Pasadena to Azusa segment in 2015; both on time and under budget. The agency began work on the Glendora to Montclair segment in 2003. The Glendora to Montclair segment was environmentally cleared in March 2013 under CEQA and again in 2019 to allow the potential for phased construction. When completed, the extension will add new light rail stations in the cities of Glendora, San Dimas, La Verne, Pomona, Claremont and Montclair. The project will be built in phases, due to funding constraints. Major construction on the project segment from Glendora to Pomona began in July 2020 and is anticipated to be completed in January 2025. The Construction Authority is currently seeking the additional funding needed to complete the project segment from Pomona to Claremont and Montclair. The portion of the project in Los Angeles County is funded mostly by Measure M, along with residual funds from Measure R not used to complete the Pasadena to Azusa segment. The project is utilizing nearly $200 million from the State of California TIRCP grant program (greenhouse gas reduction funding) for the current construction segment from Glendora to Pomona. SOURCE Foothill Gold Line Construction Authority The acquisition of Bitvo, Inc. marks another step in FTX's global expansion of products and services CALGARY, Alberta, June 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- FTX Trading Limited ("FTX"), a leading global crypto-asset trading platform, today announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire Bitvo, Inc. ("Bitvo" or "the Company"), a Canadian crypto asset trading platform, registered as a restricted dealer under the securities laws of all provinces and territories in Canada. The acquisition marks the latest licence acquisition in FTX's mission to provide its industry-leading products and services to its global customers in a regulated fashion. The acquisition is expected to close in the third quarter of 2022, subject to regulatory approval and customary closing conditions. Bitvo is a crypto asset trading platform offering Canadians a secure and easy way to buy, sell and trade crypto assets. In April 2022, the Company became the first Alberta-based crypto asset trading platform to register as a restricted dealer, allowing it to offer crypto asset trading services across all provinces and territories in Canada. Bitvo is also registered with FINTRAC as a money services business in the virtual asset service provider category. Sam Bankman-Fried, CEO of FTX, commented on the news, "We are delighted to enter the Canadian marketplace and continue to expand FTX's global reach. Our expansion into Canada is another step in proactively working with cryptocurrency regulators in different geographies across the globe." Following the completion of the acquisition, Bitvo is expected to be integrated into the FTX global team serving the Canadian market in a variety of capacities. Pamela Draper, CEO of Bitvo, concluded, "Canada has shown a growing interest in digital asset trading, and we're thrilled to help provide entry into one of the leading regulated crypto asset trading platforms in the world to the Canadian cryptocurrency community. We look forward to transforming Canadian's access to the digital asset ecosystem as part of FTX." About FTX.COM FTX is a crypto asset trading platform built by traders, for traders. FTX strives to be an intuitive yet powerful platform for all kinds of users, and to be the most innovative trading platform in the industry. To learn more about FTX.COM, please visit: https://ftx.com/ FTX.COM is not available to US residents or residents of other prohibited jurisdictions, as set out in its Terms of Service. About Bitvo Bitvo (www.bitvo.com) is a crypto asset trading platform that facilitates buying and selling of crypto assets through its best-in-class website and mobile applications. Bitvo differentiates itself by making transacting in crypto assets easier than anyone else and offering proprietary features such as the Bitvo Same Day Guarantee, the Bitvo Cash Card and technical trading analysis tools. Media Contacts Jay Morakis M Group Strategic Communications (for FTX) +1 646 859 5951 [email protected] Pam Draper Bitvo, Inc. +1 587 885 2170 [email protected] SOURCE FTX DUBLIN, June 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Generic Pharmaceuticals Global Market Report 2022: By Therapy, By Distribution, By Type, By Drug" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global generic pharmaceuticals market is expected to grow from $302.39 billion in 2021 to $332.43 billion in 2022 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.9%. The market is expected to reach $426.30 billion in 2026 at a CAGR of 6.4%. The generic pharmaceuticals market consists of sales of generic pharmaceuticals. A generic medicine is a medication designed to be identical as branded drugs marketed by private companies in dosage form, strength, safety, route of administration, performance characteristics, quality, and intended use. Generic drugs work in the same way as branded drugs in terms of clinical benefits. Generic drugs are manufactured after the expiration of the exclusive rights or patent of the branded drugs. For example, some of the generic drugs in the generic pharmaceuticals market include metformin, metoprolol, acarbose, acebutolol, aztreonam and many more. The main types of generic pharmaceuticals are biosimilar; simple generic and super generic. A biosimilar is a biological product that is very similar to a reference biologic and has no clinically significant differences in terms of safety, purity, or potency. The drugs are delivered through oral, injectables, dermal/topical and inhaler that are used for various therapies such as CNS, cardiovascular, dermatology, genitourinary/hormonal, respiratory, rheumatology, diabetes and oncology. The various distribution channel involved are hospital pharmacies, retail pharmacies and online pharmacies. North America was the largest region in the generic pharmaceuticals market in 2021. Middle East is expected to be the largest growing region in the forecast period. The regions covered in this report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East and Africa. The rising incidence of chronic diseases is one of the major drivers of the generic pharmaceuticals market. As more individuals are diagnosed with chronic diseases, they look for more medicines for the treatment. Branded drugs come at a premium price, while generic drugs are available at a lower cost having the same chemical composition of branded drugs. The low cost and same chemical composition and strength of generic drugs make a patient buy generic drugs instead of branded drugs. If it is a chronic disease, the treatment goes for a longer period of time and hence, the sales of generic drugs also increase. For instance, according to the WHO (World Health Organization), over the next 10 years, the deaths due to chronic disease is projected to increase by 17%. Also, in 2020, almost 3-quarters of all deaths in the world is due to chronic diseases. The lack of awareness about generic drugs is one of the restraints on the generic pharmaceuticals market. The high marketing and advertisement of branded drugs overshadow the availability of generic drugs which are substitute for expensive branded drugs. Thus, consumers opt branded drugs despite the fact that the generic drugs carry the same chemical formulation as their counter branded drugs. According to an article published on CVS HEALTH, many doctors and pharmacists preferred to offer branded drugs to their patients over generic drugs. This prevents the patients to go for generic drugs as they develop a preconceived notion of generic drugs not being at par with branded drugs. For example, according to a research conducted by Sahana K Hebbar, on International Journal of Basic & Clinical Pharmacology, out of 100 patients and 50 non-medical staff, 95% of the patients and 60% of the non-medical staff didn't know about generic drugs. Thus, lack of awareness about the availability of generic drugs hamper the generic pharmaceuticals market. 3D printing technology has the ability to transform the manufacturing of drugs in the generic pharmaceuticals market. 3D printed pharmaceuticals help in improve R&D productivity and deliver new benefits to patients. 3D printing allows the manufacturer to produce drugs with customized size, shape, and texture which is not possible in traditional manufacturing of generic drugs. 3D printing can help the manufacturer to make generic drugs that have different release dates, appearances and taste. For example, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) completed a study where ultraviolet (UV) and 3D printing were used to manufacture tablets to treat Parkinson's disease. Martin Wallace, director of GSK Technology, said that GSK is investing in 3D printing advantages to manufacture pills and tablets. Also, Aprecia pharmaceutical company launched 'ZipDose' technology which manufactures 3D printed drugs. The drug manufacturers must comply with the CGMP (Current Good Manufacturing Practice) regulations that come under the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) which includes generic pharmaceuticals. The CGMP regulations require manufacturers to maintain a minimum quality standard for the methods, controls, and facilities used in manufacturing, packaging, and processing of drug product. The part- 99 of chapter 1 under title 21-Food And Drugs of CFR (Code of Federal Regulations) contains subparts from A to H. The whole part-99 describes the guidelines that need to be followed by drug manufacturers regarding the dissemination of information on human drugs, including biologics, and devices. The guidelines concern with the safety, effectiveness, or benefit of use that is not included in the approved labelling for a drug or device approved by the Food and Drug Administration for marketing. The guidelines regulate the information regarding the drugs that should be delivered to the health care practitioner, pharmacy benefit manager, health insurance issuer, group health plan, or federal or state government agency. Generic Pharmaceuticals Market Competitive Landscape And Company Profiles Teva Pharmaceuticals Mylan NV Sandoz International GmbH Hospira (Pfizer inc.) Sun Pharmaceutical Lupin Limited Endo International plc. Dr Reddy's Laboratories Apotex Holdings Fresenius Kabi Ag Aurbindo Pharma Aspen Pharmacare Sanofi Cipla Hikma Pharmaceuticals Stada Arzneimittel Krka Group Nichi-Iko Pharmaceutical Valeant Zydus Cadila Merck & Co. Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Momenta Pharmaceuticals Nexus Pharmaceuticals Novo Nordisk Ranbaxy Laboratories Ltd. Sawai Pharmaceuticals Novartis AG Pfizer Johnson & Johnson Services Key Topics Covered: 1. Executive Summary 2. Generic Pharmaceuticals Market Characteristics 3. Generic Pharmaceuticals Market Trends And Strategies 4. Impact Of COVID-19 On Generic Pharmaceuticals 5. Generic Pharmaceuticals Market Size And Growth 5.1. Global Generic Pharmaceuticals Historic Market, 2016-2021, $ Billion 5.1.1. Drivers Of The Market 5.1.2. Restraints On The Market 5.2. Global Generic Pharmaceuticals Forecast Market, 2021-2026F, 2031F, $ Billion 5.2.1. Drivers Of The Market 5.2.2. Restraints On the Market 6. Generic Pharmaceuticals Market Segmentation 6.1. Global Generic Pharmaceuticals Market, Segmentation By Therapy, Historic and Forecast, 2016-2021, 2021-2026F, 2031F, $ Billion CNS Cardiovascular Dermatology Genitourinary/Hormonal Respiratory Rheumatology Diabetes Oncology 6.2. Global Generic Pharmaceuticals Market, Segmentation By Distribution Channel, Historic and Forecast, 2016-2021, 2021-2026F, 2031F, $ Billion Hospital Pharmacies Retail Pharmacies Online Pharmacies 6.3. Global Generic Pharmaceuticals Market, Segmentation By Type, Historic and Forecast, 2016-2021, 2021-2026F, 2031F, $ Billion Biosimilar Simple Generic Super Generic 6.4. Global Generic Pharmaceuticals Market, Segmentation By Drug Delivery, Historic and Forecast, 2016-2021, 2021-2026F, 2031F, $ Billion Oral Injectables Dermal/Topical Inhaler 7. Generic Pharmaceuticals Market Regional And Country Analysis 7.1. Global Generic Pharmaceuticals Market, Split By Region, Historic and Forecast, 2016-2021, 2021-2026F, 2031F, $ Billion 7.2. Global Generic Pharmaceuticals Market, Split By Country, Historic and Forecast, 2016-2021, 2021-2026F, 2031F, $ Billion For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/30y6hb 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 Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/539438/Research_and_Markets_Logo.jpg SOURCE Research and Markets Of the eight studio albums that Hikaru Utada has released to date and were released on LP recently in Japan, the first six will be released in the U.S. on August 12. It marks the first vinyl release ever for three of the albums, ULTRA BLUE, HEART STATION, and Fantome. Each of the six albums will be a 180g double-LP set, and the first five albums come with a bonus track. First Love 180g 2LP 2014 Remastered by Ted Jensen at Sterling Sound, NY 96kHz/24-bit master Disc 1 / Side A Automatic Movin' on without you In My Room First Love Disc 1 / Side B Amai Wana - Paint It, Black time will tell Never Let Go Disc 2 / Side A B&C -Album Version- Another Chance Interlude Give Me A Reason Disc 2 / Side B Automatic -Johnny Vicious Remix- First Love -John Luongo Remix- [bonus track] Distance 180g 2LP 2018 Remastered by Ted Jensen at Sterling Sound, NY 96kHz/24-bit master Disc 1 / Side A Wait & See -Risk- Can You Keep A Secret? DISTANCE Disc 1 / Side B Sunglasses Drama Eternally Disc 2 / Side A Addicted To You [UP-IN-HEAVEN MIX] For You Kettobase! Parody Disc 2 / Side B Time Limit Kotoba ni Naranai Kimochi HAYATOCHI-REMIX Hayatochiri [bonus track] DEEP RIVER 180g 2LP 2018 Remastered by Ted Jensen at Sterling Sound, NY 96kHz/24-bit master Disc 1 / Side A SAKURA DROPS traveling Shiawase ni Narou Disc 1 / Side B Deep River Letters Play Ball Disc 2 / Side A TOKYO NIGHTS A.S.A.P. Usomitai na I Love You Disc 2 / Side B FINAL DISTANCE Bridge (Interlude) Hikari Simple And Clean [bonus track] ULTRA BLUE 180g 2LP (first time on LP) 2018 Remastered by Ted Jensen at Sterling Sound, NY 96kHz/24-bit master Disc 1 / Side A This Is Love Keep Tryin' BLUE Disc 1 / Side B Nichiyou no Asa Making Love Darekano Negaiga Kanaukoro Disc 2 / Side A COLORS One Night Magic feat. Yamada Masashi Kairo WINGS Disc 2 / Side B Be My Last Eclipse (Interlude) Passion Sanctuary (Opening) [bonus track] HEART STATION 180g 2LP (first time on LP) 2018 Remastered by Ted Jensen at Sterling Sound, NY 96kHz/24-bit master Disc 1 / Side A Fight The Blues HEART STATION Beautiful World Disc 1 / Side B Flavor Of Life -Ballad Version- Stay Gold Kiss & Cry Disc 2 / Side A Gentle Beast Interlude Celebrate Prisoner Of Love Take 5 Disc 2 / Side B Boku Wa Kuma Nijiiro Bus Flavor Of Life Fly Me To The Moon (In Other Words) 2007 MIX [bonus track] Fantome 180g 2LP (first time on LP) Mastered by Tom Coyne at Sterling Sound, NY 96kHz/24-bit master Disc 1 / Side A Michi Ore no Kanojo Hanataba Wo Kimini Disc 1 / Side B Nijikan dake no Vacance Ningyo Tomodachi Disc 2 / Side A Manatsu No Tooriame Kouya No Ookami Disc 2 / Side B Boukyaku featuring KOHH Jinsei Saikou no Hi Sakura Nagashi ABOUT Hikaru Utada Hikaru Utada's debut single "Automatic/time will tell" released on December 9, 1998 and sold over two million copies, catapulting them to top-artist-status at age 15. Their first album, First Love, released a few months later and marked the highest number of CDs sold in Japan, a record that remains unbroken to this day. All of their albums that followed have topped the charts. The 2007 single "Flavor Of Life" set a world record for the most digital downloads. They announced a hiatus from their music career in 2010 to focus on their "/ningen katsudo/career as a person," or personal growth, returning to their career of music in April 2016 with singles "Hanataba Wo Kimini" and "Manatsu No Tooriame." Their sixth studio album Fantome followed in September 2016 to great success in both Japan and abroad with a #1 on the Oricon charts stretching four consecutive weeks for the first time, a #3 on the US iTunes chart, and over a million units total in sales of CD and digital downloads. Since March 2017, they have been with Epic Records Japan, a division of Sony Music Labels Inc. The year 2018 saw the release of their 7th album Hatsukoi on June 27, marked their twenty-year anniversary from debut, and their first Japan-wide tour since recommencing their music career. Footage from the tour is available as a video release under the title "Hikaru Utada Laughter in the Dark Tour 2018." The theme song for video game "KINGDOM HEARTS ," "Face My Fears" was released as a single in 2019. The track was co-created with Skrillex and marked Utada's first Billboard Top 100 in the US. An EP of the A.G. Cook co-produced single "One Last Kiss" and their first self-cover "Beautiful World (Da Capo Version)" released March 10, 2021, and the former counted the artist's first time reaching 100 million streams. The two tracks are both themes appearing in the feature film "EVANGELION:3.0+1.0 THRICE UPON A TIME (SHIN EVANGELION)." Later in the year, digital single "Kimini Muchuu," main theme for TBS Friday night drama "Saiai," released November 26, ranking in various streaming and digital charts around the globe. Their highly anticipated 8th studio album BAD MODE released digitally on January 19, 2022, as well as their first online concert "Hikaru Utada Live Sessions from Air Studios." The latest album was released on CD February 23 and on vinyl April 27. https://www.utadahikaru.jp/ SOURCE Universal Music Enterprises Australia's Fastest Growing Unicorn Helps Make NFTs Available At Any Price Point, Fostering Mass Adoption In Gaming, Collectibles, Music And Sports, Among Others SYDNEY , June 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Immutable , powering the next generation of web3 games as the leading carbon-neutral, scalable platform for trading NFTs on Ethereum, today announced the launch of its inaugural development fund, Immutable Ventures. The Immutable Developer and Venture Fund is dedicated to supporting web3 games and NFT-centric companies that build on Immutable X. The inaugural $500 million fund will accelerate the growth of the Immutable X protocol by allocating token grants and investments to the most promising games and projects building on the Immutable X platform. The Immutable Developer and Venture Fund is now one of the world's largest crypto investment funds and will be providing investments and grants with a combination of $IMX, Immutable X's native token, and cash. The investment fund will work with developers, IP holders and strategic partners to invest in and incentivize developers to build successful games and projects on the IMX platform. The mix of assets will be used to service the needs of different developers - cash to meet funding requirements for scaling projects and milestone-based $IMX with designated vesting schedules to facilitate long-term incentive alignment. Immutable's fund will be collaborating with prolific crypto and gaming investors including BITKRAFT, Animoca, Arrington Capital, Double Peak, Airtree, King River Capital and GameStop, which are focused on web3 games and NFTs, as well as leading strategic Gaming publishers, giving developers access to additional investment opportunities. The Immutable Developer and Venture Fund will provide partners with deep blockchain gaming support and expertise; including direct access to advisory for tokenomics, game design, community and marketing support. "We're taking the lessons learned from building two of the blockchain's biggest games - Gods Unchained and Guild of Guardians - and hiring the smartest people from web2 studios like Riot Games, to make entering the NFT gaming world simple and rewarding for gaming studios," says James Ferguson, CEO & Co-Founder at Immutable. Building on Immutable are some of the biggest gaming developers and IP holders, including GameStop, TikTok, Opensea, Illuvium, Ember Sword, GreenPark Sports, ESL, Gary Vee (Vee Friends), Playco and many more. Earlier this year, GameStop announced a strategic partnership with Immutable to launch its new NFT marketplace on the Immutable X platform. Additionally, Immutable Ventures has already made several strategic investments in web3 companies and NFT startups, including Starkware, Stardust, PlanetQuest and Topology. To contact Immutable Ventures and submit an proposal, please visit: www.immutable.com/fund Immutable X is the first and leading Layer 2 protocol scaling solution on Ethereum, designed for the burgeoning NFT ecosystem. Created for high-frequency minting and trading of NFTs, massive scalability and enhanced liquidity; the protocol boasts 9000 TPS, zero gas fees, and easy on-and-off ramps in a fully carbon neutral environment. Immutable X incorporates StarkWare's StarkEx zero-knowledge proof technology to roll up thousands of transactions on its own network and commit them to Ethereum with a single transaction, achieving scalability while providing developers with zero gas fees and a carbon-neutral environment. "Gaming is bigger than movies and music combined, and is compounding by 10% every year. With the knowledge we have from building two of the blockchain's biggest games in-house, we're going to be providing the funding, expertise and infrastructure needed to grow this to a trillion dollar ownable economy over the next decade," said Robbie Ferguson, President & Co-Founder, Immutable. "We're prepared to advance the immense, untapped potential in today's web3 economy by providing the necessary funding and infrastructure these ambitious NFT projects need to be successful. While we see strategic investments happening in this space every day, Immutable Ventures will target NFT projects that are committed to our growing digital ecosystem with the understanding that we have just begun to scratch the surface of the massive potential for this category." Immutable is the fastest Australian company to reach unicorn status earlier this year, Immutable announced a $200 million series C fundraising round led by Temasek, and included Tencent and Animoca Brands. The company is valued at $2.5 billion and plans to use the funds to help drive its global expansion. This announcement is in partnership with Digital Worlds NFTS LTD. Immutable Pty. Ltd.is an independent service provider to Digital Worlds, the issuer of IMX Tokens. About Immutable and Immutable X: Immutable was founded in 2018 in partnership with StarkWare, Sydney-based Immutable X is an industry leader in NFT technology, focused on Layer 2 solutions that bring scalability, affordability and power to the Ethereum NFT ecosystem. In addition, the company also is a developer and publisher of popular web3 projects, including Gods Unchained and Guild of Guardian. To learn more about Immutable visit: https://www.immutable.com/ Immutable social media: LinkedIn , Twitter , Medium, Discord SOURCE Immutable Dallas-Based Boutique Wealth Management Firm Selected for Practice Management and Chief Executive Officer Honors DALLAS, June 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Prospera Financial Services, Inc. ("Prospera"), a boutique wealth management firm supporting a nationwide network of independent financial advisors, today announced it has been selected as a 2022 Industry Awards finalist in the Practice Management and Chief Executive Officer of the Year division for Broker-Dealers with fewer than 1,000 Advisors by WealthManagement.com, a leading digital resource for financial advisors. In their eighth year, the "Wealthies" is the first awards program of its kind to honor outstanding achievements by companies, organizations, and individuals that support financial advisor success. This year, Prospera has been announced as a finalist in the Practice Management category for its Protect Engagement online tool. This tool is updated weekly and encourages advisors to complete their compliance requirements throughout the year. Advisors are given guidance on how to improve their standings in various categories like completing CE training, engaging with internal communications, trade documentation, and more. "The Protect Engagement tool was the brainchild of our beloved late CCO, Abel Garcia, who passed away in October 2021. This program was his legacy, and seeing it recognized in the industry means just a little bit more," said Tarah Williams, COO. The firm was also named finalist in the CEO of the Year category. Having teamed up as Prospera's Co-CEOs in the start of 2021, David Stringer and Tim Edwards together have been named a finalist. Both have served in various leadership roles at the firm for decades, and now share the firm's top title, each with their own set of departments that they oversee. Tim focuses more on the growth side of the firm, while David focuses more on the operational and back office areas of the firm. Under this structure, the pair has helped shape and expand the senior leadership team, built synergies across departments, and transitioned a record number of advisors to the firm. "Tim and David operating together as Co-CEOs just makes sense," said Williams. "Both bring a variety of skillsets and leadership skills, which has helped Prospera see its largest years of growth yet." The WealthManagement.com Industry Awards recognizes firms who demonstrate outstanding achievement in support of financial advisor success. In order to qualify, finalists had to define their initiative goals, results, and how this elevated their advisor's experience. The finalists were announced on June 1, 2022, and the ceremony will take place on September 8, 2021 in New York City. In previous years, 2015, 2019, 2020, and 2021, Prospera gained acknowledgment for the firm's Launch Your Way turn-key transition system, Gold Standard Service initiative, Advisory Porftolio Modeling Tool, COREngine Advisor Platform, Fundamental Behaviors Service Program, and Executive Leadership Program. About Prospera Financial Services Founded in 1982, Prospera Financial Services, member FINRA/SIPC and a registered investment advisory, offers the flexibility and resources only found at some of the nation's largest broker-dealers. Headquartered in Dallas, TX, Prospera was named Broker-Dealer of the Year by Investment Advisor Magazine in 2009, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2018, and 2019. The firm supports Independent Financial Advisors nationwide. For more information about Prospera visit http://www.joinprospera.com/ About WealthManagement.com WealthManagement.com, an Informa business, provides everything wealth professionals need to know to stay knowledgeable about the industry, build stronger relationships, improve their practice, and grow their business all from one site. Learn more about the WealthManagement Industry Awards at Events.WealthManagement.com. SOURCE Prospera Financial Services Vision 2045, a series of documentaries devised by award-winning production company TBD Media Group, meets the people who are building the future of the planet today. Through compelling interviews and footage from the front line of the innovation space, viewers will have a glimpse of the future as it is being built around us. Paolo Zanini, Founder and CEO at TBD Media Group says: "We know that the winners in a disrupted situation are those who grasp the new opportunities as they arise rather than seek to turn back the clock. Vision 2045 shows how today's thought leaders are taking brave strides in making the world they imagine a reality and building a sustainable, fairer world for everyone." Zanini says that Vision 2045 gives an insight into the thought leaders driving change: "TBD Media Group's team of talented filmmakers has crossed the globe to seek out and capture these stories for audiences hungry to learn about where we are going as a planet. Our ambition is to inspire people to see the positive changes in the world and to have faith that a better future is not only possible, it is being built right now. We need to lend our own support, enthusiasm and ideas to reach our goals as a human family." The Vision 2045 documentary series examines how today's thought leaders are developing the technologies of today to provide a roadmap for the future. Companies featured in this launch: Braskem , Calix , DB Cargo , Graphic Packaging International , Integrated Environmental Solutions , Kingwhale Corporation ,, Manulife , MCB Group , The Leonardo Centre for Business on Society at Imperial College Business School , Tikehau Capital . More information on the VISION2045 Campaign may be found here. About TBD Media Group: TBD Media Group is an international, purpose-driven, media developer that helps companies, organizations and governments tell their brand stories in a human and direct way. Learn more at TBD Media Group Media Contact: Jenna-Leigh Ancill Head of Marketing TBD Media Group [email protected] Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1842263/TBD_Media_Group_Vision_2045_Campaign.jpg SOURCE TBD Media Group DUBLIN, June 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global Pressure Monitoring Market (2022-2027) by Product Type, Usability, Procedure, Therapeutic Application, End User, Geography, Competitive Analysis, and the Impact of Covid-19with Ansoff Analysis" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The Global Pressure Monitoring Market is estimated to be USD 8.24 Bn in 2022 and is projected to reach USD 13.04 Bn by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 9.61%. Market dynamics are forces that impact the prices and behaviors of the Global Pressure Monitoring 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 A&D Medical, Becton, Dickinson & Company, Cascade Healthcare, 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 Pressure Monitoring 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 report analyses the Global Pressure Monitoring 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 Pressure Monitoring 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 Urbanization and Increasing Levels of Pollution and Changing Population 4.1.2 Growing Prevalence of Chronic and Acute Diseases 4.1.3 Rapidly Increasing Aging Population 4.2 Restraints 4.2.1 Low Accuracy and Shelf Life of Pressure Monitoring Devices 4.2.2 High Cost of Technological Development 4.3 Opportunities 4.3.1 Mobile/Smartphone-Based Technologies 4.3.2 Growing Preference for Home Monitoring 4.3.3 Increasing Demand for Non-Invasive Devices 4.4 Challenges 4.4.1 Harmful Effects of Certain Pressure Monitoring Devices 4.4.2 Stringent Government Regulation 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 Pressure Monitoring Market, By Product Type 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Devices 6.2.1 Blood Pressure Monitors 6.2.1.1 Sphygmomanometers 6.2.1.2 Blood Pressure Transducers 6.2.1.3 Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitors 6.2.1.4 Automated Blood Pressure Monitors 6.2.2 Intraocular Pressure Monitoring 6.2.3 Pulmonary Pressure Monitoring 6.2.3.1 Oximeters 6.2.3.2 Capnographs 6.2.3.3 Spirometers 6.2.4 Intracranial Pressure (ICP) Monitoring 6.3 Accessories 6.3.1 Blood Pressure Monitors/Cardiac Pressure Monitoring Accessories 6.3.1.1 Blood Pressure Cuffs 6.3.1.2 Bulbs 6.3.1.3 Manometers 6.3.1.4 Tubes and Valves 6.3.2 Intraocular Pressure Monitoring Accessories 6.3.2.1 Tip Covers/Tonocovers 6.3.2.2 Prisms 6.3.2.3 Sensors 6.3.3 Pulmonary Pressure Monitoring Accessories 6.3.3.1 Mouthpieces 6.3.3.2 Filters 6.3.3.3 Nasal Probes and Plugs 7 Global Pressure Monitoring Market, By Usability 7.1 Introduction 7.2 Disposable 7.3 Reusable 8 Global Pressure Monitoring Market, By Procedure 8.1 Introduction 8.2 Non-Invasive 8.3 Invasive 9 Global Pressure Monitoring Market, By Therapeutic Application 9.1 Introduction 9.2 Respiratory Disorders 9.3 Glaucoma 9.4 Cardiac Disorders 9.5 Neurological Disorders 9.6 Dialysis 9.7 Other Therapeutic Applications 10 Global Pressure Monitoring Market, By End User 10.1 Introduction 10.2 Hospitals 10.3 Home Care Settings 10.4 Ambulatory Surgical Centers/Clinics 10.5 Diagnostic Laboratories 10.6 Other End Users 11 Americas' Pressure Monitoring Market 11.1 Introduction 11.2 Argentina 11.3 Brazil 11.4 Canada 11.5 Chile 11.6 Colombia 11.7 Mexico 11.8 Peru 11.9 United States 11.10 Rest of Americas 12 Europe's Pressure Monitoring Market 12.1 Introduction 12.2 Austria 12.3 Belgium 12.4 Denmark 12.5 Finland 12.6 France 12.7 Germany 12.8 Italy 12.9 Netherlands 12.10 Norway 12.11 Poland 12.12 Russia 12.13 Spain 12.14 Sweden 12.15 Switzerland 12.16 United Kingdom 12.17 Rest of Europe 13 Middle East and Africa's Pressure Monitoring Market 13.1 Introduction 13.2 Egypt 13.3 Israel 13.4 Qatar 13.5 Saudi Arabia 13.6 South Africa 13.7 United Arab Emirates 13.8 Rest of MEA 14 APAC's Pressure Monitoring Market 14.1 Introduction 14.2 Australia 14.3 Bangladesh 14.4 China 14.5 India 14.6 Indonesia 14.7 Japan 14.8 Malaysia 14.9 Philippines 14.10 Singapore 14.11 South Korea 14.12 Sri Lanka 14.13 Thailand 14.14 Taiwan 14.15 Rest of Asia-Pacific 15 Competitive Landscape 15.1 Competitive Quadrant 15.2 Market Share Analysis 15.3 Strategic Initiatives 15.3.1 M&A and Investments 15.3.2 Partnerships and Collaborations 15.3.3 Product Developments and Improvements 16 Company Profiles 16.1 A&D Medical 16.2 Becton, Dickinson & Company 16.3 Cascade Healthcare 16.4 Delite Surgicals 16.5 Dragerwerk 16.6 GE Healthcare 16.7 GF Health Products 16.8 Halma 16.9 Johnson & Johnson Services 16.10 Medtronic 16.11 Nihon Kohden 16.12 Nonin Medical 16.13 Omron 16.14 Philips Healthcare 16.15 Raumedic 16.16 Rossmax International 16.17 Smiths Medical 16.18 Spacelabs Healthcare 16.19 TaiDoc Technology 16.20 Welch Allyn 17 Appendix For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/st2458 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 Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/539438/Research_and_Markets_Logo.jpg SOURCE Research and Markets Kaufman has over ten years of experience with associations, government relations, public-private ventures, communications and membership initiatives. Prior to joining ISOA, Kaufman was the Director of Operations and Strategic Communications at the Marine Corps Aviation Association (MCAA) in Quantico, VA. There she managed the annual MCAA tradeshow, Awards Banquet, Symposium and other events, coordinated corporate outreach and sponsorship activities, created association communications and was the sales manager and editor for MCAA publications. Prior to MCAA, she was an author and program manager at Kratos Defense and Security Solutions. She is the author of "The 100 Years of Marine Aviation: An Illustrated History." Kaufman holds a Bachelor of Liberal Studies degree in Military History from the University of Mary Washington. "ISOA will benefit from Roxanne's association experience as we expand our activities to meet the needs of our members." "We are delighted to welcome Roxanne Kaufman to the ISOA team as we continue to grow," said Howie Lind, president and executive director of ISOA. "ISOA will benefit from her advocacy, collaboration and communication experience as we expand ISOA's activities to meet the needs of our members." ISOA would like to thank Precision Talent Solutions for their assistance in this search. About ISOA: International Stability Operations Association (ISOA) is a global, nonprofit association whose mission is to serve as the primary point of strategic engagement for the government and private sector in support of stability operations worldwide, providing critical services in fragile environments in an accountable, transparent and ethical way. ISOA serves the implementing community, providing member services focused on contracting, partnerships, regulatory and legal developments, research initiatives and policy movement. For more information, visit stability-operations.org. SOURCE International Stability Operations Association BEIJING, June 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Jianpu Technology Inc. ("Jianpu," or the "Company") (NYSE: JT), a leading independent open platform for the discovery and recommendation of financial products in China, today announced its unaudited financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2022. First Quarter 2022 Operational and Financial Highlights: The credit card volume and number of domestic loan applications for recommendation services respectively increased by 28.6% to approximately 0.9 million and 77.3% to approximately 3.9 million in the first quarter of 2022 compared with the same period of 2021. As a result, total revenues from recommendation services for the first quarter of 2022 increased by 35.6% to RMB144.1 million ( US$22.7 million ) from RMB106.3 million in the same period of 2021. ( ) from in the same period of 2021. Revenues from big data and system-based risk management services decreased by 24.9% to RMB20.2 million ( US$3.2 million ) in the first quarter of 2022 from RMB26.9 million in the same period of 2021. The decrease was mainly attributable to a decrease in the number of overseas paying customers. ( ) in the first quarter of 2022 from in the same period of 2021. The decrease was mainly attributable to a decrease in the number of overseas paying customers. Revenues from advertising and marketing services and other services increased by 248.4% to RMB43.2 million ( US$6.8 million ) in the first quarter of 2022 from RMB12.4 million in the same period of 2021. The increase was mainly attributable to the growth of insurance brokerage services and initiatives of other new businesses. ( ) in the first quarter of 2022 from in the same period of 2021. The increase was mainly attributable to the growth of insurance brokerage services and initiatives of other new businesses. Loss from operations was RMB54.6 million ( US$8.6 million ) in the first quarter of 2022, compared with RMB67.1 million in the same period of 2021. Operating loss margin was 26.3% in the first quarter of 2022, compared with 46.1% in the same period of 2021. The decrease in loss from operations was mainly attributable to an increase in revenue and a decrease in operating expenses resulting from efficiency improvements and cost optimization. ( ) in the first quarter of 2022, compared with in the same period of 2021. Operating loss margin was 26.3% in the first quarter of 2022, compared with 46.1% in the same period of 2021. The decrease in loss from operations was mainly attributable to an increase in revenue and a decrease in operating expenses resulting from efficiency improvements and cost optimization. Net loss was RMB53.0 million ( US$8.4 million ) in the first quarter of 2022, compared with RMB51.3 million in the same period of 2021. Net loss margin was 25.6% in the first quarter of 2022 compared with 35.3% in the same period of 2021. ( ) in the first quarter of 2022, compared with in the same period of 2021. Net loss margin was 25.6% in the first quarter of 2022 compared with 35.3% in the same period of 2021. Non-GAAP adjusted net loss1 was RMB50.7 million ( US$8.0 million ) in the first quarter of 2022, compared with Non-GAAP adjusted net loss 1 of RMB49.4 million in the same period of 2021. Non-GAAP adjusted net loss margin1 was 24.4% in the first quarter of 2022, compared with 33.9% in the same period of 2021. Mr. David Ye, Co-founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Jianpu, commented, "We have delivered another strong quarter of growth with total revenues up 42.6% year-over-year despite the challenging macro environment and the resurgence of COVID-19 in China. We concluded the quarter with a more diversified and balanced revenue structure, thanks to the growing revenue contribution from our new business initiatives that continued the success in deploying our omni-channel marketing solutions towards non-financial services categories. With the recovery of our business, we also see greater economies of scale with a clear trend of improvements in operational efficiency. We have also further enhanced our capabilities to enable the digital transformation of the financial industry and other industries, demonstrated by our channel expansion and integration to target a more diversified user base and our increasing strategic cooperations with ecosystem partners." "Despite the ongoing uncertainties around the ongoing COVID-related lockdowns in China, we continue to be encouraged by broader policy support and remain very confident about the future development of the digital economy and the opportunities it brings us. We will continue our efforts to empower financial institutions' digital transformation and support the development of China's digital economy. We believe the groundwork we have laid and our investments in digital transformation solutions will ultimately deliver greater value to the Company and its shareholders," concluded Mr. Ye. "Our first-quarter results reflect our persistent efforts in business development and disciplined cost control. Our revenues from recommendation services increased by 35.6% year-over-year, and revenues from advertising, marketing services and other services was up 248.4% year-over-year. We also further optimized our cost structure and improved the productivity of our businesses. As a result, our operating losses decreased by 18.6% year-over-year, and net loss margin further improved by 9.7 percentage points and Non-GAAP adjusted net loss margin1 improved by 9.5 percentage points compared with the same period in 2021. We will continue to implement our cost optimization measures and strive a balance between growth and efficiency," said Oscar Chen, Chief Financial Officer of Jianpu. First Quarter 2022 Financial Results Total revenues for the first quarter of 2022 increased by 42.6% to RMB207.6 million (US$32.7 million) from RMB145.6 million in the same period of 2021. Total revenues from recommendation services increased by 35.6% to RMB144.1 million (US$22.7 million) in the first quarter of 2022 from RMB106.3 million in the same period of 2021. Revenues from recommendation services for credit cards increased by 24.8% to RMB97.6 million (US$15.4 million) in the first quarter of 2022 from RMB78.2 million in the same period of 2021. Credit card volumes in the first quarter of 2022 and 2021 were approximately 0.9 million and 0.7 million, respectively. The average fee per credit card increased to RMB110.0 (US$17.4) in the first quarter of 2022 from RMB109.8 in the same period of 2021. Revenues from recommendation services for loans increased by 65.8% to RMB46.6 million (US$7.3 million) in the first quarter of 2022 from RMB28.1 million in the same period of 2021, primarily due to an increase in the number of loan applications on the Company's platform. The number of domestic loan applications on the Company's platform was approximately 3.9 million in the first quarter of 2022, representing a 77.3% increase from that in the same period of 2021. The average fee per domestic loan application increased to RMB11.6 (US$1.8) in the first quarter of 2022 from RMB11.2 in the same period of 2021. The recommendation revenue of loans generated from overseas markets accounted for 2.4% of total loan recommendation revenues in the first quarter of 2022, less than such contribution percentage in the same period of 2021. Revenues from big data and system-based risk management services decreased by 24.9% to RMB20.2 million (US$3.2 million) in the first quarter of 2022 from RMB26.9 million in the same period of 2021, primarily due to a decrease in the number of overseas paying customers in the first quarter of 2022 compared with the same period in 2021. Revenues from advertising and marketing services and other services increased by 248.4% to RMB43.2 million (US$6.8 million) in the first quarter of 2022 from RMB12.4 million in the same period of 2021, primarily due to the growth of the Company's insurance brokerage services and initiatives of other new businesses. Cost of promotion and acquisition2 increased by 63.2% to RMB149.5 million (US$23.6 million) in the first quarter of 2022 from RMB91.6 million in the same period of 2021. The increase was in line with the growth of the Company's revenues from recommendation services and advertising and marketing services and other services. Cost of operation increased by 8.8% to RMB18.5 million (US$2.9 million) in the first quarter of 2022 from RMB17.0 million in the same period of 2021. The increase was primarily attributable to an increase in software development and maintenance costs and data acquisition costs related to the big data and system-based risk management services, partially offset by a decrease in depreciation expenses. Sales and marketing expenses decreased by 8.6% to RMB33.9 million (US$5.3 million) in the first quarter of 2022 from RMB37.1 million in the same period of 2021. The decrease was primarily due to a decrease in payroll expenses, partially offset by an increase in call center outsourcing expenses. Research and development expenses decreased by 19.2% to RMB29.8 million (US$4.7 million) in the first quarter of 2022 from RMB36.9 million in the same period of 2021, primarily due to a decrease in payroll expenses resulting from the Company's continued efforts in cost optimization. General and administrative expenses slightly increased by 1.3% to RMB30.5 million (US$4.8 million) in the first quarter of 2022 from RMB30.1 million in the same period of 2021, primarily due to an increase in credit loss and payroll expenses, partially offset by a decrease in professional fees. Loss from operations was RMB54.6 million (US$8.6 million) in the first quarter of 2022, compared with RMB67.1 million in the same period of 2021. Operating loss margin was 26.3% in the first quarter of 2022, compared with 46.1% in the same period of 2021. The decrease in operating loss was mainly attributable to an increase in revenues and a decrease in operating expenses resulting from efficiency improvements and cost optimization. Others, net decreased by 83.2% to RMB2.8 million (US$0.4 million) in the first quarter of 2022 from RMB16.7 million in the same period of 2021. This was primarily due to the realized investment gain of RMB14.7 million from the Company's investment in Conflux Global, a decentralized applications blockchain solution provider, in the same period of 2021. There is no such gain in the first quarter of 2022. Net loss was RMB53.0 million (US$8.4 million) in the first quarter of 2022 compared with RMB51.3 million in the same period of 2021. Net loss margin was 25.6% in the first quarter of 2022, compared with 35.3% in the same period of 2021. Non-GAAP adjusted net loss1 , which excluded share-based compensation expenses from net loss, was RMB50.7 million (US$8.0 million) in the first quarter of 2022, compared with RMB49.4 million in the same period of 2021. Non-GAAP adjusted net loss margin1 was 24.4% in the first quarter of 2022, compared with 33.9% in the same period of 2021. Non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA3, which excluded share-based compensation expenses, depreciation and amortization, net interest expenses and income tax benefits from net loss, for the first quarter of 2022 was a loss of RMB48.1 million (US$7.6 million), compared with a loss of RMB45.1 million in the same period of 2021. As of March 31, 2022, the Company had cash and cash equivalents, time deposits, restricted cash and time deposits and short-term investment of RMB685.8 million (US$108.2 million), and working capital of approximately RMB372.3 million (US$58.7 million). Compared to those as of December 31, 2021, cash and cash equivalents, time deposits, restricted cash and time deposits and short-term investment decreased by RMB77.0 million, which was primarily attributable to an increase in net cash used in operating activities. Subsequent Event In June 2022, the Company, upon the approval of its Board of Directors, entered into a series of agreements with other minority shareholders of Databook Tech Ltd. ("Databook"). Databook is a subsidiary of the Company and the investment holding company of its subsidiaries and variable interest entity (collectively as "Databook Group"). The business of Databook had been suspended since late 2019. Databook proposed a cash distribution to its shareholders, through which the Company expects to receive a portion of the cash distribution proportionate to its equity interest in Databook. Databook also proposed to issue additional shares to one minority shareholder and change the Company's board seat in Databook to one director. The Company will consequently become a minority shareholder of Databook and no longer have control over the Databook Group after the aforementioned cash distribution, issuance of additional shares and change to the board composition, which are expected to be completed in fiscal year 2022. Conference Call The Company's management will host an earnings conference call at 8:00 AM U.S. Eastern Time on June 17, 2022 (8:00 PM Beijing/Hong Kong Time on June 17, 2022). Dial-in details for the earnings conference call are as follows: United States (toll free): 1-888-346-8982 International: 1-412-902-4272 Hong Kong, China (toll free): 800-905-945 Hong Kong, China: 852-3018-4992 Mainland China: 400-120-1203 Participants should dial-in at least 5 minutes before the scheduled start time and ask to be connected to the call for "Jianpu Technology Inc." Additionally, a live and archived webcast of the conference call will be available on the Company's investor relations website at http://ir.jianpu.ai. A replay of the conference call will be accessible approximately one hour after the conclusion of the live call until June 24, 2022, by dialing the following telephone numbers: United States (toll free): 1-877-344-7529 International: 1-412-317-0088 Replay Access Code: 9603907 About Jianpu Technology Inc. Jianpu Technology Inc. is a leading independent open platform for the discovery and recommendation of financial products in China. The Company connects users with financial service providers in a convenient, efficient, and secure way. By leveraging its proprietary technology, Jianpu provides users with customized search results and recommendations tailored to each user's particular financial needs and profile. The Company also enables financial service providers with sales and marketing solutions to reach and serve their target customers more effectively through integrated channels and enhance their competitiveness by providing them with tailored data, risk management services and solutions. The Company is committed to maintaining an independent open platform, which allows it to serve the needs of users and financial service providers impartially. For more information, please visit http://ir.jianpu.ai. Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures The Company uses adjusted EBITDA and adjusted net (loss)/income, each a Non-GAAP financial measure, in evaluating its operating results and for financial and operational decision-making purposes. The Company believes that adjusted EBITDA and adjusted net (loss)/income help identify underlying trends in its business that could otherwise be distorted by the effect of the expenses and gains that the Company includes in (loss)/income from operations and net (loss)/income. The Company believes that adjusted EBITDA and adjusted net (loss)/income 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 its management in its financial and operational decision-making. Adjusted EBITDA and adjusted net (loss)/income should not be considered in isolation or construed as alternatives to net (loss)/income or any other measure of performance or as indicators of the Company's operating performance. Investors are encouraged to review the historical Non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable GAAP measures. Adjusted EBITDA and adjusted net (loss)/income presented here may not be comparable to similarly titled measures presented by other companies. Other companies may calculate similarly titled measures differently, limiting their usefulness as comparative measures to the Company's data. The Company encourages investors and others to review its financial information in its entirety and not rely on a single financial measure. Adjusted EBITDA represents EBITDA before share-based compensation expenses. EBITDA represents net (loss)/income before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization. Adjusted net (loss)/income represents net (loss)/income before share-based compensation expenses. For more information on this Non-GAAP financial measure, please see the table captioned "Unaudited Reconciliations of GAAP and Non-GAAP results" set forth at the end of this press release. 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," "confident" and similar statements. 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. 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 Company's goals and strategies; the Company's future business development, financial condition and results of operations; the Company's expectations regarding demand for, and market acceptance of, its solutions and services; the Company's expectations regarding keeping and strengthening its relationships with users, financial service providers and other parties it collaborates with; trends, competition and regulatory policies relating to the industries the Company operates in; general economic and business conditions globally and in China; 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 and in the attachments is as of the date of this press release, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law. For investor and media inquiries, please contact: In China: Jianpu Technology Inc. (IR)Oscar Chen, E-mail: [email protected] (PR)Amanda Hu, E-mail: [email protected] Tel: +86 (10) 6242 7068 Christensen Advisory Suri Cheng, E-mail: [email protected] Tel: +86 185 0060 8364 Anthony Cheong, E-mail: [email protected] Tel: +852 2232 3922 In US: Christensen Advisory Linda Bergkamp, E-mail: [email protected] Tel: +1 480 353 6648 Jianpu Technology Inc. Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (In thousands) As of December 31, As of March 31, 2021 2022 2022 RMB RMB US$ ASSETS Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents 444,933 369,354 58,264 Time deposits 10,000 10,000 1,577 Restricted time deposits 234,601 233,589 36,848 Short-term investment 35,950 35,670 5,627 Accounts receivable, net (including amounts billed through related party of RMB4,359 and RMB6,595 as of December 31, 2021 and March 31, 2022, respectively) 175,165 169,928 26,805 Amount due from related parties 140 139 22 Prepayments and other current assets 53,466 62,991 9,937 Total current assets 954,255 881,671 139,080 Non-current assets: Property and equipment, net 12,617 12,247 1,932 Intangible assets, net 21,675 21,708 3,424 Goodwill 10,236 10,236 1,615 Restricted cash and time deposits 37,266 37,199 5,868 Other non-current assets 33,873 34,206 5,396 Total non-current assets 115,667 115,596 18,235 Total assets 1,069,922 997,267 157,315 LIABILITIES, MEZZANINE EQUITY AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY Current liabilities: Short-term borrowings 181,853 181,853 28,687 Accounts payable (including amounts billed through related party of RMB2,384 and RMB6,201 as of December 31,2021 and March 31, 2022, respectively) 103,782 109,740 17,311 Advances from customers 47,221 47,890 7,554 Tax payable 14,670 14,290 2,254 Amount due to related parties 29,270 27,204 4,291 Accrued expenses and other current liabilities 152,521 128,353 20,247 Total current liabilities 529,317 509,330 80,344 Non-current liabilities: Deferred tax liabilities 4,549 4,420 697 Other non-current liabilities 13,604 14,576 2,300 Total non-current liabilities 18,153 18,996 2,997 Total liabilities 547,470 528,326 83,341 Mezzanine equity: Redeemable noncontrolling interest 1,689 1,765 278 Shareholders' equity: Ordinary shares 286 286 45 Treasury stock, at cost (88,130) (88,130) (13,902) Additional paid-in capital 1,902,587 1,904,908 300,492 Accumulated losses (1,299,846) (1,351,564) (213,204) Statutory reserves 2,027 2,027 320 Accumulated other comprehensive loss (15,419) (18,278) (2,883) Total Jianpu's shareholders' equity 501,505 449,249 70,868 Noncontrolling interests 19,258 17,927 2,828 Total shareholders' equity 520,763 467,176 73,696 Total liabilities, mezzanine equity and shareholders' equity 1,069,922 997,267 157,315 Jianpu Technology Inc. Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Loss (In thousands, except for number of shares and per share data) For the Three Months Ended March 31, 2021 2022 2022 RMB RMB US$ Revenues: Recommendation services: Loans [a] 28,115 46,552 7,343 Credit cards 78,156 97,587 15,394 Total recommendation services 106,271 144,139 22,737 Big data and system-based risk management services [b] 26,879 20,229 3,191 Advertising, marketing services and other services 12,415 43,190 6,813 Total revenues 145,565 207,558 32,741 Costs and expenses: Cost of promotion and acquisition 2 (91,619) (149,521) (23,586) Cost of operation [c] 2 (16,983) (18,476) (2,915) Total cost of services (108,602) (167,997) (26,501) Sales and marketing expenses 2 (37,060) (33,862) (5,342) Research and development expenses [d] (36,920) (29,765) (4,695) General and administrative expenses (30,125) (30,548) (4,819) Loss from operations (67,142) (54,614) (8,616) Net interest expenses (1,037) (1,321) (208) Others, net 16,703 2,773 437 Loss before income tax (51,476) (53,162) (8,387) Income tax benefits 151 125 20 Net loss (51,325) (53,037) (8,367) Less: net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests (1,380) (1,319) (208) Net loss attributable to Jianpu's shareholders (49,945) (51,718) (8,159) Other comprehensive income/(loss), net Foreign currency translation adjustments 4,766 (2,795) (441) Total other comprehensive income/(loss) 4,766 (2,795) (441) Total comprehensive loss (46,559) (55,832) (8,808) Less: total comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interests (1,207) (1,255) (198) Total comprehensive loss attributable to Jianpu's shareholders (45,352) (54,577) (8,610) Net loss per share attributable to Jianpu's shareholders Basic (0.12) (0.12) (0.02) Diluted (0.12) (0.12) (0.02) Net loss per ADS attributable to Jianpu's shareholders Basic (2.36) (2.44) (0.39) Diluted (2.36) (2.44) (0.39) Weighted average number of shares Basic 423,627,480 423,677,480 423,677,480 Diluted 423,627,480 423,677,480 423,677,480 [a] Including revenues from related party of RMB178 and RMB17 for the three months ended March 31, 2021 and 2022, respectively. [b] Including revenues from related party of RMB976 and RMB1,172 for the three months ended March 31, 2021 and 2022, respectively. [c] Including cost of operation from related party of nil and RMB111 for the three months ended March 31, 2021 and 2022, respectively. [d] Including expenses from related party of RMB9 and RMB116 for the three months ended March 31, 2021 and 2022, respectively. Jianpu Technology Inc. Unaudited Reconciliations of GAAP and Non-GAAP Results (In thousands) For the Three Months Ended March 31, 2021 2022 2022 RMB RMB US$ Net loss (51,325) (53,037) (8,367) Add: Share-based compensation expenses 1,962 2,321 365 Non-GAAP adjusted net loss (49,363) (50,716) (8,002) Add: Depreciation and amortization 3,414 1,435 226 Net interest expenses 1,037 1,321 208 Income tax benefits (151) (125) (20) Non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA (45,063) (48,085) (7,588) 1 Non-GAAP adjusted net loss represents net loss before share-based compensation expenses. There is no income tax impact of the Non-GAAP adjustment of share-based compensation expenses. See "Unaudited Reconciliations of GAAP and Non-GAAP Results" at the end of this press release for more details about Non-GAAP adjusted net loss. Non-GAAP adjusted net loss margin equals Non-GAAP adjusted net loss divided by total revenues. 2 In the second half year of 2021, in light of business development, the Company added a financial statement line item named cost of promotion and acquisition and reclassified the previous line item of cost of revenue and sales and marketing expenses. Cost of promotion and acquisition primarily consists of expenditures relating to user traffic acquisition and rewards to business partners for promotion on social network and social media platform, which are reclassified from sales and marketing expenses, and marketing costs related to advertising and marketing services including commissions paid to individual insurance brokers, which are reclassified from cost of revenue. Cost of operation, post the reclassification, consists primarily of costs associated with maintenance of the platform including data acquisition costs, bandwidth and server hosting costs, call center outsourcing costs, online payment processing fees, depreciation, payroll and other related costs of operations. Sales and marketing expenses, post the reclassification, consist primarily of marketing expenses relating to marketing activities, payroll costs and related expenses for employees involved in sales and marketing activities, and expenses for the portion of call center operations that the Group outsources. The cost of operation, cost of promotion and acquisition, and sales and marketing expenses for prior periods of 2021 presented in this press release have also been retrospectively reclassified. The amount reclassified from sales and marketing expenses and cost of revenue to cost of promotion and acquisition are RMB77.4 million and RMB14.2 million, respectively, for the first quarter of 2021. 3 Non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA represents EBITDA before share-based compensation expenses. EBITDA represents net (loss)/income before interest income and expenses, income tax benefits from net loss, and depreciation and amortization. See "Unaudited Reconciliations of GAAP and Non-GAAP Results" for more details. SOURCE Jianpu Technology Inc. SEATTLE, June 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Kineta, Inc. ("Kineta" or the "Company"), a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on the development of novel immunotherapies in oncology, announced today that it presented the Phase 1/2 clinical trial design and new preclinical data supporting KVA12.1 as a potential treatment for cancer patients with advanced solid tumors at the Tumor Myeloid-Directed Therapies Summit held on June 14-16 in Boston, MA. Shaarwari Sridhar, Scientist at Kineta, presented a poster outlining the first-in-human clinical trial design and study objectives evaluating KVA12.1 as a monotherapy and in combination with an anti-PD1 immunotherapy. New preclinical and toxicology data supporting advancing KVA12.1 into clinical development were also presented. KVA12.1 is a potential best-in-class VISTA blocking immunotherapy that was discovered through the Company's proprietary immuno-oncology PiiONEER platform. The Phase 1/2 study will be a multicenter, open label, dose escalation and dose expansion study of intravenous infusion of KVA12.1 as a monotherapy and in combination with a fixed dose of an anti-PD1 antibody in patients with advanced solid tumors. Kineta plans to initiate the Phase 1/2 clinical study in Q4 2022. "We are very encouraged by the preclinical data and are excited for KVA12.1 to enter the clinic later this year," said Thierry Guillaudeux, PhD, EVP Research and Development at Kineta. "KVA12.1 was developed through Kineta's PiiONEER platform as an engineered IgG1 monoclonal antibody that binds to a unique epitope at physiologic and acidic Ph levels. It is highly differentiated as it has demonstrated efficacy as a single agent and in combination with PD-1 in multiple tumor models with no CRS-associated cytokine secretion seen in preclinical tox studies." Phase 1/2 clinical study objectives detailed in the poster presentation include: Clinical Safety measurements and DLTs as single agent and in combination with anti-PD1 Overall Response Rate and durability of response using RECISTv1.1 Determined MTD and R2PD Pharmacologic and Biomarker PK Receptor Occupancy Cytokine and Chemokine profiles in plasma samples Flow Cytometry for PD marker on Immune cells Tumor biopsies : multiparameter analysis to evaluate tumor cells as well as Immune infiltrating cells. Characterized expression of immune checkpoint and exhausted markers. Presentation Details: Title: KVA12.1 a novel fully human anti-VISTA antibody to treat cancer patients with advanced solid tumors Date Presented: June 15-16, 2022 Presenter: Shaarwari Sridhar For further details, please view the poster presentation on Kineta's website here. Kineta is a clinical-stage biotechnology company with a mission to develop next generation immunotherapies that transform patients' lives. Kineta has leveraged its expertise in innate immunity with an intent to develop first or best-in-class immunotherapies that address the major challenges with current cancer therapy. For more information on Kineta please visit www.kinetabio.com, and follow Kineta on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook. PiiONEER Platform is focused on developing fully human monoclonal antibodies that target novel innate immune pathways. It was designed for the discovery and development of first or best-in-class immunotherapies that address the major challenges with cancer immune resistance to current therapies. Utilization of the PiiONEER Platform results in novel, well-characterized lead antibody therapeutics that can be efficiently advanced into formal IND enabling and clinical studies. KVA12.1 is a potential best-in-class VISTA blocking immunotherapy to address the problem of immunosuppression in the tumor microenvironment. It is a fully human engineered IgG1 monoclonal antibody that was designed to bind to VISTA through a unique epitope. KVA12.1 may be an effective immunotherapy for many types of cancer including NSCLC (lung), colorectal, renal cell carcinoma, head and neck, and ovarian. These initial target indications represent a significant unmet medical need with a large worldwide commercial opportunity for KVA12.1. Anti-CD27 mAb program: Kineta has developed a diverse set of anti-CD27 agonist antibodies. They are fully human monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) that demonstrate low nanomolar (nM) binding affinity to CD27 in humans. In preclinical studies, Kineta's selected lead anti-CD27 agonist mAbs induce T cell proliferation and secretion of cytokines involved in T cell priming and recruitment, demonstrating the ability to potentiate new anti-tumor responses. Kineta is in the final stage of lead selection and plans to nominate a clinical candidate in Q2 2022. Additional Information and Where to Find It This communication may be deemed to be solicitation material with respect to the proposed transaction between Yumanity Therapeutics, Inc. ("Yumanity") and Kineta . In connection with the proposed transaction, Yumanity intends to file relevant materials with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), including a registration statement on Form S-4 that will contain a prospectus and a proxy statement. Yumanity will mail the proxy statement/prospectus to the Yumanity stockholders, and the securities may not be sold or exchanged until the registration statement becomes effective. Investors and securityholders of Yumanity and Kineta are urged to read these materials when they become available because they will contain important information about Yumanity, Kineta and the proposed transaction. This communication is not a substitute for the registration statement, definitive proxy statement/prospectus or any other documents that Yumanity may file with the SEC or send to securityholders in connection with the proposed transaction. Investors and securityholders may obtain free copies of the documents filed with the SEC, once available, on Yumanity's website at www.yumanity.com, on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov or by directing a request to Yumanity's Investor Relations at (212) 213-0006 ext. 331. This communication shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. No offering of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. Participants in the Solicitation Each of Yumanity, Kineta and their respective directors and executive officers may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the stockholders of Yumanity in connection with the proposed transaction. Information about the executive officers and directors of Yumanity is set forth in Yumanity's Definitive Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A relating to the 2022 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, filed with the SEC on April 25, 2022. Other information regarding the interests of such individuals, who may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies for the stockholders of Yumanity, will be set forth in the proxy statement/prospectus, which will be included in Yumanity's registration statement on Form S-4 when it is filed with the SEC. You may obtain free copies of these documents as described above. NOTICE: This press release contains certain forward-looking statements, including without limitation statements regarding Kineta's plans for pre-clinical and clinical studies, regulatory filings, investor returns, anticipated drug effects in human subjects and other statements that are not historical in nature. You are cautioned that such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties inherent in Kineta's business which could significantly affect expected results, including without limitation progress of drug development, ability to raise capital to fund drug development, clinical testing and regulatory approval, developments in raw material and personnel costs and legislative, fiscal and other regulatory measures. All forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. Except as required by law, Kineta undertakes no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the issuance of this press release. SOURCE Kineta, Inc. SHANGHAI, June 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- LAIX Inc. ("LAIX" or the "Company") (OTC: LAIXY), an artificial intelligence (AI) company in China that creates and delivers products and services to popularize English learning, today announced that it has entered into a definitive Agreement and Plan of Merger (the "Merger Agreement") with Laix Infinite Co. Ltd., an exempted company incorporated with limited liability under the laws of the Cayman Islands ("Parent"), and Prilingo Merger Limited, an exempted company incorporated with limited liability under the laws of the Cayman Islands and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Parent ("Merger Sub"), pursuant to which Merger Sub will be merged with and into the Company, with the Company continuing as the surviving company and becoming a wholly-owned subsidiary of Parent (the "Merger"), in a transaction implying an equity value of the Company of approximately US$6.8 million for all of the Company's outstanding ordinary shares (each, an "Ordinary Share"). Certain shareholders of the Company, including the entities ultimately controlled by Mr. Yi Wang, co-founder, chairman of the board of directors (the "Board") and chief executive officer of LAIX, Mr. Zheren Hu, co-founder, director and chief technology officer of LAIX, Mr. Hui Lin, co-founder, director and chief scientist of LAIX, respectively (collectively, the "Founders"), GGV Capital IV L.P., GGV Capital IV Entrepreneurs Fund L.P., GGV Capital Select L.P., IDG Technology Venture Investment IV, L.P., IDG Technology Venture Investment V, L.P., IDG-Accel China Growth Fund III L.P., IDG-Accel China III Investors L.P., Trustbridge Partners V, L.P., CMC Lullaby Holdings Limited, Mirae Asset Naver Asia Growth Investment Pte. Ltd., Cherubic Ventures SSG II Ltd and Best Venture Technology Limited (collectively, the "Rollover Shareholders," and each, a "Rollover Shareholder") have entered into Rollover and Contribution Agreements, respectively, pursuant to which each Rollover Shareholder has irrevocably agreed to contribute the Ordinary Shares it holds or will hold to the Merger Sub prior to the effective time of the Merger (the "Effective Time") in exchange for newly issued ordinary shares of Parent, such that Merger Sub will hold approximately 93.8% of the voting power of the Ordinary Shares exercisable in a general meeting of the Company. At the Effective Time, unless otherwise agreed under the Merger Agreement, each Ordinary Share issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time will be cancelled and cease to exist in exchange for the right to receive US$0.1357 in cash without interest (the "Per Share Merger Consideration"), and each outstanding American depositary share of the Company ("ADS," each representing fourteen Class A ordinary shares of the Company), together with the Class A ordinary shares represented by such ADSs, will be cancelled and cease to exist in exchange for the right to receive US$1.90 in cash without interest (together with the Per Share Merger Consideration, the "Merger Consideration"). The Merger Consideration represents a premium of approximately 15.8% to the volume-weighted average price of the ADSs during the 10 trading days prior to its receipt of the revised "going-private" proposal letter dated April 28, 2022. The buyer group (the "Buyer Group") comprises the Founders, Tenzing Holdings 2011 Ltd. and Sino Avenue Limited. The Buyer Group intends to fund the Merger with a combination of rollover equity and cash, and has delivered copies of executed equity commitment letters to the Company. Each member of the Buyer Group has also executed and delivered to the Company a limited guarantee in favor of the Company pursuant to which the Buyer Group is guaranteeing certain payment obligations of Parent under the Merger Agreement. The Board, acting upon the unanimous recommendation of a committee of two independent and disinterested directors established by the Board (the "Special Committee"), approved the Merger Agreement and the Merger. The Special Committee negotiated the terms of the Merger Agreement with the assistance of its financial and legal advisors. Because the Merger is a "short-form" merger in accordance with section 233(7) of the Companies Act between a parent company and one of its subsidiary companies (as those terms are defined in the Companies Act), the Merger does not require a shareholder vote or approval by special resolution of the Company's shareholders if a copy of the Plan of Merger is provided to every registered shareholder of the Company. The Merger is currently expected to close in the second half of 2022 and is subject to customary closing conditions. If completed, the Merger will result in the Company becoming a privately held company, its ADSs will no longer be quoted on the OTC Market, and the Company's ADS program will be terminated. Houlihan Lokey (China) Limited is serving as financial advisor to the Special Committee. Kirkland & Ellis is serving as U.S. legal counsel to the Special Committee. Harney Westwood & Riegels is serving as Cayman Islands legal counsel to the Special Committee. Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP is serving as U.S. legal counsel to the Buyer Group. Maples and Calder (Hong Kong) LLP is serving as Cayman Islands legal counsel to the Buyer Group. Additional Information about the Merger The Company will furnish to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") a current report on Form 6-K regarding the Merger, which will include as an exhibit thereto the Merger Agreement. All parties desiring details regarding the Merger are urged to review these documents, which will be available at the SEC's website (http://www.sec.gov). In connection with the Merger, the Company will prepare and mail a Schedule 13E-3 transaction statement to its shareholders. The documents will be filed with or furnished to the SEC. INVESTORS AND SHAREHOLDERS ARE URGED TO READ CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY THESE MATERIALS AND OTHER MATERIALS FILED WITH OR FURNISHED TO THE SEC WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE, AS THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE COMPANY, THE MERGER AND RELATED MATTERS. In addition to receiving the Schedule 13E-3 transaction statement by mail, shareholders also will be able to obtain these documents, as well as other filings containing information about the Company, the Merger and related matters, without charge, from the SEC's website (http://www.sec.gov). About LAIX Inc. LAIX Inc. ("LAIX" or the "Company") is an artificial intelligence (AI) company in China that creates and delivers products and services to popularize English learning. Its proprietary AI teacher utilizes cutting-edge deep learning and adaptive learning technologies, big data, well-established education pedagogies and the mobile internet. LAIX believes its innovative approach fundamentally transforms learning. LAIX provides its products and services on demand via its mobile apps, primarily its flagship "English Liulishuo" mobile app launched in 2013. On the Company's platform, AI technologies are seamlessly integrated with diverse learning content incorporating well-established language learning pedagogies, gamified features and strong social elements to deliver an engaging, adaptive learning experience. LAIX provides a variety of courses inspired by a broad range of topics and culture themes to make English learning more interesting and is committed to offering a fun, interactive learning environment to motivate and engage its users. For more information, please visit: http://ir.laix.com. Forward-looking Statements 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," "aims," "future," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates," "confident," "potential," "continue" or other similar expressions. LAIX may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its periodic reports to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, 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 but not limited to statements about LAIX's beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, and a variety of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement, including but not limited to the following: LAIX's goals and strategies; LAIX's future business development, results of operations and financial condition; the expected growth of the education market; LAIX's ability to monetize the user base; fluctuations in general economic and business conditions in China; PRC governmental policies, laws and regulations relating to the Company's industry; the potential impact of the COVID-19 to LAIX's business operations and the economy in China and elsewhere generally; the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to the right of any party to terminate the definitive merger agreement for the going-private transaction; the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against LAIX Inc. or its shareholders or directors; the ability to meet the closing conditions to the merger and the going-private transaction; a delay in closing the merger and the going-private transaction; business disruptions from the proposed merger that will harm LAIX's business, including current plans and operations; potential adverse reactions or changes to business relationships resulting from the announcement or completion of the merger and the going-private transaction; certain restrictions during the pendency of the merger and the going-private transactions that may impact LAIX's ability to pursue certain business opportunities or strategic transactions; the ability of LAIX to retain and hire key personnel; uncertainty as to the long-term value of the ordinary shares of LAIX following the merger and the going-private transaction; the continued availability of capital and financing following the merger and the going-private transaction; 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 U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. All information provided in this press release is as of the date of the press release, and the Company undertakes no duty to update such information, except as required under applicable law. For further information, please contact: LAIX Inc. Investor Relations E-mail: [email protected] SOURCE LAIX Inc. "Mark Claster's deep experience serving and chairing boards and working with leading healthcare organizations will be invaluable to the CSHL Board of Trustees," said CSHL Board Chair Marilyn Simons, Ph.D. He currently serves as a Special Advisor to Northwell Health and its CEO and is also a Board Director at Mather Hospital. CSHL and Northwell Health initiated a long-term affiliation agreement in April 2015 to accelerate the benefits of cancer research to patients. With a focus on improving cancer diagnostics and therapies, the affiliation has also launched new education initiatives for medical students, residents, fellows, and physician-scientists. Claster has extensive experience as a financial professional, restructuring advisor, debt and equity capital raiser, and communicator to stakeholders. He was President of Carl Marks & Co., a diversified merchant bank founded in 1925. During his tenure, Carl Marks expanded from a securities trading and small private equity business into a multi-faceted financial services firm with interests across real estate, advisory, and additional investment affiliates. Mr. Claster founded one of those affiliates, Carl Marks Advisors (CMA), and currently leads its work overall, in restructuring and in healthcare. CSHL is a "public charity" under Section 501(c)(3) of the IRS. The officers of its governing body, the CSHL Board of Trustees, are: Chair, Marilyn H. Simons, Ph.D.; Vice Chair, Charles I. Cogut; Vice Chair, Robert D. Lindsay; Vice Chair, Paul J. Taubman; Treasurer, Elizabeth McCaul; Secretary, Robert W. Lourie, Ph.D.; President and CEO, Bruce Stillman, Ph.D.; and Chief Operating Officer, John P. Tuke. About Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Founded in 1890, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory has shaped contemporary biomedical research and education with programs in cancer, neuroscience, plant biology and quantitative biology. Home to eight Nobel Prize winners, the private, not-for-profit Laboratory employs 1,100 people including 600 scientists, students and technicians. For more information, visit www.cshl.edu SOURCE Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory VANCOUVER, BC, June 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Mobilum Technologies Inc. ("Mobilum" or the "Company") (CSE: MBLM) (OTC: MBLMF) (FRA: C0B) is pleased to announce that it has appointed Dr. John Henderson, the Company's Chief Operating Officer, as Interim Chief Financial Officer ("CFO"), replacing Ms. Heidi Gutte. The Company thanks Ms. Gutte for her tenure as CFO. "Heidi has been a valued member of our accounting team and has made significant contributions especially during our recent year-end reporting and audit," said Steven LaBella, Mobilum's CEO. Incoming interim CFO, Dr. Henderson, is a PhD in Management and MBA in Finance with over 20 years in capital markets and senior management with publicly listed companies. Steven LaBella stated, "John brings a strong track record of driving results and an exceptional background in capital markets, and we are happy to have him take on the role as interim CFO." About Mobilum Technologies Inc. Mobilum Technologies Inc. (CSE:MBLM) (OTC:MBLMF) (FRA:C0B) is a technology-driven Digital Service Provider (DSP) with a mission to make digital assets and cryptocurrencies accessible through traditional finance and payment infrastructure and digital asset management technologies, providing solutions for Exchanges, Wallets and Cryptocurrency Businesses, NFTs marketplaces, Protocols, Decentralized Applications and Decentralized Autonomous Organizations, Metaverse and Play-to-Earn games, and Traditional Finance Institutions (Banks, Hedge Funds, Insurance and Fintech companies) opening its doors to digital assets space. Our goal is to allow consumers around the world to convert fiat-to-crypto and crypto-to-fiat with Mobilum's on-ramp and off-ramp solutions. Mobilum has offices in Canada, Estonia, Lithuania, Poland, and the United States. For further information go to www.mobilum.com . Related Links https://mobilum.com For further information: please contact Meredith or Julie, Investor Relations, +1 (604) 609 6169 or via email at [email protected] This news release may contain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by management, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties, and contingencies. These statements generally can be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as "may", "should", "will", "could", "intend", "estimate", "plan", "anticipate", "expect", "believe" or "continue", or the negative thereof or similar variations. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause future results, performance or achievements to be materially different from the estimated future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by those forward-looking statements and the forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Mobilum's statements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties, and conditions, many of which are outside of Mobilum's control, and undue reliance should not be placed on such statements. Forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by the inherent risks and uncertainties of the Company's business, including: Mobilum's assumptions in making forward-looking statements may prove to be incorrect; adverse market conditions, including risks related to COVID-19 and risks that future results may vary from historical results. Except as required by securities law, Mobilum does not assume any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, events or otherwise. SOURCE Mobilum Technologies Inc. Parks Associates' Connected Health Summit highlights opportunities for healthcare and smart home providers to bring solutions and new experiences to consumers DALLAS, June 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Parks Associates hosted the Connected Health Summit session " Smart Home and Health: Modern Living " on Thursday, June 16, to discuss new solutions and services from health and smart home providers. The ninth annual Connected Health Summit , sponsored by ADT Medical Alert, Alarm.com, EarlySense, Johnson Controls, Rapid Response Monitoring, and Independa, addresses the role of technology in improving indoor air quality and the value of platforms and service-based technologies enabling predictive and proactive monitoring to support independent living. Parks Associates: Specific IAQ Concerns "Indoor air quality (IAQ) specifically impacts consumer health, with 47% of US internet households reporting an IAQ-sensitive health condition. The pandemic highlighted health risks in air quality for many consumers, increasing interest in smart products that can measure and deliver a healthy, clean environment," said Elizabeth Parks, President and CMO, Parks Associates. "We've also seen family caregivers increasingly turn towards technology, especially monitoring services, in providing care for their loved one. Compared to 2020, family caregivers are several times more likely to report taking a tested action to care for their loved one, including purchasing solutions to monitor health or buying a communications tool such as a smart display." " Smart Home and Health: Modern Living " featured interactive panel sessions, along with keynote presentations from Carina Edwards , CEO, Quil, and Gene Wang , Chairman and Chief Scientist, People Power. The panels "Air Quality in the Home" and "Smart Home Platforms: Caretaker and Senior Services" featured the following industry leaders: Parks Associates will host additional virtual Connected Health Summit sessions throughout the year: For additional connected health research, download the whitepaper Health at Home: New Era of Healthcare , from Parks Associates, produced in partnership with EarlySense. To join the conversation, visit www.connectedhealthsummit.com . To request data or an interview, contact Rosey Sera, [email protected] , 972-490-1113. About Connected Health Summit Connected Health Summit: Consumer Engagement and Innovation is a virtual executive conference focused on the impact of connected devices and IoT healthcare solutions on consumers at home. Connected Health Summit provides insights on new business models, IoT technologies, consumer behaviors, and deployments relevant to consumer healthcare solutions. The conference addresses opportunities for new solutions, including smart home platforms, on-demand services, voice assistants, and wearables, to empower consumers, caregivers, and providers and to meet the growing demand for services in independent living, chronic care management, remote access to care, and wellness and fitness. www.connectedhealthsummit.com Rosey Sera Parks Associates 972.996.0202 [email protected] SOURCE Parks Associates The graduation was the first of its kind in an Illinois Department of Corrections facility and represents a profound commitment to liberative and restorative education. Commencement speaker Cook County State's Attorney Kimberly M. Foxx , who was invited to speak by the students, acknowledged that while she was not the obvious choice, identified with the graduates in powerful ways saying, "I am you." The inaugural graduating School of Restorative Arts (SRA) cohort brings together free and incarcerated students to study in the shared Stateville on-site space unifying a transformative learning experience for all. In his remarks during the June 15th ceremony, SRA inside student Jamal Bakr said, "We are receiving our Master's degree because our potential is not defined by our worst mistakes. Let today's event be an example of what happens when opportunities are created, potentials are unignored and complete restoration is always the aim of justice." This one-of-its-kind Master's degree offered in prisons throughout Illinois, prepares individuals for ministries of restoration in contexts impacted by violence and generational trauma through non-violent communication and trauma-informed healing. The four-year degree is offered to over 100 students at Stateville and Logan Correctional Centers. Many graduates shared how they'd grown throughout the program. "I'm bringing the knowledge of my degree to all those I meet in this prison, this knowledge is so badly needed here," said William Jones. The faith-filled celebration was attended by North Park President, Mary K. Surridge and seminary faculty. "Some might doubt that love and beauty could be so evident in such a dreary setting, but all who were present witnessed how creative collaboration, belief in the transformative power of God's Spirit, and tenacious commitment to justice can accomplish what might first appear to be impossible," said North Park's Rev. Dr. Dennis R. Edwards. ABOUT NORTH PARK UNIVERSITY North Park University is city-centered, intercultural, and emerging as the model for Christian higher education in 21st Century America. SOURCE North Park University "When we launched the development of 400 MW of solar power for CPS Energy, it was the largest project in Texas and one of the largest in the U.S.," said Charles Kim, President & CEO, OCI Solar Power. "Over the last decade, not only did we build a total of 500 MW of clean, renewable energy for the utility giant, but we developed an additional 500 MW of solar in ERCOT, helping to boost CPS and Texas' profiles as renewable industry leaders." In Q1 of 2012, out of 119 proposals, OCI Solar Power was selected as the sole project developer and relocated its corporate headquarters from Atlanta to San Antonio. As part of the Economic Development Agreement with the City and CPS Energy, OCI Solar Power developed nine currently-operational solar projects, totaling 500 MW of solar generation capacity, for which CPS Energy purchases all of the solar power output under long-term contracts. "It turned out to be a wonderful partnership with wonderful people, but more importantly, the transaction brought incredible value to San Antonio and the community. It also put CPS on the path to decarbonization, transitioning to new fuel types, and lowering emissions for the future," said Doyle Beneby, Former President & CEO, CPS Energy. OCI Solar Power recently announced 620 megawatts of additional solar power projects in its pipeline, plus a 200 MW battery storage project. The company's legacy and its ambitious plans for the future were shared at a 10th anniversary celebration held May 26th. The event included performances with a Samgo-mu (three-drum dance) and by a mariachi group which honored the company's Korean heritage as well as its Texan-and-Mexican-influenced home base. OCI Company's Vice Chairman, WooHyun Lee, thanked everyone in attendance. "The past 10 years were challenging, unpredictable, and also exciting ones. One thing is for sure - we would not be here without your continuing support," he told the crowd of more than 100 people, including local partners, city officials, and other dignitaries. Watch the anniversary video at https://youtu.be/eBsLBXovqVc. For More Information: Leslie Garza-Wright, 210-612-4978 SOURCE OCI Solar Power New, high-performance, multipurpose concentrate is designed for industrial emergency response to fight Class B and deep-seated Class A fires CLAYTON, Mo., June 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Perimeter Solutions (NYSE: PRM), a leading global manufacturer of high-quality firefighting products and lubricant additives, announced today the launch of SOLBERG VERSAGARD 1x3 Multipurpose Fluorine-Free Foam Concentrate. This is Perimeter Solutions' first 1x3 fluorine-free foam concentrate available on the market, and the newest addition to the SOLBERG VERSAGARD line of fluorine-free firefighting foam concentrates. SOLBERG VERSAGARD 1x3 is a state-of-the-art alcohol resistant, fluorine-free pseudoplastic foam technology. It is non-persistent, siloxane-free, and contains no intentionally added per- or polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The foam concentrate is designed for extinguishing and securing both Class B (hydrocarbon fuel and polar solvent fuel) and deep-seated Class A Fires. It is ideal for industrial emergency response and is expected to be used extensively at facilities that store crude oil on site. "The fire safety industry has been seeking non-fluorinated firefighting foams capable of meeting the most demanding emergency response applications. This is exactly what Perimeter Solutions has delivered, with our new SOLBERG VERSAGARD 1x3 Multipurpose Fluorine-Free Foam Concentrate. At Perimeter Solutions, we continually innovate to develop new products that are more environmentally responsible, and that help firefighters in their efforts to protect property and save lives," says Jeff Emery, President of Global Fire Safety at Perimeter Solutions. SOLBERG VERSAGARD biodegradable and non-persistent fluorine-free foam concentrate is a combination of hydrocarbon surfactants and additives that delivers excellent foaming, vapor sealing, drain time, extinguishment and burnback properties for attacking and securing both shallow and fuel in-depth fires, using fresh, sea or brackish water. It is designed to generate stable foams with high fluidity and slow drainage. It is fully compatible with standard firefighting equipment, including in-line inductors, self-inducting nozzles, fire truck pumps, bladder tanks, pump skids, balanced pressure systems and more. SOLBERG VERSAGARD enters the market having earned multiple international certifications, including EN-1568:2018, International Marine Organization and LASTFIRE batch testing. In addition to its excellent foamability and bubble stability, SOLBERG VERSAGARD has excellent wetting ability, making it an effective tool for the extinguishment of Class A fuel fires. SOLBERG VERSAGARD 1x3 maintains viscosity levels similar to the viscosity of traditional 1x3 alcohol-resistant aqueous film-forming foam (AR-AFFF) concentrates, improving its storage, handling and long-term stability. "This is a game-changing product for the fire safety industry and demonstrates how Perimeter Solutions continues to innovate to develop new solutions that will help advance the fire safety industry," says Javier Castro, General Manager of the EMEA Region for Perimeter Solutions. "Product testing has shown that our 1x3 foam concentrate performs similarly to AR-FFF products that are currently on the market, and several major multinationals oil companies have already signed on to consider SOLBERG VERSAGARD 1x3 in their transition programs to fluorine-free foam concentrates." For more information on SOLBERG VERSAGARD 1x3, go to www.perimeter-solutions.com. If you're attending INTERSCHUTZ 2022, visit Perimeter Solutions in Stand G49, Hall 13. About Perimeter Solutions Headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, Perimeter Solutions (NYSE: PRM) is a premier global solutions provider, producing high-quality firefighting products and lubricant additives. The company develops products that impact critically important issues of life issues where there often is no room for error and the job doesn't offer second chances. At Perimeter, we characterize the solutions we develop as 'Trusted Solutions that Save' because it underscores what we are trying to accomplish for our customers and the world at large. Perimeter Solutions produces major brands known throughout the world like PHOS-CHEK and FIRE-TROL retardant, foam concentrates and gel products; AUXQUIMIA and SOLBERG firefighting foam concentrates; and BIOGEMA extinguishing agents and retardants. For more info on how we use our experience, responsibility, and integrity to deliver trusted solutions that help improve firefighting performance, visit: www.perimeter-solutions.com. Media Contact Resource Advantage Dan Green [email protected] SOURCE Perimeter Solutions WARSAW, Poland, June 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- A new study launched at the ninth annual Global Forum on Nicotine (#GFN22) in Warsaw shows implementation of the WHO's tobacco control measures known as MPOWER has no clear association with low-levels of tobacco-related mortality in Europe. Instead, the independent research , conducted by distinguished tobacco dependence researcher Dr Lars M. Ramstrom , shows that switching from smoking to Swedish-style snus, a safer nicotine product, is a more effective strategy to reduce the harms caused by tobacco. Presented to hundreds of delegates, as well as over 50 international experts on tobacco and nicotine science who are speaking at #GFN22, the new findings provide further evidence that the WHO must embrace tobacco harm reduction as part of its global tobacco control response by supporting the use of safer nicotine products to quit smoking. In 2007, the WHO launched MPOWER , a process and monitoring mechanism to implement the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), an international treaty developed in response to the global nature of the public health crisis caused by tobacco use and smoking. Comprising six measures, it aims to reduce the demand for tobacco. But, despite 15 years of MPOWER, there are still 1.1bn smokers worldwide, a total unchanged since 2000, and eight million annual tobacco-related deaths. To assess MPOWER's effectiveness, Dr Ramstrom compared the extent of implementation of these tobacco control measures with tobacco-related death rates across Europe by using figures provided by the Tobacco Control Scale , a tool that grades every European country's level of MPOWER application, and data on tobacco-related mortality from The Global Burden of Disease . After analysing his results, Dr Ramstrom found no correlation between tobacco-related mortality and a country's level of implementation of MPOWER measures for Europe's women, and a very weak correlation for the continent's men. Crucially, though, the two countries with the lowest tobacco-related mortality for men were Sweden and Norway. In both nations a large proportion of male smokers have switched from cigarettes to Swedish-style snus, a product that is freely available in both, but banned from sale in the EU except Sweden. Despite Sweden's TCS score being below average, it has achieved a lower rate of tobacco-related mortality than all the countries that have higher levels of MPOWER implementation except Norway, providing further evidence in support of tobacco harm reduction. Online participation at #GFN22 is free to registered participants , including simultaneous translation from English to Spanish . SOURCE Global Forum on Nicotine NINGBO, China, June 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Risen Energy Co., Ltd (Shenzhen: 300118), a leading, Tier 1 manufacturer of high-performance solar photovoltaic products, disclosed today that it has been recognized as a "Top Performer" in second consecutive year in PV Evolution Lab's (PVEL) 2022 PV Module Reliability Scorecard, for its outstanding product reliability and performance. Rankings are based on performance and reliability data from the PVEL PV Module Product Qualification Program, a suite of lab and field tests that inform solar energy related market procurement and investment decisions. Tristan Erion-Lorico, Head of PV Module Business at PVEL, said: "Each year, out of 100 manufactures and many hundreds of product types participate in PVEL's ranking and only a highly selected few make to the final Top Performers recognition. We are pleased to see Risen Energy's name on the list again and we sincerely hope to test more new Risen products in the future as the company keeps innovating." B Veerraju Chaudary, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer (CSMO) of Risen Energy, said, "Reliability and innovation are engraved in the DNA of Risen. We never stop finding a better way to support customers' needs for high-quality, durable and economic energy solutions. For example, our newly released product Hyper-ion, using the cutting-edge HJT technology, with its power output more than 700Wp per Module, offers best choice for customers who are expecting higher performance with lower balance-of-system cost and levelized cost of electricity. We can't wait to see it be included in next year's Top Performer list." "Risen have been focusing on powering the world with best quality and cost-effective PV module products more than two decades. We have made a string of developments in technology innovation. Our Titan series products, with more power generation and higher efficiency, have received strong market recognition since launching," said Danny Song, Product Director of Risen Energy, "Now it's encouraging to see our advanced technical know-how earn the recognition from a renowned authoritative third party as well." About Risen Risen Energy is a leading, global, Tier 1, "AAA" credit rated manufacturer of high-performance solar photovoltaic products and provider of total business solutions for power generation. The Company, founded in 1986 and publicly listed in 2010, compels value generation for its global customers, gaining remarkable market share in China, Brazil, India, Vietnam, Australia and other 50 countries and regions. With annual module capacity of 30GW, and 22 global business network subsidies, Risen Energy provides excellent services and long-term partnerships to its customers in the utility, commercial, and residential markets. For more information, please visit our website: www.risenenergy.com About PV Evolution Labs (PVEL) PVEL is the leading independent lab for the downstream solar and energy storage industry and a member of the Kiwa Group. As a bankability testing pioneer, PVEL has accumulated more than a decade of measured reliability and performance data for PV and storage equipment. Today PVEL provides developers, investors and asset owners with a suite of technical services for mitigating risk, optimizing financing and improving system performance throughout the project lifecycle. PVEL's flagship Product Qualification Programs for PV modules, inverters and energy storage systems connect manufacturers with a global network of 400+ downstream partners representing 30+ gigawatts of annual buying power. Learn how PVEL makes data matter at pvel.com. SOURCE Risen Energy Co., Ltd Saudi Aramco Entrepreneurship Center (Wa'ed) leads $50 million Series B round in Islamic fintech Wahed Tweet this Haroon Mokhtarzada, founder of unicorn fintech Truebill, William Haney, Chairman of Enhesa and Lori Richards, former Director at the SEC, have also been appointed to Wahed's Board of Directors to assist with this phase of growth. William Haney mentioned: "I am thrilled to join Wahed's mission of bridging the wealth gap through values, finance and technology. Its digital tools have enormous potential to make the world of finance more accessible to those previously excluded. I look forward to contributing to its long-term growth." Currently, Wahed offers individuals the chance to invest their money ethically in a quick, easy and affordable way. Wahed has gained support steadily since its inception in the US with over 300,000 clients globally across all Wahed entities. "The rapid popularization of fintech solutions and their influence in advancing financial literacy and inclusion worldwide have created the right urgency for fintech products that are both ethical and easily accessible for individual investors," said Fahad Alidi, Managing Director at Wa'ed. "Fintech leaders like Wahed acknowledge the role they play within such a globally crucial context, and it is their ambition to realize that vision that makes us proud to partner with the pioneering team as they work to unlock the digital potential of the financial industry." Other perennial shareholders of the company include Cue Ball Capital, Dubai Cultiv8 and Rasameel. Partner at Cue Ball Capital, Ali Rahimtula commented, "This raise will help support Junaid and his team's mission to bring financial services to this important yet underserved demographic. We are looking forward to Wahed's next phase of growth." About Wa'ed Wa'ed is the entrepreneurship arm of Saudi Aramco and one of the largest institutional venture capital investors for Saudi-based start-ups, providing end-to-end support in mentoring, incubation, and venture capital investment. Established by Saudi Aramco in 2011, Wa'ed is an essential enabler of economic diversification through Wa'ed VC arm, Wa'ed Ventures, which oversees $200 million in assets and a portfolio of 30+ Saudi-based companies. Based in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, Wa'ed is a fully owned venture of Saudi Aramco. To learn more about Wa'ed: www.waed.net About Wahed Inc. Wahed is a global Islamic fintech company that aims to reduce financial exclusion by encouraging ethically focused investing. New York-headquartered, Wahed has built an award-winning digital platform, making it easy for everyone to benefit from investing without compromising their values. Wahed is licensed in 9 jurisdictions through its subsidiaries around the globe, with 11 offices serving over 300,000 customers. For more information on how Wahed is trying to change the world of finance for the better, visit: https://wahedinvest.com/ SOURCE Wahed The global SCADA market share is estimated to reach a valuation of US$ 72.5 Bn by 2031 Surge in the utilization of SCADA systems for automation of electrical distribution is bolstering the market The presence of many key players makes Asia Pacific fastest growing region in the SCADA market ALBANY, N.Y., June 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- A study by Transparency Market Research (TMR) projects the global SCADA market to expand at a CAGR of 7.5% during the forecast period, 2022-2031. Moreover, the market is expected to be valued at US$ 72.5 Bn by 2031. SCADA systems are widely adopted across a wide range of industries in order to automate processes in which human control is unfeasible. Moreover, the demand for SCADA systems is being increasing owing to their ability to help in costs saving and providing real-time data in order to monitor equipment in addition to providing multifaceted remote industrial controls. This factor, in turn, is boosting the SCADA market growth, notes a study by TMR. The SCADA systems are being incorporated across varied industries as they assist users to be alert about possible network issues and to play key role in decision-making in order to respond accordingly each time. This factor is prognosticated to help in driving the SCADA market revenue during the forecast period. Get PDF Brochure for More Insights - https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=12179 SCADA Market: Key Findings A SCADA-based industrial control system refers to a next-gen technological advancement in the current industrial automation procedures. SCADA systems are gaining traction across the globe owing to their ability to let users envision plant production activities. This, in turn, assists companies in improved decision-making on the basis of dependable data. SCADA systems are being increasingly adopted in Industry 4.0 in order to monitor and manage different plant industrial procedures. The demand for SCADA systems is increasing in the recent years owing to their advantages such as an ability to allow operators visualize, monitor, control, and study varied industrial processes in real-time. These tools help in tracking system data, and can be utilized to generate graphs and reports that let industrial process operators see all activities in real time. Moreover, SCADA systems can connect directly with controllers in field in real time with the help of PLC and RPU. Due to these advantages, the adoption of these systems in being increasing around the world, which in turn, is helping in the expansion of the SCADA market share globally. Get COVID-19 Impact Analysis at - https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=covid19&rep_id=12179 SCADA Market: Growth Boosters Rise in the use of Industry 4.0 across process and manufacturing industries globally is one of the key factors driving the SCADA market growth Increasing use of SCADA systems in order to automate electrical distribution is fueling the sales growth in the market SCADA Market: Regional Analysis The SCADA market is expected to gain lucrative avenues in North America during the forecast period owing to factors such as rising spending of many regional governments on smart city projects during the forecast period owing to factors such as rising spending of many regional governments on smart city projects The Asia Pacific SCADA market is prognosticated to expand at promising pace in the forthcoming years owing to presence of many key players in the region. Moreover, the market is anticipated to observe sizable business opportunities in Asia Pacific due to rising automation as the demand for high-quality products is increasing in the region. Request Sample Report at- https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=12179 SCADA Market: Competition Landscape Leading players are executing merger and acquisition activities in order to stay ahead of the competition SCADA manufacturers across the globe are focusing on the development of next-gen products in order to attract new customer base SCADA Market: Key Players Some of the key players profiled in the report are: Eaton Corporation plc ABB Ltd. General Electric Company Emerson Electric Co., Honeywell International, Inc. Hitachi Ltd. OMRON Corporation Mitsubishi Electric Corporation Rockwell Automation, Inc. Pilz GmbH & Co. KG Siemens AG, Schneider Electric SE Valmet Survalent Technology Corporation Make an Enquiry before Buying- https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=EB&rep_id=12179 SCADA Market Segmentation Component Hardware Software Services Deployment On-premise Cloud End-user Oil & Gas Chemicals & Materials Pharmaceuticals & Biotech Water & Wastewater Food & Beverage Semiconductors & Electronics Manufacturing Automotive Machines & Tools Others Regions Covered North America Europe Asia Pacific Middle East & Africa & South America Browse Latest IT & Telecom Industry Research Reports by TMR Industry 4.0 Market- The global Industry 4.0 market is expected to reach US$ 1 Trn by 2031, expanding at a CAGR of 26.7% Industrial Automation Market- Industrial automation market is projected to occur at a handsome CAGR of 7.56% during the forecast period from 2019 to 2027 Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) Market- Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) Market is expected to cross the value of US$ 2.1 Trn by the end of 2031 Industrial Control Systems Security Solutions Market- Industrial control systems security solutions market is anticipated to cross value of US$ 54.8 Bn by 2030 Industrial Wireless Sensor Networks Market- Industrial Wireless Sensor Networks Market is expected to reach US$ 5,383.8 Mn by 2026 Industrial Cyber Security Solutions and Services Market- Industrial Cyber Security Solutions and Services Market is forecast to reach US$ 29.97 Bn by 2026 Industrial PC Market- Global Industrial PC Market to be Worth USD 8,784.2 Million by 2025 and is growing at a CAGR of 10.7% between 2017 and 2025 Internet of Things Market- Internet of Things Market is expected to reach US$ 2,746.32 Bn by 2027 About Transparency Market Research Transparency Market Research is a global market research firm that offers the most recent market research reports and business consulting services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insights for thousands of decision makers. Our experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools & techniques to gather and analyze information. Our data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts, so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With a broad research and analysis capability, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques in developing distinctive data sets and research material for business reports. For More Research Insights on Leading Industries, Visit our YouTube channel - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8e-z-g23-TdDMuODiL8BKQ Contact Us: Rohit Bhisey Transparency Market Research Inc. CORPORATE HEADQUARTER DOWNTOWN, 1000 N. West Street, Suite 1200, Wilmington, Delaware 19801 USA Tel: +1-518-618-1030 USA Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453 Website: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Blog: https://tmrblog.com Email: [email protected] Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1682871/TMR_Logo_Logo.jpg SOURCE Transparency Market Research Nephrologists and rheumatologists are approaching the new products from very different perspectives EXTON, Pa. , June 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- With the approvals of GlaxoSmithKline's Benlysta in lupus nephritis (LN) at the end of 2020 and Aurinia's Lupkynis at the beginning of 2021, practitioners now have valuable new treatment options to battle this complex condition. Spherix has been closely tracking these new agents in their Launch Dynamix service, which couples monthly performance benchmarking with quarterly deep dive reports to understand perceptions of each brand, their evolving places in the treatment paradigm, and projections for future use. This research, in collaboration with 50 US nephrologists and 50 US rheumatologists each month, reveals that specialists are responding differently to Benlysta and Lupkynis in both perception and use. The just-released seventeenth monthly tracking update highlights the latest trajectories for these agents. Analysis also includes insights on patient demographics, patient initiations, and discontinuations, while exploring co-management between nephrologists and rheumatologists. Given their history of using the drug in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), rheumatologists tend to gravitate towards Benlysta and deem more of their LN patients as candidates for the drug over Lupkynis according to the latest Spherix report. Alternatively, nephrologists often report a slight favoring towards Lupkynis (due to their familiarity with the calcineurin inhibitor drug class) and generally see their patients as better suited for Aurinia's brand. Specialists are divided on key performance metrics between the two products. Benlysta prevails with rheumatologists on patient adherence, tolerability, and safety, while nephrologists give the edge to Lupkynis on those exact same metrics. However, both specialists agree Lupkynis is easier to administer (oral versus IV) and has a quicker onset of action. A desire to reduce a patient's steroid burden is also a clear driver towards use of both drugs. Of note, nephrologists' view on Benlysta's "overall benefit" to LN patients versus Lupkynis has improved in the past six months. Indeed, rheumatologists increasingly choose Benlysta over Lupkynis as the winning drug on this measure, with physicians often citing the drug's broad application in both SLE and LN as moving the needle on these perceptions. One surveyed rheumatologist states, "I use a shotgun approach by treating pretty much everybody with nephritis with Benlysta." At well over a year of use in LN, physicians are starting to settle on patient types for the new drugs; Benlysta is seen as best for more moderate LN patients given its perceived slower onset of action, while many view Lupkynis as more appropriate for moderate/severe cases to aggressively treat proteinuria and manage progression. As one nephrologist calls out, "the patient for Lupkynis is going to be someone I want to put more of an emphasis on preserved renal function." Although accelerated prescribing of Benlysta has been observed in the past six months among nephrologists, with nearly three-quarters in the study sample now having ever used the product (hitting a high in June 2022), they remain much more hesitant to initiate patients on Benlysta given their limited familiarity and lack of experience with infused biologics. Nephrologists also show a somewhat muted urgency to prescribe Lupkynis as well, due to cost- and risk-benefit uncertainty compared to other options like tacrolimus. On the other hand, while the Lupkynis user base is slightly lower overall for rheumatologists, they continue to initiate more patients on Lupkynis than their nephrology counterparts (in relation to user base). Furthermore, rheumatologists now see a higher percentage of their LN patients as appropriate for Lupkynis when compared to nephrologists as of June 2022. Spherix is tracking both prior product use, as well as concomitant drug use and line of therapy, to understand where both Benlysta and Lupkynis are competing (and with each other) in LN treatment and prescribing patterns. GSK has markedly increased its detailing of nephrologists on Benlysta in the past year and has moved the needle on overall perception of the brand launch (among other key performance metrics). Still, there is room to grow with the specialty. Aurinia representatives are visiting both specialties more frequently since launch; however, nearly one-third of physicians in the study sample have yet to be detailed. Nephrologists and rheumatologists predict that in the future, a substantial percentage of their patients may be candidates for the new treatment options. Though, the perceived unmet need for new therapies in the LN market (while still substantial) has diminished since the approval of Lupkynis and Benlysta. This is of high note given the robust pipeline for LN products, including Novartis's Cosentyx (secukinumab) and iscalimab, Roche-Genentech's Gazyva (obinutuzumab), BMS' deucravacitinib, Janssen's Tremfya (guselkumab), ChemoCentryx's Tavneos (avacopan), and Horizon's daxdilimab (HZN-7734). Understanding how well Benlysta and Lupkynis are addressing the unmet needs and where pipeline agents can expect to play is critical as new products enter the space. Data released just days after fielding each month in Spherix's Launch Dynamix service will give a real-time analysis on uptake, perceptions, and experiences across both nephrologists and rheumatologists. The next monthly update releases July 15, 2022. About Our Services Launch Dynamix is an independent service providing monthly benchmarking of newly launched products for the first eighteen months of commercial availability, augmented by a quarterly deep dive into promotional activity, barriers to uptake, and patient types gravitating to the launch brand. Learn more about our services here. About Spherix Global Insights Spherix Global Insights is a hyper-focused market intelligence firm that leverages our own independent data and expertise to provide strategic guidance, so biopharma stakeholders make decisions with confidence. We specialize in select dermatology, gastroenterology, nephrology, neurology, and rheumatology markets. All company, brand or product names in this document are trademarks of their respective holders. For more information contact: Maxine Yarnall, Rheumatology Franchise Head Email: [email protected] www.spherixglobalinsights.com SOURCE Spherix Global Insights Consensus is hosted by Coindesk, a big-name blockchain media company. Since the success of the first conference in 2015, Consensus has attracted blockchain practitioners, investors, and droves of crypto believers from all over the world for joint discussions about the future of the industry. The conference invited a strong lineup of distinguished guests, including senior government officials such as Deputy Secretary of the US Treasury Wally Adeyemo, former US presidential and NYC mayoral candidate Andrew Yang, and Austin Mayor Steve Adler, as well as industry leaders like Binance CEO CZ, FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried, and Coindesk CEO Mr. Kevin Worth. Over 500 speakers discussed a wide range of trending topics, including the potential and risks of DAOs, the foundation of the metaverse, and cryptocurrencies in wars together with 15,000 attendees. As the sponsor of the conference, CoinEx actively participated in the event and had in-depth exchanges with investors and practitioners in the blockchain industry. Founded in December 2017, CoinEx is a global cryptocurrency exchange under ViaBTC Group. Available in 16 languages, CoinEx offers products and services that include spot, futures, margin trading, mining, AMM, and CoinEx Dock, providing simple, safe and reliable crypto trading service for 3 million+ users in 200+ countries and regions. Though the annual crypto carnival of Austin Blockchain week has ended, the development of the blockchain world still requires the joint efforts of crypto believers from all over the world. Meanwhile, CoinEx will also remain dedicated to the blockchain space. Relying on cutting-edge Fintech, CoinEx aims to facilitate blockchain progress and build a better future via blockchain, thereby realizing its mission - Via Bitcoin, Making the World a Better Place. SOURCE CoinEx Global Limited According to a report also released by this website, with GWM taking the lead, the number of patents open to the market by Chinese finished vehicle enterprises has grown rapidly, which has caught up with or surpassed foreign-funded vehicle enterprises in the Chinese market. For many years, GWM has continuously increased investment in new energy vehicle R&D and established diverse development paths by launching hybrid and pure electric vehicles. To accelerate the iteration and upgrading of new energy products, GWM has developed the L.E.M.O.N. DHT technology. It is a highly integrated petrol-electric hybrid system that applies to models with power architectures of PHEV or HEV. The models of both architectures can provide a longer, more powerful and comfortable driving experience for consumers. WEY Coffee 01, which adopts the PHEV architecture, is equipped with a high energy density power battery pack, with relatively longer pure electric range. In daily usage, this configuration could reduce the number of charges and helps users feel free from the trouble of frequent charging to the maximum extent. This car can also automatically switch into the mode with a combined power output of fuel and electric energy to allow drivers to speed up with enough power for overtaking when driving at high speed. In order to meet global diverse buyers' demands for more economical and environmentally friendly driving, GWM launched HAVAL JOLION HEV and HAVAL H6 HEV in the Thai market. Supported by the L.E.M.O.N. DHT, the two models can fulfill the low fuel consumption needs in different road conditions. when drivers encounter traffic congestion during rush hours, the system can switch to electric power to minimize fuel consumption. GWM also makes various technological achievements in the pure electronic vehicle field, such as electric drives and electric controls. Among them, the L-type long battery cells have been applied to various models of the ORA brand successfully in China market. Now, GWM adheres to the concept of " Excessive Investment and Precise R&D". According to the 2022 GWM financial report, GWM invested CNY 9.07 billion in the R&D of new energy and intelligent technologies last year. To meet the goal of global carbon neutrality, GWM will keep expanding the layout for new energy products in the future. The company has planned to launch dozens of new energy vehicles in the coming years to bring a greener and more intelligent driving experience to customers around the globe. SOURCE GWM More launch event images can be found at http://box.transsion.com/l/iJBvJT For the first time ever, TECNO conducted a global product launch event in the U.S. on the 65th floor of iconic Rockefeller Center in a stylish, exclusive space appropriately named Bar SixtyFive. Not only was the event a milestone for TECNO, but it was also the first time that Rockefeller Centerwhich opened in 1934 hosted a mobile phone manufacturer product introduction. This launch sets the tone towards mid-to-high-end position and indicates TECNO is taking a big step forward in internationalization and premiumisation by integrating fashion with innovative technology. TECNO CAMON 19 series impressed the attendees by its brilliant portrait photography in challenging low-light and nighttime conditions as well as the industry leading design, with its elegant, fashion-forward design which won iF Design Award 2022 in April and several industry-first technologies like the new technology RGBW camera sensor + glass which is co-developed with Samsung. The stylish phone complements the iconic venue in the reputation of the artistic design and fashion. The influencer roundtable was the highlight of the event with noted celebs including YouTube Influencer iJustine, Tech Editor Matt Swider, sharing their feedback on the photographic attributes of the CAMON 19 series. Matt Swider, for example, provided some of the highest praise, "The dual-ring triple-camera design is definitely the highlight of this smartphone. Its rich photography features and excellent night portrait output make it an incredibly compelling at this price point." While iJustine spoke highly of the sky shop features: "I also really love this sky shop feature. It has a touch-to-click to change the sky. I do often add in better-looking skies and clouds in a lot of my photos that I post, so this is making it so easy to do right on your mobile device". SOURCE TECNO Mobile WASHINGTON, June 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Despite a shaky start, the WTO negotiators delivered a historic trade deal this morning. After hours of negotiations, the 164-country organization adopted the "Geneva Package" with commitments on some very difficult issues, including pandemic response, intellectual property, fisheries, food security, electronic commerce and institutional reform. "USCIB congratulates WTO Director General Ngozi and all participants in MC12 for proving that multilateralism is alive and still functional in Geneva," said Brian Lowry, USCIB Senior Vice President, who is reporting from Geneva at the ministerial meeting as an NGO delegate. For many, this Ministerial was about the continued viability of the WTO. Recent struggles caused by increased protectionism and previous Ministerial Conferences that created few if any outcomes, raised serious questions about the rules-based trading system that grew out of the GATT in 1995. Concerns have ranged from relevance to functionality to value. The Ministerial Statement on WTO Reform has charted a path forward for the trade body that is expected to address longstanding concerns and set a process for discussions on how the WTO can be reformed to be fit for purpose. The "Geneva Package" covers a range of topics. A group of Ministerial Declarations was adopted on WTO response to emergencies covering food insecurity; export prohibitions on World Food Programme food purchases; and WTO pandemic response and preparedness. A partial deal to curb fishing subsidies was reached; however, it fell short of a fuller agreement that has been under negotiation for more than 20 years. The agreement addresses rules to prohibit subsidies for illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, while action on subsidies for fuel, ship construction and other areas was left unresolved. Negotiators wrestled to address divergent views on the continuation of a moratorium on customs duties on electronic transmissions that has been in place since 1998 but was set to expire at the end of the ministerial. A handful of countries challenged the benefits of the digital economy for the developing world, seeking to end the moratorium, gain policy space to address the digital divide and collect needed customs revenues. Ultimately, delegates agreed to an extension of the moratorium with a commitment to study development impacts and revisit the issue at the next Ministerial Conference. Several concerns about agriculture went without resolution. "The lack of a declaration on these concerns was a disappointment to some but the overall success of MC12 is noteworthy," said Lowry. About USCIB: USCIB promotes open markets, competitiveness and innovation, sustainable development, and corporate responsibility, supported by international engagement and regulatory coherence. Its members include U.S.-based global companies and professional services firms from every sector of our economy, with operations in every region of the world. USCIB is the U.S. affiliate of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), the International Organization of Employers (IOE) and Business at OECD. More at www.uscib.org. SOURCE United States Council for International Business BELFAST, LONDON and NEW YORK, 17 June 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Bank of London, the next-generation technology company and the world's first purpose-built global clearing, agency, and transaction bank, today announced its intention to expand its footprint in the United Kingdom (UK) by opening its Centre of Excellence in Belfast, Northern Ireland, creating 232 new jobs by 2026. The bank has already welcomed 34 new colleagues a team made up of payments leaders, software engineers, operations and other business functions with 54 further roles already being advertised. This is expected to generate around 20 million worth of annual salaries for the local economy when all the roles are in place. The opening of the bank's first UK Centre of Excellence in Belfast brings access to a strong and deep new talent pool, excellent academic institutions, and a growing technology sector. The Belfast office is an exciting opportunity to build on the successful expansion of other strategic locations and technology hubs in London and New York. Anthony Watson, Founder & Group Chief Executive Officer of The Bank of London, said: "To build the future of finance, we need to be where the future is. Belfast is now the UK's gateway city to the European Union, and this coupled with Belfast's exceptional FinTech talent across multiple disciplines, makes it the logical choice for The Bank of London's Centre of Excellence to power our UK expansion." The Rt. Hon. Lord Mandelson PC, Deputy Group Chairperson & Senior Independent Non-Executive Director of The Bank of London, said: "During my time as Her Majesty's Secretary of State of Northern Ireland I got to work with people from all faiths and backgrounds. The people of Northern Ireland left an indelible impression on me, and I'm delighted that our firm has selected Belfast for its Centre of Excellence". About The Bank of London The Bank of London launched 30th November 2021 as the sixth principal clearing bank of the United Kingdom, and only the second clearing bank in 250 years. With a $1.1 billion valuation, it is the first pre-revenue bank in history to attain 'unicorn' status upon debut. The Bank of London is a leading-edge technology company and the world's first purpose-built global clearing, agency, and transaction bank. We leverage our patented technology innovations and differentiated bank capabilities to lift economies and communities by powering the borderless economic infrastructure of the future. The bank has been established to assist banks, clearing houses, digital & traditional asset firms, governments, financial services companies from local FinTechs to global institutions, payment networks and non-financial brands seeking to launch fully compliant financial products and services in-country and across-borders. With headquarters in London and offices in New York, The Bank of London is a principal clearing bank of the United Kingdom authorised by the Bank of England's Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Bank of England's Prudential Regulation Authority. For more information visit: thebankoflondon.com, or on Twitter and Instagram at: @thebankoflondon. Further information on the Northern Ireland Northern Ireland has the highest concentration of FinTech employment in the UK and a strong devolved legislature in the form of the Assembly. Belfast itself is a known FinTech powerhouse, ranked in the top three 'locations of the future' after London and Singapore. In addition, Northern Ireland is the number one location in the UK and Ireland for full-fibre access and has a rapidly expanding 5G network. Among the four UK nations, Northern Ireland has the highest availability of full fibre services at 71% compared to England, Scotland and Wales at around 27% each. SOURCE The Bank of London Some of the participating Brazilian design companies at Casa Brasil included, but were not limited to: by Kamy creates sustainable textile products featuring designs inspired by multicultural communities across Brazil . The textiles are designed by a variety of Brazilian artisans and capture the country's unique spirit. creates sustainable textile products featuring designs inspired by multicultural communities across . The textiles are designed by a variety of Brazilian artisans and capture the country's unique spirit. Uultis is one of the premier Brazilian furniture design studios, specializing in wood-based products for the home. Their signature design style showcases the beauty of minimalist, functional design and the brand is renowned for high-quality craftsmanship. is one of the premier Brazilian furniture design studios, specializing in wood-based products for the home. Their signature design style showcases the beauty of minimalist, functional design and the brand is renowned for high-quality craftsmanship. Modalle specializes in furniture for living areas designed around customer experience, improving quality of life through design. specializes in furniture for living areas designed around customer experience, improving quality of life through design. Omega Light develops custom products for use in residential, commercial and hospitality settings with a focus on technology and innovation. They have won many design awards, including iF awards in 2020 and 2022. develops custom products for use in residential, commercial and hospitality settings with a focus on technology and innovation. They have won many design awards, including iF awards in 2020 and 2022. Tidelli Outdoor Living creates outdoor furniture and internal leisure environments in a relaxed urban style. Over the course of the two-week exhibition, Casa Brasil was attended by top New York City design, food and cultural influencers, media and industry thought leaders. Maria Paula Sobral Velloso, Manager of Industry and Services at ApexBrasil, explained why the concept of Casa Brasil resonated with so many: "Casa Brasil represents our culture and our heritage and we are excited to share that with a global audience in the heart of New York City. Brazilian design is infused with our spirit and our love of nature, and we encourage visitors to Casa Brasil to feel like through the experience of visiting the exhibition they were able to take away a piece of Brazil with them. Additionally, we want visitors to understand that as Brazil grows as an exporter across many sectors, global audiences should be looking to our country for outstanding products of the highest quality, especially when it comes to furniture and design." The United States is the world's largest importer of Brazilian furniture, with approximately 35% of Brazil's exports in the sector destined for North America. At Casa Brasil, representatives from ApexBrasil and Brazilian trade groups aimed to introduce U.S. investors to Brazilian export offerings with the goal of strengthening trade relationships between the two countries. As the Brazilian furniture industry continues to grow its technological and creative potential and hone its industrial capabilities, ApexBrasil estimates that the sector has a three-to-five-year export growth potential of 30.8%, which would bring sales of exports to approximately US $327.8 million per year. For more information about Casa Brasil, the process behind curating the event, and/or to view the space for yourself, please see the event video here: ApexBrasil | Casa Brasil NY 2022 To learn more about other trade sectors ApexBrasil supports, please visit: http://www.apexbrasil.com.br/en/trade-sectors. About ApexBrasil The Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (ApexBrasil) works to promote Brazilian products and services abroad, and to attract foreign investment to strategic sectors of the Brazilian economy. ApexBrasil organizes several initiatives aiming to promote Brazilian exports abroad. The Agency's efforts comprise trade and prospective missions, business rounds, support for the participation of Brazilian companies in major international trade fairs, arrangement of technical visits of buyers and opinion makers to learn about the Brazilian productive structure, and other select activities designed to strengthen the country's branding abroad. ApexBrasil also plays a leading role in attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) to Brazil, by working to identify business opportunities, promoting strategic events and lending support to foreign investors willing to allocate resources in Brazil. ApexBrasil is an agency linked to the Brazilian Foreign Ministry (Itamaraty). Media Contact Savanna Fuller Ruder Finn PR on behalf of ApexBrasil in the U.S. [email protected] +1-808-317-8758 SOURCE ApexBrasil BELOIT, Wis., June 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- On the 1st anniversary of its inaugural sold-out event where over 1,000 supporters attended in 2021, The Coalition for Canceled Priests (CFCP) is hosting a full-day conference, focused on the cancel culture of holy and faithful priests this year on June 23 and June 24, 2022. "It says a great deal about the state of our Holy Church when over 1,000 faithful Catholics with only a two-week notice attended our inaugural event on June 24, 2021 in support of canceled priests," said Father John Lovell, co-founder of the CFCP. "It proved to us the amount of anger and sadness faithful Catholics have when priests are removed from ministry for actually standing up for the Magisterium. We have only seen support grow from there, which is why we knew we had to organize a full-day conference for our supporters." Our anniversary conference, Finding Hope in the Desert, takes place on Friday, June 24th, 2022. It is preceded by a banquet on the evening of Thursday, June 23rd. We're pleased to host Jesse Romero as the keynote speaker for the opening banquet. The full-day conference on Friday features canceled priests and prominent Catholic speakers, such as Dr. Peter Kwasniewski, Fr. James Altman, Liz Yore, Raymond De Souza, David Gray, and Dr. Janet Smith. Tickets for the Friday conference are available at www.canceledpriests.org. About the Coalition for Canceled Priests (CFCP): CFCP was formed in 2021 on the feast day of Saint John the Baptist. Since its inception, priests throughout the United States and across the world have contacted the organization for both spiritual and temporal support. The Coalition for Canceled Priests (CFCP) is dedicated to spiritually and materially supporting faithful priests who seek to return to active ministry after being unjustly canceled by their bishops. CFCP is lay-driven and relies upon prayer, fasting, and actions by an array of contributors who rigorously defend these priests and fight back against errant bishops. CFCP is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization. Please complete this form for Media Inquiries For other questions or inquiries please email [email protected] or call 312-761-2149 Father John Lovell, other canceled priests, and other representatives are available for interviews. SOURCE Coalition for Canceled Priests DUBLIN, June 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Rodenticides Market - Forecasts from 2022 to 2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The Rodenticides market was valued at US$1,004.70 million in 2020 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 4.45% over the forecast period to reach a total market size of US$1,363.04 million by 2027. The term "rodenticide" refers to pesticides used to control rodents such as mice, rats, squirrels, chipmunks, woodchucks, and others that cause crop damage, food contamination, disease transmission, and economic damage. Thousands of dollars' worth of food is wasted every year due to rodent infestations as well as violations of housing codes across the globe. Aside from that, they leave dirt in food and spread bacteria. India reports food grain losses ranging from 2.4 million tonnes per year to 26 million tonnes per year caused by rodents. A rapidly growing rodent population is a prime reason behind the increase in transmittable diseases like plague, hantavirus, and Lassa fever, which, in turn, affect the ecosystem, wildlife, and humans. Commercial, residential, and industrial facilities have started using rodent control products to get rid of these pests. Various pest control agencies use rodenticides widely in order to reduce rodent populations in the cities. Due to this, rodent-resistant products are in demand across the country. A growing population worldwide has resulted in an increased demand for grains, and the need for more food storage capacity has resulted in a growing concern over food security, driving rodenticide markets worldwide. A United Nations report says that number will rise to 8.6 billion by 2030, 9.8 billion by 2050, and 11.2 billion by 2100. Demand, however, is likely to be restricted by concerns about the use of chemicals and their harmful effects on humans and other living creatures. Because of this, product applications are highly regulated under stringent laws. Growth Factors: Economic Losses and Growing Concern over Diseases Rodents are increasing in numbers continuously. In the United States, 30 percent of all food, worth $483 billion, is thrown away each year. A remarkable number of rats are adapted to eating human food and reproduce rapidly. Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus) can have up to 12 pups in a litter if sufficient food is available. (Source: UNEP and thecounter.org). Consequently, food waste also contributes to the population increase of rodents. It is expected that rodent populations will increase in temperate areas due to climate change. This could pose a higher risk of human disease transmission in urban areas, particularly as a result of human contact with rodents. The damage rats cause to crops is estimated to be 3-5% in developing countries and more than 1% in developed countries. (knowledgebank.irri.org). This leads to diseases such as the plague, Lassa fever, and Hantavirus infections that can affect humans, animals, and the environment. As a result, rodenticides are heavily used in rodent control products in industrial, commercial, and residential settings. Rodenticides are being launched by companies to combat this problem. The 19th China Animal Husbandry Expo will be held in Nanchang, Jiangxi, in May 2021. BASF launched its new rodent bait for livestock farmers, Lei Miao rat bait. By using Lei Miao rodent bait, livestock producers are able to combat even the worst rats and mice infestations while saving valuable time and money. Alphachloralose is a new rodenticide used to control mice in homes and buildings. The EPA invited public comments in October 2019 regarding its proposal to register it. The active ingredient in the new rodenticide alphachloralose is significantly less toxic to humans than most rodenticide alternatives. Restraints The Government ban and stringent regulations The market has suffered from a number of stringent regulations and a subsequent recommendation to ban rodenticides. The consumption of poisoned carcasses by birds of prey and other scavenger species is a leading cause of the deaths of these species. Additionally, rodenticide exposure exposes humans to intoxication risks. In 2013, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) restricted the sale of long-acting anticoagulant (LAA) rodenticides such as Brodifacoum and Bromadiolone. In addition, the Biocidal Products Regulation (BPR) enforces rules that apply to most rodenticides across Europe, which spawned the Rodenticide Stewardship Regime that is to be observed by the rodenticide companies and pest control companies. According to the Office for National Statistics (UK) and HM Revenue and Customs, UK rodenticide exports from EU and non-EU markets declined significantly from US$43.66 million in 2013 to US$4.7 million in 2018. This is expected to impact the demand-supply ratio and pricing of rodenticides used, thereby restricting the market's growth. COVID-19's Influence on the Rodenticides Market: As a result of government-imposed lockdowns across many regions, the supply chain has been disrupted. Despite relatively stable demand, there is a limited supply of the product available to distributors and retailers, which leads to the product being unable to reach consumers. Labor shortages and reduced raw material supplies are major issues due to the restrictions on people and vehicles. In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, many restaurants and other businesses have closed, which has led to rats walking the streets during the daytime, despite their normal nocturnal habits. During the pandemic, rodenticides are likely to see increased demand due to these factors. Key Topics Covered: 1. INTRODUCTION 2. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 3. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 4. MARKET DYNAMICS 4.1. Market Drivers 4.2. Market Restraints 4.3. Porters Five Forces Analysis 4.3.1. Bargaining Power of Suppliers 4.3.2. Bargaining Powers of Buyers 4.3.3. Threat of Substitutes 4.3.4. Threat of New Entrants 4.3.5. Competitive Rivalry in Industry 4.4. Industry Value Chain Analysis 5. RODENTICIDES MARKET, BY TYPE 5.1. Introduction 5.2. Anticoagulant 5.3. Non-Anticoagulant 6. RODENTICIDES MARKET, BY PRODUCT 6.1. Introduction 6.2. Pellets 6.3. Blocks 6.4. Powder and Spray 7. RODENTICIDES MARKET, BY END-USERS 7.1. Introduction 7.2. Pest Control Companies 7.3. Warehouses 7.4. Household 7.5. Agriculture 8. RODENTICIDES MARKET, BY GEOGRAPHY 9. COMPETITIVE ENVIRONMENT AND ANALYSIS 9.1. Major Players and Strategy Analysis 9.2. Emerging Players and Market Lucrativeness 9.3. Mergers, Acquisition, Agreements, and Collaborations 9.4. Vendor Competitiveness Matrix 10. COMPANY PROFILES 10.1. BASF SE 10.2. Bayer AG 10.3. Neogen Corporation 10.4. Liphatech, Inc. 10.5. Impex Europe sl 10.6. Bell Labs 10.7. Ecoclear Products 10.8. Syngenta 10.9. SenesTech, Inc 10.10. JT Eaton For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/qrracx 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 Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/539438/Research_and_Markets_Logo.jpg SOURCE Research and Markets Did you lose money on investments in Unilever? If so, please visit Unilever PLC Shareholder Class Action Lawsuit or contact Peter Allocco at (212) 951-2030 or [email protected] to discuss your rights. NEW YORK, June 16, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Bernstein Liebhard LLP announces that a securities class action lawsuit has been filed on behalf of investors who purchased or acquired the American Depositary Receipts ("ADRs") of Unilever PLC ("Unilever" or the "Company") (NYSE: UL) between September 2, 2020 and July 21, 2021, inclusive (the "Class Period"). The lawsuit was filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York and alleges violations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Unilever is a British multinational consumer goods company which sells more than 400 products in over 190 countries, including Ben & Jerry's ice cream, which they acquired in 2000. In an attempt to preserve Ben & Jerry's longstanding "Social Mission," Unilever's acquisition of Ben & Jerry's included allowing for an independent board of directors, which was given primary responsibility for preserving and enhancing the objectives of the company's Social Mission (the "B&J Board"). More than 20 years after the acquisition, Ben & Jerry's remains a wholly owned subsidiary of Unilever with an independent board addressing the company's Social Mission. Since the acquisition, the B&J Board continued its Social Mission by engaging in promotions and advocacy across a host of issues concerning the environment, voter turnout, fair trade, and genetically modified organisms. Today, the B&J Board, chaired by Anuradha Mittal ("Mittal"), consists primarily of social activists who joined long after Unilever's acquisition. The B&J Board passed a resolution in July 2020 to end sales of Ben & Jerry's products in areas that the B&J Board considers to be Palestinian territories illegally occupied by Israel. According to Mittal, Ben & Jerry's CEO Matthew McCarthy ("McCarthy") chose not to "operationalize" the resolution immediately, thus temporarily thwarting the B&J Board's decision. During the morning of July 19, 2021, Unilever and its hand-picked CEO McCarthy "operationalized" the B&J Board's resolution to boycott Israel. Ben & Jerry's announced on its website and through its Twitter account that, upon the expiration of the current licensing agreement by which its products had been distributed in Israel for decades, Ben & Jerry's would end sales of its ice cream in "Occupied Palestinian Territory", but Ben & Jerry's would purportedly continue to sell its products in Israel. The decision by the B&J Board appeared to arise out of the boycott, divestment, and sanctions ("BDS") movement. The BDS movement is a pro-Palestinian movement promoting boycotts, divestments, and economic sanctions against Israel. The BDS movement's objective is to coerce Israel into making concessions to the Palestinians by using boycotts and the like to exert economic and political pressure. Additionally, and of particular significance here, 35 U.S. states have adopted laws, executive orders, or resolutions aimed at discouraging boycotts, divestment, and sanctions of Israel ("Anti-BDS Legislation"). During the morning of July 22, 2021, CNBC reported that the states of Texas and Florida were examining Ben & Jerry's actions in connection with the states' Anti-BDS Legislation. In addition to condemnation of Ben & Jerry's boycott by Texas Governor Greg Abbott, CNBC reported that Texas State Comptroller Glenn Hegar, who controls billions of dollars in assets for Texas' public pension funds, had already told his office to take action. Similarly, the state of Florida's CFO Jimmy Patronis ("Patronis"), who controls Florida's public pension funds, told CNBC that his office was already discussing the issue. In a letter reportedly sent to Ben & Jerry's CEO, Patronis wrote: "It is my belief that Ben & Jerry's brazen refusal to do business in Israel will result in your placement on the Scrutinized Companies that Boycott Israel List." The letter also stated that Florida would then "be prohibited from investing in Ben & Jerry's or its parent company, Unilever." Being added to the list also meant that Unilever would not be able to enter or renew contracts with the state or any municipality in Florida. On this news, the price of Unilever ADRs fell $3.19 to close at $55.52 per ADR on July 22, 2021. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than August 15, 2022 . A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation. Your ability to share in any recovery doesn't require that you serve as lead plaintiff. If you choose to take no action, you may remain an absent class member. If you purchased the ADRs of Unilever, and/or would like to discuss your legal rights and options please visit Unilever PLC Shareholder Class Action Lawsuit or contact Peter Allocco at (212) 951-2030 or [email protected]. Since 1993, Bernstein Liebhard LLP has recovered over $3.5 billion for its clients. In addition to representing individual investors, the Firm has been retained by some of the largest public and private pension funds in the country to monitor their assets and pursue litigation on their behalf. As a result of its success litigating hundreds of lawsuits and class actions, the Firm has been named to The National Law Journal's "Plaintiffs' Hot List" thirteen times and listed in The Legal 500 for ten consecutive years. ATTORNEY ADVERTISING. 2022 Bernstein Liebhard LLP. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Bernstein Liebhard LLP, 10 East 40th Street, New York, New York 10016, (212) 779-1414. Prior results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome with respect to any future matter. Contact Information: Peter Allocco Bernstein Liebhard LLP https://www.bernlieb.com (212) 951-2030 [email protected] SOURCE Bernstein Liebhard LLP "Tricycle Pilot" Reveals Secrets From 12+ Years of Tours on Washington DC's National Mall. WASHINGTON, June 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Adventure DC Tricycle Tours Co-owner Barry Ivan Silber will release "A Tricycle Pilot's Guide to Washington DC's Monuments & Memorials" on July 1. This guidebook answers the most essential questions visitors have asked Silber over the years he has provided tours via pedicab on the National Mall. Silber wrote this distinctive eBook for Washington visitors who are curious about the nation's history and would like to plan their trip better especially families, tourists with dogs, and those with mobility impairments. The guidebook details the sites to see, places to eat in DC (with recommendations on kosher and vegetarian restaurants), transportation, parking, dog-friendly options, mobility-impaired considerations, and hidden gems. "The 'Tricycle Pilot' guidebook shares fascinating stories about the real people behind the majestic statues in our nation's capital. There's so much to be learned about these luminaries who fought in wars or led the country toward freedom, in different ways," Silber said. "And yet, no guidebook would be complete if it didn't provide clear details for those wanting to plan a solid itinerary. In addition to being entertaining and educational, this guidebook offers simple, practical suggestions for those planning a trip whether they have one hour or one week in DC," Silber continued. With tourism expected to rise around the Fourth of July holiday, the brand-new guidebook is being offered at no cost from July 1 through July 31, 2022. Before July 1, interested readers may sign up for the waitlist at adventuredctours.com; the guidebook will be emailed to them upon release as a free Independence Day gift. After July 31, the guidebook will cost $7. About Adventure DC Tricycle Tours Adventure DC Tricycle Tours gives exclusive private, once-in-a-lifetime tours of Washington DC, transporting families on tricycle for a customized tour of Washington DC's National Mall, which is entertaining and educating. On tour, families can see all the Washington DC monuments & memorials, the White House, and the Capitol at their own pace, with no bus-filled crowding or walking and little waiting. Adventure DC Tricycle Tours is welcoming of those mobility-impaired and it is dog-friendly. CONTACT INFORMATION Adventure DC Tricycle Tours Barry Ivan Silber 202-515-0307 [email protected] SOURCE Adventure DC Tricycle Tours "Miami for Everyone" attendees and Miami Dade College students now eligible for free NFT domains and Web3 resources MIAMI, June 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Unstoppable Domains , the leading Web3 digital identity platform and NFT domain name provider with 2.4 million registered usernames, has partnered with the City of Miami's Venture Miami team to accelerate its local Web3 education effort. Venture Miami will host its "Miami for Everyone" Web3 education event from June 17-19, 2022 at Miami Dade College. The event will provide an inclusive and engaging environment for the community of Miami to learn about Web3, while giving skilled participants the opportunity to leverage their expertise to create social impact through Web3 and traditional technologies. Along with a full day of workshops catered towards people of all ages, levels, cultures, and skill sets, Miami for Everyone will feature a hackathon as well as networking opportunities. Each guest at "Miami for Everyone" will receive a $50 credit towards a NFT domain courtesy of Unstoppable Domains. In English and Spanish sessions, Unstoppable Domains will guide attendees through the process of creating a wallet, claiming their NFT domain, and keeping their wallet safe. Attendees will be taught how NFT domains can act as their digital identity, unlocking exciting opportunities across Web3. Students at Miami Dade College also have access to free NFT domains through Unstoppable Domains' university partnership network. "Unstoppable Domains is pleased to support the great city of Miami on its mission to become the most Web3 and crypto-friendly city in the world," said Sandy Carter, SVP and head of business development at Unstoppable Domains. "We believe that access to free education and resources, including NFT domains, are key to unlocking the power of Web3 innovation and ownership." Miami Mayor Francis Suarez assembled the Venture Miami team with the goal of making Miami the "capital of capital" with an economy that focuses on innovation, technology, and diversity, equity, and inclusion. Venture Miami supports regional collaboration amongst other local governments, economic development agencies, and organizations. It also providers support for founders, connects talent to jobs, and bridges connections between new-to-market technologies and the existing innovation ecosystem. "We are excited to have partners like Unstoppable Domains offer greater accessibility into Web3 technologies, and look forward to the resources they will provide to our Miami Tech ecosystem," said Erick Gavin, Executive Director of Miami Ventures. This is Unstoppable Domains' second ever city-wide domain giveaway. Recently, Unstoppable Domains partnered with Access Abu Dhabi, an organization that supports the expansion of women and minority-led businesses, to offer free domains to more than one million women residing in the UAE capital. To register for Miami for Everyone, please click here . ABOUT UNSTOPPABLE DOMAINS Founded in 2018, Unstoppable Domains is an NFT domain name provider and digital identity platform working to onboard the world onto Web3. Unstoppable Domains offers NFT domains minted on the blockchain that give people full ownership and control of their digital identity, with no renewal fees. With Unstoppable Domains, people can replace lengthy alphanumeric crypto wallet addresses with a human-readable name and log into and transact with more than 200 apps, wallets, exchanges and marketplaces. The company was named by Forbes as one of America's Best Startup Employers in 2022. MEDIA CONTACT: [email protected] ABOUT VENTURE MIAMI Venture Miami is a portfolio team that was assembled by and reports directly to City of Miami Mayor Francis Suarez. The mission and goal of the Venture Miami team is to make Miami the "capital of capital" with an innovative technology ecosystem and economy that delivers for everyone. Our five pillars are (1) provide concierge support for funders & founders. (2) connect talent to jobs. (3) meaningfully promote diversity, equity & inclusion. (4) bridge connections between new to market entities and the existing innovation ecosystem. (5) support regional collaboration amongst other local governments, economic development agencies & organizations. SOURCE Unstoppable Domains The joint webinar from the MRC and Visa will explore Visa's compelling evidence updates and related efforts in the ongoing battle against first-party misuse. SEATTLE, June 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Merchant Risk Council (MRC) has been working closely with Visa for years to reduce the threat of first-party misuse, also referred to as friendly fraud; where legitimate purchases are disputed by consumers who claim fraud. As part of this initiative, Visa is modifying their dispute process with the goal of empowering merchants to leverage data and reduce illegitimate chargebacks. These policy modifications will be detailed by Visa representatives in an MRC-hosted webinar on 23 June 2022, with additional Visa-led regional webinars on 28 June at 10AM PT covering NA / LAC acceptance, at 7PM PT covering AP / CEMEA acceptance, and on 30 June at 7AM PT focused on European acceptance. The webinar will provide MRC members the opportunity to hear directly from Visa representatives Melanie Davis, Natalie England, and Mark Woelfer, as well as MRC leaders including Julie Fergerson, CEO, and Una Dillon, VP of Global Expansion & Advocacy, as they detail what these changes mean and why they are significant. "Card networks like Visa continue to be a critical partner in our advocacy efforts concerning first-party misuse," said Julie Fergerson, MRC CEO. "I am so excited Visa is directly engaging our members at this webinar, and for what this collaborative effort represents for the future of our industry." Though there is more to be done when it comes to reducing first-party misuse, this is an important step in the right direction, according to Julie. "This issue is complex and costly; we're talking billions of dollars a year," she said. "To solve it, every stakeholder in the payments chain needs to work together. What Visa is doing will make a very real impact and is an excellent example of Visa leading in the industry and prioritizing collaboration to affect substantive change for the better. I highly recommend all MRC members attend and learn more about why this is such a big deal for everyone in eCommerce!" The Visa Briefing on their industry announcement: 'Evolution of Compelling Evidence' webinar is scheduled for 23 June at 8 AM PDT and is free for all MRC members. Learn more about becoming an MRC member to take advantage of this valuable opportunity. About the MRC: The MRC is a non-profit 501(c)6 global membership organization connecting eCommerce fraud prevention and payments professionals in North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific through educational programs, online community groups, conferences, and networking events. Encompassing 600+ companies, including 400+ merchants, it provides education on fraud prevention, payments optimization, and risk management. The MRC launched in 2000 and continues to be at the forefront of industry evolution and the ongoing fight against eCommerce fraud. Media Contact: Lea Prosenica Telephone: +1 678-593-0391 Email: [email protected] MRC Logo Link: download image SOURCE Merchant Risk Council (MRC) WORDS HURT IRL, debuting today in conjunction with National Stop Cyberbullying Day, features a series of videos starring Michelle, a firsthand victim of bullying, both in real life and online. The videos share an impactful synopsis of her personal story and inspire viewers to "stop giving hateful words power" and to "cancel online hate together." Michelle's career debuted as a star on "Dance Moms", where she was dismissed from the show as too tall, given her 6'2" stature. She went on to find success on "So You Think You Can Dance: The Next Generation," and as the lead actor on Netflix's hit show, "Tall Girl" and its sequel, "Tall Girl 2." "I feel that one of the best things that you can do with the hardships you have faced, is to truly share those experiences with others and be able to learn and grow together," said Michelle. "We make assumptions that we are alone in what we are going through, but it's so important to know that we aren't and it's going to be ok. I am so thankful to Urban Decay for asking me to be a part of such a wonderful project and for always being a company that wants to do good. I am beyond proud of what we made!" WORDS HURT IRL is the newest element in Urban Decay's ongoing pledge to champion a call-to-action denouncing cyberbullying, one of the most destructive forms of mental health abuse plaguing the world today, with more than 50% of young adults personally subjected to harassing behavior online. In 2021, the brand committed to a multi-faceted campaign against cyberbullying, initiating a three-year partnership with The Cybersmile Foundation, an award-winning nonprofit committed to digital wellbeing and tackling all forms of bullying and abuse online. Given Urban Decay's formative stance as a leading digital marketer in the beauty industry, the allegiance to fight cyberbullying was a natural one, designed to ensure the brand's online community and beyond - is always a welcoming, inclusive and safe space. Urban Decay's collaboration with The Cybersmile Foundation was designed to develop education and support resources for important issues associated with cyberbullying and mental health. The first element premiered in February 2022 with six interactive Urban Decay x Cybersmile Education Modules and an accompanying digital changemaker toolkit, available for free to users of all ages. With the goal of reaching 500,000 people online, this education walks users through simple, impactful materials on everything from "Allyship on Social Media" to "Dealing With Online Bullying" to "Becoming a Changemaker." The entire program can be found at https://www.cybersmileeducation.org/urbandecay and in the resources section of The Cybersmile Foundation website. The partnership also features a three-part $300,000 donation from Urban Decay to The Cybersmile Foundation, to be used towards furthering its work and efforts in the fight against cyberbullying. For more information on WORDS HURT IRL, Urban Decay x Cybersmile Education Modules and/or Urban Decay's partnership with The Cybersmile Foundation, please visit www.urbandecay.com/stoponlinebullying. ABOUT URBAN DECAY COSMETICS Urban Decay Cosmetics appeals to those who relish their individuality and embrace what makes them different. We have challenged the industry's definition of beauty since 1996, when we disrupted the sea of pink dominating makeup counters everywhere. Badass cruelty-free, high-performance makeup. Reinvention over perfection. Inspiration without replication. Kindness over cruelty. Unsubscribe from beauty telling you to be pretty. Be whatever you want to be. For more information, visit urbandecay.com or follow @urbandecaycosmetics. ABOUT THE CYBERSMILE FOUNDATION The Cybersmile Foundation is a multi-award-winning nonprofit organization committed to digital wellbeing and tackling all forms of bullying and abuse online. We work to promote kindness, diversity and inclusion by building a safer, more positive digital community. Through education, research, awareness campaigns and the promotion of positive digital citizenship we reduce incidents of cyberbullying and through our professional help and support services we empower those affected and their families to regain control of their lives. Official Website: https://www.cybersmile.org/ SOURCE Urban Decay GREEN COVE SPRINGS, Fla., June 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Vac-Con, Inc. has joined the North Florida Chapter of the National Utility Contractors Association (NUCA). NUCA is the leading trade association dedicated to the utility construction and excavation industry in the United States. Through a nationwide network of chapters, NUCA connects contractors, suppliers, and manufacturers that represent the water, sewer, gas, electric, telecommunication, and excavation industries. The organization's purpose is to advocate for the interests of their members in legal and legislative rulings, as well as to improve operational proficiency and financial performance of member companies. As a manufacturer of non-destructive excavation equipment, NUCA will be a valuable resource and outlet for Vac-Con brands, products, and market support. The Vac-Con line of hydro-excavator trucks and trailers utilize water and vacuum to excavate through a range of soil types efficiently and safely without disturbing existing underground utilities. Vac-Con is looking forward to being a part of the NUCA community and working with their representatives to educate and communicate non-destructive excavation practices to the industry. About Vac-Con Since 1986, the mission of Vac-Con has been to support, design, and manufacture innovative vacuum and high-pressure water cleaning solutions that deliver superior performance in municipal, industrial, and utility markets worldwide through their global dealer network. For more information, visit www.vac-con.com. About Holden Industries, Inc. Holden Industries, Inc. is an employee-owned corporation headquartered in Deerfield, Illinois. As the parent organization of a group of diversified manufacturing companies, Holden is dedicated to profitable growth through capital efficient reinvestment and strategic acquisitions. Holden strives to continuously improve the operational performance of all disciplines with its principle focus of identifying the needs of its customers and developing innovative and cost-effective products and services to meet those needs. For more information, visit www.holdenindustriesinc.com. Vac-Con is a trade name of Holden Industries, Inc. For further information, please contact: Caroline Brown Marketing Manager Vac-Con Tel 1+904-252-6027 [email protected] SOURCE Vac-Con Inc Night Castle promotion includes new Night Castle-branded packaging and merchandise, and a free soft drink offer for designated drivers COLUMBUS, Ohio, June 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- White Castle has long been known as a late-night hot spot, the last stop after a fun night, the place to go for nocturnal cravings. It's a reputation that the 101-year-old family-owned business not only relishes, but also encourages by keeping castles open late to serve its Cravers morning, noon and night. In recognition of its standing as the after-hours scene for food and fun, White Castle will be celebrating throughout the summer with a series of promotions acknowledging its nightly transformation from White Castle to Night Castle. White Castle to Become Night Castle to Celebrate the Summer Solstice and Keep the Late-Night Fun Going All Summer Long Tweet this White Castle is celebrating summer nights with its new Night Castle soft drink cups and Crave Clutch. Beginning June 20 the Summer Solstice and the shortest night of the year White Castle's 20-Slider Crave Clutch will sport a new, limited-time Night Castle design featuring scary eyes and teeth, turning the normal packaging into a late-night party monster to inspire nighttime merrymaking. Three new collectible soft drink cups will also feature a Night Castle design. In addition, White Castle's House of Crave online gift shop will feature a whole new line of after-dark apparel, including socks, a hoodie, a glow-in-the-dark T-shirt and a Hawaiian shirt, as well as Night Castle accessories like LED cups, LED ice cubs, an LED gaming mousepad, an ice bucket, and a sleep mask. While late-night adventures at the Castle should be epic, they should also be safe. So, between June 20 and July 4, White Castle will offer a free small Coca-Cola Freestyle drink to all customers who identify themselves as a designated driver, allowing everyone to have a memorable but safe night at White Castle. "Many a craver have spent many a late night at White Castle," said Jamie Richardson, vice president at White Castle. "We are there for all our cravers in search of some after-hours sustenance like a beacon of light at night. Our new Night Castle packaging and merchandise will help make every night a good night at White Castle." No matter where Cravers live, White Castle is always ready to be part of their late-night adventures. White Castle's famous Sliders and now their juicy tender white meat Chicken Rings are available in the freezer aisles of grocery and other retail stores across the country. About White Castle White Castle, America's first fast-food hamburger chain, has been making hot and tasty Sliders as a family-owned business for 101 years. Based in Columbus, Ohio, White Castle started serving The Original Slider in 1921. Today White Castle owns and operates more than 350 restaurants dedicated to satisfying customers' cravings morning, noon and night and sells its famous fare in retail stores nationwide. The Original Slider, named in 2014 as Time magazine's "Most Influential Burger of All Time," is served alongside a menu of creatively crafted Sliders and other mouthwatering food options, including White Castle's Impossible Slider, named by Thrillist in 2019 as the "Best Plant-Based Fast Food Burger." White Castle's commitment to maintaining the highest quality products extends to the company owning and operating its own meat processing plants, bakeries and frozen-food processing plants. In 2021, 100 years after the first Slider was sold, Fast Company named the fast-food pioneer one of the "10 Most Innovative Dining Companies." White Castle is known for the legendary loyalty of its team members, more than 1 in 4 of whom have worked for White Castle for at least 10 years, and also for its faithful fans ("Cravers"), many of whom compete each year for entry into the Cravers Hall of Fame. The official White Castle app, available at iTunes App Store or Google Play, makes it easy for Cravers to access sweet deals and place pickup orders at any time. They can also have their orders delivered using one of White Castle's delivery partners. For more information on White Castle, visit whitecastle.com. SOURCE White Castle Zendure's SuperBase Pro power station had a very successful debut on Indiegogo, bringing in more than $1.3 million USD in funding over the course of its campaign. In total, SuperBase Pro has raised close to $2 million in crowdfunding since its launch last year. The power station has received several other accolades, including a Good Design Award, a Red Dot Design Award, an iF Design Award, and a Bousai Safety Mark from the Bousai-Anzen disaster-preparedness organization in Japan. SuperBase Pro 2000 features IoT and GPS hardware, offline UPS functionality, and an intelligent companion app with remote control and green energy tracking features. Users earn green energy points through the app, which can be used to plant real trees around the world. The power station has built-in industrial grade wheels and an extending handle for maximum portability, and can deliver up to 4,000W of surge power. SuperBase Pro can be recharged to 80% in just one hour, and fully charged in two hours. Zendure's power station SuperBase Pro has 14 output ports (12 in the EU model), plus a companion app that can control the inputs and outputs, track the power station's location, and even keep track of carbon offset through the use of sustainable energy. This is all possible thanks to the power station's built-in Wi-Fi, 4G, and GPS hardware. Zendure is a portable power company with a focus on sustainable energy located in Silicon Valley in the United States and the Guangdong - Hong Kong - Macao Greater Bay Area in China. Since its establishment, Zendure has continuously launched innovative products, made rapid breakthroughs in the core technologies of energy storage and power supplies, and continues to bring pleasant surprises to the user experience. The company recently received a multi-million dollar series-A round of funding through a joint investment from Shanghai GP Capital and YOTRIO group. SOURCE Zendure Following yesterdays black day for retailers ASOS, Boohoo and Halfords all issued profit warnings Tesco PLC (LSE:TSCO) shareholders maybe a bit apprehensive this morning. Tesco PLC is set to update the market and analysts at Barclays predict a 1.8% decline in like-for-like sales for Tesco, albeit this would represent a gain of about 7.3% on pre-Covid levels. Tesco's Booker cash and carry division is tipped to report a 12.4% increase in like-for-like sales by Barclays. With Tesco only having provided full-year guidance in mid-April of 2.4bn-2.6bn retail earnings (EBIT) the analysts were doubtful that there will be any change in the outlook at this stage. Significant announcements expected Trading announcements: Tesco PLC AGMs: Directa Plus PLC (AIM:DCTA, OTC:DTPKF) (Directa Plus PLC (AIM:DCTA, OTC:DTPKF), Directa Plus PLC (AIM:DCTA, OTC:DTPKF)), Tesco PLC, City of London Group PLC (LSE:CIN) (City of London Group PLC (LSE:CIN)), EnQuest PLC, Octopus Renewables Infrastructure Trust PLC Curtis Banks Group PLC (AIM:CBP), the self-invested personal pensions (SIPP) provider, said its chief operating officer, Jane Ridgley, is to retire. Ridgley will remain with the group and a director of the board for up to 12 months to ensure an orderly handover. A search for a new chief operating officer is underway. On behalf of the board Will Self, the chief executive officer of Curtis Banks, thanked Ridgley for the significant contribution she has made to Curtis Banks and wished her well in her retirement. Under her guidance, we have improved our operations across the business, unlocked efficiencies and built out our technology and service offering. As we look to the future, it is important we create the strongest possible base for growth and Jane will play an important role in overseeing a smooth transition over the next 12 months, Self said. When Haleon PLC is spun off from GSK PLC (LSE:GSK, NYSE:GSK) next month it is expected to be the biggest stock market listing of the past decade. The indicative valuation is 42bn, which begs the question why did the UK drugs giant and its partner Pfizer turn down a 50bn offer from Unilever? This, well never ascertain. The deal affects thousands of private investors, many former GSK employees. So, heres what you need to know. Timetable July 6 Approval for the demerger to be given by shareholders. A formality, the event is convenient for international investors as it is being staged at a hotel within the Terminal 5 complex at Heathrow. Approval for the demerger to be given by shareholders. A formality, the event is convenient for international investors as it is being staged at a hotel within the Terminal 5 complex at Heathrow. July 15 The first part of the separation process begins. This is being done via whats called a scrip dividend, which means each GSK investor as of the close on the 14th gets shares in the consumer business. GSK will trade on July 15 without the entitlement to shares in Haleon. Its stock is also being consolidated, which means there will be fewer shares in issue. This is to ensure the impact on the share price of the Haleon demerger is mitigated. The first part of the separation process begins. This is being done via whats called a scrip dividend, which means each GSK investor as of the close on the 14th gets shares in the consumer business. GSK will trade on July 15 without the entitlement to shares in Haleon. Its stock is also being consolidated, which means there will be fewer shares in issue. This is to ensure the impact on the share price of the Haleon demerger is mitigated. July 18 Haleon shares begin trading in London. Pfizer and GSK will retain circa 45% of Haleon. Haleon shares begin trading in London. Pfizer and GSK will retain circa 45% of Haleon. July 22 Haleons stock will be listed in the US. Haleons stock will be listed in the US. July 27 GSKs second quarter results. This will be the first glimpse of how the slimmed down GSK is performing. GSKs second quarter results. This will be the first glimpse of how the slimmed down GSK is performing. November 10 (or sometime around then when Haleon reports third-quarter numbers) - Pfizers lock-up ends. So, this is a biggie. Normally, significant shareholders such as Pfizer would be asked not to sell equity for at least six months to allow normal trading patterns to be established post-demerger. In some instances, that lock-up period has been known to extend to 18 months or two years. Pfizer, which will own 32% of Haleon, will be released of that obligation in around four months. While the American drug giant has said it will beat an orderly retreat, the market will view the Pfizer stake as a stock overhang situation. This description imagines the shares are a rock and rubble overhang on a cliff wall that has the potential to dislodge then hit and hurt the climbers below. The stock overhang can hit and hurt the share price. From November 10 on (and probably well before), Haleon stock will be under pressure anticipating Pfizers exit. What the brokers say Barclays Capital has trawled through 400-odd-page prospectus and distilled its findings into a far less chunky 23-page overview. Two things struck us from the note. The first, was the indicative valuation range, which, based on a price-to-earnings calculation used to assess companies in the consumer staples sector, comes up well short of the 50bn tentatively tabled by Unilever. Barclays reckons Haleon shares, once listed on July 18, could be worth anywhere from 249p to 416p, which adds up to an equity valuation of 23bn-38bn. This is based on valuations multiples ranging from 15 to 25 times earnings. The second interesting takeaway from the note was the banks interaction with key shareholders on the issue organic sales growth a major driver of the companys valuation. In the note, Barclays said there was a degree of scepticism among investors as to whether Haleon could actually hit the 4%-7% top-line target it has set itself. Indeed, it went on to say there was significant pushback on our 4.7% medium-term growth forecast. Jefferies, the American bank that has a stellar reputation in the healthcare sector, has assessed the demerger from GSKs investment perspective. It believes that by spinning out Haleon, whose stock trade is painkillers such as Advil, the UK pharma group has divested itself of a headache (its words not mine). It has based its buy recommendation and 21 a share price target on GSKs own medium-term growth forecasts an average 6% increase in sales and 12%-14% compound annual growth in per share earnings. New GSK is underappreciated, as the number-two growth profile in EU large-caps, Jefferies said in its note. We accept New GSK pipeline remains a work-in-progress, but catalysts are starting to emerge, and the vaccines franchise just keeps getting better. One thing to ponder Those who hold GSK currently as income play (it yields 4.7% or thereabouts currently) will see a cut in the combined GSK/Haleon pay-out post-demerger. It is estimated that GSK will distribute around 44p a share in Haleon 11p, giving a 3.2% yield. 1. The Big Short: How an American billionaire is betting billions against the Eurozone The total estimated value of Dalios short position in Europe was 5.2bn Read more 2. GlaxoSmithKline/Haleon spin-off - all you need to know Thankfully, Barclays has done the leg work Read more 3. Tesla hikes EV prices but why? A clue - spot lithium has risen by around 900% since the beginning of 2021 Read more 4. Tesco customers face 'unprecedented increases in the cost of living' Fuel sales surged to 2,035m, up 44% year-over-year as petrol prices hit record highs Read more 5. Footsie closes down At the close, the UK blue-chip index was down almost 29 points, or 0.41%, at 7,016.25. Read more What's happening next week - AB Foods reports for one thing Lloyds Banking is the best of the bunch among UK banks if the UK does enter a full-blown recession, says JP Morgan, but risks for the sector are significant. On the plus side, arrears are well below the previous cycle, with the banking sector resilient from a capital perspective and the upside from higher net interest income helping the banks absorb losses from any credit cycle. In a base case assessment (3% base rates by end 2023), the banks stay profitable but without any compelling reason to buy the shares, said the US bank. Given the tail-risks and externality of shocks, we maintain our selective view with no UK banks within our team top picks portfolio and Lloyds and StanChart as relative OWs (overweights) in the UK. Shares in Lloyds rose 1.1% to 42.71o. European Lithium Ltd (ASX:EUR, OTCQB:EULIF)s joint venture (JV) partner EV Resources Ltd has contracted Austrian geological consultants, GEO Unterweissacher GmbH, to execute an exploration strategy for the Weinebene and Eastern Alps lithium projects in Austria. EUR holds a 20% interest in these Austrian lithium projects, which are adjacent to European Lithiums Wolfsberg Project offering the potential to jointly explore and develop the projects. The company believes mineralisation from Wolfsbergs 12.88-million-tonne JORC deposit (1.00% lithium oxide) continues along strike into the Weinebene project area. For this reason, the two companies entered into a collaboration agreement, which includes the establishment of a technical advisory committee to jointly develop the projects and sharing information to identify the best options to advance these assets and operations. Good potential for lithium mineralisation The collected information will support the definition of target areas and future promising drill hole locations, EV Resources executive director Adrian Paul said. The outcome of this step in the strategy is a map containing exploration areas for soil geochemistry and/or a possible drill hole program. Previous reviews indicate good potential for lithium mineralisation, with various results up to more than 3% lithium oxide. We look forward to the geological review identifying areas for further assessment. GEO Unterweissacher, the team of geological consultants managing the exploration program, is an engineering organisation focused on geology and geotechnics headquartered in Tyrol, Austria, and known for their expertise and modern-scientific standards. The JV partners will use the report produced by GEO Unterweissacher to action a drilling program on the satellite projects, based on the results. All results and lab samples are expected by the end of July this year, depending on the laboratory turnaround times. Quartz-pyrite and massive pyrrhotite-pyrite veining within the sulphide alteration zone in drill core. Kingwest Resources Ltd (ASX:KWR) has struck bedrock gold in an inaugural diamond drilling program at the Sir Laurence gold targets of the Goongarrie Gold Project in Western Australia, revealing the presence of a potentially large-scale bedrock gold system. The first two holes of the program encountered this potentially economic mineralised system beneath trace gold mineralisation hosted in alluvial cover and the soil-rock boundary interface, deeper than previous aircore drilling could penetrate. Evidence from this drill testing program indicates gold mineralisation and levels increase toward the east, suggesting a localised vector pointing towards potentially material gold mineralisation. Sir Laurence retains strong potential While we have not yet intersected economic grades in the first two holes, the pervasive hydrothermal alteration, intense sulphide development and widespread low grade gold mineralisation demonstrate that we are drilling within a large and prospective system, Kingwest Resources CEO Ed Turner said. Sir Laurence retains the strong potential, due to its litho-structural setting, to host a large, mineralised gold deposit. Kingwest continues to refine and define the exploration targets within the Sir Laurence gold system, which will be tested by the rest of this drilling program and remains excited about their potential. The remaining 4,000-metre portion of the drilling program at Goongarrie will test the other targets within the Sire Laurence cluster, at which aircore drilling has previously intercepted further bedrock gold mineralisation. Dreadnought Resources Ltd (ASX:DRE)s Dean Tuck speaks with Proactives about its three key projects in Western Australia and in particular the rare earth results it recently delivered from its Mangaroon Project in WAs Gascoyne region. Dreadnought started RC drilling at the YIN prospect within the 100% Mangaroon Project and intersected thick, high grade REE mineralisation in all six of the first drill holes. Dreadnoughts managing director highlights that every hole of the first drill has intersected significant thickness of mineralised ironstone and how it has exceeded expectations. Within one year the company has picked the rocks, run the drillbit and delivered its first intersections. Tuck says the company will be busy in coming months, with news to come out of the Kimberley, as well drilling work to continue at Mangaroon for the next three months with big targets still to be tested. Infinity Lithium Corporation Ltd (ASX:INF)'s Spanish subsidiary Extremadura New Energies has joined a major private-public alliance SOI H2-ALEX, focused on the advancement of green hydrogen developments in the southwest Iberian Peninsula and specifically the Alentejo and Extremadura regions in Spain and Portugal. The company is planning to integrate green hydrogen and other renewable energies as part of the industrial lithium chemical project. Looking ahead, Extremadura will also assess the potential supply of green hydrogen from multiple sources including localised production. Highest standards of sustainability Extremadura CEO Ramon Jimenez highlighted the importance of the initiative and stressed that hydrogen will play a key role in the delivery of an environmentally and socially viable project in Caceres. Jimenez added: The new project designed by Extremadura New Energies is proposing the use of green hydrogen for calcining and roasting of the lithium-bearing materials instead of natural gas. The use of green hydrogen facilitates the material reduction in the CO2 footprint of the battery-grade lithium chemicals to be produced on-site in Caceres. This is in addition to the use of 100% renewable energy and the incorporation of electric vehicles, allowing us to an environmentally and socially viable project with the minimisation of the major emitting sources of energy. The carbon footprint makes this plant unique in Europe and meets the highest standards of sustainability. SOI H2-ALEX alliance The SOI H2-ALEX alliance is focused on the green hydrogen pipeline project promoted in Portugal by the Agencia de Desenvolvimento Regional do Alentejo (the Alentejo Regional Development Agency) and includes the participation of more than twenty entities and companies, including the collaboration of Junta de Extremadura. SOI H2 is represented in Spain by the business association LOABRE and by the Extremadura electric mobility group CarEX. Extremadura New Energies have recently executed collaborative agreements with multiple local business and community associations including LOABRE and CarEX. H2-ALEX is also focused on facilitating projects aligned to energy transition based on the deployment of renewable energies such as solar, biomass and hydroelectric which are uniquely abundant in the region. Forward plan Extremadura is assessing the supply of green hydrogen from localised sources and potentially from the Iberian green hydrogen pipeline that is planned to run through the locality of Caceres. There is the potential to assess the localised supply of renewable energy through a photovoltaic installation and the generation of green hydrogen in Caceres in direct alignment with the project. Furthermore, Extremadura is examining potential industrial locations in the locality of Caceres for these renewable energy installations that would be directly aligned to the energy requirements of the project. Lake Resources NL (ASX:LKE, OTCQB:LLKKF) has appointed two leading project finance institutions, Citi and J.P. Morgan, as joint coordinators of the proposed debt finance package of its flagship Kachi Lithium Project in Argentina. The two investment banks will work together on the debt financing package for Lakes 50,000 tonnes per annum (tpa) lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) Kachi Lithium Project, with the ongoing support of its advisors GKB Ventures Ltd and SD Capital Advisory Limited. The proposed debt financing is aimed at obtaining export credit agency guarantees from UK Export Finance (UKEF) to cover approximately 70% of the total Kachi Project funding requirement, subject to standard project finance conditions. The appointment of the investment banks advances the development of the Kachi Project towards final credit approval and is part of the overall strategy set in place by the company's advisors. Clean energy future Lake Resources managing director Steve Promnitz said: We are pleased to partner with Citi and J.P. Morgan, who support Lakes commitment to sustainable extraction, and minimising our environmental footprint. Together, we are contributing to a clean energy future that aligns with investors, debt providers, and off-takers requirements that new lithium projects adhere to strict ESG standards. Strongest combination Citi and J.P. Morgan were deemed the strongest combination to coordinate the proposed financing package for this particular project. The appointment was undertaken after a tender panel issued by Lakes advisor, GKB Ventures Ltd, to more than 10 international banks and an extensive review and selection process which envisaged export agency guarantees for the proposed debt financing. The results of the tender panel implied that indicative bank appetite for the Kachi Lithium Project was more than five times the required amount, reflecting the strong interest by international banks for this project and the indicative support of the Export Credit Agencies (ECA). Next steps The investment banks will coordinate workstreams between lenders and third-party analysis on major project milestones, including, among others, due diligence, the forthcoming JORC-compliant definitive feasibility study (DFS) and an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA). The amount of the proposed debt financing will be governed, among other things, by the outcomes of the DFS currently underway and the export credit agencies' assessments of all studies that the company has on foot. It is also planned to have Export Development of Canada, (EDC, Canadas Export Credit Agency) participate alongside UKEF as the lead ECA, under a common terms agreement. Taruga Minerals Ltd (ASX:TAR)s Thomas Line speaks with Proactives Elisha Newell about the $650,000 in funding it has just received from the South Australian Government that it will use to accelerate its copper and rare earth element exploration at its Mt Craig Project. The money is part of the Accelerated Discovery Initiative (ADI), aimed at accelerating new mineral discoveries for key commodities in regional and frontier provinces of South Australia. Taruga is exploring for ionic adsorption clay (IAC) style REEs and Central African style sediment-hosted copper at the project. The Mt Craig Project spans more than 850 square kilometres and funding covers the entire area of the project. Extensive sediment-hosted copper mineralisation was discovered by historical explorers from the surface and is yet to be followed up. Metal Tiger PLC (AIM:MTR, OTC:MRTTF, ASX:MTR)' Michael McNeilly, the chief executive officer of Metal Tiger joins Katie to talk about the reason behind selling its interest in Kalahari Metals Limited (KML) to Cobre Limited. He explains why its an opportune moment to sell the asset, what it means for Metal Tiger and also for Cobre. Cobre will acquire 24.5% of the shares in KML from Metal Tiger for a cash consideration of 750,000 expected to be paid in September which Metal Tiger will use for general working capital purposes. Falcon Gold Corp announced it has mobilized ground crews to its Gander North project for its first exploration program on the Newfoundland-based property. Exploration will consist of baseline prospecting, soil sampling, and trenching to vector future drill targets. Falcon has received its initial permits, it told shareholders in a statement. Alkaline Fuel Cell Power Corp has announced the appointment of Carmine Marcello to the role of advisor to assist with the development of its growing asset base. The company noted that Marcello previously served as CEO of Hydro One Inc, one of Canadas largest transmission and distribution companies with a market cap of over $20 billion and over $23 billion in assets, from 2013 to 2015. In his role as advisor, AFCP said Marcello brings extensive asset development and management expertise to guide the company as it establishes the development and operations of energy assets. CleanSpark Inc said it has taken over an existing purchase contract for 1,800 Antminer S19 XP units as it continues to expand its infrastructure. The sustainable bitcoin mining and energy technology company said once fully deployed, the machines are expected to add over 252 petahashes per second (PH/s) to its bitcoin mining capacity. We were able to secure the contract at an exceptional price because of our strategic relationships and the unique circumstances that current market conditions have created, CleanSpark CEO Zach Bradford said in a statement. GreenBank Capital Inc announced that its portfolio company Ubique Minerals Limited has received a report from its own subsidiary Resource 500 V Ltd (R500) covering an exploration license in Nambia. The report, dated June 6, covers exploration license EPL7167. The report suggests that sufficient information exists to undertake work on the ground and that it should focus on the identified trends with surface geochemical sampling followed by drilling, the company noted. Ubique and R500 are now working to determine next steps, according to Ubique CEO Vilhjalmur Vilhjalmsson. Think Research Corporation has announced that its subsidiary, BioPharma Services Inc, has continued its record of audit achievement following the successful completion of an audit by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of its Toronto clinical facility for compliance with Good Clinical Practice (GCP) regulations. Think said the FDA inspector, observed by Health Canada, reviewed two studies during the week of May 9, 2022, resulting in no critical findings and the issuance of zero Form 483 observations. A Form 483 observation is a notice that highlights potential regulatory problems. "The positive results of the audit by the FDA are a testament to the hard work and dedication of each employee at BioPharma, Think CEO Sachin Aggarwal said in a statement. I commend the team for their commitment to providing a level of quality and excellence clients can depend on." Plurilock Security Inc offers investors a compelling risk-reward profile and a great entry point to the stock, according to analysts at Industrial Alliance Securities, who have initiated coverage on the cybersecurity solutions company with a Buy rating. Analysts at the firm set a $0.65 price target, writing that while some tech names were trading at excessive numbers, PLUR looks like a relative bargain and is trading at just a blended 2023 EV/revenue multiple of 0.1x, which is significantly below its value-added reseller (VAR) peers at 0.6x. Plurilock is currently trading at around $0.16 per share. Nova Royalty Corp announced that its CEO Alex Tsukernik and his team joined Toronto Stock Exchange head, global mining business development Dean McPherson to celebrate the company's new listing on TSX Venture Exchange and open the market. Nova Royalty is focused on providing investors with exposure to premier copper and nickel assets - the key building blocks of the global energy transition. Nextech AR Solutions Corp has announced that it is moving away from its legacy e-commerce business, with a renewed laser-focus on its Web 3.0 software-as-a-service (SaaS) business providing leading-edge 3D/augmented reality solutions. The company said the transformation will result in its transition to a pure-play Web 3.0 services business as it winds down its legacy eCommerce business, including vacuumcleanermarket.com, trulyfesupplements.com and infinitepetlife.com, effective immediately. We are extremely excited about the growth prospects of our 3D modeling and AR business in 2022 and beyond and see this transformation as the next logical step in our stated goal to be the 3D model factory for the metaverse, Nextech CEO Evan Gappelberg said in a statement. Nextech continues to gain traction in the 3D technology space by signing new deals and building its MRR (monthly recurring revenue) and ARR (annual recurring revenue). Sassy Resources (CSE:SASY, OTCQB:SSYRF) Corporation said it has completed the purchase of 5,273 mining claims involving 1,318 square kilometers in Newfoundland for 4,260,000 shares and $500,000 in cash through a series of transactions. Sassy said it then sold the claims on, through a subsidiary, to privately-held Galloper Gold Corp for 8 million shares of Galloper Gold and $700,000 in cash. Sassy has made great strides since early last year at creating a foundation for long-term financial success with strategic ownership positions in three exciting entities, each with a bright future in our view, Mark Scott, the company's president and CEO said in a statement. CULT Food Science Corp has said its Singapore-based portfolio company Umami Meats recently won two awards for sustainable seafood in Asia, while also making significant progress in research and development, and human resources. The company said Umami, a food-tech start-up developing sustainable seafood that is cultivated and not caught, was recognized as the Best Sustainable Seafood Company in Southeast Asia by Acquisition International and as Best Sustainable Seafood Company in the 2022 Singapore Business Awards. We are impressed by the significant progress that Umami has made in various areas in such a short period of time. Since CULT invested in Umami, our management team has admired how the venture has taken stride after stride in a positive and valuable direction, CULT CEO Lejjy Gafour said in a statement. Group Eleven Resources Ltd has said its first-ever drill intercept of a major fault structure at its Stonepark project in Limerick, Ireland, strongly corroborates its view that the area has the potential to host zinc mineralization similar in style and scale to Glencore's nearby Pallas Green deposit. Updating investors on exploration drilling at the project, Group Eleven said it intercepted a major fault structure with zinc mineralization at the Carrickittle West Prospect. It noted that the structure is on the south side of the Limerick Volcanic Complex (LVC), approximately 5-6 kilometres (km) south of the Pallas Green zinc deposit, cutting through the Waulsortian Limestone (a key unit for zinc in Ireland) and hosting zinc mineralization. TraceSafe Inc has announced that its smart building solution, SafeTown, won the prestigious loT Award in the Real Estate Category at the recently announced Singapore Business Review's (SBR) Technology Excellence Awards 2022. The SBR Technology Excellence Awards is part of the regional Asian Technology Excellence Awards, now running in 50 countries, and spotlights technological innovations of Singapore-based companies that are embracing the ongoing digital revolution, the company said. It noted that SafeTown was recognised for its ability to offer unprecedented connectivity and operational insights to large-scale infrastructure projects across the world. Thesis Gold Inc has outlined its plans for a fully-funded exploration program at its Ranch project in the 'Golden Horseshoe' of British Columbia, which has now started, and will include 50,000 metres (m) of diamond drilling. The work is also set to involve ground magnetic surveys covering 8.7 square kilometres (sq km) and the taking of up to 4,000 soil samples. "We are extremely excited to begin this major 50,000-metre drilling campaign," Ewan Webster, Thesis CEO, told investors in a statement. "Our group has evaluated all datasets collected last year and the technical team has developed many prospective targets that will be drill-tested in the coming months." Wellbeing Digital Sciences Inc announced that a clinical study conducted by its wholly-owned subsidiary, KGK Science Inc, has shown positive results of its GJ 191 supplementation (JointAlive) in treating osteoarthritis. The randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled intervention demonstrated that supplementation with GJ 191 provided reductions in current knee pain at six and 12 weeks. Additionally, after 12 weeks, 53% of participants reported a clinically important improvement in knee symptoms. Seventy-two males and females between 40-73 years were enrolled in the study and participants consumed either GJ 191 or a placebo daily for 12 weeks. "This clinically meaningful change has impact on this population of patients with self-reported knee pain," Dr Mal Evans, chief scientific officer at KGK Science said in a statement. Golden Arrow Resources Corp said it has commenced the first exploration program at its new 100% held San Pietro copper-gold-cobalt project in Chile. The Vancouver, British Columbia-based mining exploration company told investors it has retained two Chilean project geologists with extensive experience in geologic systems like those in and around San Pietro. The program has commenced with detailed surface mapping and sampling and is expected to include trenching and an updated geophysical program in the next six months. At the same time, it said the crew is engaged in re-logging much of the 34,000 metres of historic drill core. This work will modernize and build the database for the main prospects to refine the targets for a subsequent resource delineation drill program, the company added. The Valens Company has announced the launch of a Quebec-exclusive brand, Bon Jak, as it continues to build its presence in Canadas second-largest province. The leading manufacturer of branded cannabis products said the addition of several exciting new SKUs under the Bon Jak brand is focused on delivering unique user experiences in the province. Consumers can expect to purchase the products through the retail and online channels of the Societe Quebecoise du Cannabis (SQDC) effective September 12, 2022, it added. Electric Royalties Ltd said it has had a tremendous first half of 2022 with 24 exciting developments across 11 assets within its royalty portfolio. In an asset update on its current royalty portfolio, the companys CEO Brendan Yurik highlighted the high-grade copper-cobalt Millennium project in Australia, where drilling is underway with assays expected later this year. Other achievements include the receipt of drill results on the Seymour Lake lithium project in Ontario where a resource estimate is imminent, and metallurgical development milestones being advanced at the Battery Hill manganese royalty, with operator Manganese X Energy Corp initiating a number of discussions with potential strategic partners seeking high-purity manganese products. Jushi Holdings Inc has welcomed the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvanias order temporarily halting the Pennsylvania Department of Healths (DOH) recall of certain vaporized medical marijuana products. The court granted Medical Marijuana Access & Patient Safety Inc's application to vacate the automatic stay of injunctive relief ordered on June 2 this year. "On behalf of Pennsylvanias medical marijuana patient community, we would like to extend our appreciation to the Commonwealth Court for its thoughtful assessment of the facts and circumstances upon which DOHs February recall of tested, approved medical marijuana vaporization products containing terpenes was based, and for the subsequent orders issued on June 2 and June 15 allowing responsible operators to again make these products accessible to patients, the company said in a statement. Bridgeline Digital Inc, a provider of cloud-based marketing technology software, announced that Federal Credit Union (FCU) has chosen its Unbound product to support its digital presence. The company said the regional bank has signed a multi-year deal to increase its infrastructure for higher performance with managed hosting. As a long-term customer of Bridgeline, it said the regional FCU recognized its Unbound powered site as a crucial part of its customer experience and sought to expand its commitment. Bridgeline noted that Unbound also reduces system errors through a checks and balances protocol. This gives the credit union the ability to control website content and data safely without the need for code, it added. Vivakor Inc has announced plans to acquire two companies with assets in the key US oil states of Louisiana and Texas in a deal worth around $37.4 million. The company struck a definitive agreement to acquire Silver Fuels Delhi LLC, operating in Louisiana, and White Claw Colorado City LLC, which operates in Texas. California-based Vivakor said the acquisitions will allow the company to enter a synergistic segment of the energy industry with the combination of a crude oil gathering, storage, and transportation facility, which feature long-term ten-year take or pay contracts. Vivakor CEO Matt Nicosia called the potential acquisitions a monumental opportunity for Vivakor. PharmaDrug Inc has released positive findings of a study of its cepharanthine (PD-001) candidate, which showed that when it is combined with chemotherapy drug paclitaxel, can treat esophageal cancer. The study showed it to reduce tumor volume and improve the inhibition of tumor growth. "We are extremely excited to continue to broaden the use case for PD-001 as a treatment for esophageal cancer," said Daniel Cohen, the CEO of PharmaDrug. "This study outcome serves to further support our goal of moving towards an FDA clinical trial and will provide the company with the opportunity to fully leverage the benefits of the previously granted FDA orphan drug designation for cepharanthine-based treatment of esophageal cancer." Altamira Gold Corp has provided an exploration update on its three main project areas, Cajueiro, Apiacas and Santa Helena, covering a surface area of 163,000 hectares in the Alta Floresta Gold Belt in northern Mato Grosso, Brazil. In a statement, Altamira Gold CEO Michael Bennett said: "The initial drill results at Mutum (Apiacas) have provided significant encouragement regarding the potential for a large, disseminated gold system extending over at least 2 kilometers (km) strike length. He added: Whilst we wait for drill results from 23 holes at the Santa Helena project, the rig is currently testing several highly prospective targets at Cajueiro including the previously untested Maria Bonita gold-in-soil anomaly where gold values in soils exceed 1 gram per ton (g/t) gold. Hillcrest Energy Technologies Ltd is developing a high-efficiency power inverter that the company says can be an unassuming power electronics hero when it comes to electrifying and decarbonizing energy systems. Our clean-energy technologies specifically target efficiencies in electric machines and can be deployed to maximize performance across a wide variety of applications within the electric ecosystem, from electric vehicles (EVs), energy storage systems to grid-connected power generation, Hillcrest CEO Don Currie said in a statement. In addition to scaling our in-house development and design capabilities, Hillcrest has initiated targeted discussions with strategic partners with the potential to scale with us. Trust Stamp Inc has announced that its CEO Gareth Genner will join a trade delegation organized by TradeMalta to attend the Commonwealth Business Forum coinciding with the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). CHOGM will take place in Rwanda from June 20, 2022, to June 25, 2022, with the theme of 'Delivering a Common Future: Connecting, Innovating, Transforming.' The Commonwealth Business Forum brings together the Commonwealth's most senior business leaders alongside Heads of Government and Ministers for three days of discussions, networking, and deal-making. With over 1,000 expected participants, it is designed to provide different ways to create meaningful connections, exchange knowledge, contribute to impactful dialogue and consume information. Genner commented: "With intra-Commonwealth trade expected to surpass $700 billion in 2022 and Commonwealth countries comprising a number of free trade zones including the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), the Commonwealth Business Forum provides a valuable opportunity to capitalize on global opportunities for economic growth and social development. Trust Stamp's investment in cross-national development and ongoing governmental relationships position us to develop and deliver equitable, accessible, and inclusive technology that enables organizations and individuals to transact more freely and with trust." Trust Stamp established its Rwandan subsidiary in 2021, which currently employs 16 people out of its Kigali office. The company recently entered into a memorandum of understanding with the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences to together further research in identifying and addressing race and ethnicity-based discrepancies in the performance of biometric systems resulting in systemic inequities. Southern Energy Corp announced that Paul Baay has agreed to join the company's board of directors as a non-executive director, subject to the completion of customary due diligence required in accordance with the AIM Rules for Companies. The natural gas exploration and production company said Baay, who previously acted as a special advisor to Southern and is currently CEO of Touchstone Exploration, brings more than 25 years of experience leading oil and gas exploration and production companies to his new role. Paul's experience across the oil and gas industry and capital markets has been of significant value in his role as an advisor to the company and we look forward to working even closer with him in the near future, Southern Energy non-executive chairman Bruce Beynon said in a statement. LQwD Fintech Corp said that Peter Loretto has resigned as an independent director of the company for personal reasons. LQwD said it would like to thank Loretto for his contributions, and noted that its board now consists of Shone Anstey, Ashley Garnot, Pino Perone and Kim Evans. Unigold Inc said the TSX Venture Exchange has consented to the extension in the expiry date of 16,629,167 warrants with an original expiry date of June 23, 2022, to a new expiry date of December 23, 2022, and an unchanged exercise price of 30 cents. These warrants were issued under a private placement of 33,333,334 shares with 16,666,667 share purchase warrants attached, which was accepted for filing by the exchange effective July 3, 2020. Vanstar Mining Resources Inc has announced that it will be participating in The Mining Investment Event of the North, which will be held in person and will take place on June 19-21, 2022, at the Fairmont Chateau Frontenac and Voltigeurs de Quebec Armoury in Quebec City, Canada. JC St-Amour, president & CEO will be presenting at 8.00am ET on June 20, 2022. Management from Vanstar Mining Resources will also be holding one-on-one investor meetings throughout the three-day conference. Interested parties should contact Nancy Larned at nlarned@vidconferences.com to inquire about registering to attend. Information regarding the event including investor registration details, a list of participating companies, panelists and keynote speakers and a preliminary agenda can be found at https://vidconferences.com/conferences-events/in-person/canadas-first-tier-1-mining-conference/. As AFCP embarks on the growth of PWWR Flows development, ownership and operations of combined heat and power assets, we are thrilled to include the extensive capabilities of Mr Marcello to advise us on how we scale and optimize, CEO Frank Carnevale said Alkaline Fuel Cell Power Corp. (NEO:PWWR.AQN) has announced the appointment of Carmine Marcello to the role of advisor to assist with the development of its growing asset base. The company noted that Marcello previously served as CEO of Hydro One Inc, one of Canadas largest transmission and distribution companies with a market cap of over $20 billion and over $23 billion in assets, from 2013 to 2015. He also served in numerous executive roles from 2003, including asset management and strategy and planning. He currently advises governments, utilities and cleantech startups across the Middle East, North America and the Caribbean. In his role as advisor, AFCP said Marcello brings extensive asset development and management expertise to guide the company as it establishes the development and operations of energy assets. READ: Alkaline Fuel Cell Power unveils PWWR Flow Brand for combined heat and power (CHP) division As AFCP embarks on the growth of PWWR Flows development, ownership and operations of combined heat and power assets, we are thrilled to include the extensive capabilities of Mr Marcello to advise us on how we scale and optimize, CEO Frank Carnevale said in a statement. Carmine brings hands-on operational experience with business scale-ups, international micro-grid involvement, and the optimal level of mentorship required for us to succeed. Concurrently, the company confirmed the resignation of one of its early advisors, Gerard Sauer, effective June 13, 2022. The company said Sauer was instrumental in the development of its fuel cell since 2021. AFCP also announced that it has granted 600,000 stock options to an arms length consultant, with each option exercisable for a period of five years at an exercise price of $0.15 per common share. The options vest in stages, starting from six months from the date the consultant accepts the position and the consulting agreement is executed by the company, up to 24 months. Alkaline Fuel Cell Power is a diversified investment platform developing affordable, renewable, and reliable energy assets and cleantech. The company brings '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. The company operates through two global entities: Fuel Cell Power NV, a wholly-owned subsidiary in Belgium, and PWWR Flow Streams, an AFCP brand in Canada. Contact the author at stephen.gunnion@proactiveinvestors.com ARMM Inc announced that on Wednesday, June 22, 2022 at 2pm EST / 11am PST, it will be hosting an Active Shooter School Training Live Webinar with American Tactical Defense, at the Maglite Campus in Ontario, California. To register for the event, click here. Teachers that participate in the Webinar will receive a free copy of the Teachers Pocket Guide to Active Shooter Response, and School Administrators will receive the School Threat Assessment Checklist. GlobalBlock Digital Asset Trading Ltd, which provides a personalized telephone brokerage service, trading platform and mobile app for cryptocurrencies, said its subsidiary remains on call to support its clients in their digital asset needs during these volatile times. The company which has offices in London, UK and Vancouver, Canada, said its GlobalBlock Europe, UAB (GBE) operating subsidiary, a service-led digital asset broker has not suffered any adverse effects despite the volatility in digital assets, particularly so-called stablecoins. While GlobalBlock does offer some stablecoins for its clients to trade, the business does not currently have any risk exposure to any stablecoin or yield products, said the company. And as a result, has not suffered any adverse effects from the recent seismic events that have led to the current downward trend in digital asset prices. Ultra Lithium Inc said it has closed the first tranche of its previously-announced private placement, raising gross proceeds of C$1,074,699. The lithium properties developer noted that proceeds from the offering will be used to fund the exploration of its Argentine and Canadian properties and for general working capital purposes. Ultra Lithium said it sold 4,220,000 flow-through (FT) company units, at a price of C$0.25 per FT unit, for gross proceeds of C$1,055,000, along with 83,829 non-flow-through (NFT) company units, at a price of C$0.235 per NFT unit, for gross proceeds of C$19,699.82. Water Tower Research has published an update note on AEye Inc via the following link: https://www.watertowerresearch.com/content/co-founder-details-how-aeye-will-win-at-the-deutsche-bank-global-auto-industry-conference Wellbeing Digital Sciences Inc said its revenue in the nine months ending April 30, 2022, came in at C$5,280,640 from nil in the corresponding period of 2021 as the firm transitioned from an investment issuer to a company focused on consolidating medical clinics. "2022 will be foundational year that will set the stage for Wellbeing to execute on its strategy in the future," Najla Guthrie, Wellbeing's chief executive officer said in a statement. "We are focused on developing and expanding our leadership team, closing additional clinical and digital acquisitions as well as evaluating strategic capital market opportunities to build shareholder value, Guthrie added. Irwin Naturals Inc said it has entered into a binding agreement to acquire the assets of Hobie Fuerstman DO PLC, doing business as Preventive Medicine, a clinic operation based in Colchester, Vermont. The company noted that this is the eighth ketamine clinic it has added to its growing portfolio, which now covers four states, made up of acquired clinics and clinics under definitive agreements. Our roll-up is gathering momentum, CEO Klee Irwin said in a statement. Our mission is to make this amazingly effective treatment available and accessible throughout the country and beyond, and we are planning to acquire and build hundreds of clinics in the months and years to come. As we focus on acquiring profitable operations, we continue to add to our bottom line through these highly accretive transactions." Preventative owner and director Hobie Fuerstman said the collaboration with Irwin will allow the company to amplify the reach of its integrative healthcare clinic, which means it can help more people without compromising its values. Paltalk Inc said it has released the Windows version of ManyCam 8.0, an upgrade to its recently acquired asset. The communications software provider explained that ManyCam is a live streaming software and virtual camera that allows users to deliver professional live videos on streaming platforms, video conferencing apps and distance learning tools. "We are very excited that within days of acquiring the ManyCam asset, we have been able to launch ManyCam version 8.0, the companys chairman and CEO Jason Katz said in a statement. ManyCam version 8.0 offers quicker access, dark and light modes and overall rendering performance improvement for high-resolution users as well as improved quality and performance with regard to virtual backgrounds. Users can now access a library of virtual backgrounds and playlists which we expect will help make the product more desirable and a better complement for Paltalk and Camfrog, which is a priority on our roadmap, Katz continued. Our team now plans to actively promote and cross-market ManyCam version 8.0 to our Paltalk and Camfrog communities. Boosh Plant-Based Brands Inc has updated investors on recent activity, including the integration of its Beanfields chips brand into the group, naming Greg Gilbert as its (Beanfields) finance chief, and West Bonebrake as its director of operations. At Beanfields, the Safeway Nor California Division was launched in June this year at 250 stores, while HEB launched two more SKUs (flavors of Beanfields Chips) at 340 stores while Fresh Market will launch Beanfields in September this year at 230 stores. "I could not be more proud of our team through the successful integration of Beanfields into the Boosh Plant-based family of brands," said Boosh Plant-based Brands CEO and founder Connie Marples in a statement. Great Atlantic Resources Corp said it has arranged a non-brokered private placement of 5,000,000 units at a price of $0.10 per unit for gross proceeds of $500,000. The units of the financing will comprise of one common share and a full share purchase warrant, which may be exercised for a period of 5 years at a price of $0.12 per share. The proceeds of the private placement will be used for general working capital and exploration work. A finder's fee may be paid to eligible finders in accordance with the TSX-V policies. All securities issued pursuant to the offering will be subject to a hold period of four months and one day from the date of closing. The offerings and payment of finders' fees are both subject to approval by the TSX-V. Directors, officers or other insiders of the Company may participate in the foregoing offerings, and such parties may sell securities of the company owned or controlled by them personally through the facilities of the TSX Venture Exchange to finance participation in such offerings. AEX Gold Inc has announced the results of voting at its Annual General meeting held on June 16, 2022, at which shareholders voted in favour of all items put forward. Additionally, further to the announcement on appointment of Panmure Gordon (UK) Limited as the company's joint corporate broker, AEX noted that Panmure Gordon receives an annual retainer fee of approximately C$85,800 payable quarterly in advance. The engagement renews annually unless either Panmure Gordon or AEX gives 3 months' notice to terminate. Panmure Gordon holds no direct or indirect interest in AEX or its securities. Panmure Gordon may act as a market maker in AEX's common shares in the UK only. Magna Mining Inc said that all resolutions at the country's annual general and special meeting of shareholders were approved by shareholders on June 16, 2022. The Toronto Stock Exchange has reported that Delta 9 Cannabis Inc. has closed its prospectus offering of up to 9,090,909 units, with each unit consisting of one common share and one common share purchase warrant. Virtual Investor Conferences (VIC), the leading proprietary investor conference series, today announced that the presentations from the June 16, 2022, OTCQX Best 50 Virtual Investor Conference are now available for on-demand viewing via the following link: https://bit.ly/39ueG8g. 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 to June 21, 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, interested parties can visit www.virtualinvestorconferences.com. OTC Markets Group Inc, the operator of regulated markets for 12,000 US and international securities, has announced that VitalHub Corp, a health and human services technology provider, has qualified to trade on the OTCQX Best Market and has today upgraded from the Pink market under the symbol VHIBF. Upgrading to the OTCQX Market is an important step for companies seeking to provide transparent trading for their US investors. For companies listed on a qualified international exchange, streamlined market standards enable them to utilize their home market reporting to make their information available in the US. To qualify for OTCQX, companies must meet high financial standards, follow best practice corporate governance and demonstrate compliance with applicable securities laws. "We are pleased to begin trading on OTCQX, as we broaden our reach across US investors," said Dan Matlow, CEO of VitalHub. "Through trading on OTCQX, we will enable the US investment core to easily acquire shares in VitalHub, and participate in our growth journey. We look forward to increasing our investor footprint as we continue to execute on our strategy on an international basis." Honda Motor (NYSE:HMC) and Sony Group Corp (NYSE:SONY) officially launched a joint venture yesterday to build and sell electric vehicles (EVs), as the Japanese car maker plays catch up in the race for eco-friendlly mass produced cars. The newly-established company, Sony Honda Mobility Inc, will "engage in the sale of high-value-added electric vehicles (EVs) and provide services for mobility," according to a joint statement. The tie-up plans to start selling the cars in 2025 and both companies will invest 5 billion yen ($37.52 million) into the venture Honda, like bigger rival Toyota Motor (NYSE:TM), has lagged global automakers in the switch to EVs. And faces increasing pressure from investors to produce cars that are carbon-free and include new technology such as self-driving capabilities. Currently Honda offers only one EV, the Honda e, but plans to roll out 30 EV models and produce about two million EVs a year by 2030. Honda announced last year that by 2040 it would sell only battery-electric and hydrogen-fueled vehicles. Honda is expected to unveil its all-electric Prologue in the US market next year, with the car expected to go 300 miles on a single charge. Longtime Honda executive, Yasuhide Mizuno, is set to be the chairman and chief executive of the new entity. "We plan to fully leverage the technological assets the two companies possess in different fields, such as Sony's sensing technology and Honda's original mobility development capabilities, to realise mobility and services that inspire and excite our customers," Mizuno said. "By bringing together the expertise of both companies, we aim to lead the way in a new era." Sony unveiled its Vision-S concept car, an EV vehicle, at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in 2020, which featured an array of sensors and other technologies. The tech giant returned to the CES 2022 show with the Vision-S 02 SUV concept, announcing it would put the car into production this year via a new business entity. Vision-S 02 was presented with all-wheel drive and 536 horsepower, but no details on battery capacity or range were provided. As a midsize SUV, it will compete with new EVs like the Polestar 3, Chevrolet Equinox EV, and the Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F) Mustang Mach-E. A partnership between Honda and General Motors Company (NYSE:GM) has also been announced to produce EVs in 2023 and 2024. "As we focus on acquiring profitable operations, we continue to add to our bottom line through these highly accretive transactions," the company's CEO Klee Irwin said Irwin Naturals Inc. (CSE:IWIN) said it has entered into a binding agreement to acquire the assets of Hobie Fuerstman DO PLC, doing business as Preventive Medicine, a clinic operation based in Colchester, Vermont. The company noted that this is the eighth ketamine clinic it has added to its growing portfolio, which now covers four states, made up of acquired clinics and clinics under definitive agreements. Our roll-up is gathering momentum, CEO Klee Irwin said in a statement. Our mission is to make this amazingly effective treatment available and accessible throughout the country and beyond, and we are planning to acquire and build hundreds of clinics in the months and years to come. As we focus on acquiring profitable operations, we continue to add to our bottom line through these highly accretive transactions." Preventative owner and director Hobie Fuerstman said the collaboration with Irwin will allow the company to amplify the reach of its integrative healthcare clinic, which means it can help more people without compromising its values. "We're excited that Irwin Naturals has selected us to be the first Emergence partner in Vermont, Fuerstman added. There's a lot of good that can come from merging with a nationally recognized and well-respected brand. Our mission has always and will always be, to provide the highest quality holistic care." Irwin said the agreement is subject to certain customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals. The total consideration is to be paid in a combination of cash and stock, with the maximum payable contingent on a number of milestones related to profitability and operational goals. Further detail will be provided upon closing, it added. Irwin Naturals has been a household name and best-in-class herbal supplement formulator since 1994. Its growing portfolio of products is available in more than 100,000 retail doors across North America, where nearly 100 million people know the Irwin Naturals brand. It is now leveraging its brand to enter into both the cannabis and psychedelic industries. Contact the author at stephen.gunnion@proactiveinvestors.com "I could not be more proud of our team through the successful integration of Beanfields into the Boosh Plant-based family of brands," said Boosh Plant-based Brands CEO and founder Connie Marples Boosh Plant-Based Brands Inc (CSE:VEGI, OTC:VGGIF) has updated investors on recent activity, including the integration of its Beanfields chips brand into the group, naming Greg Gilbert as its (Beanfields) finance chief, and West Bonebrake as its director of operations. At Beanfields, the Safeway Nor California Division was launched in June this year at 250 stores, while HEB launched two more SKUs (flavors of Beanfields Chips) at 340 stores while Fresh Market will launch Beanfields in September this year at 230 stores. "I could not be more proud of our team through the successful integration of Beanfields into the Boosh Plant-based family of brands," said Boosh Plant-based Brands CEO and founder Connie Marples in a statement. "The addition of Greg Gilbert and Wes Bonebrake to our management group has been seamless and their industry expertise plus history with Beanfields is highly valued," the company boss added. Other activities included: Boosh US Opened retail chain in the USA at Market of Choice (11 stores in Oregon). This will open up UNFI Pacific Northwest for independent accounts to purchase. Opened up retail Chain Nugget Market (14 Stores in Nor Cal) which will open up UNFI NOR Cal, so the company will be able to reach out to Nor Cal stores. Boosh Canada Save-On-Foods launched and selling through well New shelf-stable Mac & Cheeze launching at Whole Foods Canada in July Horizon Distributors will be listing all frozen lines. Currently only listed with UNFI so this will expose Boosh line to a lot of new retailers. Luongo has agreed to launch frozen lines and shelf-stable Mac n Cheese to its 36 stores in Ontario. In other news, Maria Hussaini has stepped down as the chief financial officer (CFO) of Boosh Plant-based Brands, the company said. "The board and company wish to thank Maria for all her hard work over the past year, especially in overseeing the audit of Beanfields acquisition." Boosh Plant-Based Brands offers high-quality, non-GMO, gluten-free, 100% plant-based nutritional comfort foods. Through a separate subsidiary, Beautiful Beanfields, the company owns Beanfields, a plant-based chips brand sold in over 7,000 stores throughout North America. Contact the writer at giles@proactiveinvestors.com GlobalBlock reassured customers that their assets are safe and easily accessible for trading or transferring purposes. GlobalBlock Digital Asset Trading Ltd (TSX-V:BLOK, OTC:BLVDF), which provides a personalized telephone brokerage service, trading platform and mobile app for cryptocurrencies, said its subsidiary remains on call to support its clients in their digital asset needs during these volatile times. The company which has offices in London, UK and Vancouver, Canada, said its GlobalBlock Europe, UAB (GBE) operating subsidiary, a service-led digital asset broker has not suffered any adverse effects despite the volatility in digital assets, particularly so-called stablecoins. While GlobalBlock does offer some stablecoins for its clients to trade, the business does not currently have any risk exposure to any stablecoin or yield products, said the company. And as a result, has not suffered any adverse effects from the recent seismic events that have led to the current downward trend in digital asset prices. READ: GlobalBlock Digital Asset Trading files delayed 2021 annual results, showing revenue of C$1.47M GlobalBlock reassured customers that their assets are safe and easily accessible for trading or transferring purposes. In a statement, GlobalBlock CEO Rufus Round said: "GlobalBlock has seen similar market conditions on more than one occasion since its inception in 2018 and we have steered our clients through each and every one by providing them with the highest security and custody of their assets and our reassuringly human touch. "The current climate is no different and it is our service-led approach that makes us stand out from the competition. We remain on call to support our clients in their digital asset needs during these volatile times and as ever look optimistically towards the future as broader adoption of crypto continues," he added. Established in 2018 by an experienced team of financial services professionals, GlobalBlock Digital Asset Trading Limited acts as a trusted agent serving the digital asset needs of individuals, corporates, institutional financial firms and intermediaries, providing the best execution trading and safe custody of digital assets. Contact the author Uttara Choudhury at uttara@proactiveinvestors.com Follow her on Twitter: @UttaraProactive Cairo, June 17 : Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi has said that nearly $500 billion were spent on the country's infrastructure projects in the past seven years. "Adequate infrastructure is the key for development and luring investments," Sisi said in a televised speech during one of the sessions of the 2022 African Export-Import Bank's 29th Annual Meetings (AAM2022) held in Egypt's New Administrative Capital east of Cairo, Xinhua news agency reported. However, what has been implemented so far only covers 10 per cent to 12 per cent of Egypt's total territory of 1 million square km, according to the president. African countries have enormous agricultural potential but lack the infrastructure to manage their natural resources, Sisi said, urging global major banks to provide loans for Africa to upgrade its infrastructure for development projects. The AAM2022, which runs until Saturday, hosts more than 3,000 participants from African central banks, governments and international organizations. New Delhi, June 17 : People in large numbers gathered at Delhi's Jama Masjid premises after the MCD mistakenly demolished a wall in the mosque complex. However, a major ruckus was averted after the civic officials at the spot assured that they will get the wall rebuilt soon. The MCD team had on Thursday reached to take action against an illegal room being built in the park of the mosque complex -- for which it also had court orders, but instead of demolishing the room, the bulldozer deployed at the site razed a different wall. Irked over the civic body's action, Shahi Imam made an announcement on mike about the incident which led to the gathering of huge crowd in the mosque complex. As people in large numbers started the gathering there, heavy police force was deployed at the mosque complex. At the same time, in the presence of senior police officers, the MCD officials spoke to the Shahi Imam and assured him the demolished wall would be built soon. As per the information, the civic body razed the wall by mistake and workers have been sent rebuilding the wall. At present, the atmosphere in Jama Masjid and the surrounding area is calm and situation is said to be normal in the area. Lucknow/Prayagraj, June 17 : Tight security arrangements have been made in major cities in Uttar Pradesh in view of Friday prayers and also the protests over 'Agnipath' scheme. Drone surveillance will be carried out in sensitive areas, officials said. While police across the state have been put on high alert for Friday prayers, the government has deployed additional state and central paramilitary forces as a precautionary measure to contain any sporadic outbursts. In addition, 200 companies of PAC and 50 companies of Rapid Action Force have also been deployed in the state to maintain peace. Special focus is on security in Prayagraj, Kanpur, Lucknow, Moradabad and Saharanpur. So far 357 persons have been arrested in nine districts for the violence after Friday prayers in some of the districts on June 10. Additional Chief Secretary, Home, Avanish Awasthi and DGP D.S. Chauhan have told the senior police and district officials that strict action would be taken in case of any laxity on Friday. A home official said the police and administrative officers were told to cooperate and communicate with the prominent religious leaders in their jurisdiction. CCTV, video cameras and drones will be used at all the sensitive places as per the requirement and 'sector plan' be implemented by the police, officials said. ADG, law and order, Prashant Kumar, said 53 districts have been identified under two categories: hyper-sensitive and sensitive. Among 24 hyper-sensitive districts are Prayagraj, Lucknow, Kanpur, Ambedkar Nagar, Ayodhya, Varanasi while 29 sensitive districts include Etah, Mainpuri, Kannauj, Barabanki and others. "These 53 districts will be under the watch of DGP headquarters on Friday. Drones will be used for surveillance in the narrow lanes and alleys of hypersensitive districts," he said. The district police chiefs and police commissioners in districts have been directed to give hourly updates to DGP headquarters on Friday. They will also share record of the peace meetings held with religious leaders, deployment of force along with measures taken for prevention of violence which include 'samvad' with youth. Lucknow Police Commissioner D.K. Thakur said adequate force has been deployed in sensitive areas and meetings with religious heads are being done. Inspector General of Police (Prayagraj Range) Dr Rakesh Singh said, "Adequate security arrangements have been made for Friday prayers and forces have been deployed at identified pockets. We have drafted a sector-wise security plan to maintain law and order. The city has been divided into more than a dozen sectors." Apart from digital volunteers, cybercrime teams have been maintaining a strict watch on social media and appealed people not to post derogatory or inflammatory remarks or upload such videos else strict action would be initiated accordingly. Police in Azamgarh, Balrampur, Gonda, Basti, Meerut, Agra, Mathura conducted mock drills, while religious leaders appealed for maintaining peace. Lucknow, June 17 : Islamic institutions and clerics have urged the community members to maintain peace during Friday prayers. The Islamic Centre of India (ICI) has issued a six-point advisory, which says that no sloganeering, protests and demonstrations should be held, before or after Friday prayers. "ICI appeals to all Muslims not to resort to any sloganeering, protests or demonstrations before or after Friday prayers in or outside the mosque. Various individuals and associations, including those representing the community, have taken up the recent issues at the right forum through right channels and the community should not involve itself in taking up the cause individually or as a crowd," said chairman of ICI, Maulana Khalid Rashid Firangi Mahali. He asserted that the Muslims should peacefully gather at the mosque for prayers, listen to the mandatory Khutba (sermon) delivered by the priest, offer special prayers for peace, communal harmony in the society and peacefully disperse from the mosque. The advisory says mosques are meant for offering prayers and must be used for offering prayers. "Prophet Mohammed always carried the message of peace, love, compassion and humility and we should take his message forward," he said. Several other clerics including Maulana Kalbe Jawad has also asked members of the community to refrain from any kind of protest and return to their homes after offering Friday prayers. Baghdad, June 17 : Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein has expressed Iraq's readiness to host a new round of direct talks between Iran and Saudi Arabia in Baghdad. Hussein made the remarks in a phone conversation with his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, Xinhua news agency reported, citing a statement by the Iraqi Foreign Ministry. During the phone call, the Iraqi top diplomat confirmed "the Iraqi government's intention to continue facilitating direct talks between the Saudi and Iranian foreign ministers in Baghdad to restore relations to normal," said the statement. Calling the latest round of talks with Saudi Arabia in Baghdad as "positive", Amir-Abdollahian welcomed the implementation of the outcomes of the negotiations and praised the Iraqi Foreign Ministry's role in this regard, according to the statement. To improve bilateral relations and ease regional tension, Baghdad hosted four rounds of direct talks between Iran and Saudi Arabia last year, and the fifth round was held in April this year. In response to the attacks on Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran after the kingdom executed a Shiite cleric, Saudi Arabia cut diplomatic ties with Iran in early 2016. The two rivals' strained relations showed signs of improvement after they resumed direct talks on normalising diplomatic relations in April 2021. New Delhi, June 17 : One person lost his life while three members of his family sustained injuries during a violent quarrel between two families in the national capital's Jahangirpuri area, an official said on Friday. The police said they have arrested one of the accused, identified as Md. Rutaj (31) while another accused named Md. Russaq alias Mukhia went absconding after the incident. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Northwest district) Usha Rangnani said that a PCR call regarding a quarrel in E-block, Jahangirpuri was received in Jahangirpuri police station at around 10.45 p.m. on Thursday. When the police reached the spot, they found four injured people. All four were taken to Babu Jagjivan Ram Memorial Hospital, where one Abdul Mutalif (42), a resident of Jahangirpuri succumbed to stab injuries while the other three had sustained minor injuries. "During enquiry, it was found that there was a quarrel between two minor boys as cycle of one of them accidentally hit the other. Their families intervened and the quarrel escalated," the DCP said. During quarrel, Mukhia alias Md Russak (father of one of the minor boy), his brother Md. Rutaj along with 2-3 other persons were on one side hit Shahida Khatoon (mother of the other minor boy), Abdul Mutalif, Abdul Wahid and Shabnam (brothers and sister of Shahida) were on the other side. "Rutaj stabbed Mutalif on the chest, who later succumbed to injuries. Shahida, her sister Shabnam and her brother Abdul Wahid sustained minor injuries," the official said. Accordingly, a case under section 302, 323 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code was registered and accused Md. Rutaj was apprehended. "Russaq is absconding and efforts are being made to nab him," said the official. The police denied any reports of stone pelting or communal tension in the area. "There was no communal angle involved as both parties belonged to the same community and are neighbours," the official added. New Delhi, June 17 : The Bonn Climate Change Conference came to a close after two weeks of intense work to make progress on important technical issues, and prepare decisions for adoption at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP27) in Sharm el-Sheikh in November. However, vulnerable countries and civil society expressed disappointment that more progress was not made to provide funding for vulnerable countries to deal with losses and damages due to the emissions of the rich. They say that Europe and the US have a "responsibility now to pay for these losses and damages". The pressure is now on for leaders to make more decisive progress at diplomatic gatherings and elsewhere leading up to the COP27 summit in Egypt. Building on the many mandates that emerged from the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow last year, discussions, which culminated on Thursday, took place on a range of important topics, including the need for more ambitious climate action, deeper cuts in greenhouse gas emissions, enhanced resilience to adapt to the effects of climate change and financial support for developing countries. The Bonn Climate Change Conference has been the first opportunity for all parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to meet since the adoption of the Glasgow Climate Pact at COP26 last year. In Glasgow, governments agreed a package of decisions that pave the way for full implementation of the Paris Agreement. UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa said: "While much work remains, parties have made progress in several technical areas here in Bonn. Such steps are a key part of negotiations and important to achieve our overall goals. "The world is moving closer to an overall shift towards implementation of the Paris Agreement. Major political decisions, notably on finance for loss and damage, need to be taken at COP27. We now need to ensure that Sharm el-Sheikh will truly be the place where important promises of the Paris Agreement are turned into reality." Key outstanding issues that still need to be resolved relate on the one hand to building adaptation to the inevitable impacts of climate change, which include ever more frequent and intense heatwaves, flood and storms, and loss and damage, along with the necessary financial support. On the other hand, important work has been launched on urgently scaling up mitigation ambition and implementation. Delegates at the Bonn Climate Change Conference undertook the first technical dialogue of the Global Stocktake, designed to review collective progress towards achieving the Paris Agreement's goal to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. Marianne Karlsen, the Chair of the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI), said: "The Global Stocktake and other discussions at the Bonn Climate Conference have demonstrated the many gaps that exist in climate action, but also the opportunities. "I am heartened that governments and numerous stakeholders have been showcasing solutions, opportunities, innovations and best practices from throughout the world. And we have seen unprecedented engagement on the part of non-party stakeholders who have a key role to play in helping governments achieve their climate goals." At the Global Stocktake, Hoesung Lee, Chair of the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, reported that human activities have warmed the planet at a rate not seen in the past 2,000 years, putting the world on a path towards global warming of 1.5 degrees Celsius within the next two decades. Many participants at the Global Stocktake and in other fora of the Bonn meeting highlighted the need for increased financial support. "The international community has yet to live up to its commitment to mobilize $100 billion annually in climate finance for developing countries. And these countries are calling for an overall substantial increase in finance, especially finance for adaptation and loss and damage, which is crucial to build a more sustainable and resilient future," the UN's top climate change official Espinosa said. "At COP27, progress needs to be demonstrated clearly and convincingly, along with the alignment of financial flows with the objectives of the Paris Agreement," she added. The UN Climate Change Conference COP27 will take place in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, November 6-18. As part of its obligations under the Paris Agreement, Australia committed new national climate commitment, a necessary leap forward for a major emitter that has only offered grossly insufficient targets in the past. On the last day of the Bonn summit, it lodged an updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) with the UNFCCC secretariat. The updated NDC commits Australia to a more ambitious 2030 target. "We will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 43 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030, which is a 15 percentage point increase on Australia's previous 2030 target, reaffirms Australia's commitment to net zero emissions by 2050 and commits the government to providing an annual statement to parliament on progress towards these targets," a statement by the Australian government said. Meanwhile, responding to the UN climate negotiations conclusion, David Waskow, Director International Climate Action, World Resources Institute, told IANS, "This UN meeting elevated the severe losses and damages that vulnerable countries face from climate change higher than any negotiations have before but failed to clarify how to address the problem. "While developed countries acknowledged the need to deal with such damages, they rebuffed requests from vulnerable nations to work toward establishing a new funding mechanism. Perhaps the most decisive outcome from these talks is that developed countries now realize that the chorus calling for solutions to loss and damage is only getting louder and addressing this issue is a central measure of success for the UN climate summit in Egypt." Seeing the huge disconnect between the negotiations and the urgency of action needed, Mary Friel, Christian Aid's Climate Justice Lead, said: "Right now it is people, communities and the most climate vulnerable who are being hit the hardest, who did the least to cause the crisis, yet are bearing the costs for loss and damage. Richer countries need to pay up." On Australia's new climate commitment, Waskow said, "This new plan offers an opportunity for the country to pivot away from fossil fuels and heavily invest in clean power." "Such a transition will set the stage for Australia to reap the huge economic benefits from a zero-carbon economy by 2050. And like all major emitters, Australia should more closely align its target with limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius ahead of COP27 this November." (Vishal Gulati can be contacted at vishal.g@ians.in) San Francisco, June 17 : Tech billionaire Elon Musk has told Twitter employees that the platform "needs to get healthy" financially and bring down costs, suggesting that job cuts are likely in store if his deal to buy the social media service goes through. When asked about the possibility of layoffs during an internal Q&A, Musk said "Right now costs exceed revenue," citing employees, The Verge reported. "That's not a great situation," he added. The question of layoffs has been top of mind for Twitter's more than 7,000 employees since Musk first said he wanted to buy the company. In an earlier meeting, Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal told employees that layoffs were not being planned "at this time". Though Musk did not explicitly say if there would be job cuts, his comments suggest the odds are high. Meanwhile, he also said that employees doing "excellent" work should be allowed to continue working from home. However, he clarified that he strongly prefers to work in person and would confirm with managers that remote employees were contributing positively to the company. The response came during a virtual all-hands meeting with Twitter employees, during which the Tesla CEO addressed workers for the first time and answered pre-submitted questions, read by a Twitter executive. The meeting comes amid Musk's $44 billion takeover attempt. Panaji, June 17 : Police in Goa have arrested a Delhi native for driving a Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) on the popular Anjuna beach while endangering the lives of tourists and the general public. Deputy Superintendent of Police, Jivba Dalvi told IANS that the accused, Lalit Kumar Dayal, was driving a Hyundai Creta vehicle, registered in Goa, which has been seized following the incident that took place on Thursday. An FIR under sections 279, 336 IPC has been registered. A video, which has gone viral on social media, shows that the SUV was stuck in the sand and the occupants of the vehicle were trying to pull it out. Dalvi informed that a report against the car owner Sangeeta Gavadalkar from Mapusa has been submitted to RTO. Anjuna Police Inspector Vikram Naik is further investigating the case. Lucknow, June 17 : Nearly 58,000 villages in Uttar Pradesh will be provided music kits, which will include instruments like a drum, cymbal, harmonium, in an effort to keep the tradition of folk music alive. According to the state Minister for Culture and Tourism Jaivir Singh, the idea is to encourage villagers to sing 'Birha', 'Alha' and 'bhajans' in panchayat houses and promote mutual brotherhood and harmony in villages. "Uttar Pradesh has a huge heritage of folk arts but some of these arts are on the verge of extinction. The state government has decided to encourage folk artistes. It will register them in various districts and they will be given an opportunity to exhibit their art in festivals fairs and other programmes organised by the state government," the Minister said. Singh also noted that the Bhatkhande Sanskriti Vishwavidyalaya will soon complete all necessary preparations for the launch of various programmes. The National Kathak Institute, State Lalit Kala Akademi, Bhartendu Natya Akademi, Sangeet Academy, Jain Research Institute will also be activated, he said. "On the occasion of 'Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav', the culture department has identified the villages of freedom fighters who sacrificed their life during the freedom struggle. The people will be made aware about the contribution of the freedom fighters. The family members of the freedom fighters will be also felicitated," adds the Minister. Ballia : , June 17 (IANS) The Ballia police, on Friday morning, thwarted attempts of some local youth who wanted to protest on the railway tracks against the 'Agnipath' scheme for short-term recruitment in the armed forces. District Magistrate Saumya Agarwal said that police forces had been deployed on the railway tracks and the protesters, who attempted to pelt stones, were pushed back by the police. Meanwhile, train movement at the Deen Dayal Upadhyay station in Chandauli had been adversely affected because of attacks on trains in Bihar by protesters. According to railway sources, train movement has been halted on some routes while some other trains have been delayed. Kabul, June 17 : Nasir Andisha, Afghanistan's Permanent Representative to the UN, said that all efforts by the international community to engage with the Taliban regime in Kabul in the past 10 months were "approaching a dead end". While addressing the 50th annual UN Human Rights session in Geneva, Andisha said: "In the past 10 months, the international community is using every possible mean to engage with the Taliban, but it appears to become a dead end filled with broken promises and deep disappointments. "The violent extremist group have removed, decree by decree, every fundamental rights and liberties of the citizens of Afghanistan. Women cannot participate in political life and are not represented in the government,women have become invisible in public life. "As the conflict resumed in several parts of the country,gruesome reports of violations of the IHL including extrajudicial killings, torture, displacement, denial of access to medical facilities killing of war wounded, surfaced." At the session, countries and representatives of human rights organisations discussed the state of the world's interactions with the Taliban's Islamic Emirate regime, the "systematic exclusion of women from society", and the "deteriorating human rights situation", TOLO News reported. "We want to speak to the Taliban ourselves, we know what our people need... I call on the de facto authorities to honor their commitments to women's rights to urgently create a meaningful dialogue with Afghan women and to listen to their voices...," said Michelle Bachelet, the High Commissioner for Human Rights. She said that the Taliban's recent acts constituted an "institutionalised, systematic' oppression of Afghan women". Bachelet explained that the Taliban's policy toward women is alarming, and that women currently have no opportunity to engage in public gatherings. Also addressing the session, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said: "In Afghanistan, the Taliban have appointed a government of men, closed girls' schools, banned women from showing their faces in public and restricted their rights even to leave their own homes. Nearly 20 million Afghan women and girls are being silenced and erased from sight." Bengaluru, June 17 : In a shocking case, the Karnataka Police have arrested a woman on charges of trying to smuggle drugs into the Central Prison of Parappana Agrahara in Bengaluru for her jailed son, police said on Friday. The arrested woman has been identified as Parveen Taj, a resident of Shikaripalya in Bengaluru. According to police, the accused woman was acting as per the instruction of her jailed son. Mohammad Bilal, son of Parveen Taj, is a habitual offender and was arrested by the Konanakunte police in Bengaluru in connection with a robbery case in 2020. He is in prison as an undertrial. Parveen Taj had come to visit her son in the jail on June 13. She gave a cloth bag to her son during the visit. The police officers who inspected the bag found 200 grams of Hashish oil. The police immediately secured the woman and handed her to the Parappana Agrahara police station. The police said that the seized Hashish oil is worth Rs 5 lakh. Police said that a carbon sheet was placed inside the cloth bag and drug substance was hidden under a layer of the bag. However, the metal detector signalled the presence of suspicious material in the bag. When the prison staff checked it thoroughly they found a hidden drug substance. Parveen Taj has told the police during the investigation that her son called her through someone's phone and threatened her to hand over his clothes in a bag which will be given by one of his friends. The accused has claimed that as per the instructions of her son, she had brought his clothes in the given bag. She has pleaded to the police that she didn't have any idea about the presence of drugs inside the bag. The police have tracked the number from which her son had made a call from the prison. A hunt for the friend who had handed over the bag in which the drug was hidden has been launched by the police. The police probe revealed that Mohammad Bilal is not a drug addict and he was intending to sell the drug substance in the prison. The prison authorities have lodged 11 cases in connection with supply of drugs in the Central Prison and arrested the accused persons, including police officers. The police are further investigating the case. Kabul, June 17 : The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has warned that Afghanistan was currently experiencing the "worst humanitarian crisis on Earth", adding that it needed about $82 million to further scale up response in the war-torn nation. In its latest update on Thursday, the Red Cross said that more than half of Afghanistan's total population required immediate humanitarian assistance. "The country is experiencing the compounding effects of decades of conflict, severe drought, food insecurity, climate-related disasters, displacement and gaps in health services," it said. The IFRC suggested that Afghanistan is in the midst of the biggest and the "worst humanitarian crisis on Earth", with about 20 million people facing food insecurity. It said that intense summer heat and a weak spring rainy season have effectively spelt doom for a meaningful harvest in the country. Amidst mounting poverty, 70 per cent of households are unable to meet basic food and non-food needs, with particularly devastating effects for homes headed by widows, the elderly, people with disabilities, and children. An estimated 3 million children are at risk of malnutrition and susceptible to diseases such as acute watery diarrhoea and measles due to weakened immunity. Thousands of people have resorted to begging in the streets, with prices of essential items soaring in the face of declining remittances, a crumbling economy and rising poverty. Mohammad Nabi Burhan, Secretary General of Afghan Red Crescent, said: "This is one of the worst humanitarian crises I have seen in Afghanistan, in more than 30 years as a humanitarian aid worker. It is horrifying to see the extent of hunger and resurgence of poverty that we have fought so hard to eradicate." New Delhi, June 17 : The Enforcement Directorate (ED) was conducting raids at multiple locations in Delhi-NCR in connection with a Prevention of Money Laundering case involving the national capital's Health Minister Satyendar Jain. Jain was arrested on May 30 by the ED under section 19 of the PMLA. According to the sources, the ED officials were conducting raids at the office of a renowned public school chain. The school is being run by a trust. Its promoter and directors are being grilled as they have connections in the Jain case. The ED officials have not given any official reaction on this so far now. The ED had initiated money laundering investigation on the basis of the FIR registered by CBI in 2017 under section 13(2) read with 13(1)(e) of the PC Act, 1988 against Jain, his wife Poonam Jain, and Ajit Prasad Jain, Sunil Kumar Jain, Vaibhav Jain and Ankush Jain. A charge sheet was filed by the CBI on December 3, 2018 against Jain, his wife Poonam Jain, and other accused. It was alleged that 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 were disproportionate to his known sources of income. The CBI has accused Jain, his wife and other accused, for commission of offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act. Earlier, the ED had provisionally attached immovable properties worth Rs 4.81 crore belonging to companies beneficially owned and controlled by Jain on March 31, 2022. Seoul, June 17 : Kim Yo-jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, has sent medicine to help people stricken with a new infectious disease in the country's southwestern region, Pyongyang's state media said on Friday. In a report, the North's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said that Kim Yo-jong and other government officials asked the "primary Party committees of their departments to send medicines prepared by their families with sincerity to households in Haeju city and Kangryong county of South Hwanghae province where an acute enteric epidemic occurred". Jo Yong-won, an official from the North's ruling Workers' Party of Korea, said he will organise the transportation of medicine to over 800 families suffering from the infectious disease, the KCNA reported. On Thursday, North Korea announced an outbreak of an "acute enteric" infection in Haeju, with at least 2,000 people likely to be affected, reports Yonhap News Agency. It did not specify what the disease is but it appears to refer to infectious diseases such as typhoid, dysentery, and cholera, which most frequently result from consumption of contaminated food or water and through the feces of infected patients. Concerns have grown over the impact of the virus outbreak in the impoverished country known for its fragile health care system and chronic food shortages. Washington, June 17 : One person died and two others were injured after a shooting at a church in the US state of Alabama, police said on Friday. Police in the city of Vestavia Hills said they received a call of an active shooter at Saint Stephen's Episcopal Church at 6.22 p.m. on Thursday evening, reports Xinhua news agency. Police chief Shane Ware told reporters that three people were shot, adding that the victim died on the spot, and two others were being treated at a hospital. A suspect, who has not been named, is in custody. Vestavia Hills is a suburb in the Birmingham Metropolitan area. According to the latest data from Gun Violence Archive, the US has witnessed 267 mass shootings since the start of the year, with more than 20,000 lives lost to gun violence. On June 12, a group of bipartisan Senators has recently reached a narrow gun safety deal amid public disappointment about political inaction. The plan includes measures to crack down on criminals who straw purchase and traffic guns, strengthen criminal background check requirements for gun buyers younger than 21 and fund mental health services. A straw purchase occurs when an individual buys a firearm for someone who is not legally permitted to own one. Both Democrats and Republicans touted the deal as a victory. Still, it fell short of the White House's proposals to ban assault weapons and raise the minimum age of purchasing certain firearms from 18 to 21, among other things. Beijing, June 17 : Chinese President Xi Jinping will host the 14th BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) Summit in Beijing on June 23, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson announced here on Friday. Spokesperson Hua Chunying said the Summit will be held in virtual format under the theme of "Foster High-quality BRICS Partnership, Usher in a New Era for Global Development", reports Xinhua news agency. Hua said President Xi will host the High-level Dialogue on Global Development in Beijing on June 24. The Dialogue will be held in virtual format under the theme of "Foster a Global Development Partnership for the New Era to Jointly Implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development", and BRICS leaders and leaders of relevant emerging markets and developing countries will attend the event. Xi will attend the opening ceremony of the BRICS Business Forum in virtual format and deliver a keynote speech on June 22, Hua added. Thiruvananthapuram, June 17 : With the probe into the in-flight protest incident taking a serious turn, on Friday the CPI-M state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan like the Left Democratic Front convenor E.P. Jayarajan retracted his words. Balakrishnan had earlier said that the sloganeering occured when Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan was inside the plane. On Monday, the Chief Minister was on board IndiGo aircraft travelling from Kannur to the state capital. After the touch down here, three Youth Congress workers raised slogans against the CM in the wake of the serious allegations against him and his family made by Swapna Suresh -- the prime accused in the gold smuggling case. The state has been witnessing massive protests since early this month when the allegations surfaced and the Congress and the BJP workers have been demanding Vijayan's resignation. The sloganeering inside the aircraft was part of the Congress protests. The first visuals of the sloganeering came out soon after the flight landed. Left Democratic Front convenor E.P. Jayarajan, who was also on board the aircraft and was seen pushing down the protesters who were seen raising slogans. Jayarajan pushed the two protesters, who fell down. He told the TV channel that the sloganeering took place after Vijayan had alighted from the aircraft and also added that the protesters were heavily drunk and had lost their senses. Jayarajan later held a press meet and said Vijayan was present inside the aircraft, and also added that the Youth Congress workers 'appeared' to be drunk. After him, Balakrishnan said the incident in the aircraft took place after Vijayan had alighted from the aircraft. This came at a time when the Kerala Police had registered a case against the three Youth Congress workers and charged them under sections of attempt to murder. The local manager of the airline filed a report which alleged that the protesters 'attacked' the chief minister. Moreover, the report failed to mention the name of Jayarajan, who had manhandled the protesters. The Congress cried foul and on Thursday, Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheesan dismissed the report prepared by the IndiGo Airlines' manager here as "fudged" and added that it did not present a true and fair view. He wrote to the airline's top official demanding a proper probe. Union Minister of Civil Aviation Jyotiraditya Scindia said all things would be looked into and the airline announced a probe by a retired judge. CPI-M party organ, 'Deshabhimani' carried an article by Balakrishnana wherein he retracted his previous statement that the incident took place before Vijayan alighted from the aircraft and it was Jayarajan and Vijayan's security and his personal assistant who prevented the protesters to come near Vijayan. With this Balakrishnan like Jayarajan has also retracted from what they said on this issue, which is documented, as well. New Delhi, June 17 : The Swedish government is welcoming business leaders and decision-makers to be part of the Join Sweden Summit on June 20-21 at the Grand Hotel in Stockholm. The one-of-a-kind event will focus on exploring collaborative innovation to drive the digital and green transition. It will be conducted in hybrid mode, including face-to-face interactions as well as live broadcasts to a wider online audience, connecting hundreds of companies, think tanks and industry leaders from across the globe. The summit will receive around 150 foreign and 100 Swedish guests, whereas the digital broadcast is open for anyone who wants to learn more about the business landscape in the country. The summit, which brings together leading figures in the field of academia, politics, industry, and innovative environments to exchange ideas and explore investment potential and business opportunities in Sweden. It will act as a platform to connect global game-changers with Swedish industry leaders, government ministers and authorities, potential partners, and research and innovation institutes at national and regional levels. The two-day event, with the overarching theme of 'Pioneer the Possible', will highlight the competitive strengths of Sweden's business community in the green and digital transition. The sessions will include networking opportunities and industry-specific dialogues with the Swedish government ministries. Day one will focus on two important sessions: Join Sweden to Grow World Leading Companies and Join Sweden to Lead the Green Transition. The second day will be divided into five segments emphasizing Industrial transformation for sustainable production; Collaborations for a sustainable battery value chain; Safe, sustainable and automated transport; The future of medicine - connected and precision health and the future of medicine, connected and precision health. Speaking about the summit, Klas Molin, Ambassador of Sweden to India, said: "Sweden is at the forefront of the green and digital transition in areas such as mobility, clean energy and smart manufacturing, all key to sustainable growth. In our bilateral co-operation with India, innovation and sustainability are key components. I see Join Sweden Summit as a very timely opportunity to form new partnerships and spur new investments for sustainable growth in both our countries. Sweden is one of the most innovative countries in the world and a pioneer of system-wide solutions that are shaping tomorrow's smart and sustainable societies. We warmly welcome international business to come, explore and leverage Sweden's collaborative and open business environment." Leaders from 11 leading markets such as the UK, France, Germany, the US, Canada, China, India, Japan, South Korea, and Australia have been invited to partake in the event. It aims to strengthen the collaboration required for the new green industrial era. Hence, many significant organisations across the world will participate as keynote speakers. In addition, the list of invitees includes business leaders and industry representatives from various sectors (such as Automobile, Health & Medicine, Technology and Innovation). These include World Economic Forum, Sandvik Coromant, Volvo, Tech Mahindra, Ovako, Google, Pfizer, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Renewcell, Hitachi Energy, Northvolt, and Volkswagen. Among the keynote speakers at the event are Anna Hallberg, Minister for Foreign Trade and Nordic Affairs; Karl-Petter Thorwaldsson, Minister for Business, Industry and Innovation; Anna Ekstrom, Minister for Education; Leif Johansson, Chair of AstraZeneca; Robert Falck, CEO of Einride; Ariel Porat, VP Europe at Siemens Energy; Pia Sandvik, CEO of RISE; Ole-Petter Ottersen, Principal at Karolinska Institutet and many more. On the event's significance for Indian companies, Cecilia Oskarsson, Sweden's Trade Commissioner to India, commented: "According to EY CEO survey 2022, the majority of Indian CEOs are looking at sustainability and digitalisation as primary drivers of competitive advantages. India has also pledged to become carbon neutral by 2070. This will require huge investments in sustainable technologies. Sweden, as the second most innovative country globally, according to Global Innovation Index 2021, is a key source to access technologies and innovations required by Indian companies to drive their transformational agenda. Also, the Nordic countries with a combined GDP of $1.7 trillion provides a huge opportunity for Indian companies to grow their business. Leading companies like HCL Technologies, TCS, Wipro, Aditya Birla Group, Tech Mahindra, Bharat Forge & Kalpataru Power transmission have already made significant investments in Sweden." The no-fee event will also offer the guests on-demand sessions and individual meetings. One-to-one interactions during and after the Summit will also be arranged. Sweden is setting a blueprint for industry-wide transformation to address climate change. The event will showcase why Sweden is a springboard for going green and digital. The challenges the world is facing requires joint commitment and close collaboration. As a step on this green journey, the Join Sweden Summit will provide a forum for international companies to share ideas and make their mutual goals a reality. San Francisco, June 17 : As millions of investors lose their hard-earned money in the global crypto meltdown, an American Dogecoin cryptocurrency investor has sued Elon Musk, Tesla and SpaceX for $258 billion for allegedly operating an illegal racketeering enterprise to inflate the price of Dogecoin. Called ;Dogefather', Musk has long been a vocal proponent of Dogecoin and tweeted several times in the past to help spike the price of the digital token. A class-action lawsuit has been filed in a federal court in Manhattan, and the Dogecoin investor called for triple the damages of $86 billion, which is how much the plaintiff alleges has been lost by Dogecoin investors since Musk started tweeting about it, reports TechCrunch. Currently, Dogecoin cryptocurrency has tumbled from its high of nearly $0.74 to just over $0.05 in recent days. "Defendants falsely and deceptively claim that Dogecoin is a legitimate investment when it has no value at all," the plaintiff Keith Johnson said in the complaint. "Since Defendant Musk and his corporations SpaceX and Tesla, Inc began purchasing, developing, promoting, supporting and operating Dogecoin in 2019, Plaintiff and the class have lost approximately $86 billion in this Crypto Pyramid Scheme," he added. Musk was yet to react to the class-action lawsuit. Earlier this year, Musk announced that the company's supercharging stations will accept cryptocurrency Dogecoin as payment. "Of course, you can pay in Doge (sic)," said Musk in response to a tweet. Tesla does accept Doge in its online store and there have been rumours of Tesla eventually accepting the crypto as a form of payment for its vehicles. In a recent interview, Musk endorsed Dogecoin over any other crypto coin. "The transaction value of Bitcoin is low and the cost per transaction is high. At least at a space level, it is suitable as a store of value. But fundamentally, Bitcoin is not a good substitute for transactional currency," he said. Musk has confirmed that he has a significant personal investment into Bitcoin on top of Tesla's investment and he has smaller Ethereum and Dogecoin holdings. Los Angeles, June 17 : Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant has said that he rejected a cameo in the TV adaptation of George R.R. Martin's award-winning fantasy saga 'Game of Thrones' because he doesn't want to be "typecast". Asked if he has seen the HBO show on Apple Music 1's 'The Strombo Show', he replied: "No. "I got offered a part in that." On why he declined, he said: "I don't want to get typecast. I started that s***. He went on: "Go back to 'Immigrant Song' and Led Zeppelin being part of cultural exchange in Iceland with the Icelandic government. So they didn't know what they'd invited onto their little island." Plant added: "I love Western European history from maybe the Bronze Age up through all the old religion... when we were really in touch with our Earth." "The Viking thing, the whole idea of playing in Iceland and experiencing this landscape and people. Yeah, I've got a lot to answer for, because I've never seen so many bands with double-bladed axes." Ed Sheeran is among the celebrities to have had cameos in 'Game of Thrones', reports femalefirst.co.uk. However, the 'Shape Of You' hitmaker received criticism for his portrayal of a Lannister soldier in the first episode of the seventh season in 2017. Although the 31-year-old Grammy winner had "fun" filming his brief scene, he thinks it would have been better for his character to have met a gruesome end so fans who disapproved of his appearance could have some "redemption". He later said: "I know what 'Game of Thrones' fans hoped happened to my character. I'm sure they think my character got brutally, brutally murdered, but I think my character is still out there. I think he's chillin. "It was fun being in 'Game of Thrones', but I definitely think they should've killed me off in the episode. I reckon that probably would've been the redemption for people that didn't like it." Sheeran had an encounter with his pal Maisie Williams' Arya Stark in the episode. New Delhi, June 17 : Congress on Friday termed the CBI searches at the Jodhpur residence of Agrasen Gehlot, the brother of Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot "vendetta politics". Newly appointed party General Secretary, communication Jairam Ramesh said: "This is vendetta politics beyond all bounds. @ashokgehlot51 was at the forefront of the protests in Delhi over the past three days, and this is Modi Govt's brazen response! We will not be silenced!" The Centre is doing vendetta politics as Ashok Gehlot had participated in the agitation against summoning of Rahul Gandhi by the Enforcement Directorate in the National Herald case, the party alleged. On Friday, the CBI raided Agrasen Gehlot's residence in Jodhpur. Lucknow, June 17 : Roadways buses were vandalised in Uttar Pradesh's Firozabad on Friday as mobs protesting against the 'Agnipath' scheme went on rampage. Youths protesting against the short-term contract scheme in armed forces, pelted stones and damaged government properties. In Mathura, the protesters also pelted stones and damaged shops and vehicles. In Ballia, violence continued as protesters, after setting bogies of a train on fire, moved out of the railway station and damaged kiosks and vehicles. Incidents of stone pelting were also reported from Varanasi bus station. Additional Director General law and order Prashant Kumar said that the situation was being closely monitored and the police had been tasked to take strict action against the offenders. London, June 17 : The 'House of Cards' star Kevin Spacey has made his first appearance in a UK criminal court on charges of sexual assault. In May 2022, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), similar to a District Attorney in the US, authorised charges to be brought against the actor, whose full name is Kevin Spacey Fowler, reports Variety. He has been charged with four counts of sexual assault in the UK against three men between 2005 and 2013. He was also charged with "causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity without consent". The reported victims are now in their 30s and 40s. On Thursday morning, Spacey appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court in London to acknowledge the charges. He did not enter a plea. According to Variety, the actor, who was once the toast of Hollywood, appeared calm as he was led through courtroom 1 and into the glass-panelled dock, dressed in a dark blue suit, white shirt and black tie with glasses. He spoke only to give his name, date of birth and the UK address and nodded as the charges were read. Initially, Deputy Chief Magistrate Tan Ikram referred to Spacey as "Mr. Fowler" until his lawyer, Patrick Gibbs QC, explained to the court he would refer to his client as "Mr. Spacey". When the Deputy Chief Magistrate asked Spacey directly how he would prefer to be known by the court, the actor indicated he preferred "Mr. Spacey". The first matter the court dealt with was withdrawing a warrant for Spacey's arrest, as Mr. Ikram acknowledged the actor had voluntarily submitted himself to be charged. Much of the subsequent hearing was taken up with discussing bail conditions, with the CPS asking that bail be granted only on the condition that Spacey surrendered his travel documents, promised not to apply for any other travel documents, slept at his London address and did not contact the prosecution's witnesses except through lawyers where necessary. In particular, prosecutor Natalie Dawson said that while she understood Spacey wanted to return to the US to work, and that the CPS did not want to prevent Spacey from working, the agency was concerned about the actor travelling outside the UK as the trial approached. Given the potential sentence if convicted, it was "reasonably foreseeable" Spacey would not return to the UK to stand trial, Dawson added. She also said that if the court was considering requesting a security or bail bond from Spacey to prevent him from absconding, it would need to be "commensurate with the defendant's wealth" to be a "reasonable deterrent" because the CPS believes Spacey to be "a man of significant means" (a British euphemism meaning the CPS believes Spacey is wealthy). However, Spacey's lawyer argued strongly that the bail conditions regarding travel were excessive. No doubt mindful of the public gallery behind him packed with press, Gibbs began his address to Ikram by saying Spacey "strenuously denies any and all criminality in this case". He then went on to set out a number of reasons why the actor's bail terms should be unconditional, including the fact that he had co-operated fully with the case so far, for example submitting to four days of questioning by police in New York in 2019, voluntarily attending a meeting to be charged this week, and voluntarily attending the court that morning. "One of the obvious reasons why he will (not abscond) is he needs to answer these charges if is he to proceed with his life," Gibbs said. "His face is well known. What is he going to do? Where is he going to hide?" Gibbs also stressed that: "Because Spacey's life and family remain in the US -- including a nine-year-old dog he has apparently homed in a kennel while he is in the UK -- preventing him from travelling would be an excessive punishment as he waited to stand trial. What is he to do?" Gibbs asked the court, "Is he to be in effect incarcerated in his flat in London, unable to work, unable to see his family, unable to audition for work? All his belongings are in the US." The lawyer then honed in on his argument regarding Spacey's ability to work. "In his line of business working requires him to audition, working requires him to go to meetings and have face-to-face discussions with writers, directors, casting agents," Gibbs said, stressing the actor may need to fly to France, Italy "or more likely the US" with "little or no notice" for work. He also said: "There's some many in the bank account" if the court did want Spacey to submit to a bail bond but that "No request has been made to his friends in the performing arts to stand surety" -- a mechanism for a third party to pay the court in the event a defendant breaches their bail conditions -- because "doing so would be to invite an absolute hailstorm on social media." No doubt to the actor's relief, Ikram accepted Gibbs' argument. "You have cooperated with the authorities in New York and voluntarily attended here today," the Deputy Chief Magistrate said to Spacey. "I've not been persuaded there is a real risk (of absconding), bearing in my mind all I have heard about you." After granting unconditional bail, Ikram set a date for the next hearing, which is likely to be a case management hearing, at Southwark Crown Court on July 14. Ikram concluded, at which point Spacey walked out followed by his legal team, which included one US lawyer, two British solicitors and Gibbs, as well as a woman who declined to give her name or role. Spacey and his team immediately headed for a conference room down the hall before making their way to the foyer, where they waited for a few minutes before exiting the building. Mumbai, June 17 : Actor Akashdeep Arora, who started his acting journey with short form digital sketches, will be soon seen playing a pivotal role in the upcoming webseries 'Masoom'. He describes his character as someone who is struggling with internal conflicts and who's unaware of the truth. Shedding light on his character, Akashdeep says, "My character is someone who's struggling to fit into this normal world by disregarding his past concerning his childhood days. My character feels like an outsider, which makes him filled with anxiety & self-doubt, something which any normal person must feel when he or she is unaware of the truth behind an incident." The actor, who started his Bollywood journey with 'Uri: The Surgical Strike', will be seen alongside a stellar cast Boman Irani, Samara Tijori, Upasana Singh, Manjari Fadnnis and Veer Rajwant Singh. He further adds, "I am more than happy to be a part of this project and work alongside such intensely talented individuals." 'Masoom' will arrive on Disney+ Hotstar on June 17. Bhopal, June 17 : The Madhya Pradesh government will organise yoga events at 75 historical places across the state on June 21 to mark the International Day of Yoga. Besides the 75 historical places, yoga sessions will be conducted in all of the state's 52 districts. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Friday took stock of the preparations during a meeting with the officials. Chouhan, who will attend a yoga event at the Lal Parade Ground in Bhopal on June 21, said: "All the state ministers should participate in the programmes, as well as youth and social organisations." The Chief Minister also sought information about preparations from the collectors of Gwalior, Raisen, Chhatarpur and Anuppur districts, virtually attended Friday's meeting. He also directed the officials for wide publicity of the programmes. According to officials who attended the meeting, arrangements would be made to broadcast the message of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief MinisterChouhan at all the venues in the state. As per the step-by-step programme issued by the Centre, all the participants will have to be present from 6 a.m. Chouhan's message will be broadcast at 6.30 a.m., followed by that of the Prime Minister's. Yoga sessions will begin at 7 a.m. New Delhi, June 17 : The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday raided multiple locations in Rajasthan in connection with the fertilizer scam allegedly involving Agrasen Gehlot, brother the Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot. Searches were also conducted on the premises of Agrasen Gehlot's residence in Jodhpur. "Agrasen Gehlot has a business of fertilizer. This is a fresh case in which we are conducting raids," said a source. He was earlier accused by the central probe agencies of exporting a large amount of muriate of potash to foreign countries which were supposed to be sold to farmers at a subsidised rate. This alleged scam was reported between 2007 and 2009. The ED is looking into this matter. In the fresh case, the raids are being conducted and statements of those present at the raid sites recorded. New Delhi, June 17 : It is said that a woman's work is never completely finished; no matter how hard she slogs, there's always something waiting to be done. Harshali Singh had a successful career in the education sector as an administrator and a principal. She is currently a member of the District Consumer Dispute Redressal Commission, an occupational therapist and a painter -- and has just published the third volume of an eight-part series that chronicles the life of the family that resides in a haveli of a 100 doors in Old Delhi, each book meticulously researched, because she believes that her credibility lies in creating trust with her readers. "Everyone writes for different reasons. I write because it allows me to question, start a dialogue, and evoke a response. Hence, I knew from the beginning that my books and stories needed to be from an authentic place. The fact that I got published, my characters were accepted, liked and found relatable was a blessing," Singh told IANS in an interview. "When I started writing, I thought I would write a book on family, relationships and love. But I think as women, we absorb and observe so many little cuts along our journeys that we tend to question these lacunae that still exist in our society. Especially when it comes to what is allowed and disallowed because you are a woman." "As I interact with more and more women, I sense a deep sense of dissatisfaction that reflects in the choices they make. The question troubled me enough to fuel my writing journey," Singh elaborated. Thus, in the series, the lives of the members of the Sharma family are inexplicably intertwined with the haveli as it watches over them, absorbing their angst and reflecting their happiness as it articulates their lives through the stories. It attempts to portray relationships within a family with realism and essentially deals with urban, adult and subtle relationships, depicting the world we inhabit. The first book, "A Window to her Dreams" is the story of Aruna, the first daughter of the Sharma family. The second book, "Anatomy of Choice" is about Bhavya, the second daughter. The third book, "A Paradox of Dreams" is about the third daughter, Dharu. "I am hopeful that Dheeraj's story, the only brother of the six sisters, will be released before this year ends. The stories are character and plot-driven exploring complex relationships in keeping with my style of writing," Singh explained. Every story has a social premise that she wanted to explore. "A Window to her Dreams" examined the impact of marital violence and rape on women. "Mature love, conditioning and gender roles were also prominent in my mind while writing the story," Singh added. "Anatomy of Choice" questioned taboo choices and whether women are free to make them, "but more importantly, are they equipped to handle the consequences of these choices," the author said. "A Paradox of Dreams" is a journey or a quest within oneself and how childhood trauma and insecurity manifests to shape our personality. It was a chance visit to a haveli that exists even today in the by-lanes of Old Delhi's Chandni Chowk that became the inspiration to write the story of its newest residents -- Arun Sharma, his wife Uma, and their seven children, Aruna, Bhavya, Charu, Dheeraj, Etti, Fanny, and Gina. An omnipresent character in the lives of the Sharma family, the haveli becomes the 'sutradhar', the narrator in the books, the one who commands love, respect and has a strange connection with the lady of the manor, Uma. The silent sentinel stands beside the family as they go through life and its peaks and valleys. "The stories are all fictional but inspired by real-life stories. The characters have elements of people I interact with who have either moved me or repelled me intrinsically," Singh said. "Fiction means more than making up a story. Research is paramount if I want to write a book with which a reader can connect. Details, logic and technical and historical aspects must be correct for the story to be believable. Readers are astute and immediately know that the author has done a slipshod job and does not know their subject." "My credibility as an author hinges on creating trust with my reader, which I know will dissolve in a hurry if I commit an error. So research is the backbone or foundation of my books -- from books to interviews, my own experiences and observations, research papers online and everything I can lay my hands on until I am satisfied that I am now equipped to begin writing the book," Singh elaborated. The reason for this "is that I know that maybe only 10 per cent of all the research shall make it into the book, but the readers should not doubt the words they are reading," she added. Singh has also seen a fair amount of awards come her way. She was recently conferred the 'Global Progressive Women Award 2022' by Aesthetics International at its 4th International Leadership Summit. She won the Write India Award, Season 2, India's largest crowd-sourced short story contest conducted by the Times of India group and was recently invited to speak at the maiden Literature Fest organised by the Indian Navy at INS Valsura in Jamnagar as part of the 75th anniversary celebrations of India's Independence. May she grow from strength to strength! (Vishnu Makhijani can be reached at vishnu.makhijani@ians.in) Mogadishu, June 17 : UN agencies have launched the minimum response package (MRP), a critical life-saving project that will address urgent needs of more than 100,000 people displaced by the escalating drought in Somalia. Through the MRP, the World Food Programme (WFP), Unicef and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and partners said the package will help them avert famine by addressing the most pressing needs of those displaced by severe drought. "With Somalia on the brink of famine, we need to act now, and act together, to avert a humanitarian catastrophe," El-Khidir Daloum, WFP Country Director for Somalia said in a joint statement issued in Mogadishu. Daloum said the MRP opens new pathways for partner agencies to work together in an integrated response, collectively empowering some of the most vulnerable people to meet their essential needs, not only food and nutrition but also shelter, hygiene and water. "This is a very important pilot that will pave the way to scale up multi-sectoral responses into the future," the WFP official noted. Some 7.1 million Somalis, close to 50 per cent of the population, are facing extreme hunger due to historic drought conditions. Nearly 800,000 people have been forced to flee their homes since 2021 in search of food, water and pasture for their animals, the UN said. UNICEF said at least 1.5 million children are facing acute malnutrition and over 3,170 have contracted cholera, while 2,460 measles cases have been reported since January. "In a country where famine is happening ever more frequently, we as the partners of Somalia need to find ways to help the country prevent famine," said Unicef Chief of Water and Sanitation Victor Kinyanjui. He said the MRP has enabled UNICEF to provide lifesaving assistance to children and women affected by humanitarian crises in Baidoa and Benadir, working together with sister agencies IOM and WFP. The humanitarian agencies have collectively reached over 2.8 million people between January and May with lifesaving and livelihood support. IOM said it was extremely concerned about the hundreds of thousands of people who have been displaced due to the drought. Frantz Celestin, IOM Somalia Chief of Mission, said the majority heavily depended on their animals and crops, and they have now lost everything. The UN agencies said the assistance will be tailored to the needs of men, women and children and will include cash, water trucking, hygiene kits, shelter, nutrition programs and health care. The MRP will also expand community level access to water, latrines, and health services through an area-based approach. IOM, WFP, Unicef and aid partners said they will continue working together to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe and help communities adapt to future shocks. Chennai, June 17 : With the retail fuel outlets in Tamil Nadu going dry, especially in districts like Chennai, Salem, Tenkasi and Theni districts, the lorry transportation within the state has been adversely affected. A representative of the Tamil Nadu Lorry owners association while speaking to IANS said that there are heavy restrictions in filling the fuel tanks in Public sector oil outlets like BPCL and HPCL leading to the lorry owners depending on private players to fill their fuel tanks. This has affected the cost and transport from Chennai to Salem costing Rs 2,000 more than the general rate. The lorry owner association is contemplating halting the services in the state until the retail fuel outlets are supplying fuel properly. Sources in the industry told IANS that the depots of HPCL and BPCL are not filling more than 100 tankers a day which is a minuscule volume when compared to the demands in retail fuel outlets. The retail fuel outlets complain that these petroleum companies are favouring high-volume dealers or those who have connections with the top echelons of these companies. It is to be noted that since the Union Government slashed the fuel taxes in May 2022, the Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) have reportedly been incurring heavy losses. The OMCs have ever since started rationing the supply of fuel to retail outlets and the public sector companies like BPCL and HPCL have commenced rationing the supply of fuel to retail outlets. Interestingly private players like Reliance and Nayara have also followed the policies adopted by the public sector undertakings and have rationed their supply to retail fuel outlets. However, the Shell company has been sustaining their operations by pricing the products much higher in their retail bunks. The Tamil Nadu Petroleum Dealers Association (TNPDA) and their counterparts in 18 states of the country have already submitted a memorandum to the Union petroleum ministry regarding the lack of supply and change in payment methods. According to the TNPDA, oil marketing companies have stopped issuing credit supplies to the retail fuel outlets. The supply has now been restricted to only those who pay upfront money and even to those who make such a payment, supplies have been drastically cut. Sources in the industry told IANS that with the crude oil prices shooting up and the rupee to dollar exchange rate also increasing, the issue is likely to heat up in the coming days creating woes for the people of the state. The ration supply of fuel in Tamil Nadu has directly affected the agriculturists who are depending on diesel for operating their generators and driving tractors. With the truck industry on the verge of going on a strike, the prices of essential commodities in the state will also shoot up and with Tamil Nadu being the hub of trucks in the country, this may lead to rising prices across the country. Seoul, June 17 : South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol told UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres that the Security Council should respond in a resolute and united manner to North Korea's provocations. Yoon made the remarks in a phone call with Guterres, saying North Korean provocations pose a serious threat to peace on the Korean Peninsula and the international community, Yonhap News Agency quoted an official at the President's office as saying on Friday. Last month, the Security Council failed to adopt a new sanctions resolution on North Korea, which launched a series of ballistic missiles, including intercontinental ballistic missiles, due to vetoes from China and Russia. Yoon told Guterres that "unless the Security Council takes a resolute and united response, a wrong message could be sent that it tolerates North Korea's nuclear and missile development", according to the official. The President also voiced concerns about the spread of Covid-19 outbreaks in North Korea. He told Guterres that North Korea remains unresponsive to South Korea's offer to provide vaccines and treatment for the virus. Yoon asked the UN to closely monitor the Covid-19 situation in North Korea and make close consultations with the South Korean government over the matter, the official added. Indore, June 17 : Hundreds of youths on Friday demonstrated against the Centre's new military recruitment policy, Agnipath at the Indore railway station forcing cancellation of several trains. Agitators barged into the Laxmi Bai railway station, raised slogans opposing the new policy and indulged in stone pelting. Heavy police force have been deployed to disperse the protesters and to control the situation. According to official information, services of at least five to six trains were disrupted for over three hours. Several protesters were detained and security forces deployed in nearby railway stations, including Ratlam, Shajapur, Ujjain. The agitation here started a day after it rocked Gwalior on Friday. Panic gripped the city for almost three-four hours. Private and public properties were damaged and tyres burnt on the railway track. Two FIRs - one in Railway police and another at local police station have been registered and identification of youth that damaged properties during the protest in Gwalior is underway. As the protest spread in the state, leaders of the ruling BJP accused the opposition of "misleading" the people which resulted in a stir. State Home Minister Narottam Mishra blamed MP Congress Kamal Nath for misleading the youth in the state. "Agnipath is a revolutionary step by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the armed forces. Kamal Nath's message on social media (twitter) seems to have misled youth and they are protesting," Mishra has said on Thursday's protest in Gwalior. Hyderabad, June 17 : Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) working president K.T. Rama Rao on Friday said the violent protests against the Central government's new Army recruitment Agnipath scheme is an eye-opener. Rama Rao stated that the violent protests are also acute indicator of the magnitude of unemployment crisis in the country. KTR, as the Telangana minister is popularly known, took to Twitter to slam the Narendra Modi government after large-scale violence rocked Secunderabad railway station. "Pehle Desh ke Kisan Ke Saath khilwad Aur Ab Desh ke Jawan Ke Saath khilwad," wrote KTR. "From One Rank - One Pension to proposed No Rank - No Pension," he added. Youth protesting against the new recruitment scheme went on rampage at Secunderabad railway station on Friday, setting afire trains and vandalising railway station. One protestor was killed and three others injured when police opened fire to bring the situation under control. New Delhi, June 17: The Russia-Ukraine war shows no signs of winding down, with Moscow insisting that its military operation will continue till its war objectives are met. The United States, is in turn encouraging the Ukrainians to fight on. On Wednesday, US President Joe Biden pledged to release a fresh tranche of $1 billion as military aid to Ukraine. "I informed Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky that the United States is providing another $1 billion in security assistance for Ukraine," Biden said. "Today, I am also announcing an additional $225 million in humanitarian assistance to help people inside Ukraine, including by supplying safe drinking water, critical medical supplies and health care, food, shelter, and cash for families to purchase essential items," he added. Overall, since the war began in late February, the US has committed about $5.6 billion in military assistance to Ukraine, including the latest package, AP reported. Regarding the latest tranche, the news agency quoted officials as saying that around one-third of the latest $1 billion will be taken out from Pentagon's own stocks, and will be shipped to Ukraine. The remaining two-thirds would be would be bought from the industry by the US and then dispatched to Ukraine. On its part, Russia also hammered the point that its military operation will continue till Moscow's war goals are met. Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said during a television programme on Wednesday that Russia's operation will end only when Moscow decides it is appropriate to do so. "Our reaction is to prove that these plans (to make Russia suffer a defeat) will collapse, that they will fail, that we will put an end to it there where we deem right, and not where some strategists, ideologists or military planners in Washington or other capitals imagine. "We must prove this by our willpower, by the force of arms, and by our readiness to stand firm, to adhere to the aims that were declared by our leadership, and to ensure their achievement," Ryabkov said, while answering a question about whether Russia had a response to the Americans' indifference to Moscow's statements. "If [Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky) and his team are not ready for negotiations, if those behind him are determined to continue their mindless, or rather, insane pumping of Ukraine with weapons, it is their choice, it is sad, it is tragic, but we cannot retreat," Ryabkov added. Russia has in the past declared that its goal in Ukraine is not to accomplish "regime change". Instead, it is to disarm Ukraine. Besides, Moscow wants to ensure that Kiev verifiably declares "political neutrality" -- in other words shun NATO, the US-led western military alliance. Besides, it wants to de-Nazify Ukraine, that is remove the influence of ideologically trenchant anti-Russia groups which hold an implacable anti-Russian grudge, because Moscow played a key role in defeating the Nazis during the second world war. Neo-Nazis form the core of Azov brigade which draws neo-Nazis from 22 nations. (The content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com) --indianarrative Latest updates on Russia-Ukraine War -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Chennai, June 17 : The Madras High Court on Friday refused to direct the Tamil Nadu government to release Nalini and Ravichandran, who were convicted in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, without the Governor's assent. The order was passed by the first bench of the High Court comprising Chief Justice Munishwar Nath Bhandari and Justice N. Mala dismissing the pleas moved by Nalini and Ravichandran. While passing the order, the bench said that the high court does not enjoy special powers that the Supreme Court has under Article 142 of the constitution. Nalini and Ravichandran in their pray before the High Court said that they were justified in seeking the relief as Supreme Court has categorically said that the governor is bound by the recommendations of the state cabinet in Perarivalan case, who was released by the Supreme Court on May 18, 2022. The petitioners said that they were seeking a direction to the state government to release them without waiting for the assent of the Tamil Nadu governor. Representing the state of Tamil Nadu, Advocate General R. Shanmughasundaram submitted before the first bench that the Supreme court had, while explaining the powers of a governor in the judgment, clearly said that the assent of the governor was a must. He, however, said that the high court has powers to consider the issue. Notably, Murugan alias Sriharan, Nalini wife of Murugan, Santhan, Robert Pious, Jayakumar, Ravichandran, and Perarivalan were the convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case of May 21, 1991. Of this, Perarivalan was released by the Supreme Court on May 18, 2022 and following the release of Perarivalan, Nalini and Ravichandran have moved the Madras High Court to release them without the assent of the Governor which was rejected by the first bench of the court. Chennai, June 17 : Tiruvannamalai Centre For Historic Research (TCHR), an organisation which conducts research on archaeological findings and document them, has called upon the Tamil Nadu Archaeology department to carry out detailed studies on petroglyph or pre-historic rock carvings detected in Tiruvannamalai district. This according to the organisation is the second petroglyph detected in the state. The first one was found at Perimkul in Tindivanam district. The rock carvings were found on a hillock near the banks of Thenpennai river at Thondamanur village in Tiruvannamalai district recently. The carvings have a deer-like figure, a human figure, and various straight and curved lines that are indecipherable as of now. TCHR secretary S. Balamurugan told IANS: "The carvings are 10 feet in length and width and have cup marks near to them." Archaeologist and historical researcher Gandhi Rajan said that the carvings could be 3,000-5,000 years old. The TCHR has requested the Tamil Nadu Archaeological department to conduct a detailed study into the rock carvings which they have stumbled upon and excavations in the area that could throw light on the old settlements in the area and the trade and cultural contacts the place had with other nations. The TCHR office bearers also said that the archaeological studies may be carried out to get a rough idea of the civilisation that was in existence in the place. The culture of the population could also be known if proper archaeological excavations are carried out, TCHR office-bearers told IANS. Bengaluru, June 17 : Keeping up the industrial growth momentum, the Karnataka government has approved 81 industrial projects worth Rs 2,689.51 crore that would generate jobs for over 6,825 people in the state, an official statement said on Friday. The approval was given in the 132nd State Level Single Window Clearance Committee (SLSWCC) meeting held under the leadership of Murugesh R. Nirani, the state's Minister for Large and Medium Scale Industries. The committee has considered and approved seven important large and medium size industrial projects with investment of more than Rs 50 crore. These projects worth Rs 1,229.43 are expected to create employment opportunities for 1,734 persons in the state. At the meeting, 71 new projects with investment of more than Rs 15 crore and less than Rs 50 crore were also cleared. And these projects worth Rs 1,308.06 crore would generate jobs for 5,091 people in the state. Three more projects worth Rs 151.42 crore investments were also approved. The Nirani-headed SLSWCC in its 131st meeting in April had cleared 60 industrial projects worth Rs Rs 2,465.94 crore with the employment potential of 8,575 people. New Delhi, June 17 : A 22-year-old man was arrested in Delhi for trying to break an ATM in a bid to steal money from it, an official said on Friday. The accused, identified as Sanjay, a resident of Agra, was not carrying any equipment to break the ATM machine. Sharing details, DCP Benita Mary Jaiker said a PCR call was received regarding the entry of a thief in an ICICI Bank ATM at C Block, Tigri Colony in South Delhi at 2.38 a.m. on Thursday. Upon receiving information, the police rushed to the spot and caught the accused red-handed. During interrogation, it was learnt that the accused is a confectioner by profession and came to Delhi for work. "As he ran out of money, he tried to break the ATM machine," the DCP said, adding that the accused was found in an inebriated state. Accordingly, the police registered an FIR under sections 457, 380 and 511 of the Indian Penal Code and arrested the accused. Mumbai, June 17 : TV sitcom 'Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah' has enjoyed a successful run over the years. One of the most favourite characters of the audience, Dayaben is all set to be seen on the show after four years. If sources are to be believed, actress Rakhi Vijan popularly remembered for her iconic character Sweety Mathur from the '90s sitcom 'Hum Paanch' has been shortlisted for the role of Dayaben. Producer Asit Kumarr Modi had recently informed the media that the famous character will return to the story but he can't confirm the comeback of Disha Vakani, who played the role of Dayaben. The audience of the show are missing their favourite Disha Vakani. The actress will always remain the foremost memorable. From her signature 'Hey Maa Maataji' to her 'Tapu Ke Papa' - fans miss everything about her character. Vakani took a maternity break in September 2017 and never came back. A source says: "Rakhi Vijan has been approached for essaying the role of Dayaben. Rakhi is one among the most talented actresses. She has a fine comic timing." Vijan has been earlier part of shows like 'Dekh Bhai Dekh', 'Banegi Apni Baat', 'Naagin 4'. She has also featured in Bollywood movies like 'Golmaal Returns'. The actress also participated in 'Bigg Boss 2'. June 17 : Janhvi Kapoor is hailed as one of the most promising star kids in show biz right now. She made her debut in 2018 with the film 'Dhadak.' Later, she performed the titular role in 'Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl' which proved to be a breakthrough in her career. The young diva is rising to the top with her grace and beauty. Taking to Instagram, the actress shared the first look poster of her upcoming film 'Good Luck Jerry.' Nikal Padi hu main ek naye adventure par, GoodLuck nahi bolenge? #GoodLuckJerry streaming from 29 July on @disneyplushotstar." she wrote. In one poster, the actress looks terrified as she holds a gun. In the next one, she hides behind a table, looking visibly scared. The Siddharth Sengupta directorial is a black comedy crime film. Apart from Janhvi, the film also features Deepak Dobriyal, Mita Vashisht, Neeraj Sood, and Sushant Singh in pivotal roles. Bankrolled by Aanand L Rai, it is a remake of the Tamil film Kolamavu Kokila. The film's shooting took place in Punjab and Chandigarh in early 2021. The actress was last seen in the comedy horror film 'Roohi' with Rajkumar Rao. Janhvi is currently busy with the shooting of Varun Dhawan starrer 'Bawaal.' She will be next seen in 'Mili,' the Hindi remake of the Malayalam survival thriller 'Helen.' The film marks Janhvis first collaboration with her father Boney Kapoor. The actress has bagged a role in the Karan Johar film 'Dostana 2.' She will also be seen in Mr. And Mrs. Mahi with Rajkumar Rao. Sydney, June 17 : The Australian Border Force (ABF) has charged a man from Sydney for smuggling 233 kg of methamphetamine, with an estimated street value of A$70 million ($49 million). The development came following several months of investigation by the ABF into a shipping container with what was declared as structural supports, reports Xinhua news agency. A thorough inspection of the container's contents led to the discovery of the drugs in a secret compartment, the type of drug was later confirmed by forensic officers. "Despite efforts by criminal networks to evade detection, authorities are continuing to identify and disrupt the syndicates who attempt to break Australian law," said Detective Superintendent Matthew Ciantar. The 35-year offender is due to appear in court on Friday and faces the charges of importing a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug and attempt to possess a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug. The maximum penalties for these offences in Australia is life imprisonment, a non-parole period of 20 years. ABF Commander of Trade and Travel East Sue Drennan said the bust would help keep harmful drugs from entering into Australian communities, and hoped it would deter future criminals from drug smuggling attempts. Kolkata, June 17 : The CBI on Friday raided the residence of a Kolkata-based businessman in connection with the fertilizer scam allegedly involving Agrasen Gehlot, brother of Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot. A team of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officials reached businessman Pradeep Saraf's residence in GC Block in Salt Lake in the northern outskirts of Kolkata early on Friday morning. The searches lasted for about four hours. CBI sources said the officials questioned Saraf about his links with the fertilizer scam in Rajasthan. Some documents were also checked and seized by the central agency sleuths. Incidentally, on Friday only, the CBI teams raided multiple location Rajasthan including the residence of Agrasen Gehlot in this connection. He was earlier accused by the central probe agencies of exporting a large amount of muriate of potash to foreign countries which were supposed to be sold to farmers at a subsidised rate. This alleged scam was reported between 2007 and 2009. The ED is looking into this matter. Meanwhile, CBI raids were also conducted at the residence of businessman Soumitra De under Muchipara Police Station in central Kolkata, for alleged links with the Assam-Dispur National Highway extension and renovation irregularities and corruption. It is alleged that there was a massive corruption relating to the tendering process for Assam-Dispur National Highway extension and renovation. Canberra, June 17 : The Australian government on Friday agreed to extend its coronavirus health funding model until the end of 2022 amid the country's ongoing battle against the pandemic. Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese chaired his first meeting of the national cabinet where he addressed health funding with state and territory leaders, reports Xinhua news agency. After the meeting, he announced that the 50/50 split in hospital funding between the states and territories and the federal government, which was due to end in September, will continue until the end of the year. The measure will cost the federal government an additional A$760 million ($533 million). Amid rising coronavirus cases and an influenza resurgence, state and territory leaders united to demand the agreement be extended. Albanese said the funding would help get people out of emergency departments who do not need to be there. "The decision that we made today to extend the funding is a recognition that there are currently about 3,000 people in hospital as a result of Covid-19. It is still having an impact," he told reporters. "What it's about is a recognition that our hospital system at the moment has people who should be looked after by their local GP (General Practitioner), but GPs just unavailable." The lack of nurses and health professionals in the aged care system means that many people who should be either looked after at home or looked after as aged care residents end up in the hospital system as well, putting further pressure on the system, he said. Australia on Friday reported more than 30,000 new Covid-19 cases and over 50 deaths. According to the Department of Health data, there were 2,818 Covid-19 cases being treated in hospitals, including 97 in intensive care. Since the onset of the pandemic in early 2020, Australia has reported a total of 7,754,075 Covid-19 cases and 9,269 deaths. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) Lucknow, June 17 : The Lucknow police on Friday indulged in a bit of 'Gandhigiri' to ensure that Friday prayers pass off peacefully. Led by Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (ADCP) Chiranjeev Nath Sinha, the police offered a rose to every namazi who came to the Tile Wali Masjid to offer prayers. "This was a gesture on our part to dispel the negativity that had been prevailing due to past incidents. We wanted to ensure the community that we were always there for them and also send out a message of love and peace," Sinha told IANS. Police personnel also distributed flowers to those coming to offer prayers at other prominent mosques in the state capital. Asadullah, who offered prayers at the Tile Wali Masjid, said, "As soon as we were handed a rose, the feeling of unease that had filled us seeing the huge presence of policemen at the mosque just disappeared. Such gestures from the police will go a long way in building trust." Meanwhile, Friday prayers passed off peacefully in all major cities across the state. New Delhi, June 17 : The art of hand spinning yarn with a spindle, a straight stick about eight to twelve inches long on which the yarn is wound after twisting, is known as hand spun yarn. The ancient tradition Eri is not just an intrinsic part of Assam's tradition but also a critical part of the livelihood of many engaged in this art. Hand spinning, however, is a vanishing tradition, a fading cultural practice, especially among the younger generation, as a result of the onslaught of modern textiles. It has now become a rare practice, affecting the price of Eri, which has been steadily rising. To bring back a historic tradition to keep spinning alive the Indian Weavers Alliance launches Polash. A game-changing initiative for the Hand Spun Yarn segment, encompassing an end-to-end integrated approach to renew and reinforce the age-old tradition. Polash's team has established a farmer producer firm called "IWA Silk Farmer Producer Company Limited," which has registered persons who spin by hand and produced a strategic road map for the sector's upliftment. Saumar Sharma, Acting CEO, IWASFPCL, said, "IWA Silk Farmer Producer Company Limited -- the farmer producer company has been privileged to have been able to start the process of creating a common facility centre at Borihat, Polashbari, Kamrup. Assam. The facility is about 8000 sq. ft. which is planned to stock over 300 to 500 kgs. of grade one cocoons. The best part is that the myriad spinning artisans have been made dividend holders who are going to be directly connected to the profits." (N. Lothungbeni Humtsoe can be contacted at lothungbeni.h@ians.in) New York, June 17 : Hollywood star Tom Hanks lost his cool at fans who caused his wife Rita Wilson, to trip and nearly fall to the ground. Hanks was so furious, he shouted at them to "back the f**k off," reports etonline.com. The scene unfolded Wednesday night here after the couple was leaving a building and walking to their waiting SUV. A bodyguard can be seen trying to guide the couple past the swarming fans. At one point, Hanks can be seen lightly moving a man wearing a backpack out of the way as he fell behind a bit from his wife. Then, out of nowhere, Wilson gets tripped by a fan behind her, and that's when Hanks let them all have it. The Oscar-winning actor can be seen on video, shouting: "Guys, this is my wife. Back the f**k off!" Wilson then beelined it to the SUV while Hanks stared down the fans before adding: "Knocking over my wife?!" The paparazzi in tow admonished the fans who caused the mishap and then apologised to Hanks, who didn't acknowledge them and furiously walked to the SUV. It's unclear what brought the couple to the Big Apple, but it's likely he was there to promote his new film 'Elvis'. Khalwa, June 17 : With the support of social organisations, tribal farmers of the Korku community in Indra Kheda, 55km from the Khandwa district headquarters in Madhya Pradesh, began to practice water-soil conservation, resulting in barren lands turning fertile with groundwater revival, which in turn increased yield. Indra Kheda stands out from other villages in the same block of Vikas Khand as each house here has at least two saplings planted outside, to turn into full-fledged trees over time. When 101/Reporters entered the village, the veranda of one house was adorned with mango leaves and two life-sized effigies on the roof, indicating a wedding. Women were singing 'mangal geet', and a group of men were waiting to perform the traditional Korku dance to drum beats. A celebration was underway at Neelabai's house for her son Vinod's wedding -- though a celebration of this magnitude would have been unimaginable for her till a few years ago. Neelabai, a farmer from Khalwa not only lost her husband two years ago, but also a large chunk of their household income. Mortgaging her uncultivable farm, she had to seasonally migrate with her son to other states for work. It was only when she got acquainted with Lakshmi Minz that she realised she could turn her barren land into a fertile one through water conservation efforts. And that is how Neelabai broke the cycle of debt. Minz is a Khalwa local associated with the 'SABAL' project, run by Caritas India in partnership with Khandwa Diocesan Social Services (KDSS) in Khalwa and Jeevan Vikas Sanstha in Chikaldhara. The project aims to free the Korku tribal community in the state from acute food and nutrition insecurity through various interventions, including strengthening their sources of livelihood through water-soil conservation. With Minz's assistance, Neelabai was able to avail a loan from the Janpad panchayat to get back her mortgaged land. She tripled the yield from her farms in a simple yet effective manner. In this village, Neelabai was not the only beneficiary of conservation measures. During the lockdown, the farmers here devised a water-harvesting solution to retain the moisture in their fields: they gathered the stones spread in their fields and rammed them together to create a catchment area, to ensure that the earth retained rainwater in the soil within the field. This measure proved to be quite effective. Soon, the total water level of the wells in the region rose from 0.5ft to 3ft. In fact, the total water level in the public well of Devlikala village rose to 13.78ft in March 2021 from 10.83ft in March 2019. "With the help of Caritas, we changed the farming practices of 3,000 Korku tribesmen by imparting scientific thinking. Thanks to this project, more than 50-hectares(ha) of land could be made crop-worthy in 15 villages," said Father Jayan Alex, director of KDSS. Small efforts to ensure sustainable change Neelabai learnt how to prevent the topmost, fertile layer of soil from getting washed away through this project and now produces nearly 20 quintals(q) of wheat, paddy and maize -- a considerable jump from an earlier harvest of 4 to 5q during monsoon last year. Much alike, Shobharam Palvi, living opposite to Neelabai's house, harvested rainwater by creating a catchment area in his fields, and is procuring twice the yield he used to. Moreover, due to the increase in water levels in the wells, farmers like him have started sowing for winter crops, as well. Four years ago, Palvi used to work 15 to 18 hours a day as a seasonal migrant labourer, due to his rain-dependent agricultural produce. Today, he's able to utilise his seven-acre field in Dongaliya village for two harvest seasons. The farmers here believe that water-harvesting measures have proved to be so effective that they can now grow crops like toovar, paddy, ragi and maize even without a well. The water restricted to the farms during the monsoon using medhs (elevated mud boundary) gives life to the crops in February and March. Women are leading the leg-work for many houses here. When SABAL approached Dhannalal Bhau about his mostly barren 10 acres, it was his wife Munnibai who got inclined to make their field fertile through suggested measures. She fashioned a check dam at the nullah flowing adjacent to their land using gunny bags. Her efforts paid off over time, when all 10 acres became cultivable. The KDSS director told 101Reporters that new experiments were being carried out in these villages to conserve water, such as the use of gully plugs, bunds and continuous contour trenches. As many as 47 water-conservation structures were constructed in the past year, 185 in total, and the use of chemical fertilisers has also completely stopped. "I've completely stopped using DAP and urea in the field and use only organic manure prepared with cow urine and dung," said Sukharam Ganja, another beneficiary of conservation efforts. Recording success through community involvement The water-conservation project supported farmers including Neelabai, Palvi and Sukharam after a survey conducted in 2016. Rakesh Karole, the coordinator of the project, told 101Reporters that during the survey, they spoke to the villagers and visited their fields, finding that their biggest issue was water scarcity. The same year, they started water-soil conservation work in Dongaliya panchayat and then carried on in neighbouring villages, Sundardev and Bootighat. "Most of the work happened during the lockdowns, as this was when many villagers who had migrated returned. We worked with farmers, who had land but could not cultivate it," said Karole. Under this campaign, 255 villagers spent almost a month reviving an old pond, spread over 7 ha in Devlikala village, through water harvesting. While the water in the pond would dry up in March, it's now used to irrigate fields even in the rabi season. However, after February, farmers themselves remove irrigation motors from the pond to sustain the water levels. This specific task was part of a 'food-for-work' system, wherein they got ration (2kg of rice, half kg of toovar dal, half kg of oil, and 250g of spices). It also recorded 7240 person-days in exchange for cash-for-work (Rs 200 per person), wherein people worked on their farms. Since 2020, the local SABAL team, measured water levels in the block thrice a year in March, July and November. They lowered a measuring tape with a stone tied to it till the base of the well and recorded the last point of the tape that was damp. This activity involved the community as witnesses, making them see the impact of their water-conservation efforts. According to Karole, "Following their water-soil conservation efforts, the farmers reaped benefits in one year. The increase in groundwater level of up to 2ft to 3ft also propelled them towards this work." Karole was referring to the multiplied yields after this project was taken up. While every year, more than 3,000 people used to migrate from this area; the number has now dropped by 30 per cent. "We've increased production on the farmlands where there was just one crop and less grain. This initiative carried forward by the tribals is not only bringing happiness to their lives, but also setting an example for other villages,"the KDSS chief added. (The author is a Khandwa-based freelance journalist and a member of 101Reporters, a pan-India network of grassroots reporters.) Mumbai, June 17 : Telugu superstar Prabhas, who will share the screen with Deepika Padukone in 'Project-K', has asked the makers to postpone the shoot by a week after Deepika was rushed to the hospital after feeling uneasy on the sets. Reports say Prabhas, who was shooting for the film with the 'Piku' actress in Hyderabad, requested the producers to push the schedule forward by a week to help Deepika recover from her illness. 'Project K' marks Deepika and Prabhas' first film together. It is also Deepika's first Telugu film. The movie also stars Amitabh Bachchan and Disha Patani in key roles, and is directed by Nag Ashwin. Last month, the director had revealed that the film is in the early stages of shooting. Nag Ashwin tweeted in Telugu, "We recently wrapped a schedule. Prabhas' introduction bit was shot in this schedule. The project is still in the early stages of the shoot, so there is still a lot more time to go for the promotions. But rest assured Prabhas' fans, we are putting our heart and soul into this film." -- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed Hyderabad, June 17 : The protest by hundreds of youth against the Centre's new Army recruitment policy Agnipath continued at Secunderabad railway station on Friday. Insisting that the government announce scrapping of the new policy, the protesters remained squatted on the railway track for more than six hours. Top officials of railway and law and order police were holding talks with the youth to convince them to call off the protest. They offered to take a delegation to Army recruitment authorities for talks but the protesting youth were insisting that Army recruitment officials come to the station for the talks. "We will not leave this place till our demands are met. We are ready to sit for three days and even a week," said one of the protesters. South Central Railway (SCR) officials said they have suspended all train services on the route as a precautionary measure. One of the biggest railway stations in the country, Secunderabad was rocked by violence as the youth went on rampage, setting fire to trains or damaging them and vandalising the station. A person was killed and four others were injured when police opened fire to control the protesters, who were pelting stones and targeting railway property. They also dumped various goods being transported by a train on the railway track and set them afire. Two-wheelers, eggs, fish, documents and other items being transported were torched or damaged by the protesters. According to eye-witnesses, more than 1,000 youth began the protest around 9 a.m. with a sit-in near the railway station. They were raising slogans against the Central government and demanding scrapping of Agnipath. Soon they started attacking buses of Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC). The protesters then entered the railway station and began damaging the property. Railway police personnel deployed at the station were outnumbered by the protesters. Soon the violence spread to various platforms and the passengers ran out for safety. Personnel of Railway Protection Force, Government Railway Police, Hyderabad city police and Rapid Action Force (RAF) rushed to the station to bring the situation under control. As the protesters continued to indulge in violence and pelted stones, the police retaliated with firing of rubber bullets and teargas shells. Additional forces were rushed to the area which resembled a battle zone. SCR authorities cancelled all the trains. With the TSRTC buses also being targeted outside the station, the corporation suspended bus services in the area. Raising slogans against the central government, the agitators also torched bogies of four trains on the station, stalls, display boards and other railway property. Four bogies of East Coast Express, Ajanta Express and Rajkot Express were partially burnt. The protesters, who were raising slogans of "Jai jawan Jai kisan" and "Bharat Mata ki Jai", demanded that the government scrap the recently announced scheme and continue the existing system of recruitment. The youth were angry that the government cancelled the recruitment examination for which they had been preparing for the last 3-4 years. They said their protest would continue till the Centre scraps the new scheme. Following the large-scale violence, an alert was sounded at all railway stations in Telangana. Security was tightened at Nampally, Kacheguda and other railway stations in Hyderabad. Forces were also rushed to Kazipet and Jangaon railway stations as a precautionary measure. Mumbai, June 17 : The Bombay High Court on Friday declined permission for the temporary release of Minister Nawab Malik and former state Minister Anil Deshmukh to vote for the upcoming June 20 elections to the Maharashtra Legislative Council. This is the second time this month that the duo -- both MLAs -- will not be allowed to cast their vote, first in the June 10 Rajya Sabha elections and now for the MLC polls. Justice N.J. Jamdar passed the orders in an interim bail plea filed by Deshmukh and a plea by Malik only seeking relief to enable him cast his vote under a police escort. Both leaders are from the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) ally Nationalist Congress Party. Deshmukh was arrested on November 2, 2021, and Malik was nabbed on February 23 this year under various cases of alleged corruption and money laundering by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). After hearing the strong arguments put forth by the lawyers of Deshmukh and Malik -- Senior Advocate Amit Desai and Senior Advocate Vikram Chaudhri -- and the Additional Solicitor-General (ASG) Anil Singh appearing on behalf of the ED, Justice Jamdar declined the pleas of the duo to vote in the MLCs polls on Monday (June 20). Among other things, ASG Singh argued that the Representation of Peoples Act, Section 62 (5), has prohibited a person in jail from voting in an election. The Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress have expressed strong displeasure over the verdict terming it as a blow to the democratic process, while the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party has welcomed the ruling. Palanpur, June 17 : The Banaskantha police have come under attack from the Opposition for being insensitive to a student's complaint of harassment, which led her to commit suicide last week. The police sat on the abetment to suicide complaint for one week. Now, the Opposition is demanding an investigation by a Special Investigation Team. Tilotama (name changed), an 11th class student, was attending a maths class in Radhe International School on June 28, 2021, when some students caught her hands, the maths teacher Navin Darji stuffed her mouth with a dupatta, and the teacher and four classmates and two other unknown students started harassing her. One of them recorded the incident on a mobile phone. They later threatened Tilotama that if she informed anyone about the incident, they would circulate the video on social media. It is stated in the complaint that she and her family members had lodged a complaint at Bhabhar police station and took the matter to the executive magistrate, but it was in vain as she kept receiving threat calls. Upon constant harassment by students and unknown persons, she hanged herself from a ceiling fan on June 6. Her suicide note was in circulation on social media last week. "It is a shameful incident that though the family kept complaining for almost a year, the local police did not act just to protect the trustees of the school who are well connected to the ruling party leaders. This has resulted in the child committing suicide," alleged Congress MLA Geniben Thakor from Vav constituency. She has demanded a special investigation and stated that "I have little trust in the Deputy Superintendent of Police as after the first information report lodged a year ago, he had filed a case closing report. If the same officer is going to investigate or supervise the investigation, the girl will never get justice. Only an impartial officer with integrity will do a fair investigation." AAP leader Isudan Gadhvi said that the Chief Minister and Minister of State for Home should take keen interest in the case and get justice for the girl as "Local police cannot be trusted any more." On the other hand, Banaskantha District Education Officer Narendra Chavda is satisfied that the school teacher has been arrested and the school management has terminated his services. But the victim's family members and politicians are questioning why the students were let off scot-free when four classmates are named in the complaint. Mumbai, June 17 : Actress Aaditi Pohankar says it was highly challenging for her to play the character of Bhumika Pardeshi in the web series 'She'. Aaditi is seen portraying an undercover cop and a secret seductress. She says it was emotionally draining to do this role to perfection. "The second season will give a lot more context to Bhumika's past. As an artiste I enjoy portraying challenging roles that allow me to experience a range of varying emotions," says the actress who was seen in Marathi action film 'Lai Bhaari' and rose to fame with 'She' and 'Aashram' web series. She further shares how the role had an impact on her mind and how she connects emotionally with her character. "While shooting for Season 2, there were days when I've just gone to a corner and cried because I deeply empathised with what Bhumika was going through. There are many Bhumikas in this world, her plight and pain will resonate with a lot of women," she adds. The series also stars Kishore Kumar G, Vishwas Kini, Shivani Rangole, Sam Mohan, Suhita Thatte, amongst others in pivotal roles. Written and created by Imtiaz Ali, the series is directed by Arif Ali and is produced by Viacom18 Studios' Tipping Point and Window Seat Films. 'She 2' is streaming on Netflix. Bengaluru, June 17 : Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Friday lauded the Union government's decision to raise the age limit of candidates for recruitment under the Agnipath scheme from 21 to 23 years. "This proves that the government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji is sensitive to the needs of our people. It will benefit a large number of youth," Bommai said. He added, "They will march gloriously on the path of service towards motherland and carve a bright future for themselves. I thank the Prime Minister on behalf of the youth of this country." "As the recruitment process for armed forces was affected for the last two years due to Covid-19, Modi ji has relaxed the upper age limit for recruitment through Agnipath scheme in the first year of recruitment from 21 to 23 years," the Chief Minister said on Twitter. The tweet by Bommai has received a mixed response on social media. A section of Twitter users supported the message while others demanded scrapping of the scheme. Chennai, June 17 : Not many people know that Lord Shiva once played chess and married a princess! And that there is a Lord Shiva shrine called Chathuranga Vallabha Nathar Temple at Poovanur village in Tamil Nadu's Tiruvarur district. "Win a game of chess against my daughter and win her hand", was the way King Vasudevan in Tamil Nadu held 'Swayamvar' for his princess aeons ago, as per mythology. As per temple history, King Vasudevan did not have a child for a long time. When he and his queen visited Tirunelveli and prayed for a child, Lord Shiva granted their wish. When the King and Queen took a dip in the Tamiraparani river, they saw a conch floating towards them. When the King picked up the conch it turned into a girl child. The child was none other than Lord Shiva's wife Parvathi. Lord Shiva also sent one of the seven divine mothers as the nurse of the child who was named Rajarajeswari. Over the years, she became an expert in chess. While there were many suitors, none of them could beat her in a game of chess. When the King along with his daughter and Queen came to Poovanur, Lord Shiva, disguised as a 'Siddhar' (saint), won the princess' hand by defeating her in a game of chess. The King honoured his promise and then Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvathi revealed their identity and blessed them all. As Lord Shiva bested Goddess Parvathi in a game of chess, the temple deity is called 'Chathuranga Vallabha Nathar'. "It is a nice and calm temple. I had been to that temple a couple of years back," retired journalist V. Srinivasan told IANS. The temple with an interesting history is not crowded and the priest lives nearby, Srinivasan said. Interestingly, there are many chess champion couples in India. However, it is not known whether the chess couples fell in love after playing against each other. (Venkatachari Jagannathan can be reached at v.jagannathan@ians.in) Washington, June 17 : About 33 of the top 100 hospitals in the US are sending sensitive patient data to Facebook, now known as Meta, via a tracking tool installed on their websites, according to a media report. Whenever a person schedules a doctor's appointment, the tracker called the Meta Pixel sends Facebook data -- which includes details of medical conditions, prescriptions, and doctor's appointments, The Markup reported. Meta Pixel was also installed inside the password-protected patient portals of seven health systems. Collectively, 33 hospitals reported more than 26 million patient admissions and outpatient visits in 2020, said the report citing the latest data from the American Hospital Association. Even as it is prohibited under law for hospitals to share personally identifiable health information with third parties like Facebook, without an individual's consent or any contract, health data security experts said that the hospitals may have violated the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). "I am deeply troubled by what (the hospitals) are doing with the capture of their data and the sharing of it," said David Holtzman, a health privacy consultant who previously served as a senior privacy adviser in the US Department of Health and Human Services' Office for Civil Rights, which enforces HIPAA, was quoted as saying. "I cannot say (sharing this data) is for certain a HIPAA violation. It is quite likely a HIPAA violation," he added. While Facebook itself is not subject to HIPAA, the experts said it is concerning how the tech giant might use the personal health data for profit. "This is an extreme example of exactly how far the tentacles of Big Tech reach into what we think of as a protected data space. I think this is creepy, problematic, and potentially illegal on the hospitals' part," Nicholson Price, law professor at the University of Michigan, was quoted as saying. After reviewing the findings, several hospitals removed pixels from their appointment booking pages and from patient portals, the report said. "If Meta's signals filtering systems detect that a business is sending potentially sensitive health data from their app or website through their use of Meta Business Tools, which in some cases can happen in error, that potentially sensitive data will be removed before it can be stored in our ads systems," said Meta spokesperson Dale Hogan in an emailed statement. Bengaluru, June 17 : Former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa appeared before the Special Court for Elected Representatives on Friday in connection with the Bellandur denotification case. The counsel for Yediyurappa moved a petition seeking bail. The court has directed the prosecution to submit objections. The court has adjourned the next hearing to June 18. The complaint was submitted by Vasudeva Reddy in 2013 in connection with the Bellandur denotification case. He had alleged that Yediyurappa during his tenure as the Deputy Chief Minister, had denotified 4.30 acres of land which was acquired for an IT Park by the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB). The court had issued summons to Yediyurappa in this regard. Earlier, the Special Court in Bengaluru had ordered the registration of a criminal case against Yediyurappa in connection with the case in March. Special Judge B. Jayantha Kumar had issued summons regarding the case lodged against him in 2013. The judge had noted that it was a prima facie case and directed to lodge a case under the Prevention of Corruption Act 1988 Section 13 (1) (d) read with Section 13 (2). The judge had stated that there was sufficient material to register a special criminal case against Yediyurappa. The court observed that the complainant had made a prima facie case against the accused. The notification has been done despite the opinion of the KIADB CEO, the law department, the Advocate General and the Additional Secretary (Mines) not to denotify the land. "It can't be said that Yediyurappa has done the denotification in exercise of his lawful powers," the court said. The petition against Yediyurappa was filed by Vasudeva Reddy, a resident of Bengaluru. It has been alleged that he had denotified acquired land in the IT corridor between Whitefield and Electronics City misusing his power on June 21, 2006 regarding which the complaint was filed in 2013. The land has been allotted to entrepreneurs after denotification. Doha, June 17 : People with prior-variant infection were moderately protected from Omicron even after a year, but vaccine-induced immunity against new infection appeared to wane rapidly, finds a study. The findings are in line with studies on Omicron-specific booster studies by Pfizer or Moderna, which although provide good protection but remain temporarily effective against infection by the Omicron variant. The new study, led by researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, was conducted on more than 100,000 Omicron-infected and non-infected individuals. The results, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, showed that people who took two-dose vaccination of either the Pfizer or Moderna mRNA vaccine, but had no history of prior infection, had no significant protection against Omicron. However, having a booster dose appeared to be about 60 per cent protective, though most boosters were received just weeks before the Omicron wave. For those with no history of vaccination, SARS-CoV-2 infection during a prior-variant wave appeared to provide about 50 per cent protection against symptomatic infection during the Omicron wave, and this "natural immunity" was associated with almost the same degree of protection even a year after infection. But the combination of prior, full vaccination and prior infection was maximally protective: Individuals with prior infection and three doses of either mRNA vaccine were, overall, nearly 80 per cent protected from symptomatic infection during the Omicron wave, the researchers said. The results also indicated that vaccination, prior infection alone or a combination, was protective against severe illness from Omicron infections -- the protective effect ranging from about 72 per cent for previous infection alone to 100 per cent for previous infection plus three vaccine doses. "These findings demonstrate the benefits of vaccinating those with prior infection for optimal protection against the Omicron variant," said Dr. Laith Abu-Raddad, Professor of population health sciences at Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar. The team also distinguished between infections with two different sub-lineages of the Omicron variant, BA.1 and BA.2, but found very similar results for both, as well as similar results for both Pfizer's and Moderna's vaccines. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text New Delhi, June 17 : A Delhi BJP delegation on Friday met the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of the national capital and demanded action against an AAP spokesperson for allegedly calling its party candidate Rajesh Bhatia for the Rajinder Nagar Assembly bypoll a 'Pakistani'. The BJP delegation was led by Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Assembly, Ramvir Singh Bidhuri and included state party General Secretary Harsh Malhotra, BJP MLA and Rajinder Nagar election in-charge Ajay Mahawar, among others. The BJP accused AAP spokesperson Durgesh Pathak of insulting Bhatia and also violating the model code of conduct for the by-poll. During a television debate, Pathak said that Bhatia's ancestors must have come to India from Pakistan so he was a Pakistani. This statement by the AAP spokesperson was made in response to the BJP calling him an outsider in Rajinder Nagar. The AAP leader unsuccessfully contested the 2020 Delhi Assembly polls from Karawal Nagar constituency. The Delhi Leader of Opposition said, "Lakhs of Hindus and Sikhs came to India during partition of the country in 1947 and thousands of such families are settled in Rajinder Nagar Assembly area, too, and have contributed immensely to Delhi's development. By calling Rajesh Bhatia, who comes from one such family a Pakistani, the AAP spokesperson has not only insulted the entire community but has also violated the election model code of conduct." BJP leaders Harsh Malhotra and Ajay Mahawar have said that AAP is losing political ground in Rajinder Nagar and is therefore trying to vitiate the election campaign. "Residents of the area, especially the thousands of 1947 partition-affected families settled here will not forgive AAP. The results of the June 23 bypoll will show that Rajinder Nagar has rejected the AAP," they added. The BJP delegation claimed that the Delhi CEO has assured them of launching a probe into the matter. Chandigarh, June 17 : The agitation against the Central government's Agnipath recruitment scheme continued for a second day on Friday, with protesters blocking roads and railway tracks in parts of Haryana, largely close to the National Capital Region (NCR), farmers' organisations and khap panchayats (community courts) joining the stir. Anticipating violence, the government has suspended internet services in Faridabad district's Ballabgarh, whereas prohibitory orders under Section 144 CrPC, restricting gathering of more than four persons, have been imposed in Gurugram. The protests were largely reported from Rohtak, Jhajjar, Narnaul, Faridabad, Rewari, Charkhi Dadri and Gurugram districts. The government has defended the scheme, calling it "transformative". Farm activists led by BKU (Chadhuni) state chief Gurnam Singh Chadhuni began one-day fast-cum-protest in front of the BJP headquarters in Rohtak. Describing the Agnipath scheme anti-national and a threat to the country's security, Chadhuni demanded its immediate withdrawal. He, however, appealed to the youth not to resort to suicide or indulge in violence. Hooda khap president Om Prakash Hooda also reached the protest site and extended their support to the protesters. Stating that staging protests is a democratic right but violence will not be tolerated, Home Minister Anil Vij said, "Those found involved in violence will not be spared." Vij was categorically clear in saying that specific directions have already been issued to deal with the situation. "Rioters are being identified and appropriate action will be taken," he added. Protesters blocked the railway tracks in Narwana in Jind district and stopped a goods and a passenger train, prompting heavy deployment of the security personnel. According to the Home Department, there is a likelihood of "tension, annoyance, obstruction or injury to persons, danger to human life and property, disturbance of public peace and tranquility" in Ballabgarh sub-division by the agitated protesters. In order to stop the spread of disinformation and rumours through various social media platforms, the government has been directed to suspend mobile, internet, and SMS services and all dongle service in the territorial jurisdiction of subdivision Ballabgarh. For Thursday's protest in Palwal district, the police have booked more than 1,000 people for violence. Three first information reports have been registered under several sections of the Indian Penal Code. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text New Delhi, June 17 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch the historic torch relay for the 44th Chess Olympiad on June 19, flagging off the relay at 5 PM from Indira Gandhi Stadium, Delhi. He will also address the gathering on the occasion. FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich will hand over the torch to PM Modi, who in turn will hand it over to Grandmaster Viswanathan Anand. This torch will then be taken to 75 cities in 40 days before the final culmination at Mahabalipuram near Chennai. At every location, chess Grandmasters of the state will receive the torch. This year, for the very first time, the International chess body, FIDE, has instituted a torch relay, that is part of Olympics tradition but was never done for Chess Olympiads. India will be the first-ever country to organise the Chess Olympiad Torch Relay. Notably, taking the Indian roots of chess to a greater height, this tradition of Torch Relay for the Chess Olympiad will henceforth always begin in India and travel across all continents before reaching the host country. The 44th Chess Olympiad will be held in Chennai from July 28 to August 10. With 189 countries participating, this will be the largest participation in any Chess Olympiad. Barcelona, June 17 : FC Barcelona have received a significant boost in improving their current financial situation after the majority of board members approved two financial mechanisms on Thursday. In a virtual meeting, the general assembly approved by a clear majority to activate the two financial mechanisms to obtain income, estimated to be around 600 million euros from both operations, the club said in a statement. The first motion was to sell 49.9 percent of Barcelona Licensing and Merchandising. The second one allows the club to sell 25 percent of its income from television rights over the course of the next 25 years. After the meeting, Barcelona president Joan Laporta compared the club to a Formula One car that had run out of fuel with a seized engine to explain the evolving finances at the club. "We started the F1 car up, but it still couldn't move. But now the club needs to activate the BLM and TV rights 'levers' to correct the finances earlier than forecast, obtain positive equity, pay off the debt in a sustainable manner, and be able to make the investments required for our professional teams to be more competitive," Laporta said in a release. Continuing with the comparison, the Barca president said that the economic levers will allow the club to return to the top and will allow them to compete and win trophies again. "We can't make that kind of investment. We want an investor to come in who must respect the identity and idiosyncrasy of the club. We turned down important offers because the investor wanted too much control of the business and we believe that the club must have the majority because it needs to be under our control. We can negotiate, but always keeping in mind that we must maintain a majority," he said. The recent economic struggles of Barcelona have been related to the high salaries of the first-team squad and Lionel Messi's exit from the club to Paris Saint-Germain last season. The Spanish club's blame for the situation has been placed on former club president Josep Bartomeu, who resigned in 2020 amidst accusations of irregularities in his administration. Jaipur, June 17 : The CBI on Friday conducted raids at the residence of Agrasen Gehlot, brother of Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot who is accused of buying potash required to make fertilisers from the government between 2007 and 2009 at subsidised rates for distributing to farmers, but made profits by selling it to private companies. The case was investigated by the ED. The customs department had earlier imposed a penalty of Rs 5.46 crore on Agrasen's company. On Agrasen's appeal, the High Court had stayed his arrest in this case. Now the CBI too has taken up the investigation. The CBI team with officers from Delhi and Jodhpur reached Agrasen's residence on Friday morning when he was at home. According to ED officials, Agrasen Gehlot's company Anupam Krishi was involved in the export of Muriate of Potash (MOP) fertiliser despite the ban on its export. Indian Potash Limited (IPL) imports MOP and sells it on subsidy to farmers. Agrasen Gehlot was an authorised dealer of IPL. Between 2007 and 2009, his company bought MOP at a subsidised rate, but instead of selling it to farmers, it sold it to other companies. Those companies transported MOP to Malaysia and Singapore as industrial salt. The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence had exposed the fertiliser scam in 2012-13. Chennai, June 17 : The Idol wing of Tamil Nadu police is joining hands with Indian Institute of Technology-Madras for identifying smuggled antique idols from the state. The special wing of the Tamil Nadu police will seek the support of IIT- Madras to create an artificial intelligence-based software to hunt for smuggled idols belonging to temples of the state. Director-General of Police K. Jayanth Murali, who is heading the Idol Wing of the Tamil Nadu police, while addressing media persons said, "We are developing an algorithm along with the IIT -Madras, with the unique characteristics of idols belonging to different periods like Pandya, Chola, and Sangam periods." This software, according to the police officer, will look for idols from Tamil Nadu using the images of idols using the images available on international websites of museums and collectors. The Tamil Nadu idol wing had identified two more idols stolen from Kumbakonam in Tamil Nadu and now in Denver and California. The DGP said that the department registered a case on Wednesday and initiated action under Mutual Legal Agreement Treaty (MLAT) to bring them back. The senior officer said that the idol wing has identified 40 such idols from Tamil Nadu that were stolen and smuggled out of the country and kept in international museums. Jayanth Murali said that the Union Government would write to those countries seeking retrieval of the idols as per the UNESCO treaty by submitting proof of their origin such as photographs taken in Tamil Nadu temples. After scrutiny of the requisition of the Home Ministry, the communication is sent to the country concerned and a representative of the country concerned will visit the state and conduct an inquiry about the idol, temple, and the period in which it was stolen and lost. The idol will be sent back to India only if the representative is convinced that it belongs to the temple from where it has been stolen, according to the documents presented. The idol wing has also sought the details of all the idols of Tamil Nadu temples from the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment (HR&CE) department which has a complete database of the idols. Jayanth Murali handed over two high-value idols of Nandhikeswarar and Gangalamoorthi, which were recently brought back from the US to the executive officer of the Narasinganallur temple in Tenkasi district. LONDON, July 25, 2019 (Xinhua) -- Britain's Home Secretary Priti Patel leaves 10 Downing Street after attending a cabinet meeting in London, Britain, on July 25, 2019. (Photo by Alberto Pezzali/Xinhua/IANS) Image Source: IANS News London, June 17 : UK's Home Secretary Priti Patel has approved Wikileaks founder Julian Assange's extradition to the US, noting that the courts found that the measure would not be "incompatible with his human rights", reports said on Friday. Patel also noted while in the US, "he will be treated appropriately", the BBC reported. Assange, wanted by the US over documents relating to the Afghanistan and Iraq wars leaked in 2010 and 2011 and as per it, "broke the law and endangered lives", has 14 days to appeal the decision. The Australian is being held at Belmarsh prison in London after mounting a lengthy battle to avoid being extradited. Responding to the Home Secretary's order, Wikileaks confirmed that it would appeal her decision. Mumbai, June 17 : Filmmaker Vishal Furia, who made his Bollywood debut with the Nushrratt Bharuccha-starrer 'Chhorii', is gearing up for the release of his upcoming project 'Forensic'. The director recently shared as to what separates the film from other murder mysteries. Shedding light on the film's narrative course and setting, the director says, "Murder mysteries usually have police procedures with forensic science playing a supporting role in the investigation." He explains further, "In our film 'Forensic', as the name suggests, forensic science plays a major role in case solving. Also the film is based on some shocking facts which have taken place in reality. It'll give the chills when one sees the film and comes across those facts." The film, which focuses on a 'Birthday Killer' surely witnessed a lot of birthdays being celebrated on the sets as Vishal recollects, "Every film leaves behind memories. This film deals with a 'Birthday Killer'. Coincidentally, we celebrated a lot of birthdays throughout the film schedule." "Starting from my birthday, producer Mansi Bagla's birthday, Radhika's birthday, Prachi's birthday and many others, utmost care was taken by the producers to ensure that every birthday celebration becomes memorable," he added. Mumbai, June 17 : The Maharashtra Congress on Friday demanded immediate arrest of former BJP spokespersons Nupur Sharma and Naveen Kumar Jindal for their remarks against Prophet Muhammed which have hurt Muslim sentiments in India as well as abroad. In a related development, a Mumbai Police team reached New Delhi to serve a summon to Nupur Sharma to appear before the Pydhonie police station here in connection with a complaint lodged by Raza Academy, an NGO. In a letter to Chief Minister Uddhav Thaekeray, state Congress Working President Naseem Khan said that the comments of Sharma and Jindal have created strong resentment among Muslims all over the country. "The state government should take note of this outrage and form a special team of senior police officers to arrest Sharma and Jindal and initiate stern legal action against them," said Khan. The letter has also been sent to Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, Home Minister Dilip Walse-Patil, and Congress legislative party leader and Revenue Minister Balasaheb Thorat, among others. Khan pointed out that the Muslim community has staged demonstrations in Mumbai and many other cities and districts while at least 20 complaints have been lodged against the duo by the police in the state. "However, so far, they have not been arrested and the anger of the Muslims is increasing. We demand immediate action by Maharashtra Police in the matter," said Khan, a former minister. Over the past few weeks, the Sharma-Jindal duo has been booked by various police stations in Mumbai, Thane, Pune, Nashik, Beed, Aurangabad etc., both individually or jointly, and they have been summoned to appear before the concerned police stations and reply to the charges. However, they are reportedly 'not available' to receive the summons though Mumbai Police declined to comment if they are 'missing' or 'untraceable'. The Maha Vikas Aghadi allies Shiv Sena-Nationalist Congress Party-Congress had earlier flayed the ex-BJP spokespersons for their statements. Srinagar, June 17 : Northern Army Commander, Lt Gen Upendra Dwivedi reviewed the security situation along the Line of Control on the last day of his three-day visit to the Kashmir Valley, an army statement said on Friday. The Army Commander, accompanied by Chinar Corps Commander, Lt Gen A.D.S. Aujla, visited various formations and units, wherein the local commanders briefed him on the existing security situation and the measures instituted to foil infiltration by terrorists from Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. He interacted with troops and complimented them for their high morale and the high state of operational preparedness. "While appreciating the current state of peace prevailing along the Line of Control, he cautioned all commanders and troops to not let their guard down and to remain prepared to meet any emerging security challenges effectively. The Army Commander also complimented all government agencies for their close coordination in maintaining peace in the region and reaching out to the people wholeheartedly," the statement said. Lucknow, June 17 : Protests against the 'Agnipath' scheme of recruitment in armed forces grew more virulent across Uttar Pradesh on Friday as the protestors set ablaze the Jattari police station building and a police vehicle in Aligarh. According to the police, protests have been reported from 17 locations across the state, including Varanasi, Firozabad Amethi, Ballia, Mathura, Agra and several other regions. The protesting youths set a bogey of an empty train on fire and vandalised some other trains in Ballia, Firozabad, and Varanasi. Protests were also reported on the Agra-Lucknow Expressway and the Yamuna Expressway near Noida. Four buses were damaged due to stone pelting on the Agra-Lucknow Expressway. The vandalising of Ballia-Varanasi Memu and Ballia-Shahganj trains has gone viral on social media. Uttar Pradesh Police's ADG, Law and Order, Prashant Kumar said that protests against the scheme are still going on at some places in Mathura. Senior officials are present at the spot and are trying to pacify all students and aspirants. "We have also received some intelligence inputs that some organisations are further inciting it," he said. In Aligarh, hooligans set ablaze the tyres of a roadways bus near Tappal. Besides this, some incidents took place at other locations where police pacified the people on spot. The ADG said that strict monitoring is being done across the state. Hyderabad, June 17 : The youth who died in police firing at the Secunderabad railway station during the protest against new armed forces recruitment policy 'Agnipath' was preparing to join the army. Son of a farmer, D. Rakesh, 22, hailed from Dabeerpet village of Warangal district of Telangana. Rakesh, who was in his final year of graduation in Hanamkonda, was selected for army recruitment six months ago and was preparing for the written exam. He is survived by his parents, a brother and a sister. His sister is said to be working in the army. Rakesh was one of the youth who had reached Secunderabad railway station Friday morning from various parts of Telangana to stage the protest against the new scheme, which they believe will dash their hopes of joining the army. The protestors resorted to violence, setting afire trains and cargo and vandalising the station. Railway police opened fire to bring the situation under control. Rakesh, who was hit by a bullet, was shifted to Gandhi Hospital in a critical condition. Doctors said they tried CPR but could not revive him. Rakesh's death shocked his father Kumaraswamy, a farmer, mother Poolamma and other family members. They rushed to Hyderabad. After an autopsy at Gandhi Hospital, the authorities handed over the body to his family members. Twelve injured were also admitted to hospital. Doctors said they were trying to ascertain if these were bullet injuries or not. Barring Jagannath Rangaswamy, who is from Kurnool in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, all the injured are from Telangana. They have been identified as K. Rakesh (Karimnagar), J. Srikant (Mahabubnagar), G. Parshuram (Kamareddy), A. Kumar (Warangal), P. Mohan (Kamareddy), Narendra Babu (Khammam), L. Vinay (Mahabubnagar), Vidya Sagar (Asifabad), Mahesh (Vikarabad), Lakshman Reddy (Nalgonda), and Bharat (Nirmal). Islamabad, June 17 : Pakistan is hopeful of getting off the grey list of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) as the countrys fate banks on the decision, to be taken during the four-day plenary session of the FATF underway in Berlin. Pakistan has said that probabilities of getting out of the FATF grey list are much higher as "things seem to be going Pakistan's way". FATF, the global terror financing watchdog, is going to announce its decision as to which countries will remain on its list and also the ones which have been removed. The Pakistani delegation headed by Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Hina Rabbani Khar, who also heads the country's National FATF Coordination Committee, is in Berlin and is optimistic about the country's removal from the grey list as it has complied with most of the pointers of the action plan, handed over by FATF to Pakistan. "Even if Pakistan is removed from the list, it may take seven to eight months for to settle matters. After removal from the grey list, the FATF team will visit Pakistan for onsite inspection," said a spokesperson of the Pakistan government. While the announcement of the FATF decision is still pending in Berlin, rumours have already started pouring in on social media platforms, with ruling and former government members claiming credit for the success. The leadership of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), which is the former ruling party of the country under Imran Khan, is claiming that the 'victory' at FATF is the result of its efforts, while the ruling coalition government is claiming it to be its success as the decision will come under its time of ruling. Shireen Mazari, a senior member of PTI and former Human Rights Minister, has said that the removal of Pakistan from the FATF grey list is Imran Khan government's success, adding that what was the need for a regime change when the country was progressing. "Yet another success story of the PTI government. #FATF #ThankYouImranKhan - which again begs the question: Why the regime change conspiracy at this time when all indicators were on a positive trajectory? To deliberately make Pakistan nosedive on all fronts centering on economy?" she tweeted. On the other hand, Hina Rabbani has called on all quarters to avoid prejudging and speculating the outcome of FATF decision before it is officially announced. "The FATF plenary meetings are continuing in Berlin. FATF will issue a public statement after conclusion of the meetings tonight. Prejudging the outcome or speculative reporting could and should be avoided," she said. As per updates, Pakistan has complied with 26 out of the 27 recommendations made by the FATF in 2018 and six of the seven points given by the Asia Pacific Group (APG) in 2021. New Delhi, June 17 : In a major relief to cargo terminal operator PSA-SICAL Terminals Ltd, the Supreme Court on Friday ordered the Shipping Ministry and the V.O. Chidambaranar Port Trust, Thoothukudi to maintain status quo, restraining the authorities from initiating any action against the firm. PSA SICAL has been embroiled in a contentious litigation, since 2014, over the tariff charges and the royalty being paid by the cargo terminal operator to the Chidambaranar Port Trust. On June 7, the Madras High Court had rejected the challenge by PSA-SICAL to consideration of the issue by a special committee. The Central government had later unilaterally disbanded this Committee, before PSA- SICAL was given an opportunity of a hearing before it and replaced it with another Committee, however, the Port Authority was of the view that the new Committee could no longer adjudicate upon the disputes. This led to a confirmation of a liability of over Rs 1,027 crore against PSA-SICAL. The port authority had also issued a termination order on the same date on June 7, to terminate the license agreement with PSA-SICAL and indicated that it would initiate the appropriate process for dispossession and recovery of dues. With Friday's apex court order, the port authority would now be restrained from initiating any action towards the company. The disputes had originated between the parties under a license agreement which was awarded to PSA-SICAL in 1998 to inter alia design, engineer, finance, erect and operate berth no 7 of the Port called "Container Terminal" for a period of 30 years. Under the said license agreement, PSA-SICAL had to pay a fixed royalty every month to the port authority. However, as time passed, the port authority kept escalating the charges every year, eventually the same being much higher than the average container handling charges that it allowed PSA-SICAL to charge, thus making it commercially unviable to operate. PSA SICAL was represented by Senior Advocates Dr. Abhishek Manu Singhvi and Kavin Gulati assisted by the team from Karanjawala & Co. The port authority was represented by Additional Solicitor General Madhavi Divan. New Delhi, June 17 : Several countries including India, the UK, US, and Australia are seeing an uptick in Covid cases majorly driven by Omicron sub-variants BA.4, BA.5, according to media reports. The more transmissible sub-variants, that emerged in South Africa early this year, are added to the World Health Organisation's (WHO) monitoring list, while Europe has designated them as variants of concern. BA.5 is enroute to become dominant in most European countries including the UK and Portugal. The US and Australia are also seeing rising numbers of infections caused by the two new sub-variants. In India, sequenced data from Maharashtra, Telangana and Tamil Nadu has confirmed the presence of the sub-strains of Omicron. Prof Azra Ghani, an epidemiologist at Imperial College London, said the rising number of infections were not surprising, and might increase further. "This increase in infection prevalence is likely due to the growth of the BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron subvariants, which as we have seen elsewhere in Europe, appear to be able to escape immunity generated from previous Omicron subvariants," she was quoted as saying to the Guardian. "It is therefore possible that we will continue to see some growth in infection prevalence in the coming weeks and consequently an increase in hospitalisations, although these sub-variants do not currently appear to result in any significantly changed severity profile. This does however serve as a reminder that the Covid-19 pandemic is not over," Ghani said. BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron are not thought to be any more lethal than other types of Covid. But the two new variants are thought to spread more quickly than BA.2, which itself was more contagious than the original Omicron. Several studies have also shown that BA.4 and BA.5 are more transmissible and also have the ability to avoid immunity induced by both previous Covid infection and vaccination. "BA.4 and BA.5 evade existing immune responses from both infection and vaccination better than previous Omicron sub-variants, and that's why (they have) a transmission advantage," Associate Professor James Wood, a mathematician at University of New South Wales, was quoted as saying to the Sydney Morning Herald. The high transmission level is partly also because immunity may be waning, and also because of the mutations the virus has undergone. Many countries have also lifted their Covid restrictions, meaning people are mixing more, which gives the virus more chances to spread. BA.4 and BA.5 also appear to be able to infect people even if they've recently had other types of Omicron. While it is not clear "how big the wave will be or how deadly" it will be, "consistent with the overall picture, we're starting to see an upswing after two months of decline,a driven by the sub-variants, John Roberts, an actuary tracking Covid, told the Telegraph. Gurugram, June 17 : The police have busted an illegal call centre operating from a house in the residential area of Palam Vihar in Gurugram. The call centre mostly used to cheat foreign nationals on the pretext of technical assistance, the police said on Friday. While duping their clients, they used to introduce themselves as a service provider of the company. According to the police, a team led by Bijender Singh, station house officer (SHO) of the cyber crime police station, raided the call centre on Thursday night which was located in the Palam Vihar area in Gurugram following a tip-off. During the raid, the police arrested three accused and seized mobile phones and laptops along with Rs 30,000 from the spot. The accused have been identified as Mukul (call centre owner), Sameer and Tushar. "We received specific inputs that a fake call centre had cheated several foreign nationals on the pretext of technical support. The call centre was being operated without a licence to be issued by the Department of Telecommunications (DOT)," said Singh. During the questioning, the accused revealed that they used to send fake emails to foreign nationals using the name of different companies. The email contained a fake customer service centre number. When people called on that number, it used to route it to this fake call centre and they introduced themselves as a service provider of the company and extorted money fraudulently from customers through gift vouchers on the pretext of providing technical support. "How the accused was operating the fake call centre is a part of an investigation. The involvement of other people cannot be ruled out," the officer added. An FIR under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the IT Act has been registered at the cyber crime police station. New Delhi, June 17 : Agitators protesting against 'Agnipath', the recently-introduced short-term recruitment scheme for the armed forces, vandalised a bus in northeast Delhi, an official said on Friday. The incident took place at around 11.30 a.m. when a group of youngsters reached the Wazirabad road near the Khajuri Khas Flyover and tried to block traffic. "The windscreen of a mini bus was damaged after some protesters pelted the bus with stones," said Deputy Commissioner of Police (north-east), Sanjay Kumar Sain. The officer said that precautionary arrangements were already in place across the district due to which a police team quickly reached the spot and dispersed the protesters. The police have registered a case under the relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) at the Khajuri Khas police station. The Union Cabinet had on Tuesday approved the 'Agnipath' recruitment scheme for Indian youth to serve in the armed forces. The 'Agnipath' model will foresee the recruitment of personnel below officer rank (PBOR) in army, air force and navy for four years, including six months of training. At the end of four years, 25 per cent of the soldiers recruited under this scheme will be inducted into the armed forces as 'Agniveers'. New Delhi, June 17 : The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday said it has registered a case against 15 accused including the elder brother of Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and private firms for allegedly causing a loss of Rs 52.8 crore to the exchequer. The private companies, that are based in Gujarat, Rajasthan, West Bengal, their directors, proprietors, partners and unknown others have been booked by the CBI. Agrasain Gehlot, the elder brother of Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot, is in the fertilizer business. He has been named as an accused in the FIR. A senior CBI official said that initially a Preliminary Enquiry was registered in the matter. The CBI learnt during the inquiry that Muriate of Potash (MOP), a restricted item, could be exported only with the prior permission of the government. Indian Potash Limited (IPL) supplies the imported Muriate of Potash (MOP) to farmers through its authorised dealers at subsidised rates and claims the subsidy from the government. It was also found that the MOP was allegedly exported in the guise of Feldspar Powder, industrial salt to overseas buyers. "Further to cover up the transaction, fictitious purchases of the Feldspar Powder, industrial salt through dealers in Rajasthan and Kolkata were allegedly shown. The accused had hatched a conspiracy during the period 2007 to 2009 with officials of Central Board of Excise & Customs and Indian Potash Limited and fraudulently helped to purchase and export total 24003 MT of Muriate of Potash in guise of industrial salt, Feldspar Powder. It caused a loss of Rs 52.8 crore to Govt. of India," said the official. He said that searches were being conducted at around 15 locations in Rajasthan, Gujarat and West Bengal at the premises of the accused. Kolkata, June 17 : The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday afternoon submitted to the Calcutta High Court the names of members of its Special Investigation Team (SIT) which would conduct parallel probes regarding irregularities in teachers' recruitment in both the West Bengal Board of Primary Education (WBBPE) and the West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC). The six members of the SIT, which will operate under the direct supervision of the CBI's new Joint Director (Kolkata Zone), N. Venugopal, are Imran Ashik, Somnath Biswas, Dharamveer Singh, Satyendra Singh, Malay Das and K.C. Rishinamal. However, Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya, the counsel for the petitioners who challenged the recruitments, requested the court to reconsider the decision of including Rishinamal as a member of the SIT. As per the court order, members of the SIT will not be engaged in any other investigation and will not be transferred before the investigation in this case is completed. The CBI sleuths on Friday also submitted the first status report on the progress of the agency's investigation in the recruitment scam. The report was submitted in a sealed envelope and the court is not making it public for the time being. Advocate Firdaus Shamim, another counsel for the petitioners, told media persons that since the SIT will now operate under the direct monitoring of the Calcutta High Court, he is hopeful that the details of the recruitment scams will be revealed shortly and the offenders will be booked. Meanwhile, Ankita Adhikari, daughter of West Bengal Minister of State for Education, Paresh Chandra Adhikari, who lost her job as a higher secondary political science teacher in a state-run school following a Calcutta High Court order, has already returned to the court the first instalment of the salary she drew from the school for little less than four years. She returned around Rs 7.94 lakhs. On May 20, 2022, the Calcutta High Court's single-judge bench of Justice Avijit Gangopadhyay cancelled Ankita Adhikari's appointment on the grounds of flouting all norms as she neither qualified in the merit list nor appeared for the personality test. Justice Gangopadhyay also directed her to return the salary that she drew from the school in two instalments. Bengaluru, June 17 : In the wake of violent protests that have erupted across the country over the 'Agnipath' military recruitment scheme of the Union government, the railway police and the Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel in Karnataka are on high alert. Security has been tightened at Krantiveera Sangolli Rayanna Railway Station in the central business district of Bengaluru. Similarly, security has also been beefed up at Vishveshwaraya Railway Station in Byappanahalli, Yeshwanthpur, Cantonment Railway stations in Bengaluru. The railway stations in major cities of the state like Hubballi, Mangaluru, Belagavi, Shivamogga, Mysuru have also been put on alert. The RPF has been directed to be prepared in case of protests on railway tracks or rail-roko agitations. The department is keeping a vigil on the movements of passengers as there may be protestors in the guise of travellers. Considering the seriousness of the matter, the authorities have given liberty to officers to take suspicious persons into custody and be on high alert to face any eventuality. So far, no protest or violence has been reported from the state over the Agnipath scheme. Colombo, June 17 : With transportation coming to a near standstill nation-wide due to fuel shortage, Sri Lanka on Friday declared 'work from home' (WFH) for government employees for the next two weeks. The Ministry of Home Affairs issued a circular on Friday urging all government institutions to limit the number of employees and arrange for a two-week WFH programme starting next Monday. However, ministry secretaries, heads of state departments and institutions have been empowered to decide on the minimum number of staff to ensure that public services continue uninterrupted. All public sector employees have been requested to be available for work online, even if a roster is implemented for the functioning of public institutions, the circular stated. The move came after the government announced four-day week for government employees with Friday as holiday for the next three months, mainly to save fuel consumption in the country, which is now depending on India for fuel supply. The final shipment of 44,000 MT of diesel under the Indian Line of Credit reached Colombo on Thursday. With more than $3.5 billion financial assistance since January, India has been the leading supporter of crisis-hit Sri Lanka, which is undergoing the worst ever financial crisis since attaining independence in 1948. While limited trains and busses are running with capacity passengers, private vehicle owners have been languishing in fuel queues at the gas stations for several days now. People have been protesting near the fuel stations demanding petrol, diesel and kerosene for cooking and fisheries activities. Jammu, June 17 : Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir can be held by this year end, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Friday. Addressing a function here, he said that the delimitation exercise was completed in J&K, recently following which the total number of assembly seats has been increased to 90, with the Jammu division having 43 seats and the Kashmir Valley having 47. There is a possibility that the Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir can be held by this year-end, he said. The Defence Minister, who is on a two-day visit to J&K, had on Thursday interacted with senior field commanders in addition to visiting forward positions on the Line of Control (LoC). New Delhi, June 17 : Bhim Sena chief Nawab Satpal Tanwar was arrested by the Delhi police for his remarks against suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma, an official said on Friday. A video of Tanwar had gone viral on social media in which he had announced a reward of Rs 1 crore for any person who severs her tongue. "One social media entity i.e Nawab Satpal Tanwar, who claimed to be the chief of Bhim Sena, having multiple Twitter handles and Facebook profiles, posted a video in which he announced a bounty of Rs 1 crore for a derogatory act against Ms. Nupur Sharma and was trying to fuel communal disharmony," said Delhi Police spokesperson Suman Nalwa. The Special Cell of the Delhi Police registered an FIR against Tanwar and a manhunt was launched to trace him. "Since the registration of FIR, Nawab Satpal Tanwar was trying to hide in different parts of North India in Punjab, UP and Haryana," the official said. However, on Thursday, Tanwar was arrested from Gurugram in Haryana. "He claimed to have some medical issues for which he was medically examined and has been sent to judicial custody," Nalwa said, adding that in the recent past the Delhi police had been receiving complaints that social media was rife with objectionable matter spreading hate and creating a situation against the maintenance of law and order. Till now the police have registered 19 FIRs for posting hateful content on social media. The controversial statement made by Nupur Sharma about Prophet Muhammad had caused an international furore. Several Muslim nations, including Afghanistan, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Indonesia and Iran, as well as the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation have officially protested and demanded an apology. Following the uproar, the Bharatiya Janata Party suspended Sharma and Naveen Kumar Jindal for insulting Prophet Muhammad. However, soon after her comments went viral, Sharma was targeted on social media and received death threats following which the police provided security to her. She had lodged a complaint with the Delhi Police on May 27 alleging that she has been receiving death threats and was the target of hatred. 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. Later, 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 also added. Chennai, June 17 : Tamil Nadu will soon appoint a state Maritime Security coordinator who will work closely with the National Maritime Security Department as the Centre is taking a serious view of coastal security. The state police's Coastal Security Group (CSG) will soon be procuring 24 19-metre boats equipped with modern technologies that are provided by the Centre under the Coastal Security Scheme. The CSG is fine-tuning the standard boat offered by the Ministry of Home Affairs to properly suit the specific requirements and customized design. CSG sources told IANS that these boats would be capable of operating in the sea for 10 days. Following the arrest of Satkunam alias Sabesan, a top intelligence officer of the now-defunct LTTE by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in October 2021 on charges of smuggling drugs and weapons, the state has been on a high alert on the probability of LTTE intrusion. With this, Central agencies have intimated coastal states to be on high alert and to equip themselves with high-end boats as well as to appoint State Marine Security Officers. The Central intelligence agencies have also warned the state Home Dpartment that other than the cadres of the LTTE, the possibility of prisoners who have escaped from the Sri Lanka's Hambantota prison, drug lords of the island nation, and other anti-social elements reaching the shores of Tamil Nadu are on a high. The CSG is closely working with the national maritime security agencies as well as with the Indian Navy and the Coast Guard. It has already installed check posts on all roads leading to the sea and erected check posts at vantage points. The CSG is working with state and central agencies to prevent illegal activities in the territorial waters and fishing hamlets . Chief Minister, M.K. Stalin had recently appointed 300 Home Guards from fishermens' villages in coastal areas of the state. The Village Vigilance Committees are also roped in by the CSG to provide inputs on suspicious movement of vessels and boats in the sea. In another initiative, the CSG has already trained 520 youths from coastal areas and fishing hamlets to prepare them for jobs in the Indian Navy, Coast Guard, and state police. Srinagar, June 17 : The J&K Reorganisation Act introduced a new governance system in Jammu and Kashmir on October 31, 2019, when the erstwhile state started functioning as a Union Territory. The implementation of the Reorganisation Act led to the repeal of the J&K Waqf Act, 2001, and the Specified Waqf Act, 2004. It paved way for the Central Waqf Act, 1995, to be extended to the UT. The Act brought all the 133 Muslim mosques and shrines, with an annual income of Rs 26 crore and 9,500 kanals of land, in J&K under the Central Waqf Board. Till October 31, 2019, the J&K Board for Muslim Specified Waqfs used to take care of 32,000 properties, including shrines, mosques, and educational institutions across J&K. The board had also supported the setting up of the Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST) between 2002 and 2008 at Awantipora in South Kashmir. Later, the varsity was taken over by the government. In the erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir, the Chief Minister used to be the chairman of the Waqf Board. Its system was different from other Waqf boards in the country. It had a centralised revenue system. Across the country, the Central Waqf Boards function to give more powers to mutwalis, the traditional caretakers of the shrines, to collect endowments in the form of cash and jewellery and run the affairs on their own. The Central Waqf Act calls for 7 per cent of revenue share from these shrines. Waqf Board revamped In July 2021, the President empowered the J&K Lieutenant Governor to constitute a body for setting up of a Waqf Board in Jammu & Kashmir that would look after Muslim shrines and properties in the Union Territory. Before the reorganisation of J&K, two bodies - Waqf Board and Waqf Council - were mandated to look after Muslim shrines and properties in J&K. In March 2022, the government appointed Darakhshan Andrabi, Syed Mohammad Hussain, Ghulam Nabi Haleem and Sohail Kazmi as members of the new Waqf Board. Andrabi was appointed as the chairperson and was accorded the status of Minister of State. Soon after BJP leader Andrabi was appointed as the first woman chairperson of the Board, PDP spokesperson and former MLA, Firdous Tak, termed the move as a step towards controlling the religious beliefs and practices in J&K. Earlier, the Waqf Board was named as Muslim Auqaf Trust. It had been formed by former J&K Chief Minister and National Conference leader late Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah. Till the NC remained in power, it continued to function as Muslim Auqaf Trust. However, after late Mufti Mohammad Sayeed became the J&K Chief Minister, he reconstituted the Muslim Auqaf Trust through legislation as J&K Board for Muslim Specified Waqfs. After Sayeed's Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) came to power, it alleged that the Muslim Auqaf Trust had lost its credibility as the donations that were collected from different shrines and the revenues generated as rent from different properties were being mismanaged. Waqf activities won't be confined After Andrabi took over the reins of the board, she made it explicitly clear that the activities of Waqf in "Naya Jammu and Kashmir" won't be confined to only construction and maintenance of religious places. The board wants to create assets like schools, universities and hospitals, such as Narayana Hospital and Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University, so that people from every section of society irrespective of colour, creed or religion get benefited. The board has moved a proposal to build a cancer hospital in J&K so that people don't have to travel to other parts of the country for treatment. The board intends to restore the ownership of the encroached Waqf properties in the Union Territory. The encroachers have been directed to surrender their right of illegal occupation or face the wrath of bulldozers. Other proposals include formation of a tribunal as per Central Waqf Act to address to the legal matters related to Waqf in J&K. Background Waqf in J&K started functioning in 1940s with a noble cause but it lost its track midway due to poor management, and excessive politicisation. The other factors that didn't allow Waqf to deliver in the erstwhile J&K state included lack of a developmental vision, and clarity and absence of an innovative framework that could have led to a functional management. No serious effort to enhance internal management, planning, and decision-making also led to Waqf remaining mired in controversies. The political regimes used Waqf as a place to rehabilitate their workers. The former regimes in the Himalayan region were not open to the idea of adapting Waqf models that were functional in the country. There was no balance in the administration to maintain such a faith-based philanthropic institution. A poor and a politicised Waqf in J&K in the past deprived the deserving of the help that the institution could have provided. In the past, no stringent audits were conducted and the common man had no idea as to what used to happen to the donation that he used to offer in shrines and mosques. Many used to believe that the donations offered by them reached the politicians through one or the other means. New members need to assure people The new Waqf Board members in Jammu and Kashmir will have to put in an extra effort to send a message to the people that the donations offered by them won't go anywhere and these will be used for good causes like building hospitals, schools, colleges and other institutions. The Waqf assets in J&K need to be developed in such a way that they start contributing towards the welfare of the society. The institution that could have gone a long way in building Jammu and Kashmir used to serve the interests of the political regimes. However, in 'Naya J&K', a roadmap has been formulated to take Waqf to new heights. The new chairperson of the board has already made it clear that the Waqf in J&K would become an example in the country. A mechanism is being framed to achieve the much-needed balance that can prevent political polarisation. The new plan for Waqf envisages umbrella bodies, other trusts, and business groups that do big philanthropies, so that big issues like disasters can be tackled. The Waqf can also provide scholarships, organise awareness workshops and conferences. A Waqf movement is in offing in 'Naya J&K' and the government has assured all possible financial and other help to the Waqf Board. The new beginning has already been made. Hyderabad, June 17 : Was Friday's violence at Secunderabad railway station during the protest against the Central government's new army recruitment scheme 'Agnipath' pre-planned? Did the intelligence failure led to the riotous mob virtually taking control of the station? These questions are being debated in political circles after hundreds of youth from various districts of Telangana gathered and went on a rampage, burning trains, vandalising the station, setting afire cargo and resorting to heavy stone pelting on police personnel. The firing by police to control the situation claimed a life and some others were injured. Even after this, the protestors continued their sit-in on the railway track for several hours. The sequence of events raised a question if the violence was pre-planned. It came a day after similar incidents in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and other states on the same issue. Violence was also witnessed in Hyderabad on Thursday during Congress protest march to Raj Bhavan against the "harassment" of their leader Rahul Gandhi by the Enforcement Directorate. The way more than 1,000 protestors barged in and targeted the railway property indicate that they came with a clear plan. There are reports that the protestors reached Hyderabad from their respective districts on Thursday night. The gathering was ensured reportedly through WhatsApp groups created by aspirants of army jobs in different districts. While Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy, who is a member of Lok Sabha from Secunderabad constituency, raised doubts over the political involvement in the violence, state BJP chief Bandi Sanjay went a step ahead to blame the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) and the Congress. Kishan Reddy, who met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi to apprise him of the situation, later demanded that the state government conduct a probe and find out if the violence was pre-planned. He wondered how the intelligence machinery and police were unaware of the gathering of a large number of protestors. He also questioned the delay in timely action by the police after the protestors barged into the railway station. The minister also alleged that a day before violent incidents took place during Congress' protest. He remarked that this would not have been possible without the state government allowing it. Bandi Sanjay, who is also a MP from the state, alleged that the violence was part of the conspiracy by the TRS, the MIM andthe Congress. He said the violence was pre-planned. "What were the police and intelligence doing when such a large number of protestors had gathered," he asked and remarked that Telangana needs a bulldozer government. The TRS leaders rubbished the allegations by the state BJP chief. State minister Vemula Prashant Reddy said Sanjay's allegation shows his ignorance. "Who is behind the violence in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh?" he asked. The minister said the country was facing disharmony and insecurity due to leaders like Sanjay. He alleged that riots were taking place across the country due to vote bank politics of BJP. Another minister S. Niranjan Reddy said it was due to the policies of the BJP government at the Centre that youth have taken to streets. "Yesterday, farmers had come on streets to oppose black laws and today youth are protesting," he said. New Delhi, June 17 : Amid the ongoing violent protests in several states and bitter criticism by many veterans of the recently announced 'Agnipath' scheme, the BJP is planning to make its cadre aware about the benefits of the new military recruitment initiative. The party is also asking its workers and leaders to strongly defend the scheme and explain its benefits to the people. Sources said that the BJP leaders are being asked to explain that the recruitment process in the armed forces is not stopping after the 'Agnipath' scheme, and 25 percent of the 'Agniveers' will be absorbed in the armed forces. "Party leaders are also told to explain to the public that the future of 'Agniveers' is not insecure after four years as they are getting Rs 12 lakh and priority in jobs in all sectors as everyone likes to recruit disciplined, skilled and committed workforce. Many state governments have announced that they will give priority to Agniveers in jobs," the sources said. On one of the concerns that after four years they might engage in anti-national activities, the BJP leaders have been asked to explain that someone who joined the armed forces will never get involved in such acts. A party insider said that leaders have been advised to strongly defend the new recruitment scheme and made it clear that the government is not going to withdraw it. While strongly defending the new recruitment scheme, a senior BJP leader said, "Our leaders will also appeal to not get misled by the political parties against a good initiative of the Union government to provide jobs." Several union ministers have started sharing facts against the myths about the scheme. Union Minister Anurag Thakur met aspirants of armed forces in his parliamentary constituency and cleared their doubts against the new recruitment scheme and assured that it will benefit the youth of the country. On Thursday, answering the concerns of what will 'Agniveers' do after four years, the government had said that they (Agniveers) have better chances of getting jobs compared to others at the age of 24 years after leading a disciplined and skilled life for four years. The government also said that the Union Home Ministry will give priority to Agniveers in recruitment to the CAPFs and Assam Rifles and most importantly one out four will be absorbed in the armed forces. On June 14, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh announced that the Union Cabinet has approved a recruitment scheme for Indian youth to serve in the Armed Forces. The scheme is called 'Agnipath' and the youth selected under this scheme will be known as 'Agniveers'. About 46,000 Agniveers will be recruited this year. Violent protests have been reported from various states. A senior BJP leader said that the protests are sponsored by some political parties. Kathmandu, June 17 : Nepal has refused to become a part of the US-led State Partnership Program (SPP), a platform created to share experience on disaster management, military-to-military and other defence related cooperation. Nepal wrote a letter first in 2015 and then again 2017 to join the SPP which was later included as part of the Indo-Pacific Strategy by the US Department of Defense in 2019. Since then, several debates and deliberations have taken place as to whether Nepal should join the SPP as Kathmandu has been saying that it will not join any military bloc or alliance. Ahead of the scheduled visit of Nepal Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba to Washington in mid-July, a recent visit of Charles Flynn, Commanding General of United States Army Pacific, to Kathmandu last week and the leak of a purported document which said the US will give $500 million to Nepal Army for five years after the signing of SPP have again triggered debate in the country as to whether Nepal should join the SPP. After deliberations by the ruling and opposition parties, which are mostly dominated by Communist forces, the Deuba-led government has decided to skip joining the SPP. After a series of uproar, Nepal's Minister for Foreign Affairs, Narayan Khadka, has ruled out the possibility of Nepal's involvement in the SPP. In his address to a meeting of the International Relations Committee of the House of Representatives on Friday, Khadka said the Prime Minister has already declared that the SPP is not in the interest and welfare of Nepal and it is not acceptable for Nepal in the changing context. In response to lawmakers' queries, he said, "The matter is already a closed chapter with the Nepali Army clarifying it. Thus, it is not necessary to bring the topic into a discourse again." According to the minister, it is not possible for Nepal to be part of any military alliance as it is aware of its geographical position and the sensitiveness of its neighbouring country. Army Chief of Nepal, General Prabhu Ram Sharma, has also ruled out joining the SPP, clarifying that the Nepali Army has not received any funds, weapons or ammunition from the US under the SPP. Neither money nor weapons or ammunition have been received under SPP, he said, adding that the US would never provide support in such terms. Former PM Madhav Kumar Nepal said the government has already clarified its position with regard to SPP and that the Prime Minister has also assured the ruling partners that no agreement will be signed regarding SPP. Some leaders are demanding that the government should further clarify its position with regard to SPP and write to the US stating that Nepal would not be a part of it. House Committee President Pabitra Niraula (Kharel) said the meeting decided to seek official opinion of the government about the issues made public with regard to SPP, direct the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to apprise the US government that it would not be part of the 'Indo-Pacific Strategy', and direct the government not to entertain any document or activities capable of sparking controversies during the Prime Minister's US visit. New York, June 17 : An Indian-origin businessman has been shot dead inside a store in the US this week while police have solved the year-old case of the killing of another in the crime wave engulfing the nation. Preyas Patel and an employee were found shot dead inside a store in Newport News city in Virginia on Wednesday, WTKR TV reported. And in Lindenhurst in New York, police, who persisted in pursuing the killing of Kinshuk Patel with a machete in his store, finally arrested the suspect, WCBS TV reported on Thursday. "Thanks to detectives, it's a good job, one year to close this issue and I request to all the people, please, (to do) justice to all family," Sanjay Patel, a cousin of Kinshuk Patel, told the station. Newport News Police Chief Steve Drew that a customer who visited the 7-Elven store found no one was working and called police, WTKR said. When police went there they found Patel, 52, and Logan Edward Thomas, 35, dead at the store attached to a petrol station, Drew said. He said that police suspect it was a botched robbery and were looking for witnesses and scouring videos from surveillance cameras, according to the station. The US is facing an unprecedented surge in violent crime and in New York State homicides increased by 58 per cent in 2021 compared to 2019. Both men were working in retail businesses, which have a high concentration of Indian immigrants, and which, according to a US government agency, have a "high risk of assaults and violent acts". In Lindenhurst, an official said they had the alleged killer Yoel Atzmon's fingerprint and DNA blood evidence and a video of him entering Kinshuk Patel's store, according to WCBS. Kinshuk Patel, 33, is survived by two sons, 18 months old and five years old, and his wife Ruchika Patel. She went to the store, Dapper Smoke Shop, when her husband had not returned home after closing time and found the mayhem there, the station said. When the accused killer Atzmon was produced in court, he became "agitated" and the judge ordered him held without bail and to undergo a psychiatric evaluation, WCBS reported. "He should be in jail his whole life because he wasted a life," Ruchika Patel told the station. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "retail work is one of the highest-risk jobs for workplace violence" and "businesses at high risk of assaults and violent acts include convenience stores, gas stations, and businesses that sell alcoholic beverages". Ahmedabad, June 17 : In the run-up to Indias 75th Independence Day, celebrated across India as 'Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, the Adani Foundation has organised a yoga tour of Gujarat. The tour covers 75 heritage, tourist and archaeological sites and landmark architectural sites across Gujarat. Each of these sites is of immense significance and many of these are revered religious sites. The sites were chosen to reflect the rich and vibrant cultural heritage of Gujarat. The yoga performances across the state have been documented in the form of short films to showcase benefits of yoga in the backdrop of Gujarat's unique culture, history, architectural marvels, natural eco-system and diverse geography. This content is available to viewers on a variety of online and broadcast platforms in several easy-to-access formats. A song, 'Yog Karo', composed by Sachin-Jigar and sung by Shankar Mahadevan, has also been produced to raise awareness, highlighting the beauty of Gujarat and depicting various yoga positions. The elements of each asana or posture performed in this song is linked to that particular site, such as the performance of Simhasana, Vrukshasana, and Mayurasana at Gir Forest. "Each episode of this Yoga Yatra reveals the beauty and grandeur of Gujarat by taking viewers and yoga enthusiasts on an immersive tour of the state's most remarkable destinations and the innumerable facets of the practice of yoga," said Dr Priti Adani, Chairperson, Adani Foundation. "Knowing, experiencing and connecting with our ancient roots and cultural heritage is very important to discovering who we were and who we should be. Yoga is India's gift to the world. It is not just a path to fitness, but a journey to preventive healthcare and holistic wellbeing," she added. The Yoga Yatra is a part of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, a Government of India initiative to celebrate and commemorate 75 years of independence. The yoga tour covers 75 heritage, tourist, archaeological sites and landmark architectural sites across Gujarat. New Delhi, June 17 : The Supreme Court on Friday suggested the transfer of jailed conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar from Delhi's Tihar to some other jail and directed the Centre to take a decision on the appropriate jail to which he can be transferred while dealing with his plea alleging 'life threat' inside the capital's high-security prison. "In the facts and circumstances, without entering into the rival contentions, it would be appropriate to transfer the petitioners to some other jail so to allay the apprehension of all concerned," said the vacation bench of Justices A.S. Bopanna and Justice Vikram Nath. Listing the matter for further heaing on Monday, the bench directed the respondents to come up with a decision on the matter. Earlier, the Delhi High Court had sought the response of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on a plea moved by Chandrashekhar alleging that the Tihar prison authorities have extorted around Rs 12.5 crore from him in the last two years. Chandrashekhar moved the apex court seeking his transfer from Tihar to another prison, saying that since he has levelled allegations against jail officials, he faces a threat to his life. "I asked for the shifting of the prison anywhere out of Delhi, requesting my client is willing to go anywhere in the country due to the threat to his life from the Tihar authorities and the court responded positively," his lawyer Ashok K. Singh told IANS. "I am not seeking to be transferred to a prison of my choice. I am entitled to the security of my life. Put me under any condition, produce me virtually but I have a tremendous threat to my life," counsel added. Chandrashekhar, who is charged in many multi-crore fraud cases, is also accused of extorting Rs 200 crore from the family of former Fortis Healthcare and Ranbaxy Lab promoters Shivinder and Malvinder Singh from the premises of the prison. The conman was reportedly giving Rs 75 lakh per fortnight as a bribe for a mobile phone. Many Tihar officials were booked after the reports and many are under the scanner after the incident. On June 9, Additional Sessions Judge Geetanjli Goel had sought a report from the Tihar Jail Superintendent on a similar plea stating that he has apprehension of a 'threat to his life' and not to transfer his cell at Tihar. In his plea, Chandrashekhar alleged that the DG, Prisons, is putting pressure on him to sign documents and he is also trying to shift him to Jail No 3 from Jail No 1. Washington, June 17 : The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Friday authorised emergency use of the Moderna Covid-19 Vaccine and the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for the prevention of Covid-19 in children down to 6 months of age. For the Moderna Covid vaccine, the FDA amended the emergency use authorisation (EUA) to include use of the vaccine in individuals 6 months to 17 years of age. The vaccine had been authorised for use in adults 18 years of age and older. For the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, the FDA amended the EUA to include use of the vaccine in individuals 6 months to 4 years of age. The vaccine had been authorised for use in individuals 5 years of age and older. The agency said in a statement that the known and potential benefits of the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines outweigh the known and potential risks in the paediatric populations authorised for use for each vaccine. "Many parents, caregivers and clinicians have been waiting for a vaccine for younger children and this action will help protect those down to 6 months of age," said FDA Commissioner Robert M Califf. "As we have seen with older age groups, we expect that the vaccines for younger children will provide protection from the most severe outcomes of Covid-19, such as hospitalisation and death," Califf added. The Moderna vaccine is administered as a primary series of two doses, one month apart, to individuals 6 months to 17 years of age. The vaccine is also authorised to provide a third primary series dose at least one month following the second dose for individuals in this age group who have been determined to have certain kinds of immunocompromise. The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is administered as a primary series of three doses in which the initial two doses are administered three weeks apart followed by a third dose administered at least eight weeks after the second dose in individuals 6 months to 4 years of age. "As with all vaccines for any population, when authorising Covid-19 vaccines intended for paediatric age groups, the FDA ensures that our evaluation and analysis of the data is rigorous and thorough," said Peter Marks, Director of the FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research. The effectiveness and safety data evaluated and analysed by the FDA for the Moderna vaccine to support the EUA for these paediatric populations were generated in two ongoing, randomised clinical trials in the US and Canada which enrolled infants, children and adolescents. Children 6 months to 5 years of age received a two-dose primary series of the Moderna vaccine at 25 micrograms (mcg) of messenger RNA (mRNA) per dose. In the FDA analyses, the immune response to the vaccine, of both age groups of children, was comparable to the immune response of the adults. On the other hand, the effectiveness and safety data evaluated and analysed by the FDA for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine were also generated in an ongoing and randomised clinical trial in the US and internationally, which enrolled infants and children. "The effectiveness data to support the EUA in children 6 months to 4 years of age is based on a comparison of immune responses following three doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in a subset of children in this age group to the immune responses among adults 16 to 25 years of age," said the US FDA. The immune response to the vaccine for both age groups of children was comparable to the immune response of the older participants. The FDA and CDC safety surveillance systems have previously identified increased risks of myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle) and pericarditis (inflammation of tissue surrounding the heart) following vaccination with the Moderna vaccine and the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, particularly following the second dose. "The observed risk is highest in males 18 to 24 years of age for the Moderna vaccine and in males 12 to 17 years of age for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine," said the FDA. Hyderabad, June 17 : Hyderabad police will probe the conspiracy angle in the violence that rocked Secunderabad railway station on Friday during the protest against the Central government's new armed forces recruitment scheme 'Agnipath'. Hyderabad Police Commissioner C. V. Anand has directed the Additional Commissioner, Crimes and SIT, and Deputy Commissioner, Task Force to closely monitor the criminal cases registered by Railway Police Force, Secunderabad. The top officials have been asked to find out the "objective, conspiracy and detailed planning which was done to create such violent incidents and damage the railway properties". Railway Police Force official Anuradha said railway police have booked cases under Indian Railway Act and other sections in connection with the incidents of violence. She said the cases were registered on a complaint by a railway employee. She said 1,500 people participated in the violent protest. Two policemen were injured in the attack by the protestors. The damage caused to the railway property is yet to be estimated. Train services resumed on Friday night at Secunderabad station. After police arrested the protestors, who had been staging the protest for more than nine hours, the South Central Railway (SCR) restored the services. Some of the trains, which were earlier cancelled or partially cancelled, have now been restored. SCR officials said several passenger train services were affected due the protests, apart from the damage to railway property. Arun Kumar Jain, General Manager (In-charge), SCR visited the station and immediately oversaw the restoration works for the immediate resumption of train services from the station. He directed the officials to be on high alert and depute additional man power and facilitate stranded passengers. He instructed security officials to deploy additional force and maintain constant vigil at the railway stations. A total of 28 Mail/Express trains were cancelled. The authorities also cancelled 70 MMTS trains, diverted eight trains, and partially cancelled 19 trains. Earlier, several incoming trains to Secunderabad were regulated/short terminated at nearby stations like Cherlapalli, Moula-Ali, etc. Additional Railway Protection Force, Government Railway Police personnel and local police were deployed at Secunderabad railway station and also at all important junctions over the jurisdiction. Food and water provided to stranded passengers at stations where trains were regulated. Helpline number has been set up at Secunderabad, and Vijayawada stations to assist the rail users with updated train running information. Additional counters were set up for refund of ticket charges to passengers for cancelled trains and for passengers not willing to opt for alternate arrangements such as change in departure terminal station. New Delhi, June 17 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch the historic torch relay for the 44th Chess Olympiad on June 19, flagging off the relay at 5 PM from Indira Gandhi Stadium, Delhi. He will also address the gathering on the occasion. FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich will hand over the torch to PM Modi, who in turn will hand it over to Grandmaster Viswanathan Anand. Starting from the national capital, the historic Olympiad Torch Relay will travel across the country (75 cities in 40 days) before reaching its destination-Mahabalipuram on July 27. Leh, Srinagar, Jaipur, Surat, Mumbai, Bhopal, Patna, Kolkata, Gangtok, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Thrissur, Port Blair and Kanyakumari will be among the 75 cities. The International Chess Federation (FIDE) introduced an Olympic-style Torch Relay tradition for its Olympiad from this year's event and named India as the starting flame point for each edition, commemorating the popularity of chess in the country where the sport originated. "I'm really excited to be part of this historic moment. I was always fascinated by the Olympic Torch Relay concept and now we also have one in chess. But the most amazing thing about it is, that it will always start from India. And as an Indian, I feel really proud about this fact," said the five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand while addressing the media during a press conference in Delhi on Friday. The All India Chess Federation (AICF) president Sanjay Kapoor and AICF secretary and Olympiad director Bharat Singh Chauhan were also present at the event along with Tech Mahindra's chief of strategy Jagdish Mitra and Ms. Apoorva, principal Secretary. Govt. of Tamil Nadu. "Chess Olympiad Torch Relay is a great medium to popularise the sport in India. We have ensured that it visits and covers every corner of the country, inspiring many individuals. It will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for everyone. I believe this will contribute immensely towards making India a global chess powerhouse," Chauhan said. "This Olympiad Torch Relay will add a golden chapter in Indian sporting history and, starting from India every edition, it will motivate generations to take up this sport. On behalf of the federation, we thank Honourable Prime Minister Modi ji for accepting our invitation. Events of such stature take a lot of effort and we are fortunate to have received the support from everyone including the government and other stakeholders," AICF president Kapoor added. The 44th edition of the world's biggest chess event will be held in Mahabalipuram near Chennai from July 28 to August 10. In nearly 100 years of the history of the Chess Olympiad, it's the first time that India will be hosting this prestigious event. Jaipur, June 17 : Protests continued in Rajasthan for the third consecutive day against the 'Agnipath' scheme launched by the Centre for short-term recruitment in the armed forces. Students blocked the Jaipur-Agra railway track in Bharatpur on Friday morning, where they clashed with the police and even pelted stones. Similar demonstrations were staged in many other districts. In one incident, a youth preparing for the army in Alwar tried to commit suicide but timely intervention by his friends saved his life. The protest started from Bharatpur where a large number of youth sat on the railway tracks and started raising slogans against the Centre. When the police tried to arrest them, the youth pelted stones on them. Later, the police fired tear gas shells to disperse the youth. In Sikar, hundreds of youth preparing for getting into the army raised slogans against the Central government and also burnt the effigy of the Prime Minister. The demonstration turned violent in Sikar's Neemkathana, where the protesters ransacked a roadways bus. In Kota, several youth took out a protest rally against the scheme, while many held similar demonstrations in Jaipur as well. When the youth who were protesting in Alwar's Bibirani were chased away by the police, the protesters pelted stones on the cops. Meanwhile, Nagaur MP Hanuman Beniwal said that the Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP) stands with the youth in their protest against the Centre's decision to implement the Agnipath scheme. Beniwal also tweeted that it is wrong on the part of the police to arrest the students protesting against the short-term recruitment scheme. Hyderabad, June 17 : The Telengana government on Friday announced Rs 25 lakh ex-gratia for the family of the youth who died in railway police firing at Secunderabad railway station during the protest against new armed forces recruitment policy 'Agnipath'. Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Friday night announced the compensation for the kin of D. Rakesh (22), who hailed from Dabeerpet village of Warangal district of the state. Expressing deep shock over the death of Rakesh, he conveyed his deep condolences to the youth's family and said a son of Backward Classes lost his life due to wrong policies of the Central government. The Chief Minister also announced that in addition to Rs 25 lakh ex-gratia, a government job will be provided to a member of Rakesh's family as per his or her qualification. KCR, as the Chief Minister is popularly known, said it was deplorable that Rakesh became a victim of wrong policies being pursued by the Central government. He assured that the state government will take every care of the children of Telangana. Patna, June 18 : Various parties, like the RJD, the HAM, and the VIP on Friday extended their support to the Bihar Bandh called by different youth organisations of the state on Saturday. The call for a bandh amid violence sweeping Bihar since the last three days and many railway properties being attacked and destroyed on Friday as well. A mob set part of Danapur railway station in Patna district on fire. They have set a car, parked near a fuel station, on fire. Meanwhile RJD national President Lalu Prasad slammed the BJP government at the Centre. "Capitalist government of Narendra Modi is increasing unemployment through anti-youth policies. Is this a government (Narendra Modi Government) formed by contractors who are offering jobs on the contract. Center should withdraw the Agnipath scheme immediately," he said. He also appealed to the youths "to protest in a peaceful and democratic manner". His son and Leader of Opposition in Assembly Tejashwi Yadav said: "If Centre has the justification for Agnipath why they are not recruiting officers on contract basis and why only kawans? The center should clarify whether 90 days leave which a regular army personnel is entitled to is applicable on Agniveers or not." Hindustani Awam Morcha and former Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi also announced support for the Bihar Bandh. "HAM is with youths of the country who are protesting against the Agnipath scheme. HAM does not believe in any kind of violence. We are ideologically supporting the Bihar Bandh on June 18 in the interest of youths and the country," he said. Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) President and former minister Mukesh Sahani said: "We have given moral and ideological support to the youths for Bihar Bandh on June 18. There is a great anger among youths of the country against the Agnipath scheme and Narendra Modi government. That's the reason why lakhs of youths hit the streets in the country. The Central government is not stepping back which is a great concern for the country. It is extremely unfortunate." Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Renu Devi, who faced the heat on Friday morning when a large number of youths pelted stones on her house in Bettiah town, said: "The students of the country do not understand the Agnipath scheme properly. Our students cannot do wrongful acts and violence. Those who are involved in violence are the goons of opposition parties who are trying to destabilise the government. Agnipath scheme is related to military training which the Centre wants to give to the youths of the country." Industry Minister Shahnawaz Hussain said: "Confusion about the Agnipath scheme is spreading in the country and some people are creating violence in the shade of youths. Centre has taken historic decisions and every one needs to understand the scheme properly." New York, June 18 : The Bipartisan Gun Law being negotiated in the Congress appears to have hit bumps already with majority of the American citizens and pro-gun lobby Republicans unwilling to back it unless they know what is actually in the bill. This is despite the fact that Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell, Republican from Kentucky, supports the laws in principle. Speaking at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Wednesday in favour of the new gun violence legislation, health and law experts, law enforcement personnel, and a parent of a school shooting victim spoke strongly for the law, but also opined that a bipartisan deal being negotiated in the Congress doesn't go far enough, said USA Today in a special dispatch. Pro-gun Republican lawmakers said they won't back the "framework" being discussed until they see what the actual bill says despite a strong in-principle backing from Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell. Even as details for the framework legislation are being straightened out, the Senate hearing on Wednesday gave an idea of what the stakeholders and Senators expect beyond the broad proposal amid their reservations. "This framework doesn't include everything I want, but it's made up of reforms that Americans overwhelmingly support," said Illinois Democrat Senator Dick Durbin, who chairs the committee. Broad support for mental health, early intervention and community support are included in the bipartisan framework deal besides support for state crisis intervention, investment in children and family mental health services and penalties for straw purchasing. The new laws cover protections for domestic violence victims, clarification on the definition of a federally licensed firearms dealer and funding for school safety resources and school-based mental health services, said ys the USA Today report. An "enhanced review process" for gun buyers under 21 years of age would include an investigative period to review juvenile and mental health records, including checks with state databases and local law enforcement agencies. It would not ban assault-style weapons, prohibit high-capacity magazines, or raise the age from 18 to 21 to buy a semi-automatic rifle. People are not happy with this framework because it is vastly different from the New York state legislature 10-pack law that prohibits sale of semi-automatics to youth under 21 years, and insists on strict background checks on gun salesmen and buyers. In Wednesday's hearing, the Senators were divided on how much the new legislation should focus on mental health services versus stricter gun control. Mora Szilagyi, a pediatrician and president of the American Academy of Pediatrics, said it will take "a multipronged approach", as an issue as complex and pervasive as gun violence doesn't have simple solutions. Szilagyi quoted a recent study that revealed all school shooters had a significant amount of childhood trauma. She was of the opinion that addressing them early on with a network of school-based, community-based, and primary care-based centres would help identify signs of trouble before a situation worsens. Several Senators and witnesses focused on red flag laws, which allow courts to confiscate firearms from those deemed a danger to themselves or others. Senator Richard Blumenthal, Democrat from Connecticut, spoke in favour of expanding these extreme risk protection orders which he and Senator Lindsey Graham, Republican, Syracuse, has introduced in the bipartisan framework. What is bipartisan gun law legislation and how did it originate? A bipartisan group of Senators unveiled an agreement in principle for gun safety legislation recently with an overview of a reform package to redress the nation's most pressing and divisive issue in the wake of mass shootings in Buffalo, New York, and Uvalde, Texas. CNN TV News Network said one of the biggest hurdles to be sorted out is how exactly the framework legislation is going to be worded and written as a legal document. The announcement includes the support of 10 Republican Senators, which would give the proposal enough support to overcome the Senate filibuster -- but maintaining it through the legislative process will be a big challenge for the lawmakers to overcome before the next Congressional recess in two weeks. Democrats are yet pursuing an ambitious goal: Draft the bill and keep Republicans on board before the next recess, close aides told CNN. Many of the details in the plan are still unsettled. ere is what the lawmakers included in the framework and what they left out: Reforms included in the agreement 'Red flag' laws A significant piece of the framework legislation is helping states create and implement the so-called red flag laws that keep guns off the hands of those who pose a threat to themselves or others. This legislation would provide significant funding to help states create new red flag laws, but the 19 states -- and Washington -- that already have these laws on the books would also be eligible for funding to improve the effectiveness of their established programs. Mental health and telehealth investment The proposal also includes "major investments to increase access to mental health and suicide prevention programmes; and other support services available in the community, including crisis and trauma intervention and recovery". Closing the so-called boyfriend loophole The senators said the legislation will address the so-called boyfriend loophole, which deals with whether unmarried partners could keep guns if they were found guilty of violence against a dating partner, according to the CNN report. Early this year, the Senate negotiators involved in Violence Against Women Act dropped the provision under pressure from the gun lobbyist in the Congress, the National Rifle Association. This has dealt a huge blow to Democrats. However, its inclusion in this framework shows 10 Republicans are willing to override the largest gun lobby on an issue where they had maintained a long-stated position. Enhanced review process for buyers under 21 A very competent due diligence process is being put in place in the new framework legislation for a more thorough review process for people between ages 18 and 21 buying a gun like an AR-15. Under a background check review, the National Instant Criminal Background Check System would have to also contact state and local law enforcement agencies to search for any disqualifying mental health or juvenile records, according to the Democratic aide. Clarifying the definition of a Federally Licensed Firearm Dealer How to define this is under debate. Because firearm sellers, proven to be "engaged in the business of selling firearms", need to be put on notice that they need to register to become Federally Licensed Firearm Dealers. It's significant because it means those dealers have to conduct background checks under federal law. School security resources The legislation would address an area Republicans have focused on in recent weeks: school security. The lawmakers said in their release that the proposal provides money "to help institute safety measures in and around primary and secondary schools", while also supporting "school violence prevention efforts" and training for school employees and students. What have the lawmakers left out Expanded background checks The framework legislation does not include a provision to enhance background checks for all firearm sales or transfers in the country. Currently, background checks are not required for gun sales and transfers by unlicensed and private sellers. Democrats have been supporting such a requirement for a long time. Last year, the House passed gun legislation that would expand background checks on all commercial gun sales, making it the first Congressional move on significant gun control as Democrats won the White House and the majority in both chambers of Congress. Assault weapons ban Also left out is a federal ban on military-style assault weapons, another measure Democrats have been pushing for in recent years, citing mass shootings that have involved such weapons. Higher minimum age of purchase Additionally, the agreement doesn't include a change to the age at which a person can purchase an assault-style weapon. Democrats, including West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin, the chamber's most conservative Democrat, have said the age to purchase assault weapons must be raised from 18 to 21. The New York legislators have done this in their 10-pack legislation on gun control. Witnesses and Senators advocate for more new details to the framework. Senators and witnesses at Wednesday's hearing also pushed for the inclusion of safe storage of firearms -- also known as Ethan's Law -- that would require an unloaded or loaded gun to be properly stored so children cannot access them. The proposal is not part of the bipartisan framework. Phoenix police chief Williams told the committee that Ethan's Law "could save thousands of lives" and that the MCCA agrees that safe storage is vital for preventing accidental violence and suicide among children. Senator Cory Booker, Democrat from New Jersey, spoke about modifying Breaking the Cycle of Violence Act, to provide federal grants to communities for violence intervention and prevention programmes. Booker cited the success of similar programmes in Massachusetts and Oakland, California, according to USA Today. Senator Cornyn on bipartisan gun proposal Senator John Cornyn, Republican from Texas, addressed other things needed within the legislation and said that negotiations are ongoing. He said he and his colleagues need to work together so that they can vote on the bill the following week. New Delhi, June 18 : Every state must recognise its strength, define its targets and develop a roadmap to achieve the same as this is essential for India to become a $5 trillion economy, Prime Minister Narenda Modi said at the national conference of Chief Secretaries which concluded on Friday. "Urban areas will be key in future development and employment generation. Therefore, urban local bodies must be strengthened, and urban planning should be done innovatively," Prime Minister Modi said. The conference, chaired by the Prime Minister, was attended by young district collectors and magistrates from states and union territories as well as the officials from Union ministries. Appreciating the extensive sessions, the Prime Minister said that the deliberations were useful in laying out a roadmap for the sectors. He stressed that the Centre and states work together as "Team India". The action points and fresh ideas discussed at the conference must be implemented without delay, he said. Emphasising on minimum government and maximum governance, Prime Minister Modi stressed the need to ensure greater ease of living in India. He also said that decriminalisation of minor offences should be taken up in mission mode. He also spoke on the usage of drones in the service industry, such as for the delivery of essential drugs or horticultural products especially in hilly areas, which would add more economic value to the farmers and service providers. Urging that all vacancies across state government departments must be filled, the Prime Minister said the states must identify such vacancies under each sector and fill them. "The states must try to integrate anganwadis with primary schools to achieve the goals of the National Education Policy," he added. While stressing on the need for improving the usage of technology in all government schemes and programmes for creating interoperability of datasets of the Centre and states, the Prime Minister also said that PM-GatiShakti should be appropriately implemented to attract investment. Rajkot, June 18 : An executive engineer at the Roads and Buildings Department in Rajkot received a phone call from a person impersonating as Gujarat state BJP president C.R. Patil, who asked the engineer to transfer an employee of his department. A complaint in this regard was lodged by BJP's state media convener Yagnesh Dave for "unnecessarily obstructing the government work of the executive engineer by using a false name". In the complaint, he said, "I was informed by N.G. Shilu, the executive engineer, that he had been told over a phone call by a man, who introduced himself as Gujarat State BJP president C.R. Patil, that Kuldeep from the Road and Building Department on Amreli Road, Rajkot is harassing a contractor and workers. The caller then asked the engineer to transfer Kuldeep to Junagadh with immediate effect." Intrestingly, the number from which the call was made was showing C.R. Patil's name on a caller identification application. Upon investigation, it was revealed that the number was not related to C. R. Patil or his staff. As this was found to be a fake call, police booked an unidentified man for unnecessarily obstructing the work of a government employee under a false name. The Mobile Scout The Mobile Scout offers data that first responders or investigators may utilize to discover trends, find clusters of gun violence and create maps to assist authorities in making strategic choices about where to deploy officers and other critical assets. The use of innovation in law enforcement and violence prevention is fast evolving from drones and actionable insights to biometrics all of which contribute to the safety of our cities and countryside. Law enforcement has always been an early adoption of technology. For instance, in the late 1990s, digital cameras were deployed on roadways to identify traffic offenses, particularly speeding. Police body cams have lately been implemented in a number of nations. Cambridge University researchers discovered that officers using body cams received 93% fewer public complaints. This has been attributed to the camera, which has increased transparency on both ends. It is an illustration of how technology may improve modern police. Simultaneously, crime is also evolving in the digital era. Law enforcement agencies must cope with new and developing cyber crimes while dealing with traditional crimes, including murder, disruptions, stealing, and domestic abuse. In this article, we are going to discuss: New Gunshot Detection Technology How Does The Mobile Scout Work Features of The Mobile Scout Available Technology Benefits of The Mobile Scout in the fight against crime The New Gunshot Detection Technology Gunshot Detection Technology (GDT) employs acoustic sensor technology to recognize, distinguish, and notify gunshots to authorities/mobile phones within seconds of firing a shot. A gunshot detection system consists of sensors that identify the noise of a gunshot, transmitters that deliver messages to the phone and a computer that receives and displays the message. However, shots fired indoors or behind a structure or other impediment are not detectable by gunshot detection devices. Therefore, the devices may be housed in boxes hung on poles, camouflaged as birdhouses or attic vents or otherwise hidden. The Mobile Scout has at least three possible applications: it may be used for fast reaction, issue resolution and crime prevention. This wireless cellular platform can send a phone call or SMS to staff and first responders to alert a shot was fired or a similar life-safety incident, such as an explosion, has just happened. The Mobile Scout may shorten first responders, staff members and security response times at locations such as schools, companies, airlines, hotels and government facilities. This type of crime prevention platform is increasingly popular to deal with threats and emergency preparedness. When a gunshot or explosion happens, The Mobile Scout utilizes auditory sensors to detect it. Multiple acoustic receptors sense the noise of a gunshot or explosion and notify local law enforcement and authorities dispatchers, thereby automating the commencement of a 911 phone call. Campus security officers and other essential individuals may also be notified of the event through phone calls or text messages. How Does The Mobile Scout Work The Mobile Scout is the most recent addition to the Crime Prevention Platform and represents the future of vigilant security technology. The Infinite Protection Ltd team created this comprehensive detection and alarm system to give peace of mind at any business or government event or gathering. They have combined all of the latest detection and monitoring technologies into one incredible transportable device. In addition, The Mobile Scout streamlines the emergency response process, reducing response time and eliminating human error. The crime prevention platform includes many elements that assist in detecting and alerting potential threats and illegal conduct. It is the ideal watchdog for public and private gatherings, giant retail or corporate space surveillance, school safety and many more applications. The Mobile Scout can be deployed in less than 15 minutes. Coverage can easily be expanded with additional units or with the wireless man-portable nano units. Grants from the federal and state governments have made purchasing more efficient. If you want to experience it first, request a free demonstration, and it will be delivered to any location. The Mobile Scout is also available for hire, with a daily cost based on how many features you wish to utilize. The Features of The Mobile Scout Off-grid solar-powered solution on the move Complete remote monitoring and management 4-position pneumatic (9ft, 12ft, 15ft, 18ft) Aluminum extension mast with lock There are no recurring software license payments Generator backup or grid power port Powder-coated welded steel tube construction Aluminum diamond plate decking Available Technology Solar Power Explosion & Gunshot Detection Emergency Messaging License Plate Recognition Wanted Vehicle Alerting Wanted Person Alerting Monitoring Audio Recording Live Video Monitoring 24/7 Video Recording Quick Response Some victims may be hesitant to phone the authorities or are in a state of panic and can not provide the appropriate emergency details. Providing exact information to first responders is critical to achieving the best outcome. GDT by The Mobile Scout was meant to automatically identify, authenticate and inform cops within seconds of detecting a gunshot. The data supplied includes precise timings and locations of gunshots. Within seconds, The Mobile Scout platform automatically pushes notifications through two-way radio text, email or video management systems. Several acoustic sensors gather data and triangulate it to determine the source of the sound, as well as the date and time. The audio is then transmitted to police enforcement or your phone, where it is confirmed as a gunshot or dismissed as a false alarm. Problem Solving GDT, when combined with video surveillance, enables investigators to analyze video feeds of block and street characteristics, make observations and conduct interviews. Gunshot detection reports, demographics and physical elements of a community can all assist in identifying hot zones. This data may then be utilized to assess the efficacy of a response to a crime scene and determine how these issues can be identified and rectified. Users of The Mobile Scout may promptly validate the warning and decrease personnel response time. Most weapons, including pistols, shotguns, rifles, and automatic rifles, may be detected by this technology. You can now add a low-cost, man-portable Nano Scout that connects to the platform through 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz to broaden your gunshot detection zones. The Nano Scout significantly extends the reach and capabilities of The Mobile Scout, giving the user a greater footprint of detection. With The Mobile Scout, you can simply identify malicious, anomalous or deviant activity. Catch specific human postures to detect potentially unsafe circumstances at public events or venues like schools, airports, banks, commercial areas or office buildings. Prevent Crime The Mobile Scout offers data that first responders or investigators may utilize to discover trends, find clusters of gun violence and create maps to assist authorities in making strategic choices about where to deploy officers and other critical assets. This study can also motivate social workers to engage community people who wish to help with a street outreach to prevent confrontations from escalating. Though citizens must continue to report gunfire events, The Mobile Scout is an effective tool for addressing firearm violence by creating a full report, resulting in faster action and lower crime rates. Conclusion Schools are adopting this technology to increase campus safety and eliminate hazards for their pupils by being proactive. For example, if a gunshot is identified, the system will notify authorities and automatically dial 9-1-1 to warn them of a concern. Thanks to this automatic notification system, students and staff can continue to protect themselves and close down the school until police arrive. Unlike many similar systems, The Mobile Scout can be fully integrated with most existing compatible life-saving technologies, helping eliminate human error. As an example, in the event of an incident, entry doors can be set to auto-lock or sound an alarm that notifies staff if the door fails to lock. A mass notification would be auto-generated and immediately delivered to all devices stored in the units database. The technology and endless integration options save time and money, while providing an affordable force multiplier. See The Mobile Scout in action and request a free demonstration at your location today by calling 419-273-0229 or visiting http://www.infiniteprotectionltd.com/mobilescout "This was one of the best Dolphin Tours that I have ever been on! says John Harman of Columbus, OH, We saw a lot of dolphins, the captain gave us a lot of information, and the speed boat was fast, smooth and exciting." Sea Racer Tours has recently opened in Little River, SC and invites you to take a 90 minute Dolphin Cruise on our newest speed boat. Sea Racer 02 is the fastest dolphin-tour boat in the Myrtle Beach area. Its a 70 foot fiberglass and aluminum passenger vessel, custom built by Ocean Rockets and powered by two turbocharged CAT diesel engines totaling 2300 horsepower. This offshore style race boat will give you a thrill ride of a lifetime at speeds of 30+ miles per hour. The boat is USCG certified to comfortably seat 128 passengers and will zip along the Intracoastal Waterway giving you the excitement and experience of being on a large speedboat. Locals, as well as visitors to Myrtle Beach, will enjoy the personalized experience on our speed boat. This was one of the best Dolphin Tours that I have ever been on! says John Harman of Columbus, OH, We saw a lot of dolphins, the captain gave us a lot of information, and the speed boat was fast, smooth and exciting. The narrated tour starts when departing from the dock in Little River Fishing Village and then cruising along the Intracoastal Waterway, then traveling through the Little River Inlet and out into the ocean in search of dolphins. Captain Andy Syska says Be sure to have your camera ready to capture them jumping and surfing in our wake! Sea Racer Tours also offers Boat Tours that will tour Myrtle Beach by the Intracoastal Waterway, as well as private charters. Sea Racer Tours is located at 4484 Mineola Ave, Little River, SC. Contact by phone (843) 273-5039 to book your tour or visit the website SeaRacerMyrtleBeach.com and SAVE $3 per ticket by booking online and using the coupon code WEB$3OFF Were unfailingly committed to bringing sales to our stocking dealers by investing in talented downstream salespeople who drive demand by calling on builders, contractors and architects in key regions," stated Rick Kapres, VERSATEX Vice President. Sales and Marketing VP Rick Kapres identified three new distributors that now offer the full line of VERSATEX PVC trim products: Cameron Ashley Building Products in Cleveland, Ohio, serving northeastern Ohio BlueLinx in Minneapolis and Duluth, Minn., extending VERSATEX availability throughout Minnesota and western Wisconsin Carolina Atlantic in Jackson, Mississippi and Pear River, Louisiana We continue to seek outstanding distributor partners who add value to what we do by serving our highly respected building-materials dealers, said Mr. Kapres. BlueLinx, Cameron Ashley and Carolina Atlantic are outstanding performers when it comes to wholesale distribution. Its a pleasure to add their locations to our ever-growing distribution network. He also welcomed six new VERSATEX market development specialists who came on board this spring: Peter Bondo, based in Long Island, N.Y. Patrick Bouchard, serving customers in Quebec Austin Jordan, assisting dealers and distributors in the state of Maine Alex Kapres, covering western Pennsylvania and eastern Ohio Zachary Archer, covering South Central Texas Shane Harrington, covering Eastern New York Brian Lasinski has also joined the Marketing Team at VERSATEX as Marketing Communication and System Specialist. Were unfailingly committed to bringing sales to our stocking dealers by investing in talented downstream salespeople who drive demand by calling on builders, contractors and architects in key regions. Were thrilled to have these new market development specialists to do just that. These gentlemen are excited about getting started, and were eager to see the results as are our dealers, Mr. Kapres said. About VERSATEX VERSATEX was founded in 2004 by industry professionals dedicated to bringing exceptional building products to the marketplace. Our unmatched quality and consistency generate PVC trim options that meet and exceed the needs of builders, architects, fabricators and homeowners. At the same time, our market-back approach focuses new-product development on customer requirements and innovations that make a real difference in efficiency and design. Singapore and Thailand are leading the way in providing support to execute regional or international events and have not been shy in promoting their respective destinations as open for MICE business. This has led to the publication of a busy calendar of events by STB and TCEB for the remainder of 2022 going into 2023, a situation shared by Destination Asia as we work closely with national and public organizations to provide essential support and event services. Destination Asia offices in both Singapore and Thailand continue to receive outstanding lead volume and requests, which supports the sentiment that business is back, and recovery is well underway. In preparation, the local teams have been developing new products and undergoing regular training to ensure service levels match the mantra of always exceeding expectations. TCEB and STB have rolled out several exciting initiatives to support international events and encourage business back to their destinations. STB has activated INSPIRE Global 2.0 which provides some great value-add elements which the Destination Asia team in Singapore can help activate and direct on. A solid list of international events is confirmed over the next three years, including those such as, IASEA, Rotary International Convention, Design Fair Asia, Worldchefs Congress, and Lions Club International Convention. TCEB announced Meet the Magic of MICE in Thailand at IMEX Frankfurt 2022, showcasing the countrys ability to offer local charm blended with modern technology under various themes. A number of these themes can already be found in products offered by our team in Thailand, with several of them featuring in an award-winning program from the Creative Routing Contest held by TCEB at Thai MICE Connect. Thailand has secured several events for late 2022 including the Global Summit of Women, Unicity 2022 Conference, APEC Summit, Travel Blog Exchange, and ICFP conference. We expect 2023 and 2024 to be very strong years for both Singapore and Thailand as the MICE industry moves through its recovery. Our teams are on-hand and ready to help plan your next event in Asia - get in touch now to discover how we can exceed expectations. In search of some inspiration? Explore our country ebooks for a taste of whats possible now in Asia. Did you know we also have a dedicated Events website for our agents? To request access, simply send an email to sales@destination-asia.com About Destination Asia Since providing our very first travel services in 1996, Destination Asia has grown to become Asias leading destination management company operating in 11 countries. Lead by a team of experienced local and international travel executives, it remains at our core to deliver exceptional travel services solely responsive to the needs of the client. Destination Asia provides comprehensive services covering leisure travel, meetings and incentives and cruise. Bearizona, a popular wildlife park devoted to providing homes for wild animals in need, announced today its mountain goat couple had a kid born May 23just in time for Fathers Day. The dad, Tom Brady, and mom, Serena Williams, were both named after The Greatest of All Time (GOAT) athletes. Now Bearizona is launching a social media campaign inviting participants to name the kid. To cast your vote, visit Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook. "It's pretty cool to be able to see a mountain goat kid up close. In the wild, moms keep them high on rocky mountain ledges, which could make them difficult to see, said Bearizona Drive Thru Supervisor Erica Parlaman. Our animals are currently in full swing of baby season here at Bearizonajust like those in the wild. So if you find a baby animal in the wild, leave it alone. Its mom is almost certainly nearby. Rocky Mountain Goats are native to northwest North America, from Southern Alaska down to Washington, Idaho and Montana. They are excellent climbers and most at home on the side of cliffs. The new kid is already showing his dexterity by climbing all over his mom, Serena. Bearizona is a 158-acre facility accredited by the Zoological Association of America and is currently home to 39 black bears and many other species of North American wildlife. The drive- and walk-through parks mission is to rescue wild animals in need of new homes and promote conservation by inviting visitors to view wildlife in spacious, natural environments. Since it was founded in 2010, Bearizona has fast-become a must-see attraction when visiting the Grand Canyons South Rim or driving through Northern Arizona. It was voted among the top three wildlife parks by the annual USA Today Readers Choice Awards twice in the past three years. To see the healthy goat family, visit Bearizona or check out http://www.bearizona.com for more information. About Bearizona Bearizona is a drive- and walk-through wildlife park south of the Grand Canyon in Williams, AZ, near the intersection of Historic Route 66, Interstate 40 and Highway 64. The parks mission is to rescue wild animals in need of new homes and promote conservation by fostering memorable and educational encounters with North American wildlife in natural environments. Bearizona invites guests to take a scenic, three-mile drive through packs and herds of wild animals followed by a leisurely stroll through Fort Bearizona, where additional animals can be seen beneath the towering ponderosa pines of Coconino National Forest. CommonSpirit Health CEO Lloyd H. Dean joined Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM) for the latest edition of its new "Danforth Dialogues" podcast to discuss his groundbreaking career as a pharmaceutical company executive and leader of the country's largest Catholic hospital system with MSM President and CEO Valerie Montgomery Rice, MD, FACOG. Dean talked about his life growing up in Muskegon, Michigan, graduating from Western Michigan University, where he served as president of the student body and a member of the schools Board of Trustees, to, his time as a teacher, then Executive Vice President at UpJohn before his long career as a hospital system executive. As he winds down his historic career, it was indeed a unique opportunity to have Lloyd on Danforth Dialogues to talk about his personal journey and provide his insights on successful leadership, said Dr. Montgomery Rice. Our conversation with Lloyd was the first Danforth Dialogues podcast before a live audience with members of both organizations joining us for the event. Dean, who also was the keynote speaker at the schools 38th Commencement Exercises on May 21, talked about the strong support he received from his family that helped to inspire him to decide early in life that he wanted to make a difference in peoples lives. In my whole career, I have had two disciplines, one was education which led me to become a school teacher, and the second was health care, he said. Dean also noted several key traits of successful leaders. Number 1, for every opportunity I have had, I tried to be the most prepared, he said. Number 2, I was inquisitive. I tried to listen and learn from other people, and, third, I understood that in larger opportunities, its not about you, but your ability to get things done through other people. The Dean podcast episode is the first part of a two-part conversation. In the second part to air in July, Dean and Dr. Montgomery Rice will focus on the More In Common Alliance, an innovative partnership between the two organizations that seek to increase minority health practitioners and help reduce health disparities in underserved communities across the country. Launched in March, "Danforth Dialogues" focuses on the leadership lessons from the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic and their broader implication for society. Named after the historic Danforth Chapel on the Morehouse College campus, the podcast series will also feature a cross-section of guests and topics not directly related to the pandemic but focused on broader aspects of leadership. To hear this edition of the podcast, click here. For more information about the Danforth Dialogues leadership series, click here. To listen and subscribe to the Danforth Dialogues podcast, click here. For more information about Morehouse School of Medicine, please visit MSM.edu. ### About Morehouse School of Medicine Founded in 1975, Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM) is among the nation's leading educators of primary care physicians, biomedical scientists, and public health professionals. An independent and private historically-Black medical school, MSM was recognized by the Annals of Internal Medicine as the nation's number one medical school in fulfilling a social missionthe creation and advancement of health equity. Morehouse School of Medicine's faculty and alumni are noted for excellence in teaching, research, public policy, and exceptional patient care. MSM is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award doctoral and master's degrees. To learn more about programs and donate today, please visit http://www.msm.edu or call 404-752-1500. Kremer Ranch Map The Kremer Ranch has it all. Live water, outstanding irrigation rights, cattle grazing lease, wildlife as well as beautiful improvement all in the Heart of the Big Horn Basin. Heart of the Big Horn Basin this 16,517-acre ranch includes 1,726 deeded acres, a vast BLM cattle lease, and 654 irrigated acres with four pivot sprinklers. The Kremer Ranch was listed by Jacque Zurcher, Associate Broker Mason Morse Ranch Company on August 12, 2021, for 7.3 million. The property was sold on May 27th, 2022. A peaceful and tranquil ranch setting with easy access to Powell, Wyoming. Shoshone River frontage for 2.5+/- miles with property on both sides of the river, plus Bitter Creek traverses the property and Sidon canal which has a historic fish ladder that borders the north and the west. The property is literally surrounded by water! The ranch offers excellent fishing, flocks of wild turkeys, geese, ducks, pheasants, and herds of deer make for exceptional wildlife and recreational opportunities. With adjacent public lands and private BLM grazing, excellent water resources, and water rights similar ranches for sale of this quality are hard to find. The ranch is secluded, private, and close to amenities. The location, scenery, wildlife, hunting, and ranch operation all combine to offer a ranching lifestyle not easily found. This ranch is owner rated to run 350 pairs and 20 horses. The ranch features excellent improvements, including a six-bedroom, five-bath home finished with a large dining area, cozy fireplaces, large hallways, spacious bedrooms/bathrooms, expansive decks, and a detached three-car garage. Size-able windows capture the sweeping views of the river bottom. The master bedroom and bathroom have been attractively updated with a rustic theme to make this home very relaxing. For the horse enthusiast, the ranch has several 12 x 20 horse stalls with partial cover, a round pen, an interior tack room, and a large sandy outdoor roping arena (150 x 300). The ranch headquarters also features a dog kennel set up for four dogs and a 40 x 60 insulated shop with 220 and single-phase electricity. The cattle lot area features two large Quonset buildings and a nice set of working corrals with great highway access as well as utilities for an additional home. Bunk space for 120 head made with 3 pipe makes the feedlot/working corrals very solid. The ranch has many features to make it function easily such as two silage pits, one with a concrete bottom, and two hay yards. This property boasts some of the best water rights in the state of Wyoming. Sidon canal assessment is offset by oil royalties paid out to all shareholders (Shoshone water right). Sidon Canal has an early state water right, the oldest in the area. The farm also has a right from Bitter Creek which is not assessed a fee at this time. The property contains 1,726 deeded acres with 654.93 acres of adjudicated water rights. Water is delivered from Bitter Creek for 221.7 acres and Sidon Canal for 433.23 acres. There are 4 irrigation pivots on the property all operated by natural gas engines. The Shoshone River is a northern Wyoming river whose headwaters are in Yellowstone National Park which is a heavily traveled corridor for people visiting Yellowstone Park via the east entrance of Yellowstone National Park. The Shoshone River here has been rated among the top ten freestone trout fisheries in the Rocky Mountains. Teddy Roosevelt once called the North Fork corridor the most scenic 50 miles of land in America. Cities it runs near or through are Cody, Powell, and Byron It ends when it runs into the Big Horn River near Lovell, Wyoming. (Source: Greater-Yellowstone.com). In addition, the Big Horn Mountain range is sure to impress you with its recreational opportunities! The Shoshone River offers a chance to land several subspecies of Cutthroat Trout. In 2011 the Wyoming Game and Fish Department completed a fish bypass structure that allows fish in the Shoshone River to move upstream to spawn in Bitter Creek on the ranch. Limitless recreational and historic sites surround the ranch including the Bighorn National Forest, Pryor Mountain Wild Horse Refuge, Medicine Lodge Archaeological Site, Red Gulch Dinosaur Track Site, Shell Falls, Paintrock, and the famous ancient Medicine Wheel. Outdoor recreationists can find a wealth of wild game, fish, and outdoor scenery in the area. Wyoming has low property taxes, low sales tax, and no personal income tax, and is becoming a place to live, work and play. The Kremer Ranch is a piece of Wyoming cowboy history. The Shoshone River flows through the valley offering excellent fishing. This ranch is conveniently located in the heart of the Big Horn Basin of Northern Wyoming. The area is rich in history and lavish in beauty. It is an easy scenic drive to Yellowstone National Park and many other numerous recreational opportunities within the Yellowstone ecosystem. The Kremer Ranch has it all. Live water, outstanding irrigation rights, cattle grazing lease, wildlife as well as beautiful improvement all in the Heart of the Big Horn Basin, added Jacque Zurcher, Agent with Mason & Morse Ranch Company. The property was closed by Big Horn County Title of Greybull, Wyoming. About Mason Morse Ranch Company A leading provider of farm, ranch, and recreational land brokerage services across the American West. Professional services include real estate brokerage, auction, and market analysis. With roots dating back to 1961 in the Roaring Fork Valley near Aspen, Colorado, the Ranch Company specializes in helping clients buy and sell high-value and large acreage farm, ranch, and recreational land properties. Combined, Mason & Morse Ranch Company agents offer clients more than 133 years of experience in real estate land sales and acquisitions. http://www.ranchland.com 877-207-9700 About Agents Jacque Zurcher Jacque Zurcher is an owner/operator of an irrigated ranch in Powell, Wyoming. Together, with her husband Ryan, they run Charolais and Red Angus cross cattle on sainfoin and grass pivots. Her primary focus is on the farm, ranch, and horse properties. Jacque was raised in Pine Bluffs, Wyoming on her familys turf grass farm, she graduated from the University of Wyoming with a degree in Ag Business, and continued to work for Cabelas Inc. as a marketing manager for 16 of their eastern United States locations prior to joining Mason Morse Ranch Company. For more property information contact: Listing Agent Jacque, Mason Morse Ranch Company Email: Jacque@ranchland.com Phone: 307-316-1891 http://www.ranchbrokers.com With growing pressure for admissions officers in the U.S. to meet enrollment targets with smaller teams post-COVID, Cialfo believes the right technologies used in the right way and at the right time during a students college search and selection process can empower everyone." Edtech start-up Cialfo has today announced the launch of its first-ever Slate integration with America's oldest technological research university, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI). Slate integration will allow RPI to find and connect more efficiently with high school students and counselors who have expressed an interest in potentially studying there via Cialfos early career exploration and college application platform, which has a network of 310,000 learners from more than 105 countries. Founded in Singapore in 2012, the digital transformation leader - with offices in Washington DC, Singapore, Shanghai and New Delhi - is paving the way for further innovation across the higher education ecosystem globally, using AI and other advanced technologies. The team was recently shortlisted for the 2022 PIEoneer Awards in the category of international student recruitment organization of the year. Commenting on the significance of the Cialfo/Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute integration, William Hund, Chief Product Officer and Co-founder of Cialfo said: With growing pressure for admissions officers in the U.S. to meet enrollment targets with smaller teams post-COVID, Cialfo believes the right technologies used in the right way and at the right time during a students college search and selection process can empower everyone, and were committed to continuously evolving our platform and other offerings to do so. The fact that our first Slate integration is with such a revered tech research university as RPI is as fitting as it is exciting, and its a great step towards making higher education more accessible worldwide. The announcement comes during this years Slate Summit and off the back of Cialfos inaugural meeting of an advisory board created with other renowned colleges and universities across the U.S. to spur innovation in higher education and international student mobility. In addition to RPI, Cialfo forged a partnership with Portland State University earlier this year and is working on a potential Slate integration with them as well. Commenting on the significance of the Cialfo/Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute integration, Megan Whalen, Associate Director, Undergraduate Admissions and Director of International Recruitment, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, said: Cialfos easy-to-setup Slate integration allows our team to have the most updated information about interested students from around the world possible, all without needing to manually upload spreadsheets. This means we can connect and engage with these students and other adjacent cohorts even faster. As a result, Cialfos integration with Slate adds tremendous value to an already fruitful partnership. According to The National Center for Education Statistics, 19.4 million US students attended colleges and universities in the fall of 2020. Research from Statistica revealed 914,095 international students studied in the US during the 2020/21 academic year. In addition, its estimated there are approximately 5,300 colleges and universities in America, and that the number of applications submitted to colleges has increased by more than 150 percent over the past two decades. ABOUT CIALFO Cialfo provides transformative technologies, thinking and tools to students and schools from K12 to universities so they can more easily meet, manage the career exploration and college application process, and make educated decisions about their future. Nearly 200 Cialfolk work from the companys headquarters in Singapore, at local offices in India, the United States, and China, as well as from nine other remote locations, to make higher education more accessible worldwide. For more information, visit http://www.cialfo.co. AFS Receives $500,000 Grant from General Motors The Automotive Hall of Fame is extremely grateful to General Motors for this generous grant to launch this important initiative, said Sarah Cook, president, Automotive Hall of Fame. The Automotive Hall of Fame (AHF), a non-profit organization that honors and celebrates the mobility industrys pioneers and their impact on society has received a generous $500,000 grant from General Motors to launch a new educational program entitled Black Innovation, Invention, and Leadership in Mobility. This grant enables the AHF to begin developing a multi-channel experience that helps educate the community about Black contributions to the global automotive industry as well as the industry's impact on Black families and communities. The Automotive Hall of Fame is extremely grateful to General Motors for this generous grant to launch this important initiative, said Sarah Cook, president, of the Automotive Hall of Fame. There are many voices that have shaped - and continue to shape - the mobility industry, and we are excited to begin the work to tell their important stories. Recognizing that the Black community is often underrepresented when telling the automotive industrys history, General Motors has provided the grant to help lift up Black voices and increase awareness of the impact the community has had on the industry. GM is proud to support the Automotive Hall of Fame as it launches its Black Innovation, Invention, and Leadership in Mobility program, said Terry Rhadigan, AHF board member and vice president of Corporate Giving at GM. AHFs efforts to create and share knowledge will spark social change through general education and promote new learning and career opportunities for our next generation of mobility leaders and influencers. Program Details Content development for this program is funded by this grant for one year, and the AHF is targeting a launch date of February 2023. The AHF will utilize both its physical exhibit space and digital capabilities to share the new content. In addition to the exhibit, there will be educational programming for a K-12 audience and an honoree lecture series. AHF is seeking community involvement, as well as additional funding, to bring a robust program to the public. We plan to highlight several key aspects of Black contributions that created the industry, including the labor, invention, design, engineering, and leadership that created the modern automotive manufacturing industry said Cook. The program will explore how mobility, vehicle ownership, and roadways have impacted Black communities in Detroit, throughout the country, and around the world, and will focus on first-hand oral histories of Black leaders, both historic and contemporary. Kathleen Donald This gift enabled the hire of Kathleen Donald, vice president of AHF operations and programs. In this newly created role, Donald will lead the reimagination strategy of the AHF, devised by the board of directors and Cook. The Black Innovation, Invention, and Leadership in Mobility program is the first piece of the reimagination initiative, and Donald will collaborate with AHFs new curator, Dr. Micala Evans, on this program. Dr. Micala Evans GMs grant also enabled AHF to hire an esteemed scholar of African American Studies and an experienced researcher and curator in African American communities, Dr. Micala Cila Evans, Ph.D. Dr. Evans will help to create a holistic narrative about African Americans and mobility, and she will be responsible for defining, collecting, and managing the assets for this educational program. I am thrilled to have been chosen as curator for this impressive initiative to keep stories of African American discovery and achievement alive, from the early days of the horseless carriage to the modern era of mobility, said Dr. Evans. While we will celebrate these stories in the context of their own time and place, we will also relate them to the here and now and beyond. We want to bring this vision of progress to our international inductee community, our museum visitors, students/young adults, policymakers, and a more general global audience. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Over the past year, the AHF established a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee, led by Hiram Jackson, AHF board member and chief executive officer of Real Times Media. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion is a priority for the Automotive Hall of Fame. Not just as it relates to inductees but on our board, in our staff, and in the programming we create, said Jackson. I wont pretend that were proud of our past around diversity. But what I can assure you is that the way forward will be starkly different. This initiative is just an exciting first step of many demonstrating the organizations commitment to ensure people of color are properly represented as part of the fabric of the automotive industry. About the Automotive Hall of Fame The Automotive Hall of Fame is a non-profit organization that celebrates the mobility industrys pioneers and their impact on society by capturing individuals stories, passion, and innovative spirit to engage and inspire the mobility industrys future workforce. Founded in 1939, the Automotive Hall of Fame has honored nearly 800 individuals from around the world, who have impacted and influenced the automotive and mobility industries. The Automotive Hall of Fame is located at 21400 Oakwood Blvd in Dearborn, Michigan, and is open to the public Thursdays Sundays, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. You can also visit the Automotive Hall of Fame online at automotivehalloffame.org or on our Facebook and Instagram pages. Its our job as leaders to create an inclusive environment where employee input and teamwork are not only welcomed but also valued. Trilogy Real Estate Group, a Chicago-based real estate investment, property management and development firm, earned national recognition as a top property management company in the National Apartment Association 2022 NAA Top Employers award program for the second consecutive year. The award identifies member organizations that foster collaborative and innovative work environments by encouraging employee engagement and performance. At the regional level, the company was also recognized as one of the winners for Chicago's Best and Brightest Companies to Work For. Trilogy employs approximately 160 team members with a portfolio spanning from Minneapolis to South Florida. The company, together with its affiliates, currently owns and operates nearly 6,000 apartment homes, with an additional 3,000 units in the acquisition and development pipeline. As an industry leader, Trilogy prides itself on its human-centric approach that provides employees with the resources and tools necessary to not only help grow the company but to also progress and flourish in their own careers. Employees at every level of our company know that they have direct access to our leadership team and that they will be supported, said Girish Gehani, COO of Trilogy Real Estate Group. Its our job as leaders to create an inclusive environment where employee input and teamwork are not only welcomed but also valued. The NAA Top Employers award pays tribute to employees and the hard work they put forth that contributes to the success of suppliers, management companies and the multifamily industry as a whole. Winners are determined based on the answers provided from an anonymous employee satisfaction survey where they rank the company on a scale from one to 10 in various categories. Chicagos Best and Brightest awards are presented by The National Association for Business Resources (NABR) and recognize organizations that display a commitment to enhance operations through employee enrichment and encouragement. The scores of potential winners are based on the regional data of a company's performance, as well as a set national standard. Receiving these accolades is a tremendous honor for any company, but to earn such awards based on our own employees feedback makes it all the more special, said Clayton Hanson, President of Trilogy Real Estate Group. Its really a testament to our core pillars and the emphasis we put on cultivating a people-focused company culture that encourages education, communication and collaboration to empower all of our team members. About Trilogy Real Estate Group Trilogy Real Estate Group is a vertically integrated developer, investor, and operator of multifamily and commercial real estate assets in U.S. markets. Trilogy has been recognized as one of the Top Property Management companies for 8 consecutive years and has an "A" rating in the epIQ Index. Since 2002, the principals of Trilogy have completed over $4 billion in real estate transaction volume. Trilogy has been tested in multiple real estate cycles and consistently sources and manages attractive real estate investments in major markets around the United States. For more information, please visit Trilogyreg.com. About NAA The National Apartment Association (NAA) serves as the leading voice and preeminent resource through advocacy, education, and collaboration on behalf of the rental housing industry. As a federation of 141 state, local and global affiliates, NAA encompasses over 92,000 members representing more than 11 million apartment homes globally. NAA believes that rental housing is a valuable partner in every community that emphasizes integrity, accountability, collaboration, community responsibility, inclusivity and innovation. To learn more, visit http://www.naahq.org. NAA thanks its strategic partners Lowes Pro Supply, Yardi and The Home Depot. About the Best and Brightest Programs The Best and Brightest Companies to Work For competition identifies and honors organizations that display a commitment to excellence in operations and employee enrichment that lead to increased productivity and financial performance. This competition scores potential winners based on regional data of company performance and a set standard across the nation. This program celebrates those companies that are making better business, creating richer lives and building a stronger community as a whole. There are numerous regional celebrations throughout the country, including Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Grand Rapids, Houston, Milwaukee, San Diego, San Francisco, Miami, New York, Charlotte, Denver, Nashville, Pacific Northwest and Nationally. Nominations are now being accepted for all programs. For more information, visit thebestandbrightest.com. The report also notes that Revecore builds strategic relationships that include skills and services not commonly considered part of a complex claims engagement and nearly all clients are highly likely to recommend the firm to their peers. Revecore, the leading provider of revenue integrity and complex claims solutions for hospitals, today announced that the 2022 KLAS Report on Complex Claims found that 100% of Revecore clients are highly satisfied and would purchase again. With a total score of 96.1, key strengths cited by clients include strength of partnership, engagement execution, quality of staff/consultants and value. The report also notes that Revecore builds strategic relationships that include skills and services not commonly considered part of a complex claims engagement and nearly all clients are highly likely to recommend the firm to their peers. "We are extremely pleased to see that we continue to exceed our clients' expectations and the high value they place on our strategic partnership," said Patrick O'Connell, Executive Vice President of Account Management & Implementations. "Health systems revenue cycle teams have an incredibly challenging job. All of us at Revecore are proud to deliver our clients the opportunity to outsource complex claims to a Best in KLAS ranked firm with unparalleled technology, 22+ years of experience and a legal team that helps to level the playing field. Removing these complex claims from our client's workload while achieving a significant ROI is extremely fulfilling. KLAS offers an unbiased view of how we create value for our clients and this report further validates that. We are grateful for our partnerships and the candid feedback our clients share." Revecore Client Comments: "We couldnt keep up with our complex claims, and we couldn't get payers to pay what was owed because we didn't have the time to fight for that. Either the claims would age out or we wouldn't get any more money. Now, using Revecore's services, we have consistently seen a high percentage of increased collections. Even with Revecore's contingency fees, we still come out way ahead, and I don't have to have a part-time employee managing that process. We have also seen increased customer service and improved patient experience because Revecore knows the right questions to ask. I have recommended Revecore multiple times." ~Director, May 2022 "I would rank Revecore as top notch. There isn't anything I see that could be going better. Revecore is very thorough and knowledgeable. Those characteristics are part of their niche in the market. Revecore's strength is negotiation. They are well versed in state laws. They do the research when they get attorney settlement requests. I don't have time to dig into those things to understand and acclimate myself to them. The firm's presentations are solid. They make recommendations on whether settlements are good offers. If we kept complex claims services in-house, we wouldn't have the same level of expertise we do because we are stretched thin and are trying to handle multiple payers. Revecore has subject matter experts in complex claims. We have seen improved claims resolutions and a reduction in our A/R since using Revecore." ~VP / Other Executive, Jan 2022 The full report, Complex Claims Services 2022, is available from KLAS Research. For more information on Revecore, please visit our website and connect with us on LinkedIn. About Revecore Revecore is a leading provider of revenue integrity solutions for underpayments and denial prevention and complex claims reimbursement solutions for motor vehicle accident, workers compensation, and Veterans Affairs claims. Revecore serves nearly 1,200 hospitals across the country, offering hospitals and health systems over two decades of unrivaled technology and expert insight into the most challenging areas of revenue cycle to ensure they are appropriately reimbursed for the care they provide. In addition to being #1 Ranked in Complex Claims by KLAS, Revecore holds the distinguished HFMA Peer Review Status for underpayment recovery and complex claims solutions. For more information, please visit http://www.revecore.com. Albert Mordechai, a talented American Israeli author, has completed his new book The Homeless Rich: a compelling tale of a man who wrongfully went from a hero to a disgrace. He lay down, closed his eyes, and watched his own tragic tale play on an endless loop in his anguished mind. From the honor of his status as a decorated US Army sergeant to the crushing shame of his court-martial for a crime he did not commit, John Wilsons nightmare had only just begun with the trauma of his dishonorable discharge. His once-loving wife now cold and distant, his adored father refusing to speak to the son who had inexplicably destroyed the proud family legacy of distinguished service to the nation, and the horror of that tragic day in Iraq poisoned his sleep each night. It was too much for one man to bear. John hugged his sons goodbye and embarked on a cross-country journey to clear both his head and his name. The lines between his dreams and reality begin to blur, and the myriad encounters, challenges, and dangers he faces will change his life forever. Published by Page Publishing, Albert Mordechais captivating tale follows his journey to healing that began after he became a shell of who he used to be. Readers who wish to experience this incredible work can purchase The Homeless Rich at bookstores everywhere, or online at the Apple iTunes Store, Amazon, Google Play, or Barnes and Noble. For additional information or media inquiries, contact Page Publishing at 866-315-2708. About Page Publishing: Page Publishing is a traditional, full-service publishing house that handles all the intricacies involved in publishing its authors books, including distribution in the worlds largest retail outlets and royalty generation. Page Publishing knows that authors need to be free to create, not mired in logistics like eBook conversion, establishing wholesale accounts, insurance, shipping, taxes, and so on. Pages accomplished writers and publishing professionals allow authors to leave behind these complex and time-consuming issues and focus on their passion: writing and creating. Learn more at http://www.pagepublishing.com. Board-certified plastic surgeons, Dr. Francisco Canales and Dr. Heather Furnas offer state-of-the-art aesthetic services in a comfortable and welcoming spa environment. Allegro MedSpa, based in Northern California, is thrilled to begin offering, VI Peels. Chemical peel aesthetic treatments empower patients to remove skin flaws while eliminating dead and damaged skin cells. Allegro MedSpa uses a specialized solution to help patients shed their old skin and regain a youthful glow. The VI Peel addresses fine lines, scars, wrinkles, uneven patches, and hyperpigmentation. After receiving a professional chemical peel treatment, the skin heals, rejuvenates, and repairs itself. Chemical peel aesthetic treatments are essential for a clear and smooth complexion. The skilled team of aestheticians at Allegro MedSpa utilizes advanced techniques and training to provide patients with stellar results. Allegro MedSpas Vitality Peels are available at the Santa Rosa and Novato, California offices. The Vitality Peel or VI Peel combines TCA, Retin-A, Salicylic Acid, Phenol, and Vitamin C to address each patients unique skincare concerns and goals. Chemical treatments using the VI Peel are non-invasive and allow patients to immediately return to their daily responsibilities. In addition, the VI Peel is safe and effective for all skin types. At Allegro MedSpa, patients can receive chemical peel aesthetic treatments for their face, eyes, neck, chest, and hands. Each patient has the opportunity to choose from various levels of chemical peels, including light, medium, and deep. During the initial consultation, an aesthetic professional will assess the patients skin, provide education, and suggest specific types of chemical peels to address the patients individualized needs. Board-certified plastic surgeons, Dr. Francisco Canales and Dr. Heather Furnas, founded Allegro MedSpa in 2006 to offer state-of-the-art aesthetic services in a comfortable and welcoming spa environment. Since opening, Allegro MedSpas services have expanded to include Botox, Dermal Fillers, CoolSculpting, Laser Hair Reduction, IPL, Fraxel, Microneedling, and essentially every laser and aesthetic treatment patients are seeking. Adding to its list of services, the Allegro MedSpa team is excited to begin offering VI Peels. Dr. Canales, Dr. Furnas, and Dr. Culbertson believe each patient deserves to feel and look their best. Patients choose Allegro MedSpa for five-star quality noninvasive, nonsurgical procedures with natural-looking results. Allegro MedSpa is the premier destination for Northern California residents seeking innovative, high-quality aesthetic treatments. In addition to Northern California residents, Allegro MedSpa welcomes out-of-town patients to visit its team of highly skilled aesthetic doctors. Allegro MedSpa prides itself on providing each patient with a caring and personalized experience. Individuals are able to achieve their aesthetic goals while receiving patient-centered aesthetic services in a luxurious environment. To schedule a consultation for a VI Peel, CoolSculpting, Emsculpt, or Botox treatment, contact the friendly Allegro MedSpa, patient, concierge team today. Ezzard Wilson, who holds an MS in environmental science from New Jersey Institute of Technology and is currently working towards a PhD in education, has completed his new book Beyond Ambition: The Color of Black: a riveting account of the authors college life and how, despite a difficult upbringing, discrimination and racism, he managed to achieve his goals and positively impact those around him. [This book] serves to educate young athletes, especially African Americans, about the pitfalls of becoming too complacent and trusting in an environment that is still dominated by prejudice and deceit, such that they can be used in a negative way while pursuing their dreams in life. It will help college athletes understand and become aware of the dangers of foolish devotion to an institution or team, which can prevent them from exploring and branching out, eventually limiting their options to succeed while ruining the goals and aspirations that they so eagerly seek to accomplish. Published by Page Publishing, Ezzard Wilsons inspiring memoir briefly addresses the authors childhood, referencing the abuse and child labor he faced on the island of Saint Kitts, and to a larger extent his eventual arrival in America to attend Idaho State University. Wilsons story will move readers of all backgrounds as they follow along on Wilsons journey of discovering his strengths and talents to serve him in life. Readers who wish to experience this poignant work can purchase Beyond Ambition: The Color of Black at bookstores everywhere, or online at the Apple iTunes Store, Amazon, Google Play, or Barnes and Noble. For additional information or media inquiries, contact Page Publishing at 866-315-2708. About Page Publishing: Page Publishing is a traditional, full-service publishing house that handles all the intricacies involved in publishing its authors books, including distribution in the worlds largest retail outlets and royalty generation. Page Publishing knows that authors need to be free to create, not mired in logistics like eBook conversion, establishing wholesale accounts, insurance, shipping, taxes, and so on. Pages accomplished writers and publishing professionals allow authors to leave behind these complex and time-consuming issues and focus on their passion: writing and creating. Learn more at http://www.pagepublishing.com. Joshua James Baker, a proud member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma and lover of video games, fantasy and science fiction, and human history and mythology, has completed his new book Cosmic Thunder: a thrilling historical fiction set in Ancient Rome, following various historical and legendary characters such as Hervor, Flavius Aetius, and Justa Honoria. On where his inspiration for this tale came from, Baker writes, While becoming a teenager in the 1990s, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, to me, was the best video game ever. The video game series itself is still being played by a lot of people right now. Its an epic fantasy set in another world made up of elves, monsters, and other fantastic creatures. Then in 1995, I discovered the television series Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, followed by its more awesome spin-off, Xena: Warrior Princess. As a teenager going through high school, I thought that these two were the best shows on television, and I never missed a chance to catch a new episode. While fantasy fiction itself had already influenced me, Xena: Warrior Princess introduced me to the genre of historical fantasy. The show got me into human history and mythology and even folklore. I took an interest in Greco-Roman history and mythology and my Celtic and Anglo-Saxon ancestors and their gods and goddesses. And being raised as a Christian, a faith which I had struggled with over the years, I had even took the time to study Jewish and Christian history. I have collected books on angels, demons, and even saints. In case youre curious, I can very much describe myself as an agnostic theist, though I have a lot of respect for the Judeo-Christian God, thanks to my more religious and conservative parents. Published by Page Publishing, Joshua James Bakers epic narrative will transport readers to a world they only thought they knew. Full of surprising twists and reimagined versions of well-known characters, Bakers tale will leave readers spell-bound with each turn of the page as this assemblage of legends and history takes shape. Readers who wish to experience this gripping work can purchase Cosmic Thunder at bookstores everywhere, or online at the Apple iTunes Store, Amazon, Google Play, or Barnes and Noble. For additional information or media inquiries, contact Page Publishing at 866-315-2708. About Page Publishing: Page Publishing is a traditional, full-service publishing house that handles all the intricacies involved in publishing its authors books, including distribution in the worlds largest retail outlets and royalty generation. Page Publishing knows that authors need to be free to create, not mired in logistics like eBook conversion, establishing wholesale accounts, insurance, shipping, taxes, and so on. Pages accomplished writers and publishing professionals allow authors to leave behind these complex and time-consuming issues and focus on their passion: writing and creating. Learn more at http://www.pagepublishing.com. The Legendary Champagne Charlie Is Back! "By confirming our decision to make the Charles spirit and Charlies passion the essence of the House, we are recreating our crown jewel. Charles Heidsieck, one of Champagnes most admired producers, today announced the newest edition of Champagne Charlie, a historic cuvee released to celebrate the bicentennial of Founder, Charles-Camille Heidsieck. The new edition is the first release in 37 years, and only the sixth release in the history of Champagne Charlie, following 1979, 1981, 1982, 1983 and 1985. American wine lovers will be the first to taste this legendary cuvee with celebrations starting in New York City, a city where Charles-Camille himself sold thousands of bottles in the 19th Century. A legendary man, of inspiring vision In releasing the new Champagne Charlie cuvee, the House is demonstrating a long-term, meaningful investment in the legacy of its Founder, as Managing Director, Stephen Leroux explains: We are reconnecting with a tradition. By confirming our decision to make the Charles spirit and Charlies passion the essence of the House, we are recreating our crown jewel. We will produce only a very limited quantity of bottles for the first issue of this new release, which is, in fact, a rebirth. It will be available only through a very select network of distributors. The great art of blending, rendered in champagne In the late 1970s, then cellarmaster Daniel Thibault worked alongside the Heidsieck family to create Champagne Charlie as a tribute to their ancestor. With a long experience shaping the Charles signature wine style, Thibault followed his instinct to tackle what would be one of the most resounding successes in his winemaking career - the creation of the five editions of Champagne Charlie - 1979, 1981, 1982, 1983 and 1985. In crafting the new Champagne Charlie, cellarmaster Cyril Brun interpreted the Founders spirit. For this new edition of Charlie, I took my inspiration from previous editions, tasting each of the past releases to reconnect with the initial creation. My first impression was overwhelming; the freshness and aromatic intensity and silky saline finish could be systematically found in all the wines, as if these qualities transcended the effect of vintage. It was the key. He continued: This renaissance Charlie is a multi-vintage wine. This intentional use of reserve wines is also, for me, a symbol of a greater freedom of creation in this quest for the absolute." The new Champagne Charlie cuvee is comprised of nearly eighty-percent reserve wines, with select components aged on lees for up to 25 years. A blend of 52 percent chardonnay and 48 percent pinot noir, the assemblage also includes 20 percent wine from the 2016 vintage, cellared in 2017. Who was Champagne Charlie? Born June 17, 1822, Charles-Camille Heidsieck was a gentleman-entrepreneur with a taste for adventure. In 1852 he became the first owner of a champagne House to visit the United States, making the journey four times over ten years. He reinvented the champagne market in the mid-19th century by converting Americans to his cuvees, earning him legendary status across the Atlantic, and the nickname, Champagne Charlie. A Champagne heir driven by a spirit of conquest and a taste for a challenge, Charles-Camille was very comfortable amongst the daring atmosphere of the 19th century. He was more than a celebrity or a persona: the extremely popular jazz song Champagne Charlie, written by George Leybourne and released in 1858, made him a legend, bolstered more recently by several movies and fictionalized biographies. The authenticity and principles of the man known to the Americans as Champagne Charlie have inspired the unique quality of his champagnes, stored in thousand-year-old Crayeres, or chalk cellars. Five generations have since succeeded at the helm of the House, championing that early vision of an exceptional quality, unique champagne. Where to find it Champagne Charlie and the Charles Heidsieck portfolio is imported nationally by Folio Fine Wine Partners, and will be available in fine wine outlets from September 2022 for USD $700 per bottle. As part of the Bicentennial celebrations, Charles Heidsieck will also release a special edition of its Brut Reserve Collector Edition, reimagined by French artist Catherine Gran, and will be available for purchase from August 2022. For further information, interviews and assets, please contact Rebecca Hopkins via email at hopkinswinepr@gmail.com or cell +1 7075928929. ### ABOUT CHAMPAGNE CHARLES HEIDSIECK: Champagne Charles Heidsieck is one of the most respected Champagne houses, based in Reims, France. Founded in 1851, Champagne Charles Heidsieck is among the few prestige brands carrying the Grandes Marques distinction, and the first producer to bring Champagne to the United States. Five generations have been responsible for the Houses fortune, carrying the initial vision of a champagne of extreme quality. Since 1851, the authenticity and conviction of the man known to the Americans as Champagne Charlie have inspired the unique signature of his champagnes matured in the Houses chalk cellars. Charles Heidsieck champagnes offer a unique blend of Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay, combined with more than 50 percent of mature Charles Heidsieck reserve wines, and aged for an average of 10 years. Each bottle matures in chalk cellars for more than 3 years, up to 40 years for collector bottles. This maturation time is essential for the development of the aromatic complexity, the silky texture and refined quality, typical of Charles Heidsieck champagnes. Acclaimed internationally, Champagne Charles Heidsieck has been named Sparkling Winemaker of the Year thirteen times at the International Wine Challenge (IWC) and awarded with numerous Grand Or medals, Best in Show, Trophies and Gold medals during its illustrious history. Its purchase in 2011 by Christofer Descours and the EPI group enabled Charles Heidsieck to quickly bounce back with a new and international ambition. You can connect with Charles Heidsieck online at http://www.charlesheidsieck.com and via social channels: Facebook: Charles Heidsieck Champagne Instagram: @charlesheidsieckchampagne LinkedIn: Charles Heidsieck YouTube: Charles Heidsieck Champagne God Was There Even Though We Werent Aware: We never walked alone: a potent example of Gods protective hand. God Was There Even Though We Werent Aware: We never walked alone is the creation of published author Don Talladino, a dedicated husband and retired truck driver who works within the prison outreach ministry. Talladino shares, I thought that the title of the book was appropriate because when we were not Christians, we didnt know that God was watching over us. If he wasnt, I probably wouldnt be alive today because of the things I was involved in before I was married to my lovely wife, Nancy. That is why I want everyone to know that God loves them and he is for you and not against you. It doesnt matter what youve done in the past, the Lord Jesus loves you more than you could ever know. For those Christians who doubt their salvation in Christ, let me say to them, get back into Gods word because its there that you will find assurance of your salvation. Whoever has the son has life; whoever does not have the son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life (1 John 5:12, 13 NIV). Published by Christian Faith Publishing, Don Talladinos new book will encourage and empower as readers witness examples of divine intervention. Talladino presents readers with compelling evidence of Gods work within ones life in hopes of helping others to accept and seek a deeper relationship with Him. Consumers can purchase God Was There Even Though We Werent Aware: We never walked alone at traditional brick & mortar bookstores, or online at Amazon.com, Apple iTunes store, or Barnes and Noble. For additional information or inquiries about God Was There Even Though We Werent Aware: We never walked alone, contact the Christian Faith Publishing media department at 866-554-0919. As a member of Team True North, Doxim is honoured to be represented among the 1 per cent of highest-performing global private companies in Canada -- Doxim CEO Mike Rogalski Doxim (http://www.doxim.com), the leading customer communications management (CCM) and engagement technology provider serving financial and regulated markets, today announced that it has been included as part of the inaugural Team True North roster of Canadian innovation companies shown by verified data to have the highest probability of reaching $1B in revenue. As a member of Team True North, Doxim is honoured to be represented among the 1 per cent of highest-performing global private companies in Canada, said Doxim CEO Mike Rogalski. At Doxim, were on a mission to empower organizations to transform and modernize how they engage and communicate with their customers. Every day, 2800+ Doxim clients use our tools to create conversation in the channels customers prefer, while ensuring security and regulatory compliance within their industries. By delivering genuine value to this growing client base, Doxim continues along our own path of rapid but sustainable growth. To identify Team True North candidates, Communitech gathered company data and reviewed criteria developed by Silicon Valley Bank and analysis done by U.S. data-science firm Two Sigma. It then applied Communitechs own model for confirming high-potential companies. Each company on Team True North meets one of four criteria: $20 million-$39 million in annual revenue with a 60-per-cent or more growth rate; $40 million-$79 million in annual revenue with a 40-per-cent or more growth rate; $80 million-$99 million in annual revenue with at least a 20 per cent growth rate; or More than $100 million in annual revenue with at least a 15 per cent growth rate. Team True North confirms that Canada with its diverse set of best-in-class firms from coast-to-coast is well on its way to becoming the worlds top tech ecosystem, said Chris Albinson, CEO and President at Communitech. These companies have the highest probability of achieving billion-dollar status not only because of their impressive growth rates, but also their unwavering commitment to building trust into technology, which gives Canada a distinct global advantage. About Doxim Doxim is the customer communications management and engagement technology leader serving financial and regulated markets, providing omnichannel document and payment solutions that transform experiences to strengthen engagement throughout the entire lifecycle. The Doxim Platform helps clients communicate reliably and effectively, improve cross-sell and upsell opportunities, and drive increased loyalty and wallet share through personalized communications and easy-to-use payment processes. The platform addresses key digitization, operational efficiency, and customer experience challenges through our suite of plug-and-play, integrated, SaaS software and technology solutions. Learn more at http://www.doxim.com Carmen Beauchamp Ciparick, co-chair of Greenberg Traurig, LLPs Appeals & Legal Issues Group, was honored by the Gender Fairness Committee of the New York County, Supreme Court, Civil Branch at its 2022 Womens History Recognition Award Presentation June 13. Honorees are selected annually for their accomplishments, leadership, and service both on and off the bench, and contributions to the New York State Unified System. Ciparick, a former New York State Court of Appeals senior associate judge, advises clients on appellate matters and litigation strategy and mentors Greenberg Traurig's junior lawyers. She is active in public service, serving on the Permanent Commission on Access to Justice, the New York Courts Historical Society, and the New York State Indigent Legal Services Board. Ciparick was appointed by the Chief Judge to co-chair the New York Justice Task Force that examines the causes of wrongful convictions. She is the past chair of the Mayor's Advisory Committee on the Judiciary and also serves as chair of the New York State Board of Law Examiners. About Greenberg Traurig: Greenberg Traurig, LLP has more than 2400 attorneys in 43 locations in the United States, Europe, Latin America, Asia, and the Middle East. The firm, often recognized for its focus on philanthropic giving, innovation, diversity, and pro bono, reported gross revenue of over $2 Billion for FY 2021. The firm is consistently among the top firms on the Am Law 100, Am Law Global 100, NLJ 250, and Law360 (US) 400. On the debut 2022 Law360 Pulse Leaderboard, it is a Top 15 firm. Greenberg Traurig is Mansfield Rule 4.0 Certified Plus by The Diversity Lab and net carbon neutral with respect to its office energy usage. Web: http://www.gtlaw.com. If any state in the Union needed a primer on elder abuse, it would probably not be Louisiana. After all, elder abuse is estimated to happen to at least one in 10 seniors and over the past two years, Louisiana has seen a nightmare result from Hurricane Ida and how residents were evacuated to unfit shelters as well as an intensive investigation by the dominant newspaper into a lack of long-term care options for vulnerable seniors. But June is Elder Abuse Awareness Month, and armed with a proclamation from Governor John Bel Edwards, the Louisiana Office of Elderly Affairs conducted a statewide education effort to make sure those who love and care for seniors know how to spot abuse and report it. There is no typical abuser, said Elderly Protective Services Director Ebony Thomas-Phillips. They come in all ages, backgrounds and relationships. They could be called son, daughter, neighbor or caregiver. About 5,000 cases are investigated each year by EPS, according to Ms. Thomas-Phillips, and about 10 percent of these require immediate intervention by local authorities. Elder abuse can be physical, emotional, or financial, she said. It could be neglect by the caregiver or self-neglect, demonstrated by a senior living in unsanitary conditions or overmedicating. And with the daily stresses of life escalating, Ms. Thomas-Phillips said resentment, exhaustion, anger and other factors can attribute to a caregivers behavior. A seniors home should be a place of comfort, not fear or punishment, said Ms. Thomas-Phillips. There is no excuse for elder abuse. Clothed in t-shirts that are emblazoned with Elder Abuse Awareness, the staff of EPS as well as trained volunteers through Louisiana Councils on Aging, Area Agencies on Aging, and local sheriff and law enforcement offices are going throughout Louisiana as Hurricane Season gears up to reinforce their message. Elder abuse is a crime. If you spot the signs when you visit an elder loved one or friend, report it to our anonymous hotline. You dont need to prove the abuse to report it and calls can be anonymous, said Ms. Thomas-Phillips. As volunteers from throughout the state utilized the World Elder Abuse Awareness Campaign promoted by the World Health Organization at the United Nations to support their own education efforts, the hotline operators braced for more calls. The Louisiana hotline is (833) 577-6532. John Proctor, CEO of Martello Technologies Together with Mitel, we have built a base of thousands of customers representing millions of users under management around the world, who rely on MPA to ensure that their communications systems work reliably no matter what is happening in the network infrastructure. Martello Technologies Group Inc., (Martello or the Company) (TSXV:MTLO), a leading developer of enterprise digital experience monitoring (DEM) solutions, announced today that it has entered into an amendment to its commercial agreement (the Amended Agreement) with key partner Mitel Networks Corporation (Mitel). Martello has worked with Mitel for more than ten years, providing its performance analytics software for Mitels enterprise customers and partners. Martellos original agreement with Mitel dates back to March 2012, with subsequent amendments over the last ten years. Updating a previous amendment with Mitel signed in January 2019, the Amended Agreement sets out the commercial terms under which Martello provides the Mitel Performance Analytics (MPA) software for sale to Mitel customers and partners. The Amended Agreement applies to enterprise-wide Mitel sales of MPA, simplifying the commercial licensing model to provide increased operational efficiency and ease for partners and customers, while increasing the contract term to three years with automatic two-year renewals, subject to certain conditions set out in the Amended Agreement. MPA is available as part of the Mitel Premium Software Assurance offering as well as the MiVoice Business Subscription and MiCloud Flex. We are happy to be able to extend our longstanding relationship with Martello through this agreement which will give even more of our customers access to the comprehensive unified communications network metrics MPA provides," said Martin Bitzinger, Senior Vice President, Product Management at Mitel. "As an important value-added tool for Mitel partners and customers, MPA delivers the best available insights and performance data to ensure simplified monitoring and management of the real-time communications networks our customers rely on every day. Together with Mitel, we have built a base of thousands of customers representing millions of users under management around the world, who rely on MPA to ensure that their communications systems work reliably no matter what is happening in the network infrastructure, said John Proctor, President and CEO of Martello. Were pleased to extend this agreement and strengthen an important Martello business relationship. About Martello Technologies Group Martello Technologies Group Inc. (TSXV: MTLO) is a technology company that provides digital experience monitoring (DEM) solutions to optimize the modern workplace. The company's products provide actionable insight on the performance and user experience of cloud business applications, while giving IT teams and service providers control and visibility of their entire IT infrastructure. Martello's software products include Vantage DX, which provides Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Teams end user experience monitoring and optimization. Martello is a public company headquartered in Ottawa, Canada with employees in Europe, North America and the Asia Pacific region. Learn more at http://www.martellotech.com This press release does not constitute an offer of the securities of the Company for sale in the United States. The securities of the Company have not been registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, (the 1933 Act) as amended, and may not be offered or sold within the United States absent registration or an exemption from registration under the 1933 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 the securities in any state in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. 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 news release. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains "forward-looking statements". Forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as:"anticipate," "intend," "plan," "goal," "seek," "believe," "project," "estimate," "expect," "strategy," "future," "likely," "may," "should," "will" and similar references to future periods. Examples of forward-looking statements include, among others, statements the company makes regarding Mitels reliance on MPA as part of its growth strategy, the increased operational efficiency of the Amended Agreement and the importance of the Amended Agreement in strengthening Martellos business line. Forward-looking statements are neither historical facts nor assurances of future performance. Instead, they are based only on the Companys current beliefs, expectations and assumptions regarding the future of the Companys business, future plans and strategies, projections, anticipated events and trends, the economy and other future conditions. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict and many of which are outside of the Companys control. The Companys actual results and financial condition may differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Therefore, you should not rely on any of these forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause the Companys actual results and financial condition to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements include, among others, the following: Continued volatility in the capital or credit markets and the uncertainty of additional financing; The Companys ability to maintain its current credit rating and the impact on its funding costs and competitive position if it does not do so; Changes in customer demand; Disruptions to the Companys technology network including computer systems and software, as well as natural events such as severe weather, fires, floods and earthquakes or man-made or other disruptions of its operating systems, structures or equipment; Delayed purchase timelines and disruptions to customer budgets, as well as Martellos ability to maintain business continuity as a result of COVID-19; and Other risks disclosed in the Companys filings with Canadian Securities Regulators, including the Companys annual information form for the year ended March 31, 2021 dated January 7, 2022, which is available on the Companys profile on SEDAR at https://sedar.com/. Any forward-looking statement made by the Company in this news release is based only on information currently available to the Company and speaks only as of the date on which it is made. Except as required by applicable securities laws, the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise. In Times Like These: an encouraging resource for those in need of guidance to navigate uncertain times. In Times Like These is the creation of published author Pastor Robby Stewart, a loving husband of twenty-nine years and proud father of two who is currently the pastor of Crestview Baptist Church in Rockingham, North Carolina, and has been leading the congregation for nine years. Pastor Stewart shares, No one would have ever imagined that the COVID-19 pandemic and the results of it would have continued as long as it has. What was once thought to be just a brief interruption to our normal way of life continued on through the summer of 2020 and well into 2021. On top of all the chaos of stay-at-home orders, mask wearing, and no large gatherings, we entered into a time of conflict with riots, no law and order in some cities, and violence that led to death at what was to be a peaceful protest. Then after the fallout of an unprecedented election, culminating in the Capitol riots, for the first time, many Americans felt like this was becoming the new normal. In this book, In Times Like These, I addressed these issues with our church from a biblical perspective through daily Facebook posts. It was a means of keeping our congregation patient, focused, and prayerful during these times. Not only were these writings timely for present crises but they are also timely for any other future crises that our nation may be confronted with and for personal crises as well. Published by Christian Faith Publishing, Pastor Robby Stewarts new book implores readers to maintain their spiritual health and lean into prayer for comfort. With carefully structured prayers, poems, and devotions, readers will find a welcome resource for aiding in navigating the modern challenges of the world. Consumers can purchase In Times Like These at traditional brick & mortar bookstores, or online at Amazon.com, Apple iTunes store, or Barnes and Noble. For additional information or inquiries about In Times Like These, contact the Christian Faith Publishing media department at 866-554-0919. This is the third time working with Performance, and we are looking forward to working with them in the future. Performance Brokerage Services, North Americas highest volume dealership brokerage firm, is pleased to announce the sale of Auburn Volkswagen in Washington from Matt Welch to Bud Clary Auto Group. Matt Welch acquired Auburn Volkswagen in 2006. He has grown the dealership to become one of the highest volume Volkswagen dealerships in Washington. Welch has earned national recognition for both his community service and industry accomplishments. He was nominated for the 2019 TIME Dealer of the Year award, one of the automobile industries most prestigious honors. Recipients rank among the most successful auto dealers in the nation, while also demonstrating a commitment to community service. Welch also served on the Board of Directors for Washington State Auto Dealers. This transaction was exclusively facilitated by Mark Shackelford, Texas & Midwest Partner and Jason Stopnitzky, Co-Founder of 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. Welch shared, I have known Mark Shackelford for over a decade, and he handled our transaction perfectly. Mark and his team were flawless in communication and have the utmost integrity. Mark has always been a straight shooter, and we are thrilled we chose Mark and Performance Brokerage Services for our sale. I recommend Mark with the highest recommendation possible whether you are buying or selling your dealership. He has been on every side of dealership transactions and performance, and he understands it thoroughly. Bud Clary Auto Group was established in 1959 and has remained family-owned and operated for more than 60 years. The company has expanded to include 11 brands across 14 locations in the state of Washington. In 2016, brothers, Bryce and Kelly Clary, became third-generation owners. After the sale, Bryce Clary commented, We would like to thank Jason Stopnitzky and Mark Shackelford of Performance Brokerage Services for their truly exceptional service. They helped find the perfect fit for our group, and their guidance throughout the process was invaluable. It could not have gone better with Matt Welch and Auburn Volkswagen, and Performance Brokerage Services made that happen. This is the third time working with Performance, and we are looking forward to working with them in the future! Stopnitzky commented, This is our fifth transaction consummated with the Bud Clary Auto Group, and more to come. Dealership buy-sells are complex by nature, but they dont always have to be difficult. Especially, when all involved work closely together to accomplish the common goal. Both parties negotiated in good faith and established mutual trust and respect. Coupled with excellent attorneys on both sides, this was a first-class transaction all the way around. The dealership will remain at its current location at 3109 Auburn Way North in Auburn, Washington. The seller was represented by Ron Coleman of Davies Pearson, P.C. in Tacoma, Washington. The buyer was represented by Cliff Spencer of Lane Powell in Portland, Oregon. Stopnitzky commented, Over the years we have worked with both lawyers on dozens of transactions. Our experiences have always been great, and here again, they were a pleasure to work with, and instrumental in assisting their clients to a successful close. 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. Building Church Behind the Walls: a potent reminder of the need to understand the spiritual needs of the prison population. Building Church Behind the Walls is the creation of published author Richard Prince, the senior pastor and president of Harvestime Ministries, a nondenominational church in Rawlins, Wyoming, that focuses on prison ministry. He and his wife, Joy, have been with Harvestime since 2010. Together, they share two beautiful children that keep them both on their toes. Prince shares, Building Church Behind the Walls is written as a guidebook to developing churches inside prisons. This book lines out the steps to effectively lay foundations for a true church within the walls of a prison and leads the reader in a step-by-step process of partnering with Jesus in establishing kingdom centers behind the walls. Few individuals stop to consider the impact that prisoners could have on this world. These are men and women of passion and knowledge in the Word of God. Many have spent a long time growing in their faith, giving themselves to study of the Word, and service in the kingdom of God. In this book, you will learn the importance of developing a church behind the walls. You will learn how to lay proper foundations, step over obstacles that are unique to prisons, and ultimately, how to mine out the kingdom recourses in the recently released individuals that may come to your church. Because the foundational elements of a church are the same, whether in or out of prison, this book will serve as a great informative guide for any minister. Written in a simple conversational tone, Building Church Behind the Walls is an easy read that is packed with powerful information. As you read it, you will find creative ways to become intentional in the development of any ministry and ways to bring your leaders into greater acceleration in their calling. Published by Christian Faith Publishing, Richard Princes new book offers a helpful resource for those tasked with helping provide Gods word to those within the prison system. Prince shares from personal experience in order to shed light on the very real needs of those serving sentences within Americas prison system. Consumers can purchase Building Church Behind the Walls at traditional brick & mortar bookstores, or online at Amazon.com, Apple iTunes store, or Barnes and Noble. For additional information or inquiries about Building Church Behind the Walls, contact the Christian Faith Publishing media department at 866-554-0919. SIUE Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and Dean of Students Rony Die (Dee-AY). "I am honored to join an institution committed to the holistic well-being of its students and preparing them to impact a changing world." Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Jeffrey Waple, PhD, has named Rony Die (Dee-AY) as associate vice chancellor for Student Affairs/ Dean of Students. Die will assume the role on Monday, July 18. Die brings more than 13 years of professional experience in higher education to SIUE. Since 2016, he has been serving as assistant dean of students and associate director for the Office for Student Conflict Resolution at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. In that role, he provided leadership and supervision in the student disciplinary process, Title IX investigations, and alternative conflict resolution services. He also coordinated campus wide crisis response, assisted faculty in managing situations involving disruptive students in the classroom, and served on several campus committees, including Students of Concern, the Bias Assessment and Response Team, the Hazing Prevention Task Force and Title IX Case Management. I am pleased to welcome Rony to SIUE and am confident his extensive background and experience in higher education will complement and advance the important work of the Division of Student Affairs, said Waple. I extend my gratitude to the search committee for identifying four excellent candidates through a national search. Their work was incredibly helpful in our decision to welcome Rony as a valuable partner in our student-centered commitment to educational excellence. I am honored to join an institution committed to the holistic well-being of its students and preparing them to impact a changing world, Die said. SIUE has committed faculty and staff dedicated to the personal and academic success of its students. I look forward to working with the campus community to continue enhancing a culture of care and support. Die began his career in higher education at Texas Christian University in 2009 as a residence life hall director. In 2011, he joined Louisiana State University as a residence life coordinator. In 2013, he served as a student conduct coordinator at the University of Missouri and then went on to Florida International University in 2015 as an assistant director for student conduct and conflict resolution. He earned a bachelors in family, youth and community sciences from the University of Florida in 2006 and completed a masters in higher education from the University of Miami in 2009. Die is slated to complete a doctorate in educational administration and foundations from Illinois State University in May 2023. Southern Illinois University Edwardsville provides students with a high-quality, affordable education that prepares them for successful careers and lives of purpose to shape a changing world. Built on the foundation of a broad-based liberal education, and enhanced by hands-on research and real-world experiences, the academic preparation SIUE students receive equips them to thrive in the global marketplace and make our communities better places to live. Situated on 2,660 acres of beautiful woodland atop the bluffs overlooking the natural beauty of the Mississippi Rivers rich bottomland and only a short drive from downtown St. Louis, the SIUE campus is home to a diverse student body of more than 13,000. If you would like to know more about the Olli Salumeria Americana, LLC lawsuit, please contact Attorney Jackland Hom today by calling (619) 255-9047. The San Diego labor law attorneys, at Zakay Law Group, APLC and JCL Law Firm, APC, filed a representative action complaint against Olli Salumeria Americana, LLC (hereinafter, "Olli Salumeria"), for allegedly failing to accurately pay employees' wages for all their time worked. The Olli Salumeria representative action lawsuit, Case No. 37-2022-00017063-CU-OE-CTL, is currently pending in the San Diego County Superior Court of the State of California. A copy of the Complaint can be read here. The lawsuit alleges Olli Salumeria violated the Private Attorneys General Act ("PAGA"), which gives rise to civil penalties as a result of Olli Salumeria's conduct. PAGA allows aggrieved employees to file a lawsuit to recover civil penalties on behalf of themselves, other employees, and the State of California for Labor Code violations. An "aggrieved employee" is defined as "any person who was employed by the alleged violator and against whom one or more of the alleged violations was committed." Cal. Lab. Code section 2699(c). PAGA allows aggrieved employees to become deputized as private attorneys general to enforce the Labor Code. California Labor Code Section 226 requires an employer to furnish its employees an accurate itemized wage statement in writing showing (1) gross wages earned, (2) total hours worked, (3) the number of piece-rate units earned and any applicable piece-rate, (4) all deductions, (5) net wages earned, (6) the inclusive dates of the period for which the employee is paid, (7) the name of the employee and only the last four digits of the employees social security number or an employee identification number other than a social security number, (8) the name and address of the legal entity that is the employer and, (9) all applicable hourly rates in effect during the pay period and the corresponding number of hours worked at each hourly rate by the employee. Olli Salumeria allegedly failed to provide its employees with accurate itemized wage statements that complied with all the requirements of California Labor Code Section 226. If you would like to know more about the Olli Salumeria lawsuit, please contact Attorney Jackland Hom today by calling (619) 255-9047. Zakay Law Group, APLC and JCL Law Firm, APC are labor and employment law firms with offices located in California that dedicate their practices to fighting for employees who have been wronged by their employers due to unfair employment practices. Contact one of their attorneys today if you need help with workplace issues regarding wage and hour, wrongful termination, retaliation, discrimination, and harassment. -THIS IS AN ATTORNEY ADVERTISEMENT- We live in unprecedented times. We read and hear that slogan incessantly. It is often wrongbut with respect to the implications in general and the active threats of todays book banning campaigns, it is chillingly correct for publishers, authors, readers, young people, free speech, democracy, and humanity. We urgently need to connect the major threads of todays assaults, which threaten not only constitutional rights and childrens opportunities but also democracy, humanity, and the future of our polity and civilization themselves. Viewed historically and comparatively, todays banners are unique. Never before in the past millennia or more have the forces of censorship and claims for minority, extralegal powerrooted in fearsystematically fought to ban texts that they have not read or perhaps cant read, which I call the new illiteracy. (See my previous Soapbox, The History of Book Banning, from the Dec. 31, 2021, issue of Publishers Weekly, and Book Banning Past and Present, in the MayJune 2022 issue of Against the Current). Never before have children and young readers been so deliberately targeted. In all previous campaigns, adult readers have been the focus of the censors efforts. In all previous episodes, central targets have been white male authors, from Martin Luther to Mark Twain, John Steinbeck, J.R.R. Tolkien, Phillip Roth, and J.D. Salinger, with books by the occasional woman like Harper Lee or by people of color like Alice Walker or Toni Morrison also drawing scrutiny. In contrast to todays antiaffirmative action, this was equal-opportunity banning. Now, not only do banners focus almost exclusively on the young butwith great implications for publishers, booksellers, and authorsthey go after nonwhite and nonheterosexual authors and leading characters. The rare white male author under attack has a protagonist of color who is differently gendered. A white male authors much more obscene, profane, and offensive text is not censured. Research by the American Library Association, Freedom to Read Foundation, and BookRiot confirms the almost complete racist, sexist, transphobic, xenophobic, Islamophobic, and ageist obsession of the new banners. This is not accidental. The bannersand the nationally organized dark-money-funded websites and social media campaigns that mislead uninformed, fearful right-leaning (sometimes) parentsnever show awareness of this. Nor do they grasp that their unconstitutional efforts are fundamentally in opposition to everything we know about child development; childrens desire to read, be challenged, learn, grow, and mature as a result of reading and teaching; humanity; and democracy. Multiple surveys found that at least 80% of those polled support so-called divisive and uncomfortable reading and learning. Not at all surprising but critical is the fact that book banners strive to ban countless other well-established legal rights of free society. For publishers, booksellers, and authors, the challenges and the stakes of the book banners approach are huge, if insufficiently discussed. Some authors and their publishers benefit from the public attention and sales stimulated in the short-term by being banned. This is true, for example, of award-winning and bestselling Art Spiegelman (Maus); Toni Morrison (various titles); my friend, colleague, and coauthor Ashley Hope Perez (Out of Darkness); Nikole Hannah-Jones (The 1619 Project); Isabel Quintero (Gabi: A Girl in Pieces); Nic Stone (Dear Martin); and Jerry Craft (New Kid). Some benefit from creative services like Banned Books Box, which sends two banned books with associated materials to its subscribers each month. But a temporary boost in sales doesnt occur for every banned author. Classroom adoptions and sales are sensitive to political pressures. Unconstitutional laws are proposed in Republican-dominated states, and even if these laws turnout to be unenforceable, authors and agents, publishers and publicists, distributors and sellers are all influenced, to one degree or another, by these assaults. This can prompt those under attack to search for security and self-protection, which can cause ripples through the entire supply chain. Library and bookstore orders can lag. Decisions about reprints and new editions, sensitive to cultural, political, and economic forces, can be deferred or delayed indefinitely. Right-wing assaults indiscriminately target almost all links in the publication process, from authors pens or keyboards to editors desks, production, distribution, books on shelves, and approved and adopted curricula and course syllabi. Readers, writers, publishers, and childrens rights are difficult to maintain in the best of times, and each of those critical links in a diverse, educated, inclusive, and democratic society is currently threatened. Harvey J. Graff is a professor emeritus of English and history and Ohio eminent scholar at the Ohio State University. He is the author of many books on social history, including the forthcoming Searching for Literacy: The Social and Intellectual Origins of Literacy Studies. The University of North Carolina Press has much to celebrate as it marks its 100th anniversary. Founded in 1922 by 13 University of North Carolina administrators, faculty, and alumni wanting to transform Chapel Hill from a sleepy Southern university town into a regional hub of intellectual activity, UNC Press finished the 2021 fiscal year with a record $6.8 million in revenue, a 25% increase over more typical years, when revenue swings between $4.5 million and $5 million. Director John Sherer, who left Basic Books in 2012 to head UNC Press, expects that it will end the current fiscal year on June 30 with $5.8$5.9 million in revenue. Sales are still way ahead of our historical trends, he said, although not nearly where they were last year. Sherer attributed UNC Presss growth to finding new audiences for the academic and trade titles it publishes, as well as to its decision to offer free digital access to select academic titles during the pandemic. Disclosing that sales plummeted in mid-March 2020, he explained that after making academic titles in digital formats available from mid-April throughout the summer of 2020 via intermediaries like the JSTOR digital library, usage skyrocketedit was exponentially higher. To UNC Presss surprise, sales of the print editions of titles with digital open access increased during that same period. For instance, after the paywall was removed for the digital edition of 1990s Hammer and Hoe: Alabama Communists During the Great Depression by Robin D.G. Kelley, it sold 2,000 print copiesup from 300500 print copies sold in a typical year prepandemic. The book, which retails for $35, has sold 1,000 print copies this year. Seeing sales rebound so quickly was very gratifying, Sherer said. Theres this prevailing narrative that the monograph is not being read, isnt being soldbut we found that if you make them accessible and remove the paywall, they are read, or at least requested. People dont want to read 90,000 words on a small screen. They prefer print, as long as print isnt too expensive. We didnt kill our business model giving digital editions away. We wouldnt do this for our trade books, the books that were trying to sell 5,000, 10,000, 20,000 copies of. But for the books that were trying to sell 750 copies of, its okay. In the future, Sherer said, UNC Press may resume providing open access to its more specialized academic titles. Weve got to find a way to expand access, he added. I dont know how, but its a goal; its living up to the presss mission. Sherer said UNC Press is using its revenue windfallas well as $2 million raised to date in a fundraising campaignto invest in itself. It recently added several new positions, including an art director, an editorial assistant, and a finance position, bringing the current number of employees to 45. This investment extends to UNC Presss list. The publisher, which featured three titles on its debut list a century ago, currently releases 115120 frontlist titles each year, but it plans on increasing that output to at least 140 titles. Approximately 30% of the presss revenue comes from its trade list, which includes two to four books about the South published annually under the Ferris & Ferris imprint. Sherer said he is happy where the trade list is and added that we exist to publish the scholarly booksso thats where we want to grow. Noting that UNC Press publishes about 50 first books each year that are revised PhD dissertations that typically sell between 400 and 1,000 copies, he added, Its not sexy, but its important. Its what the academy needs, its what the university needs, and what a good university press should be doing. While academic bestsellers include the 24-volume New Encyclopedia of Southern Culture, the offshoot of a series that launched in 1989, UNC Presss top-selling book of all time is Mama Dips Kitchen, a soul food cookbook by Mildred Council, a middle-aged Black entrepreneur who operated a hole-in-the-wall restaurant in Chapel Hill. The book has sold about 250,000 copies since its 1999 release. I am sure people were asking why a university press would publish such a cookbook, Sherer said. In the 90s, soul food cookbooks was not a hot genre in book publishing, so it was kind of a courageous act. But weve always tried to give a platform to people who historically arent very well represented by the rest of the publishing industry. It was a triumph in terms of our mission. Other than Mama Dips Kitchen, UNC Press does not publish many books about Chapel Hill or about the Research Triangle of Durham, Raleigh, and Chapel Hill, nor does it publish many books by UNCChapel Hill faculty. Sherer said the presss regional books are about other parts of the state, like the mountains and the coast. Though its overall bestselling regional title is North Carolina Lighthouses by Cheryl Shelton-Roberts and Bruce Roberts, the top-selling regional title at the height of the pandemic was A Field Guide to Mushrooms of the Carolinas by Alan Bessette, Arlene Bessette, and Michael Hopping. From the beginning, Sherer said, UNC Press has published voices of the region whose stories were not being told or explained, publishing scholarly books on such subjects as Appalachia, womens studies, and agrarian life. It is also committed to publishing stories that made people uncomfortable: books about racial injustices, or about poverty, or about lynching, though Sherer acknowledged that there are books in our back catalog that have reinforced racial and social hierarchies. During its first century, Sherer said, UNC Press focused on defining its region as an area that was worthy of being studied beyond Civil War Confederate generals and the Colonial era. Now, as it enters its second century, having published to date more than 5,400 titles, the press hopes to expand upon what we mean when we talk about the South. Sherers goal is to educate readers on the impact of the South on global culture, as well as the impact of global culture on the South, particularly in terms of foodways, geography, history, and demographics. Were trying to make sure were defining the South now through all of these diverse lenses, he said, Because of digital tools, we can export this more successfully throughout the world. Longleaf Services Counts 18 Clients In 2006, UNC Press launched Longleaf Services as a separate, not-for-profit entity that provides order processing, collection management, warehousing, and fulfillment for UNC Press and other university presses. Longleaf was started, UNC Press director John Sherer explained, to provide distribution for presses with the same mission as UNC Press and that have a similar customer base, in order to maximize efficiencies and lower operating costs. In 2015 Longleaf expanded its suite of services. It now provides back-end support, as well as marketing, editorial, design, and production services, and shipping and fulfillment. Its 18 clients include university presses throughout the U.S. and Canada, as well as the University of the West Indies Press and Cork University Press in Ireland. Executive directors of regional bookseller associations are optimistic that this years fall trade shows will be big draws, citing increases in membership, strong turnouts for in-person events last spring, and the desire of many members of the industry to once again get together. All the regionals are planning in-person shows, although the New Atlantic Independent Booksellers Association and the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance will once again team up for a virtual New Voices New Rooms event, to be held August 811. Smaller in-person programs are planned by NAIBA and SIBA later in the year. SIBA will hold a bookseller gathering in New Orleans at the Sheraton New Orleans Hotel, September 78. According to executive director Linda-Maria Barrett, the focus will be on bookseller education, author/bookseller interaction, networking, and the discovery of new titles and will not have an exhibit piece. In order to bring some of its booksellers together, NAIBA is planning a one-day event in Rhinebeck. N.Y., tentatively scheduled for October 17. The meeting is planned as a social event for NAIBAs northern stores, and no publishers or vendors will be attending, according to member manager Elliott batTzedek. The California Independent Booksellers Association will have its first-ever in-person regional September 911 at the Sacramento Sheraton Grand. Before the Northern California Independent Booksellers Association and Southern California Independent Booksellers Association combined in 2020 to form CALIBA, the California shows usually ran in late October and were typically the last fairs to be held. Because of Covid restrictions, the 2022 show is CALIBAs first. Its our first-ever all-California show, and the city is rolling out the red carpet for us, said CALIBA co-executive director Kristin Rasmussen. While it is hard to predict attendance, Rasmussen noted that the association has added numerous bookstores since the start of the pandemic. Plans call for a September 9 afternoon visit with state representatives, and while the agenda is still being formulated, topics are likely to include support for small businesses and issues around book bans, Rasmussen said. That evening, CALIBA plans an opening reception followed by a casual cocktail party at Ross and Heidi Rojeks Sacramento store, Capital Books. Another West Coast fair follows CALIBA. The Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association will run September 1820 in Tacomas Hotel Murano. Brian Juenemann, executive director/marketing for PNBA, believes attendance will be close to prepandemic levels of 500600 people, including 300 booksellers and library members. PNBA held an in-person meeting last year, where attendance was capped because of Covid concerns, and all slots were taken. Juenemann has ruled out adding a hybrid component. The numbers did not play out to support that last yearthe attendance just wasnt there, he said. Its possible we could add a video component, but, again, the events we filled last year in the physical space had very little traffic online, so the investment just doesnt make sense. The East Coast swing kicks off September 21, when the New England Independent Booksellers Associ-ation opens at the Rhode Island Convention Center in Providence. Executive director Beth Ineson said NEIBAs events in the first half of 2022 have all been very well attended, and she is expecting a good turnout for the fall conference. While we took a big swing at Zoom events over the past two years, nothing replaces the conversations, the book discoverability, and the hugs on the show floor, she noted. We cant wait to have booksellers, authors, and our publisher partners all together in the same physical space again. Like PNBA, the Mountains & Plains Independent Booksellers Association managed to pull off an in-person show last year, and executive director Heather Duncan is looking forward to a bigger fair at the Renaissance Denver Central Park Hotel from September 28 to October 1. Duncan noted that MPIBA held two well-attended in-person spring cons this year, and that interest in the fall conference is very high. We are expecting to exceed our prepandemic numbers of both attendees and exhibitors, she said, adding that because of an increase in membership she expects to have another influx of first-time bookseller attendees. The fall shows will conclude October 1214, when the Heartland Fall Forum, produced by the Midwest Independent Booksellers Association and Great Lakes Independent Booksellers Association, takes place at the St. Louis Hyatt Regency at the Arch. MIBA executive director Carrie Obry and GLIBAs Larry Law both said they are expecting a healthy turnout due to high membership numbers. Law said that GLIBA has added 50 new booksellers over the past three years, bringing the total to 200, and that there are currently more members than there have been at any other point in GLIBAs history. MIBA has also had an increase in membership, particularly from BIPOC-owned stores. Obry is hoping that the strong turnout for MIBAs spring event, which attracted 75 booksellers rather than the typical 4050, will translate to high numbers for the forum. She also noted that 2022 is the 10th anniversary of the Heartland Forum. To mark the occasion, MIBA and GLIBA will be doing a photo retrospective, selling custom merchandise, and hosting an anniversary party on opening night featuring 10 indie publisher sponsors. Horror has never been more mainstream, and climate change looms large in this seasons outingsbut writers still offer glimmers of hope in speculative tales highlighting social justice and inclusion. Top 10 The Daughters of Izdihar Hadeer Elsbai. Harper Voyager, Jan. 10 ($27.99, ISBN 978-0-06-311474-6) An aristocrat and a bookseller who share forbidden magic band together to agitate for womens rights in the Egypt-inspired world of Elsbais epic fantasy debut and series launch. Desert Creatures Kay Chronister. Erewhon, Nov. 8 ($26.95, ISBN 978-1-64566-052-1) Chronisters debut sends a man and his nine-year-old daughter, Magdala, who has a clubfoot, trekking through a near-future desert wasteland toward the holy city of Las Vegas, where they believe Magdala will be cured. The Genesis of Misery Neon Yang. Tor, Sept. 27 ($27.99, ISBN 978-1-250-78897-9) Misery Nomaki seeks to understand their mystical abilities as theyre sucked into a galaxy-wide political conflict in a sci-fi adventure that PWs starred review called a tour du force. Illuminations Alan Moore. Bloomsbury, Oct. 11 ($30, ISBN 978-1-63557-880-5) The first collection of short fiction from the bestselling graphic novelist behind Watchmen brings together 40 years worth of speculative stories. 150,000-copy announced first printing. The Monsters We Defy Leslye Penelope. Redhook, Aug. 9 ($17.99 trade paper, ISBN 978-0-316-37791-1) A colorful crew of criminals embarks on a high-stakes heist at the behest of a power-hungry spirit in this African American folk magicinfused historical fantasy from bestseller Penelope. The Mountain in the Sea Ray Nayler. MCD, Oct. 4 ($28, ISBN 978-0-374-60595-7) Naylers debut turns the traditional first contact story on its head as intelligent life is discovered not in outer space, but deep within Earths oceans, sparking fierce competition between tech companies hoping to exploit the discovery. 100,000-copy announced first printing. Tell Me Im Worthless Alison Rumfitt. Nightfire, Jan. 17 ($17.99 trade paper, ISBN 978-1-250-86623-3) Rumfitt puts a trans spin on the classic haunted house story in her debut horror novel, which finds a trio of friends reckoning with a terrifying night they spent in an abandoned house years before the novels start. Tread of Angels Rebecca Roanhorse. Saga, Nov. 15 ($21.99, ISBN 978-1-982166-18-2) A murder in an 1883 Colorado mining town thats ruled by the angelic Virtues and haunted by the demonic Fallen propels this dark fantasy from bestseller Roanhorse. White Horse Erika T. Wurth. Flatiron, Nov. 1 ($27.99, ISBN 978-1-250-84765-2) Wurth debuts with the story of an Indigenous woman who accidentally calls up her mothers ghost, pushing her to finally investigate how her mother died. The World We Make N.K. Jemisin. Orbit, Nov. 1 ($30, ISBN 978-0-316-50989-3) In the highly anticipated sequel to The City We Became from three-time Hugo Award winner Jemisin, the living embodiments of New York Citys boroughs face a new foe: a corrupt, Trumpian candidate for mayor. SF, Fantasy & Horror 47North The Union by Leah Vernon (Sept. 20, $14.95 trade paper, ISBN 978-1-66250-035-0). In a harshly stratified near-future dystopia, a mixed-race enslaved girl plans her escape to freedom while a Black elite agitates for change from within the system. When their paths cross, revolution follows. Ace House of Hunger by Alexis Henderson (Sept. 27, $27, ISBN 978-0-593-43846-6). After a struggling young woman finds work as a bloodmaid, allowing nobles to drink from her veins, shes drawn into the dark, seductive world of Countess Lisavet. The Witch and the Tsar by Olesya Salnikova Gilmore (Sept. 20, $27, ISBN 978-0-593-54697-0). Gilmores debut reimagines the Russian folkloric figure of the Baba Yaga as a demigoddess fighting to save her country from the reign of Ivan the Terrible. Amazon Crossing Hospital by Han Song, trans. by Michael Berry (Jan. 10, $24.95, ISBN 978-1-5420-3947-5), sends a man infected with a mysterious illness through the byzantine bureaucracy of an absurdist, dystopian hospital system. Anchor Thistlefoot by Gennarose Nethercott (Sept. 27, $28, ISBN 978-0-593-46883-8) pulls from Eastern European folklore to tell the story of estranged siblings who are reunited when they inherit their ancestors sentient houseand with it grave danger. Angry Robot Where It Rains in Colour by Denise Crittendon (Dec. 13, $15.99 trade paper, ISBN 978- 1-915202-12-3). When the reigning beauty on the idyllic vacation planet Swazembi contracts a rare skin disease, it spells change for both her and the entire galaxy. Arsenal Pulp Queer Little Nightmares: An Anthology of Monstrous Fiction and Poetry, edited by David Ly and Daniel Zomparelli (Oct. 4, $18.95 trade paper, ISBN 978-1-55152-901-1). A star-studded lineup of queer authors reimagine classic monsters and interrogate the fear of the other in this anthology of horror shorts. Baen Worlds Long Lost, edited by Christopher Ruocchio and Sean CW Korsgaard (Dec. 6, $16 trade paper, ISBN 978-1-982192-30-3), brings together stories of forgotten alien cultures and their impact on the ancient civilizations of Earth. Berkley The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna (Aug. 23, $16 trade paper, ISBN 978-0-593-43935-7). A lonely witch joins a diverse found family working together to raise three unruly young witches in a mysterious manor known as Nowhere House. BHC The Spirit Phone by Arthur Shattuck OKeefe (Nov. 15, $28, ISBN 978-1-64397-322-7). After Thomas Edison invents a phone capable of communicating with the dead, his rival, Nikola Tesla, teams up with occultist Aleister Crowley to keep the device from falling into the wrong hands. Black Spot Darling by Mercedes M. Yardley (Aug. 23, $17.95 trade paper, ISBN 978-1-64548-119-5). A woman moves her family back to her eerie hometown, where a series of child murders force her to confront her dark past. Blackstone Valley of Shadows by Rudy Ruiz (Sept. 20, $27.99, ISBN 978-1-982604-64-6). In the late 19th century, a string of disappearances in a U.S.-Mexico border town sends a former Mexican lawman and an Apache Mexican seer into the desert on a quest for justice. CAEZIK SF & Fantasy The Best of Galaxys Edge 20202022, edited by Lezli Robyn (Oct. 4, $26.99, ISBN 978-1-64710-063-6), collects sci-fi and fantasy shorts originally published in the Galaxys Edge literary magazine, featuring work from titans of genre fiction and up-and-coming authors alike. CamCat When the Night Bells Ring by Jo Kaplan (Oct. 11, $25.99, ISBN 978-0-7443-0611-8). This near-future horror novel follows climate refugees who discover a diary from the 1860s in an abandoned silver mineand soon encounter the terrors that its writer described firsthand. Daw To Each This World by Julie E. Czerneda (Nov. 1, $18 trade paper, ISBN 978-0-7564-1542-6). Three humans and their alien allies search for a lost fleet of generation ships that was sent from Earth to colonize the galaxy centuries before. Del Rey Black Shield Maiden by Willow Smith and Jess Hendel (Oct. 4, $28, ISBN 978-0-593-35673-9). An African warrior stolen from her home rises in the ranks of the Vikings as she serves and befriends a Norse princess. The Golden Enclaves by Naomi Novik (Sept. 27, $28, ISBN 978-0-593-15835-7). Sorceress El and her friends face down an all-out magical war in the finale to bestseller Noviks Scholomance trilogy. Dutton Critical Mass by Daniel Suarez (Jan. 24, $28, ISBN 978-0-593-18363-2). A crew of asteroid miners must engineer a spacecraft to rescue two of their own against a backdrop of climate change and the second Cold War. EDGE Wolf Is a Four-letter Word by Carrie Newberry (Aug. 11, $15.95 trade paper, ISBN 978-1-77053-207-6). A wolf-shifter targeted by a politically connected killer searches for a way to save herself and her secret society, the Sankhain, without bloodshed. Flame Tree Demon Dagger by Russell James (Aug. 16, $26.95, ISBN 978-1-78758-695-6). Monster hunter Drew Price becomes the hunted when the demon Nicobar seeks revengestarting with stealing the soul of Drews son. Flatiron Hell Bent by Leigh Bardugo (Jan. 10, $29.99, ISBN 978-1-250-31310-2) returns to the dark academia-inspired world of the bestselling Ninth House as Alex Stern works to rescue her frenemy Darlington from hell and monsters converge on Yale campus. Forge Midnight on the Marne by Sarah Adlakha (Aug. 9, $26.99, ISBN 978-1-250-77459-0). Marcelle Fournier works as both nurse and spy in WWI France, where she attracts the admiration of American soldier George Mountcastle. After tragedy strikes, George risks altering timelines to change the course of their lives and love. Harper Voyager Babel: Or the Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators Revolution by R.F. Kuang (Aug. 23, $27.99, ISBN 978-0-06-302142-6). In an alternate Victorian England, a diverse group of students study the magical art of translation at Oxford University. Bindle Punk Bruja by Desideria Mesa (Sept. 13, $17.99 trade paper, ISBN 978-0-06-305608-4). A white-passing flapper in 1920s Kansas City hides her identity as a bruja to rise in the ranks of the citys bootleggers in Mesas historical fantasy debut. Keylight The Appetite Factory by Jon Gingerich (Aug. 23, $29.99, ISBN 978-1-68442-869-4). In the lead-up to the 2008 financial crisis, a Madison Avenue PR exec with a bizarre appetite for inedible objects is blackmailed by his subordinatewhose own hunger is stranger still. Lanternfish An Archive of Brightness by Kelsey Socha (Aug. 30, $16 trade paper, ISBN 978-1-941360-65-1) pieces together a mosaic of speculative love stories as chronicled by a group of birds observing human behavior. Mira Vampire Weekend by Mike Chen (Jan. 31, $27.99 trade paper, ISBN 978-0-7783-8696-4). A lonely, punk rock vampire whos subsisted for decades on blood bags and night jobs finds new purpose in raising a long-lost, human teenage relative. MIT Tomorrows Parties: Life in the Anthropocene, edited by Jonathan Strahan (Aug. 23, $19.95 trade paper, ISBN 978-0-262-54443-6), gathers 12 perspectives on life in a postclimate change world from big-name science fiction authors, including Kim Stanley Robinson and Sarah Gailey. Orbit Notorious Sorcerer by Davinia Evans (Sept. 13, $17.99 trade paper, ISBN 978-0-316-39803-9). The heavily policed alchemical magic of Evanss fantasy debut is the province of the rich and famousuntil a dockside worker discovers his own exceptional abilities. Now its up to him to save his city from magical catastrophe. The Oleander Sword by Tasha Suri (Aug. 16, $17.99 trade paper, ISBN 978-0-316-53856-5) continues the epic fantasy that began with The Jasmine Throne as princess Malini fights to claim the crown from her brother, and priestess Priya works to rid the country of a mysterious illness. Putnam Suburban Hell by Maureen Kilmer (Aug. 30, $17 trade paper, ISBN 978-0-593-42237-3). A group of discontented women in a Chicago suburb accidentally summon a demon during one of their monthly wine nights in Kilmers horror comedy. Quirk Ghost Eaters by Clay McLeod Chapman (Sept. 20, $20.99, ISBN 978-1-68369-217-1). A mysterious drug allows a grieving woman to see the ghost of her late best friend, who died by suicidebut the door to the afterlife is more easily opened than closed. Redhook Ithaca by Claire North (Sept. 6, $28, ISBN 978-0-316-42296-3) retells the Odyssey from the perspective of Penelope of Ithaca, who works to maintain a fragile peace in her husbands absence. Saga Silver Under Nightfall by Rin Chupeco (Sept. 13, $27.99, ISBN 978-1-982195-71-7). Chupecos epic fantasy adult debut follows Remy Pendergast, a monster hunter and heir to a dukedom, who finds unexpected allies in vampire heiress Xiaodan and her fiance, Zidan, as Remy investigates a mysterious illness. Scribner Fairy Tale by Stephen King (Sept. 6, $32.50, ISBN 978-1-66800-217-9). Horror legend King sends a teenage boy with a tragic past through a portal to a parallel world where a supernatural war rages. Skybound The Last Hero by Linden A. Lewis (Nov. 8, $27.99, ISBN 978-1-982127-05-3) concludes the First Sister space opera trilogy as revolution brews throughout the galaxy, and change comes for the oppressive theocracy of the Sisterhood. Small Beer The Silverberg Business by Robert Freeman Wexler (Aug. 23, $17 trade paper, ISBN 978-1-61873-201-9). In 1888 Texas, a private detective tasked by his rabbi to purge their community of swindlers enters a high-stakes, supernatural poker game. St. Martins The Choice by Nora Roberts (Nov. 22, $29.99, ISBN 978-1-250-27272-0) brings bestseller Robertss Dragon Heart Legacy trilogy to a close as heroine Breen fully embraces her power and works with her loved ones to save the magical land of Talamh. Tachyon The Unbalancing by R.B. Lemberg (Sept. 20, $17.95 trade paper, ISBN 978-1-61696-380-4). The first full-length venture into Lembergs Birdverse universe pairs a misanthropic poet with the caretaker of a sleeping, suboceanic deity as they work together to save their island home. Titan Isolation: The Horror Anthology, edited by Dan Coxon (Sept. 13, $15.95 trade paper, ISBN 978-1-80336-068-3), collects 20 tales of lonely and claustrophobic terror from Ken Liu, Ramsey Campbell, A.G. Slatter, and others. Tor Arch-Conspirator by Veronica Roth (Jan. 17, $19.99, ISBN 978-1-250-85546-6). Bestseller Roth sets this retelling of Sophocless Antigone in a far-future dystopia, where only one city remains on an otherwise barren Earth. 200,000-copy announced first printing. The Lost Metal: A Mistborn Novel by Brandon Sanderson (Nov. 15, $29.99, ISBN 978-0-7653-9119-3). The second era of bestseller Sandersons Mistborn series comes to its end as Sen. Waxillium Ladrian and his allies close in on the Set, a corrupt secret society. Tordotcom Africa Risen: A New Era of Speculative Fiction, edited by Sheree Renee Thomas, Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki, and Zelda Knight (Nov. 8, $27.99, ISBN 978-1-250-83300-6), showcases science fiction and fantasy shorts from African writers and writers of the African diaspora. Even Though I Knew the End by C.L. Polk (Nov. 8, $19.99, ISBN 978-1-250-84945-8). The private detective heroine of Polks 1940s-set noir fantasy has one last shot to save her soul from the devil by tracking down a serial killer who has dark and powerful magic. Face by Joma West (Aug. 2, $26.99, ISBN 978-1-250-81029-8). In the high-tech dystopian society of Wests debut, advanced genetic engineering and omnipresent social media give the wealthy and beautiful unprecedented social capital. Undertow Breakable Things by Cassandra Khaw (Nov. 8, $17.99 trade paper, ISBN 978-1-988964-37-9) is the first collection of horror shorts from a rising star of the genre. Union Square A Broken Blade by Melissa Blair (Aug. 2, $16.99 trade paper, ISBN 978-1-4549-4787-5). A half-elf orphan raised to fight on behalf of the crown joins a growing revolution in Blairs debut. 150,000-copy announced first printing. Unnamed Press Saturnalia by Stephanie Feldman (Oct. 4, $27, ISBN 978-1-951213-64-0). In a disease and climate changeridden alternate Philadelphia, the arcane festival of Saturnalia gives rise to secrets, seduction, and the supernatural. Vintage Motherthing by Ainslie Hogarth (Oct. 4, $17 trade paper, ISBN 978-0-593-46702-2). Hogarths adult debut finds Abby Lamb working to save herself and her husband from the vindictive ghost of her mother-in-law. WorDFire Double-Booked by Kevin J. Anderson (Nov. 22, $34.99, ISBN 978-1-68057-352-7). Bestseller Andersons recurring hero, Dan Shamble, zombie detective, sets out to destroy Lovecrafts famed Necronomicon before it can wreak havoc on the world. Return to main feature. Books examining the Black artistic experience and those exploring art and architectures relationship to nature figure prominently in this seasons offerings. Top 10 Art Is Life: Icons and Iconoclasts, Visionaries and Vigilantes, and Flashes of Hope in the Night Jerry Saltz. Riverhead, Nov. 1 ($30, ISBN 978-0-593-08649-0) Pulitzer-winning New York magazine art critic Saltz returns with an examination of the state of art, covering artists both new and old, as well as incidents including the 2016 Ankara gallery assassination. Black Hollywood: Reimagining Iconic Movie Moments Carell Augustus. Sourcebooks, Oct. 4 ($39.99, ISBN 978-1-72825-839-3) In reimagining famous Hollywood scenes and replacing white actors with Black ones, Augustus puts the conversation about representation front and center. A Book of Days Patti Smith. Random House, Nov. 15 ($28.99, ISBN 978-0-593-44854-0) With photos covering a single year and inspired by her Instagram account, the musician and National Book Awardwinning author of M Train weaves a tapestry of her life. Ethiopia: A Photographic Tribute to East Africas Diverse Cultures & Traditions Joey Lawrence. Earth Aware, Oct. 18 ($95, ISBN 978-1-64722-735-7) Shot over 13 years with an Ethiopian crew, this collection highlights communities, landscapes, landmarks, and portraits of people from across Ethiopia. In the Black Fantastic Ekow Eshun. MIT, Sept. 6 ($39.95, ISBN 978-0-262-04725-8) Eshun examines Black culture through the work of artists in various mediums, such as film, sculpture, and ceremonial pageantry. The Only Woman Immy Humes. Phaidon, Aug. 3 ($29.95, ISBN 978-1-83866-420-6) Humes presents 100 group photos from throughout the history of photography, each of which features only one woman, while examining social equality. The Pandemic Effect: Ninety Experts on Immunizing the Built Environment Blaine Brownell. Princeton Architectural Press, Jan. 10 ($30 trade paper, ISBN 978-1-64896-164-9) A broad group of contributors, including health officials, architects, and others, examine potential changes in built environments to help protect the public from another pandemic. The Quentin Blake Book Jenny Uglow. Thames & Hudson, Dec. 6 ($45, ISBN 978-0-500-09435-8) Covering illustrator Quentin Blakes oeuvre, Uglow leads readers through 70 years of drawings and illustrations, with commentary from Blake himself. Reimagining History from an Indigenous Perspective: The Graphic Work of Floyd Solomon Joyce M. Szabo. Univ. of New Mexico, Nov. 1 ($29.95 trade paper, ISBN 978-0-8263-6409-8) Floyd Solomons etchings depict Pueblo history and the impact on it by the Spanish, as remembered by Indigenous communities. The West Wing and Beyond: What I Saw Inside the Presidency Pete Souza. Voracious, Sept. 27 ($50, ISBN 978-0-316-38337-0) Former presidential photographer Souza presents never-before-seen photographs and stories of his time in the Obama White House. Art, Architecture & Photography Abbeville Larry Poons by Barbara Rose, Karen Wilkin, and David Ebony (Oct. 18, $85, ISBN 978-0-7892-1341-9) presents the first full-length biocritical monograph on Poons, an artist who became famous for his dot paintings, but has changed his artistic vision drastically during his 50-year career. Norman Rockwell: Drawings, 19141976 by Stephanie Haboush Plunkett (Aug. 9, $45, ISBN 978-0-7892-1410-2) assembles a collection of little-seen preparatory drawings from Norman Rockwell, including sketches for his Saturday Evening Post covers and a number of standalone drawings. ABRAMS Rooftop Paris: A Panoramic View of the City of Light by Laurent Dequick (Oct. 18, $50, ISBN 978-1-4197-6513-1). Printed as an accordion-folded gift book, this work provides readers with a panoramic view of the Paris cityscape from eight vantage points and includes short essays about the city. Amber Japan: Land of the Rising Sun by Melanie Clegg (Nov. 15, $29.99, ISBN 978-1-83886-233-6). Drawing on a wide variety of photographs, Clegg examines the juxtaposition between the technologically forward Japan and the Japan thats still firmly anchored in its past. Thailand: Buddhist Kingdom at the Heart of Southeast Asia by Narisa Chakrabongse (Nov. 15, $29.99, ISBN 978-1-83886-234-3) tours Thailand, from its temples and beaches to its floating markets and national parks, in this photo collection. Artisan The Space Shuttle: A Mission-by-Mission Celebration of NASAs Extraordinary Spaceflight Program by Roland Miller (Oct. 11, $50, ISBN 978-1-64829-135-7). Miller, author of Abandoned in Place: Preserving Americas Space History, explores the entirety of NASAs Space Shuttle program (135 missions, plus five Approach and Landing Tests) with stories and photos. Atlantic Monthly PRESS If Walls Could Speak: My Life in Architecture by Moshe Safdie (Sept. 20, $32.5, ISBN 978-0-8021-5832-1). Reflecting on his five-decade career, architect Safdie describes his philosophy that architecture is a social force for good. Cameron Billie Zangewa: Thread for a Web Begun, edited by Dexter Wimberly (Nov. 15, $45, ISBN 978-1-951836-86-3). In the first major career examination of fiber and textile artist Billie Zangewa, Wimberly looks at Zangewas tapestries that primarily depict contemporary Black women in their everyday lives. Chronicle African Art Now: 50 Pioneers Defining African Art for the Twenty-First Century by Osei Bonsu (Oct. 11, $55, ISBN 978-1-79721-720-8) profiles 50 rising African artists, with reproductions of their work included. Herve Tullets Art of Play: Creative Liberation from an Iconoclast of Childrens Books (and Beyond!) by Herve Tullet and Sophie Van Der Linden (Nov. 1, $40, ISBN 978-1-79720-611-0). The author of the bestselling childrens book Press Here shares his inspirations and explains why he urges people to create. Chronicle Chroma Bob Willoughby: A Cinematic Life by Bob Willoughby (Sept. 15, $45, ISBN 978-1-79721-702-4). This monograph on photographer Willoughbys career highlights the time from the 1950s through the 1970s, when he photographed many film and jazz stars. Farrar, Straus and Giroux Ill Build a Stairway to Paradise: A Life of Bunny Mellon by Mac Griswold (Nov. 15, $40, ISBN 978-0-374-27988-2). A close friend of Bunny Mellon examines her life while exploring Mellons impact on landscape architecture and interior design. Just Passing Through: A Seven-Decade Roman Holiday: The Diaries and Photographs of Milton Gendel by Milton Gendel, edited by Cullen Murphy (Nov. 8, $35, ISBN 978-0-374-29859-3). Living in Rome for more than seven decades, Gendel was part of the Dolce Vita generation. These selections from his photographs and diaries bring the era to life. G Editions Extraordinary Art Experiences in America: An Insiders Guide by Linda Fischbach (Nov. 1, $35, ISBN 978-1-943876-25-9) offers readers many alternative art institutions, including venues housed in converted warehouses and the homes of art collectors. Greystone Ron Thom, Architect: The Life of a Creative Modernist by Adele Weder (Sept. 13, $32.95, ISBN 978-1-77164-322-1). In this biography of Canadian architect Ron Thom, Weder focuses on the man himself, as well as the milieu he grew up and matured in. Harper Design Love Immortal: Antique Photographs and Stories About Dogs and Their People by Anthony J. Cavo (Aug. 30, $25.99, ISBN 978-0-06-320429-4) compiles 200 antiquarian photographs from Cavos collection includes daguerreotypes, ambrotypes, tintypes, cartes de visite, and sepia and black-and-white images of people and their canine companions. HarperOne Illustrated Black History: Honoring the Iconic and the Unseen by George McCalman (Sept. 27, $40, ISBN 978-0-06-291323-4) presents 145 portraits of Black innovators in numerous fields, along with essays covering each persons life. Haymarket Por Siempre by Jose Olivarez and Antonio Salazar (Dec. 6, $29.95, ISBN 978-1-64259-837-7) combines Salazars photos and Olivarezs poems to highlight communities often forgotten or ignored. J. Paul Getty Museum Eye Dreaming: Photographs by Anthony Barboza by Anthony Barboza, Aaron Bryant, and Mazie M. Harris (Oct. 25, $40, ISBN 978-1-60606-783-3). In this first monograph of photographer Barbozas work, readers follow him from Massachusetts to New York. Library of American Landscape History Marjorie Sewell Cautley, Landscape Architect for the Motor Age by Sarah Allaback (Oct. 7, $40, ISBN 978-1-952620-29-4) chronicles the life of Marjorie Sewell Cautley, the first woman landscape architect to, among other firsts, design a state park. Mandala Sacred: In Search of Meaning by Chris Rainier (Sept. 6, $85, ISBN 978-1-64722-457-8) features photographs of sacred places across the globe that Rainier has captured over the past 40 years. Metropolitan Museum of Art Cubism and the Trompe LOeil Tradition by Emily Braun and Elizabeth Cowling (Oct. 22, $50 trade paper, ISBN 978-1-58839-676-1) examines trompe loeil and how the style relates to cubism, comparing cubist works side by side with those by the old masters. With contributions by Claire Le Thomas and Rachel Mustalish. Lives of the Gods: Divinity in Maya Art, edited by Joanne Pillsbury, Oswaldo Chinchilla Mazariegos, and James Doyle (Nov. 21, $65, ISBN 978-1-58839-731-7) takes a look at the relationship between the Mayan pantheon and its artistic representations. Contributors include Iyaxel Cojti Ren. MIT Art for Coexistence: Unlearning the Way We See Migration by Christine Ross (Nov. 8, $38, ISBN 978-0-262-04739-5). Art historian Ross investigates the way contemporary art sees migration and argues that Western society should see migration as coexistence. Some Reasons for Traveling to Italy by Peter Wilson (Oct. 11, $32.95, ISBN 978-0-262-04726-5) suggests many reasons people have traveled to Italy in the past, such as to get some ideas for a mausoleum or to flee England out of embarrassment. Monacelli Gaetano Pesce: The Complete Incoherence by Gaetano Pesce and Glenn Adamson (Oct. 19, $90, ISBN 978-1-58093-599-9). Through many conversations with writer and curator Adamson, artist Pesce relates his life and work over the past 50 years. Norton Kiki Man Ray: Art, Love, and Rivalry in 1920s Paris by Mark Braude (Aug. 9, $30, ISBN 978-1-324-00601-5) tells the story of Kiki de Montparnasse. Remembered mostly as a muse to several artists, she was also a writer and artist in her own right. Papillote Still Standing: The Ti Kais of Dominica by Adom Philogene-Heron (Oct. 31, $30 trade paper, ISBN 978-1-83804-158-8) highlights ti kais, the traditional wooden homes of Domin- ica, which are now in danger from development. Pegasus John Constable: A Portrait by James Hamilton (Nov. 8, $29.95, ISBN 978-1-63936-272-1) covers the life and work of landscape painter John Constable, drawing on his letters and diaries to explore his influences. Penguin Press The Intimate City: Walking New York by Michael Kimmelman (Nov. 29, $30, ISBN 978-0-593-29841-1). New York Times architecture critic Kimmelman delivers walking tours of New York City that originated as walks with friends after Covid shut down the city. Penn State Univ. Jews of Iran: A Photographic Chronicle by Hassan Sarbakhshian and Parvaneh Vahidmanesh (Sept. 6, $29.95, ISBN 978-0-271-09264-5) documents supposed contradictions of Jewish communities living in Iran and presents a view different to what most Westerners probably envision. Phaidon Living in the Forest by the editors of Phaidon (Oct. 12, $49.95, ISBN 978-1-83866-559-3) showcases many homes that were designed to live with the environment rather than change it. Steven Klein: Fictions by Steven Klein (Oct. 26, $200, ISBN 978-1-83866-555-5) is the first monograph on fashion photographer Klein, whos best known for his sexually charged photographs. Princeton Architectural Press The Greening of Americas Building Codes: Promises and Paradoxes by Aleksandra Jaeschke (Dec. 6, $29.95 trade paper, ISBN 978-1-64896-008-6). Architecture and sustainable design professor Jaeschke explores building codes and the new environmental guidelines that work to lessen the environmental impact of real estate development. Holding Space: Life and Love Through a Queer Lens by Ryan Pfluger (Nov. 8, $29.95, ISBN 978-1-64896-157-1). These photos taken during the pandemic showcase queer, interracial couples across the U.S. and includes each couples story. Princeton Univ. We Are Made of Stories by Leslie Umberger (Oct. 4, $45 trade paper, ISBN 978-0-691-24042-8) delivers an illustrated history of self-taught artists; the gender, class, and race obstacles they faced; and how the 1980s changed everything. When Eero Met His Match: Aline Louchheim Saarinen and the Making of an Architect by Eva Hagberg (Sept. 13, $29.95, ISBN 978-0-691-20667-7) examines Aline Louchheims life in this biography of the architecture critic, paying special attention to her relationship with her husband, architect Eero Saarinen. Running Press Art Hiding in Paris: An Illustrated Guide to the Secret Masterpieces of the City of Light by Lori Zimmer, illus. by Maria Krasinski (Oct. 18, $24, ISBN 978-0-7624-8066-1), surveys Paris to reveal the works of art found around the city in hidden and not so hidden places. Seven Stories Cuba by Korda: Photographs by Alberto Korda (Aug. 2, $30 trade paper, ISBN 978-1-64421-213-4) presents photographs from Kordas time in Cuba as a photojournalist covering major moments in the countrys history. Simon & Schuster Last Light: How Six Great Artists Made Old Age a Time of Triumph by Richard Lacayo (Oct. 11, $35, ISBN 978-1-5011-4658-9). Focusing on six artists past the age of 60, Lacayo examines the creativity and drive that come with age. St. Martins Wild: The Life of Peter Beard: Photographer, Adventurer, Lover by Graham Boynton (Oct. 11, $35, ISBN 978-1-250-27499-1). A longtime friend of Peter Beard, Boynton presents a biography of the photographer, who died in 2020. Thames & Hudson Tove Jansson: The Illustrators by Paul Gravett (Oct. 18, $29.95, ISBN 978-0-500-09433-4) reveals the varied work of Tove Jansson, who is best known for her Moomin world, but also illustrated many classic books and wrote novels. Vivian Maier by Christa Blumlinger, Ann Marks, and Anne Morin (Oct. 11, $65, ISBN 978-0-500-02570-3) documents Maiers photography by examining unpublished archives. George F. Thompson Varanasi: City Immersed in Prayer by David Scheinbaum (Nov. 15, $50, ISBN 978-1-938086-96-0) takes readers on a historical and spiritual tour of the Indian city. Univ. of California A Picture Gallery of the Soul, edited by Howard Oransky (Sept. 13, $45, ISBN 978-0-520-38806-2). The work of more than 100 Black American artists in the photographic medium explores Black American life from the inception of photography to today. The Unforgettables: Expanding the History of American Art, edited by Charles C. Eldredge (Jan. 10, $45, ISBN 978-0-520-38555-9). Contributors to this volume respond to the question: Why are some artists remembered, while others fall into obscurity? Univ. of Chicago Hilma af Klint: A Biography by Julia Voss, trans. by Anne Posten (Oct. 6, $35, ISBN 978-0-226-68976-0). Also known for her naturalistic landscapes and botanicals, Hilma af Klint is acknowledged for having produced the earliest abstract paintings by a trained European artist. This biography is the first of the artist. Univ. of Pennsylvania Photography and Jewish History: Five Twentieth-Century Cases by Amos Morris-Reich (Oct. 10, $75, ISBN 978-0-8122-5391-7). Morris-Reich scrutinizes five cases in which Jewish history and photography intersected, such as the attempt to introduce photography into the study of Russian Jews before WWI, and the effects on both from those meetings. Weldon Owen Walt Disneys the Jungle Book: Making a Masterpiece by Andreas Deja (Sept. 20, $60, ISBN 978-1-68188-893-4) collects animation cells, drawings, and concept art from The Jungle Book, the last animated film that Walt Disney personally produced, highlighting the creation of the classic. Correction: A change was made to correct the name of the Library of American Landscape History. Return to main feature. In honor of Pride Month, we asked the creators of five YA books about centering queer youth in their stories, visibility in literature, and their hopes for the future of LGBTQ+ childrens books. Emery Lee What inspired you to center queer youth in your book? I think the cafe rom-com trope is one we see all the time and even across cultures, but they're almost always straight. It was wild to me that a trope I see talked about all the time is so rarely explored with queer kids, so I wanted to bring them to the forefront. How did you approach representing the spectrum of LGBTQ+ identities and experiences through your characters and story? I didnt, and I think thats a pretty impossible thing to do unless you have an infinitely large cast. There are so many identities under the umbrellathere is a plus there for a reasonand even more experiences that exist under each identity. I never set out to represent the full spectrum in a story because I know thatll ultimately let readers and myself down. I wrote two distinct, gay experiences in Cafe Con Lychee, and that was all I ever set out to do with it. When was the first time you felt seen as a queer person in literature? This is a really hard question because I think marginalized people are taught to feel seen differently than non-marginalized people, and I think the more [intersectionally] marginalized you are, the more you learn to feel seen in minuscule ways. Ive never read my queer experiences in a book, both the specific combination of identities that I have but also my experiences with things like coming out, exploring my gender, dating, etc. but Ive learned to see myself in characters since I was a kid; they were just characters who didnt look or act like me but had certain elements that I identified with. I think the first time I felt a character had begun to represent me a little more holistically was reading More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera. What changes do you hope to see in LGBTQ+ representation in childrens and YA literature in the future? I think what we get is still extremely limited. We're still very much confined to only telling the stories that cishet white abled people are open to imagining. I just really want us to get to a point where queer kids can say, I wish there was a story that really conveyed this element of my life and whatever it is, we could walk over to a shelf, pick one up, and say, Here it is. Cafe Con Lychee by Emery Lee. Quill Tree, $17.99 May 10 ISBN 978-0-06-321027-1 Andrea Mosqueda What inspired you to center queer youth in your book? I wanted to center queer Latinx youth because of how little representation there is in publishing of Latinx people from the Rio Grande Valley, especially queer people. I was born and raised in the RGV, an area on the Texas-Mexico border that has a predominantly Latinx population. Its not often represented in mainstream media, and with all the lies vultures like [Greg] Abbott and Elon Musk are spreading about the area, stories about life on the border that arent centered around pain and trauma are more important now than ever. I wanted to show people what the Valley was like in my experience: a resilient community centered on family and love. I wanted to write a book that my young queer self would have needed growing up as a bi Chicana in the Valley: a story to remind my community that happy endings arent just for straight white people. How did you approach representing the spectrum of LGBTQ+ identities and experiences through your characters and story? The feelings at the heart of Just Your Local Bisexual Disasterfeeling misunderstood, wanting love, longing to belongare universal, but they impact LGBTQ+ youth of color a lot more because they are set against a backdrop of systemic oppression that is adding to that feeling of being excluded and not having your needs met. I wanted to put prose to the many facets of that experience, and having that thread to tie all the characters together made it easier to imagine how theyd react based on their own individual identity and experience. Knowing each characters specific background and cultural identity is very important to me because my stories are very character-driven, so I want to make sure Im honoring their experiences as best I can. When was the first time you felt seen as a queer person in literature? Truthfully? When I started reading fanfiction as a kid. Being in fandoms that not only accepted but celebrated queer relationships helped me [give] language to the feelings I was having and opened my mind up to a whole world of happy endings for people who loved like me. What changes do you hope to see in LGBTQ+ representation in childrens and YA literature in the future? I hope to see more diverse representation of queer experiences, but especially those of queer youth of color. I hope to see more trans MCs, more non-binary MCs, more queer MCs with disabilities. Above all, I want more queer narratives that arent centered around pain and trauma. I want a million more happy endings for queer characters of color. Just Your Local Bisexual Disaster by Andrea Mosqueda. Feiwel and Friends, $18.99 May 24 ISBN 978-1-250-82205-5 Andrew Joseph White What inspired you to center queer youth in your book? I wanted Hell Followed with Us to be everything teenage me needed. I wanted it to be gruesome, furious, controversial, and, above all, show a world where queer youth are the heroes of their own story. I wanted to show a community of queer kids trapped in terrible circumstances by adults who ruined their livesand the lengths they go to in order to protect themselves, each other, and the world. Growing up, that was the only kind of story that made sense to me, and I was never able to find it. That meant when it came time to write my own story, I knew thats what I had to do. I had to put queer youth at the heart of it, because thats what matters most. How did you approach representing the spectrum of LGBTQ+ identities and experiences through your characters and story? There are a lot of different kinds of characters in Hell Followed with Usafter all, it does focus on the surviving members of an LGBTQ+ youth center under siege by monsters and cultists. Theyre a diverse bunch! If I showed just one tiny corner of the community, like the one I happen to embody, Id practically be lying. But that meant doing a lot of research. It meant learning, watching my step, and knowing what experiences were or werent mine to talk aboutand while Im proud of my work, whether I did a good job isnt for me to decide. My approach was simply to be upfront about others experiences while not claiming them or trying to speak on their behalf, and I hope all readers love these characters as much as I do. When was the first time you felt seen as a queer person in literature? When I read Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz in high school, it was the first time Id ever seen queer boys in literaturebut the problem was, at the time, I didnt realize I was a boy. I adored the book in a weird, distant way, embarrassed by my attachment to gay boys when I still thought I was a girl. It wasnt until I read Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas, after years of searching and self-reflection, that I finally found someone, anyone like me on the written page. I was desperate, bordering on starving, and I read the book through tears. I remember thinking, The next generation wont be so alone. Honestly, it wasnt so much a revelatory moment for me as a sigh of relief for my community. And look how far weve come! What changes do you hope to see in LGBTQ+ representation in childrens and YA literature in the future? Im hoping more stories start veering away from good representationas in, we are a good example, we are role models; if anything bad happens to us we are picture-perfect victims, we are non-threatening and wont make a mess. Weve had our respectable era. I want to see more queer teen characters with chipped teeth, scraped knees, and bruised knuckles. I want to see more queer teen characters who face down monsters, who become monsters in turn. I want to see more queer teen characters who reflect the reality that many real queer teens face right now: theyre angry and sharpening their teeth. The kids are ready. Its just the adults who are scared. Hell Followed with Us by Andrew Joseph White. Peachtree Teen, $18.99 June 7 ISBN 978-1-68263-324-3 Julian Winters What inspired you to center queer youth in your book? Growing up, almost every book assigned to me in school that featured a Black and/or queer character mainly focused on that character's trauma, suffering, and eventual death. It took so many years to change that narrative in my own head. Thats not what I want BIPOC queer readers to feel like when they pick up a book. Their existence is more than the painful moments. Being who they are doesn't equal tragedy. I want them to know love, growth, unquestionable joy. To know they never need the worlds permission to be the hero. How did you approach representing the spectrum of LGBTQ+ identities and experiences through your characters and story? Thoughtfulness first. I think about whos often erased from these narratives, but I never add a character or experience to a novel just to check something off a list. Every character has a story. They deserve care and empathy. I engage with the communities around me. If you go to a grocery store or a Starbucks in almost any city, youll find a wide spectrum of identities. Our differences dont negate that, as humans, we have similar needs and wants. I hope the representation in my books are reflective of that. When was the first time you felt seen as a queer person in literature? It was while reading Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz. I found this book later in life. Dante Quintana healed so many wounds Id carried from my childhood. As a queer, Black boy, I was constantly told it was wrong to cry. To care too much. To wear my heart on my sleeve. To love another boy. But Dante was a queer, BIPOC boy who loved loudly and cried and felt a multitude of things. A boy who just wanted to exist without fear of losing everything. It was the first time I truly believed I could tell the stories I wanted to, unapologetically. What changes do you hope to see in LGBTQ+ representation in childrens and YA literature in the future? One of my missions as an author is to ensure that young readers never experience what I did as a kid: feeling as though I didnt matter because I could rarely find myself in books. I hope to see more LGBTQ+ representation from a myriad of voices, new and established. We need to get away from the mindset of we already have our one Insert Marginalized Identity. No one author can tell every experience. We need more intersectionality. More voices from varied communities. More LGBTQ+ BIPOC stories. I hope publishing seeks out, encourages, and nourishes those voices so kids are overwhelmed with choices of what to read next. So they never feel like their existence doesnt matter. Right Where I Left You by Julian Winters. Viking, $18.99 Mar. 15 ISBN 978-0-593-20647-8 Ashley Woodfolk What inspired you to center queer youth in your book? I am always asked questions like this and the truth is, Im pretty exhausted by having to continually explain that queer kids and Black kids and Black queer kids are people. Queer girls centered in stories is extremely rare, and Black queer girls being the stars of a novel are even rarer. But there shouldnt be a lack of these stories being told. There shouldnt be a need to be inspired to include a certain kind of human at the center of a novel because all kinds of people fall in love and make mistakes and get their hearts broken. I think a better question is, why have so many of the same story been told? Why are we only now getting a variety of stories about queer kids, kids of color, and queer kids of color? The answer to those questions, I think, make for a much more interesting and challenging conversation. But Nothing Burns as Bright as You is the story I desperately needed when I was youngerand its a story I still need now. As a bit of a late bloomer when it came to recognizing and acknowledging my sexuality, I think having access to stories about kids like me would have helped me come out sooner. That and learning to recognize but not internalize toxicity would have made so much of my life play out differently. I hope I can do that for some of the people who read my novel. How did you approach representing the spectrum of LGBTQ+ identities and experiences through your characters and story? I dont hope to represent a spectrum of identities or experiences. Im telling a very specific story about very specific characters and I dont think they need to or should represent the complex network of experiences within the queer community. I wanted to tell a story about a pair of suburban Black queer girls with somewhat undefined identities who are still figuring out how love and life work. I think I succeeded. When was the first time you felt seen as a queer person in literature? Odd One Out by Nic Stone. What changes do you hope to see in LGBTQ+ representation in childrens and YA literature in the future? We just need more of everything. And I do feel hopeful we'll get it. Nothing Burns as Bright as You by Ashley Woodfolk, HarperCollins/Versify, $18.99 April 5 ISBN 978-0-358-65535-0 For more articles highlighting creators of queer childrens literature, see our interviews with picture book authors and middle grade authors. Jenna Evans Welchs favorite gelato flavor is bacio, a heavenly mixture of chocolate and hazelnut, which also happens to be the Italian word for kiss. She recalled, I think my first summer in Tuscany I ate two or three scoops a day! The author served up her own sweet blend of romance and wanderlust in her 2016 debut Love & Gelato (S&S), the first book in her bestselling Love & series of YA rom-coms set in alluring destinations. On June 22, the film adaptation of Love & Gelato premieres on Netflix. The plot follows 17-year-old Lina Emerson (Susanna Skaggs; The Gifted, Halt and Catch Fire), who honors her dying mothers final wishes by spending the summer in Rome with the father she never knew. In the Eternal City, Lina finds a new connection to her motherin the form of the diary she kept during her own stay in Italywhile enjoying escapades with two handsome locals (played by Tobia De Angelis and Saul Nanni). The movie was written and directed by Brandon Camp (Beni), who also produced alongside Viola Prestieri. Gennaro Formisano served as executive producer. This story has been with me for more than half of my life, Welch told PW. I went to an international high school in Florence and one of my friends grew up in an American cemetery, where her father was the caretaker. My friend used to go running among the tombstones every morning. I remember at 17 thinking that would make a really great book! Welch, who said she knew she wanted to write YA since she was a preteen, first started working on the book at 22. After seven years and several revisions, the book was published and became a bestseller. Two more books followed in the series: Love & Luck (2018), set in Ireland, and Love & Olives (2020), set in Greece. The latter released during the height of the pandemic: in an interview with PW at the time, Welch said, Who doesnt need a mental vacation right now? Im hoping this book provides the escape readers need and some normalcy. A few years ago, Welch was approached by several filmmakers who were interested in buying rights to Love & Gelato. Brandon Camp stood out. He was so persistent, she said. I could tell he really wanted to make this movie. So I decided to sell the rights. The project ended up landing at Netflix, which Welch called her dream. Welch said of the adaptation process, I was very hands-off. I knew my limitations. I had a lot going on at that moment, as a writer and a mother. I felt the right thing to do was put the story into the hands of moviemakers I trusted. Of course, Covid complicated the production schedule, particularly shooting in Italy. We hit all kinds of snags in the road. Its kind of amazing the movie was made! But overall, Welch said, the adaptation was a beautiful experience. And although she wasnt able to visit the set because of Italys lockdown, she said she was transported back there by watching the film. It was surreal watching these characters I created, in places I hung out as a teenager. I was constantly texting my friends from Italy: Do you remember this? Welch offered particular praise for the casts performances. The thing I really cared about was the characters and the actors portrayal of them. I love the actors who play LinaSusanna Skaggsand RenTobia De Angelis. Theyre fantastic and I feel like their chemistry is really special. They definitely got to the heart of the story. Readers will notice an alteration or two to the plot, all of which Welch endorses. One of the big changes was having Addie, a character in the next book, Love & Luck, in Italy! Shes played by Angelika Washington [Moxie] and I think audiences are going to love her. Coming Attractions Welch also has what she describes as a witchy new YA romance coming out September 27, Spells for Lost Things (S&S). Its my first book outside the Love & series, she said. And its her first set in the U.S. Still, I think there are many elements my current readers will recognize and love. The novel follows a teenager named Willow who is whisked off to Salem, Mass., for the summer by her mother. There, Willow connects with Mason, a boy who has been in and out of the foster care system. Together they investigate Willows mysterious family roots in Salem. I cant get away from the exploring new places theme, Welch said. As for what she wants viewers to take from the Love & Gelato movie, Welch said, I hope they walk away with the same feelings and the same love that I put into this story. Its a love story but its also about found family and finding yourself. And its a story of grief, of Lina losing her mother and finding new aspects of her in this new place. I really feel the film captures that. Asked about the chances for future movie adaptations in the Love & series, Welch said, though there arent concrete plans, I think there is a possibility! As they say in Rome, speriamo: lets hope so. This month, authors make appearances on the Today Show; present debut novels in N.Y.C.; make a return appearance on Good Morning America; and kick off an international book tour. A Summer of Reading Author Kate DiCamillo (l.) recorded an interview at New York Citys Books of Wonder bookstore for the Today Show, which aired on Tuesday, June 14, on Jenna Bush Hagers (r.) special summer edition of the Read with Jenna Jr. Book Club. This list features 27 kid-friendly titles across age groups to get children reading this summer. A Beautiful Debut Debut author XiXi Tian celebrated the release of her YA novel, This Place Is Still Beautiful (HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray), with a launch event at Yu & Me Books in Manhattan on June 7. Tian (from l.) is seen here with her editor Alessandra Balzer, v-p and co-publisher of Balzer + Bray; associate editor Caitlin Johnson; agent Wendi Gu of Sanford J. Greenburger Associates; and marketing associate Shannon Cox. GLAAD for Pride Month Sarah Kate Ellis (l.), author and CEO of GLAAD, a nonprofit organization dedicated to fighting discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community, appeared on Good Morning America on June 10 to discuss her new picture book, All Moms (Little Bee Books) co-written with her wife, Kristen Ellis-Henderson , and illustrated by Max Rambaldi, as well as the progress and fight for LGBTQ+rights over the last year. At GLAAD what we decided to do was team up with Little Bee Books and create a series of books that reflect young peoples lives, so that they can see themselves and also build inclusivity and acceptance. Kemmerer Hits the Road Author Brigid Kemmerer kicked off the U.S. leg of her book tour to promote her latest novel, Forging Silver into Stars, a fantasy series opener taking place in the same universe as her Cursebreakers series. Bookstores in Maryland, Texas, Arizona, Utah, and California hosted events for Kemmerer from June 4 through 11, where she appeared in conversation with authors such as J. Elle, Allison Saft and Tara Sim, and Bill Konigsburg. The European portion of the tour in July will include stops in Amsterdam, Barcelona, and London. Nonprofit library technology cooperative OCLC (the company behind WorldCat, the worlds largest global catalog of library collections) has filed a federal lawsuit against Clarivate and its subsidiaries (including Clarivate Analytics, Ex Libris, and ProQuest) over Clarivates alleged misappropriation of OCLC records for its competing MetaDoor service. Filed in the United States District Court in Southern District of Ohio, the suit claims tortious interference with OCLC contracts and prospective business relationships and alleges a conspiracy to interfere with OCLCs contracts and business relationships." Defendants have been contacting OCLC customers and encouraging them to contribute the bibliographic records from WorldCat, and provide access to those records from the MetaDoor platform, all of which is in direct breach of those customers contractual obligations to OCLC, the complaint states. In addition, the filing claims Clarivate plans to freely provide WorldCat records to MetaDoor usersbut the companys intention is "not altruistic," lawyers say. Instead, this is just Defendants latest attempt to further consolidate their dominant position in the ILS/LSP [Integrated Library System Library Services Platform] market. Defendants are engaging in profit-sacrificing behavior to ultimately drive OCLC (and potentially its other competitors] from the ILS/LSP market. Working with librarians, OCLC for decades has provided data experts and tools as well servers and computing power to create, enhance, and store billions of library records in WorldCat, making them searchable online. On its website, OCLC officials suggest Clarivates efforts to build a competing platform represents an existential threat. If MetaDoor is allowed to proceed, WorldCat investments will decline as revenue declines, and the very records MetaDoor depends on will no longer be available in the same way they are today. This will lead to operational issues in many libraries, reads an FAQ about the suit. Its our shared responsibility to preserve the viability and value of WorldCat for future generations. Participants commit to respecting the contributions of every library. The rights and responsibilities associated with WorldCat preserve its integrity as a worldclass library resource. London-based Clarivate is a massive global analytics company. In 2021, it completed a controversial $5.3 billion purchase of ProQuest, a deal that drew scrutiny from antitrust regulators and opposition from library advocacy groups like SPARC, which represents more than 240 academic and research library members. In a statement last year, Heather Joseph, SPARC executive director, said Clarivate's acquisition of ProQuest "tilts control of the research ecosystem further toward the largest commercial playersand away from the best interests of the research community." OCLC is seeking temporary and permanent injunctions to stop Clarivate from encouraging libraries to violate their agreements with OCLC by contributing collaboratively created records from WorldCat to Clarivate's MetaDoor service. Premium online access is only available tosubscribers. If you have an active subscription and need to set up or change your password, please click here New to PW? To set up immediate access, click here. NOTE: If you had a previous PW subscription, click here to reactivate your immediate access. PW site license members have access to PWs subscriber-only website content. If working at an office location and you are not "logged in", simply close and relaunch your preferred browser. For off-site access, click here. To find out more about PWs site license subscription options, please email Mike Popalardo at: mike@nextstepsmarketing.com. The latter comprise CBC Canadas In Your Face (1 x 51 - pictured) and The Musical Animal (1x 47) and You, Myself and Art (8 x 30), the latest project from award-winning French filmmaker, actor and writer Thomas Deshays.In addition, as part of a 22-title package deal, Czech Republics Prima TV has acquired 32-hours of single documentaries and series, including all three titles in Scorpions Search for art mystery strand, which has now been sold into 22 territories. These include The Search for the Virgin of the Rocks, which delves into the symbolism of Leonardo da Vincis most enigmatic painting.The Search for the Virgin of the Rocks is also headed to Switzerland via a three-title deal with RSI Radiotelevisione Svizzera. The public service broadcaster, which specialises in art, culture and history documentaries, has also picked up Fill The Frame, which looks at the art of eight contemporary New York street photographers; and 9/11 The Lost Tapes, produced by Arrow Media, which sifts through hundreds of hours of military and air traffic-control conversations to present a vivid picture of that fateful day in September 2001.AMC in Spain has picked up Ocean Secrets, underwater cinematographer Mauricio Handlers spellbinding exploration of the creatures that live in the worlds oceans. The 50-minute 4K HD documentary has also been acquired by SVT Sweden.Finally, the first scripted series on Scorpions books, SF8 (8 x 52 mins/HD), has been bought by SBS Australia. The Korean sci-fi drama, which has been compared to UK drama Black Mirror, is a thought-provoking anthology of stories about people who dream of creating a perfect society. The themes explored by SF8 include artificial intelligence, augmented reality, virtual reality, robots, gaming, fantasy, horror, super-powers and disasters. Despite challenges in securing reliable energy sources, Europe still plans to meet net-zero 2050 goals outlined in the European Green Deal. The journey to net-zero is filled with uncertainty as Russia continues to cut energy supply to Europe and additional infrastructure becomes necessary for LNG imports from allies. Stepping up to the plate to meet this challenge, U.S. LNG has become a powerful stabilizing tool in Europe as the region works to increase its supply of natural gas, lower greenhouse gas emissions and wean itself off natural gas from authoritarian regimes like Russia. Evident that U.S. LNG could deliver on these goals, leaders from the United States and Europe announced a deal in March that will see the U.S. commit to boosting LNG supplies to Europe by winter, helping Europe reduce its demand for Russian gas by up to two-thirds. Europes Energy Security Today, Russian gas flows to Ukraine fell by a quarter after Kyiv halted the use of a major transit route, blaming occupying Russian forces. Though this marks the first time exports via Ukraine have been disrupted since the invasion, it will certainly not the be the last as the conflict in Ukraine continues. Bulgaria and Poland are also struggling to secure energy supplies after refusing to comply with Russias new payment mechanism. Russian President Vladimir Putin continues to weaponize his countrys energy supply and cut off flows to unfriendly nations, a move that was predicted back in 2014 by U.S. policymakers and the American Security Project who worried about the network of pipelines stretching from Russia to Europe and the political leverage it would give Russia. The United States is strategically positioned to help allies enhance their energy security and reliability goals through an innovative and interconnected network of growing domestic LNG production and related export infrastructure. While we are working to increase export capacity and related pipeline infrastructure here at home, our friends across the Atlantic are also making the required investment in import facilities and executing the required contracts to secure much needed supplies. Helping Europe reduce its dependence on Russian gas will enhance their energy security by allowing for more political and economic flexibility to counter the Russian aggression while also maintaining their climate commitments. U.S. LNG Will Help Europe Meet its Climate Goals American LNG is one of the cleanest burning fuels. Domestically, the U.S. has reduced CO2 emissions in the power generation sector by 32 percent since 2005 by switching to natural gas progress that is also exported alongside U.S. LNG. President Biden has lauded U.S. LNG exports to Europe as critical support to our allies stating that they are, consistent with, not in conflict with, the net-zero climate goal that were shooting for. The success of natural gas in reducing emissions has been replicated abroad as well. Since the U.S. started exporting LNG in 2016 it has helped countries reduced their carbon intensity by as much as 10 percent, a perk also outlined in the joint US/EU deal. European nations, UK and France saw 3 percent and 10 percent declines in carbon intensity, respectively, since they began importing U.S. LNG. Until now, increased LNG exports to Europe have not only enhanced Europes energy security, but have been an essential step in helping Europe achieve its net zero goals and eliminate methane emissions. U.S. LNG Potential American innovation and a bounty of supply have led to an 1,800 percent increase since 2016 in U.S. LNG exports. With innovation and technological advancements, the U.S. is producing enough clean-burning natural gas to meet domestic demand and help our allies achieve their energy needs and carbon emission reduction goals. U.S. LNG is a cleaner alternative to Russian piped gas, though supplies of Russian gas are being greatly reduced, the high methane emissions associated with Russian gas only drove Europe away from its climate goals. The U.S. can help Europe alleviate its energy constraints by increasing LNG exports. As the top supplier of natural gas to Europe and with the ability to increase capacity, the U.S. is uniquely able to meet Europes energy demands. With more LNG terminals expected to come online by the end of 2022 and additional terminals currently under construction with completion expected by 2025, the U.S. can meet LNG demands. Lieutenant General Norman R. Seip, USAF (Ret.) is President of the American Security Project. Lt Gen Seip retired from the United States Air Force in 2009 after serving for 35 years. Jessica Olcott Yllemo is senior fellow for climate security at the American Security Project. Stranger Things star Noah Schnapp says there's deaths and gore to come in Season 4, Volume 4. ADVERTISEMENT The 17-year-old actor discussed the Netflix series during Thursday's episode of The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon Schnapp plays Will Byers on Stranger Things, which will return with new episodes July 1. On the Tonight Show, host Jimmy Fallon jokingly called Schnapp the "Tom Holland" of Stranger Things because the actor is known for sharing spoilers. Schnapp teased Volume 2 later in the interview. "You can expect from Volume 2, we got some -- some deaths coming, some -- some gore, and a big bang," Schnapp said. When Fallon called the information was a "big spoiler," Schnapp replied, "I didn't say who!" "Well, you guys can assume that obviously somebody's gonna," the actor added. Stranger Things is created by the Duffer brothers, who serve as showrunners and executive producers with Shawn Levy and Dan Cohen. The series follows a young group of friends as they experience supernatural events in their hometown of Hawkins, Ind. 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! Netflix released first-look photos for Season 4, Volume 2 this week. Season 4, Volume 1 consists of seven episodes and was released in May. Volume 2 will have nine episodes, one of which with a runtime of almost two and a half hours. Athens, GA (30605) Today Cloudy skies this evening followed by scattered showers and thunderstorms overnight. Low 69F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%.. Tonight Cloudy skies this evening followed by scattered showers and thunderstorms overnight. Low 69F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%. Crews float a single-engine plane in the Connecticut River to the boat launch in Charlestown, N.H., on Thursday, June 23, 2022. The pilot reported having engine troubles before hitting the power lines that went over the river and then crashed into the water on Wednesday, June 22. They used a Keane Aures stands near a marker in the parking lot of Maple Valley where a 100-foot buffer to the West River would extend. Such a buffer, he said, would mean no overflow parking for Sugar Mountain, his planned distillery and brewery. You are the owner of this article. NEW BRITAIN The next few days are crucial in the bipartisan talks on gun safety, but even if the Independence Day holiday deadline is missed, Republicans and Democrats can resume attempts later in July to possibly reach a deal that would get the necessary 60 votes in a sharply divided U.S. Senate, Sen. Richard Blumenthal said Friday. Arguing over of what exactly is an unmarried romantic partner - and how they might appeal court rulings - has emerged as a major stumbling block surrounding so-called red flag warrants, which can allow state judges to temporarily remove guns from the possession of domestic abusers, who are almost always men. We are confronting some tough issues and were doing it in a very bipartisan, business-like way, Blumenthal said at the Klingberg Family Centers social service agency. Ive been in touch literally this morning with several colleagues on several of the outstanding issues like red flags, or crisis-intervention emergency risk-protection orders. There is also the boyfriend loophole. There are a number of other aspects of the entire program that are unresolved, but were making progress and were doing it as quickly as we can. Blumenthal said the framework developed by five Democrats and five Republicans remains a major improvement from even two weeks ago. Blumenthal said that negotiations are also including specific dollar amounts in the billions, and hundreds of millions in particular to support states that may want to adopt red flag laws, which Connecticut started in 1999. Connecticuts risk warrant law allows family members, neighbors and acquaintances to contact police or state judges to report cases of people who might be in-crisis and threatening themselves or others, and take away their firearms for a year or more. U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy is a key figure in the Washington talks, which earlier in the week won the public support of 10 GOP senators, enough to seemingly reach the 60 votes needed to overcome a Republican filibuster that would kill a bill. The proposal includes support for behavioral health care and crisis intervention, school safety, training and counseling kids in schools. There is a provision for combating trafficking and straw purchases, Blumenthal said. For closing the boyfriend loophole; for extending and improving background checks; for encouraging red flag statutes in the 31 states that lack them now; and supporting with resources - real dollars and cents - the statutes that exist right now. Both sides of the aisle understand we need action and the American people have been telling us to do something. The key measure is saving lives. The target date for a vote is sometime toward the end of next week, Blumenthal said during a noontime news conference on the hilltop complex of the Klingberg Family Centers, founded in 1903. Mental health professionals with the senator stressed the need for more funding and staff to assist troubled people before they might become dangers. Theres nothing that says we couldnt come back after the break but our goal is to finish it before we leave for the work-at-home period with July 4th, Blumenthal said. A lot of Republicans are expressing interest if not support. We hope for even more than 10 Republicans. Jim ODea, vice president for behavioral health at Hartford HealthCare and Steven Girelli, president and CEO of the multi-service Klingberg Family Centers, who joined Blumenthals news conference, agreed that the mental and behavorial health problems that existed before the pandemic were exacerbated by it. We can save lives and money if we catch these problems upstream rather than allowing kids to go over the rapids and the waterfalls of crisis and possible violence, Blumenthal said. Blumenthal, citing the sections on mental health in the pending federal legislation, stressed the need to rid the stigma of mental illness to help people address their issues before the symptoms get worse and the results impact Connecticut families further. We have to be better at focusing our advocacy efforts, ODea said. We have an enormous opportunity now. The two health professionals said it is too soon to see how much new funding may be coming their way in the state budget that takes effect on July 1. Theres lot to unpack, because they did a lot, said ODea of the three bills that were the centerpiece of childrens mental and behavioral health, including further state funding for community health centers. Low-income families will be able to take part in innovative ways to support children with more primary-care opportunities, he said. Girelli said that recruiting and retaining a workforce has been a challenge. Thats something that has really interfered with our ability to meet the growing needs of at least children and adolescents that have resulted from the pandemic, he said. We need to do more to increase the opportunity for people to be committed to the behavioral health community, to do the work that were privileged to do, ODea said. The pending federal legislation would benefit their programs as well. We are making progress hour-by-hour, Blumenthal said under a large outdoor tent that on Saturday will become the refreshment center of the programs annual antique car show featuring about 90 pre-World War II autos, many made in Connecticut and restored by high schoolers enrolled in the Klingberg Auto Restoration Program. kdixon@ctpost.com Twitter: @KenDixonCT This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) New Mexico and the U.S. government have reached a $32 million settlement over a 2015 mine spill that polluted rivers in three western states. Similar environmental accidents will be intolerable in the future as the region grapples with shrinking water supplies amid drought and climate change, the governor said Thursday. Every drop is precious, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said during a news conference. If we don't have that water, we aren't growing our own food. The spill released 3 million gallons (11 million liters) of wastewater from the inactive Gold King Mine in southwestern Colorado, sending a bright-yellow plume of arsenic, lead and other heavy metals south to New Mexico, through the Navajo Nation and into Utah through the San Juan and Animas rivers. Water utilities were forced to scramble and shut down intake valves while farmers stopped drawing from the rivers as the contaminants moved downstream. The New Mexico settlement marks just the latest reached over the past year. Colorado and the Navajo Nation also have inked multimillion-dollar agreements to settle claims and sort out responsibility for continued cleanup at the Superfund site that was established following the spill. Under the New Mexico agreement, the federal government will make cash payments for response costs, environmental restoration and efforts to mitigate the negative perceptions about the area's rivers following the spill. Money also will go toward water quality monitoring and cleanup activities. Lujan Grisham called the settlement a turning point for communities in the region. "While the San Juan and Animas rivers have healed from the spill, its time for communities like Farmington, Bloomfield, and Aztec to do the same, she said in a statement, saying the money is deserved in light of the federal government's role in the disaster. The state also received $11 million in damages from the mining companies, and the case against the federal contractors involved is pending. On Aug. 5, 2015, Environmental Protection Agency contractors attempting cleanup work caused the release of the toxic wastewater. The plume eventually reached Lake Powell in Utah. Although the rivers are now safe for irrigation and other uses, state and local officials have said the stigma associated with the event has had lasting effects on the regions economy. The Navajo Nation finalized a $31 million settlement with the federal government this week. The tribe said the plume had traveled through an estimated 200 miles (322 kilometers) of the San Juan River, which it considers sacred. Top Navajo officials traveled to the mine site and shared photos and video of the wastewater rushing downstream on social media. Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez said the tribe had pledged to hold accountable all those who caused or contributed to the spill. He added that he was grateful the federal government acknowledged the devastation that it caused. While New Mexico and the Navajo Nation pursued separate lawsuits, the cases were consolidated and state officials said Thursday that remediation and restoration work will be coordinated. State officials said a restoration plan will be developed with public input. Ned Gerard / Hearst Connecticut Media BRIDGEPORT Two people were injured in a motor vehicle crash involving a scooter Friday afternoon, according to the Bridgeport Police Department. The crash occurred at Housatonic Avenue and East Washington Avenue. Police reported the incident around 4:20 p.m. BRISTOL Local police are searching for a woman who disappeared under unusual circumstances Thursday morning. The family of Debra Therrien, 61, last spoke to her around 6:30 a.m. Thursday. She didnt show up to work that morning, and her vehicle and personal possessions were still at her Bristol home, according to Bristol police. The circumstances are considered unusual at this time, and the Bristol Police Criminal Investigations Division is currently on scene assisting the Patrol Division, police said around noon. Therrien was desribed as 5 feet tall and weighing 100 pounds. She has short blonde hair and hazel eyes. Police are unsure of the clothing she was wearing. Anyone who has had any contact with Therrien Thursday, or may know her whereabouts, is asked to contact the Bristol Police Department at 860-584-3011. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate VESTAVIA HILLS, Ala. (AP) A lone suspect fired on a small group meeting at a suburban church near one of Alabama's major cities Thursday evening, fatally wounding two people and injuring a third before being taken into custody, authorities said. The attack occurred at Saint Stephen's Episcopal Church in the Birmingham suburb of Vestavia Hills, Police Capt. Shane Ware said. He said officers rushed to the church after dispatchers got a call reporting an active shooter at the church at 6:22 p.m. From what we've gathered from the circumstances of this evening, a lone suspect entered a small church group meeting and began shooting. Three people were shot. Two people are deceased. One person is being treated for an unknown injury at a local hospital," Ware said at a late Thursday news briefing. He added that a suspect was in custody and that there was no threat to the community at this time." At an earlier briefing, Ware had initially said one person died and two others wounded in the shooting had been hospitalized. Meanwhile, police declined to identify the suspect or the victims or provide further details of the attack, adding another briefing was planned Friday. The FBI, U.S. Marshals Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco and Explosives dispatched agents to the scene. Investigators remained hours past nightfall, with yellow police tape cordoning off the church complex and emergency police and fire vehicles with flashing lights blocking the route to the church. Nearby, people huddled and prayed. The Rev. Kelley Hudlow, an Episcopal priest in the Diocese of Alabama, told broadcast outlet WBRC that the church and the community at large were stunned by the shooting. It is shocking. Saint Stephens is a community built on love and prayers and grace and they are going to come together," she said in a live interview with the station. People of all faiths are coming together to pray to hope for healing." She added that the church was receiving supportive messages from all over the U.S. and the world. "We need everybody out there. Pray, think, meditate and send love to this community because we are going to need all of it," she said. The churchs website had listed a Boomers Potluck for Thursday night. There will be no program, simply eat and have time for fellowship, the flyer read. Thursday's shooting was the latest of several high-profile shootings, including a racist attack last month that killed 10 Black people at a Buffalo, New York, supermarket, and the shooting deaths May 24 of 19 children and two adults at an Uvalde, Texas, elementary school in which the gunman was killed. In Southern California, one person was killed and five injured May 15 after a man authorities say was motivated by hatred of Taiwan opened fire on Taiwanese parishioners. On Saturday thousands of people rallied in the U.S. and at the National Mall in Washington, D.C., to renew calls for stricter gun control measures. Survivors of mass shootings and other incidents of gun violence also lobbied legislators and testified on Capitol Hill earlier this month. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey issued a statement late Thursday lamenting what she called the shocking and tragic loss of life at the church. Though she said she was glad to hear the suspect was in custody, she wrote: This should never happen in a church, in a store, in the city or anywhere." Vestavia Hills is a residential community just southeast of Birmingham, one of Alabama's two most populous cities. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate TORRINGTON Darlene Battle has been named the 2022 Juneteenth Mayor, and will be honored June 19 at City Hall. The ceremony will begin at 11 a.m. Sunday in front of City Hall, with Mayor Elinor Carbone. Festivities will include the raising of the Juneteenth flag, and light refreshments will be served after the ceremony. Darlene Battle is passionate about Torrington, its safety and future, as witnessed by her election to three terms as commissioner on the Board of Public Safety, organizer of her neighborhood block watch and Night Out events, as president of Torrington High School PTO and her commitment to her faith and family, said Carbone. Juneteenth festivities will continue at 3:30 p.m. at Tequannas Soul Food & Sweets, 21 Main St., as Our Culture is Beautiful hosts speakers, drumming, poetry and a walking tour, ending with a balloon release at the MLK mural on Water Street. The public is welcome and encouraged to attend the ceremony Sunday morning and the Juneteenth celebration at Tequannas. The citys first Juneteenth Mayor for the Day, honored in 2021, was Shante Reynolds, a longtime resident, nurse and student. Reynolds participated in the unveiling of the Martin Luther King mural project at 42 Water St., which was painted on the wall of the WAPJ building in 2021. Battle also is an artist and has held several shows in the city this year at Tequannas and the Five Points Gallery annex, as well as her own YArt Show at her home in May. She also won several prizes in the annual art show at the Goshen Fair in 2021. Her husband, Bill Battle, died in 2018. Their son Darnell, a graduate of Torrington High School, is a Yale University graduate and is attending law school at Columbia University. The transfer makes it more difficult for her to meet her family and lawyer. A picture of Theary Seng distributed on Facebook the day of her arrest shows her dressed in a prisoner's uniform, her face still showing the makeup of the costume she wore to demonstrate her mass trial and conviction. Photo: citizen journalist Photo: RFA Authorities in Cambodia have transferred Cambodian American democracy activist Theary Seng to a remote prison, a move that her lawyer said will isolate her from her family and legal counsel. Theary Seng was arrested on Tuesday while she protested a mass trial that convicted her and more than 50 other democracy advocates on charges related to their association with the banned opposition Cambodian National Rescue Party (CNRP). She began serving her six-year sentence for treason the same day at Prey Sar prison in the capital Phnom Penh. But prison authorities have confirmed to RFA that Theary Seng has since been transferred to Preah Vihear Prison in the countrys far north. We have foreseen risks in keeping her in Phnom Penh, and for the sake of ensuring her security and to maintain public order, we transferred her to a higher security prison, Nuth Savna, spokesman for the General Prison Department, told RFAs Khmer Service on Friday. Theary Sengs lawyer, Choung Chou Ngy, told RFA that the move could complicate an appeal, which would be reviewed by a court in Phnom Penh. The prison didnt tell me why they transferred her. I dont know the reason. The transfer affects my rights to defend her because I lose opportunity to see her. She has the right to appeal, so I need to see her to explain to her about the process and her right to appeal, he said. If she decides to appeal, I will prepare a case for her, Choung Chou Ngy said. It is difficult for a lawyer to defend her while she is so far away and the court will have a problem because it has to transport her from Preah Vihear. Choung Chou Ngy said that he was unable to see his client while she was held at Prey Sar, which he said was a violation of her rights. Marady Seng, Thearys brother, told RFA that he was also unable to meet his sister while she was detained at the Phnom Penh prison. Officials cited COVID-19 restrictions as the reason, he said. Since June 14, we have no new information. I have been concerned since her arrest I dont have any information about her health or whether she was harmed. This is not justice, he said. What the government has done is too much. I urge the government to release her immediately. Am Sam Ath of the Cambodian League for the Promotion and Defense of Human Rights told RFA that Theary Sengs detention is another example of Prime Minister Hun Sen pressuring human rights advocates. Putting her away from her family and friends will isolate her and impact her emotionally, Am Sam Ath said. He noted that the government has used similar tactics to isolate incarcerated other opposition politicians and activists. Theary Seng and the other convicted activists were all in some way connected to the Cambodian National Rescue Party (CNRP) before the countrys Supreme Court dissolved the party five years ago, a decision that paved the way for Hun Sen to tighten his grip on the country and squash criticism of his government. The treason charges against the activists stem from abortive efforts in 2019 to bring about the return to Cambodia of CNRP leader Sam Rainsy, who has been in exile in France to avoid what his supporters say are politicized charges against him. Translated by Samean Yun. Written in English by Eugene Whong. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) said on it would join the race to make next-generation 2-nanometer chips by 2025, amid growing saber-rattling from China. The company said it would start volume production of the low-energy advanced chips within the next three years. Samsung and Intel have made similar announcements in recent months. "We are living in a rapidly changing, supercharged, digital world where demand for computational power and energy efficiency is growing faster than ever before, creating unprecedented opportunities and challenges for the semiconductor industry," TSMC CEO C.C. Wei told the North America Technology Symposium. TSMC launched the 5nm process in 2020 and is scheduled to start commercial production of the 3nm process later this year in Tainan. The first 2-nm plant will be built in Hsinchu, with production to expand later to Taichung, the island's Central News Agency reported on . The announcement came after Taiwan's chief trade negotiator John Deng warned that a potential Chinese invasion -- increasingly threatened by the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) -- would lead to a global shortage of semiconductor chips. "The disruption to international supply chains; disruption on the international economic order; and the chance to grow would be much, much (more) significant than [the current shortage]," Deng told Reuters at a World Trade Organization (WTO) meeting in Geneva this week. "There would be a worldwide shortage of supply." 'Special operation' fears Taiwan dominates the global market for the most advanced chips, with exports totaling U.S.$118 billion last year, Reuters reported, quoting Deng as saying he hopes to decrease the 40 percent share of the island's exports that are currently being sold to China. While Taiwan has never been governed by the CCP, nor formed part of the People's Republic of China, and its 23 million people have no wish to give up their sovereignty or democratic way of life, Beijing insists the island is part of its territory. Taiwan has raised its alert level since Russia invaded Ukraine, amid concerns that CCP leader Xi Jinping could use an invasion of the democratic island to boost flagging political support that has been dented by growing confrontation with the United States and draconian zero-COVID restrictions at home. Xi recently signed a directive allowing "non-war" uses of the military, prompting concerns that Beijing may be gearing up to invade the democratic island of Taiwan under the guise of a "special operation" not classified as war. "One interpretation is that, in doing this, Xi Jinping is copying Putin's designation of the Ukraine war as a 'special military operation'," U.S.-based current affairs commentator Xia Yeliang told RFA. "Xi Jinping ... wants to surpass Mao Zedong, and in doing that, he doesn't think anyone is as good as him, not even Deng Xiaoping," Xia said. Collective leadership He said Xi is under huge political pressure from within party ranks, citing media reports and credible rumors from high-ranking sources within the CCP."How's he going to do that? Economically, the situation is already better than under Mao. So he means to liberate Taiwan, and fulfill Mao's wish, the task that he was unable to complete himself." "A lot of people don't trust Xi and worry that he's going to get China into trouble ... they could replace him with a system of collective leadership. So what does Xi do in response? He tries to create an atmosphere of fear, threatening to go to war, that if the U.S. does this or that, we'll make our move," Xia said. "Xi Jinping wants to manufacture an external crisis; a sense that if we don't invade Taiwan now, then the opportunity will be lost, so we have to move now. He wants everyone to support him as chairman of the Central Military Commission [ahead of] the CCP 20th National Congress," he said. Tseng Chih-Chao, deputy secretary-general of Taiwan's Chung-hwa Institution for Economic Research, said global shortages of a particular kind of chip have already put a spanner in the works of automakers around the world, and that TSMC currently holds a 90-percent global market share in advanced chips. "When we look at their main customers like Apple's Nvidia chips, they are the most advanced chip manufacturers in the world," Tseng said. "Without TSMC, the entire high-tech industry around the world would cease to function, including all of the chips that go into iPhones or Apple computers," he said. "Most importantly, there are no alternative suppliers who can make these chips anywhere in the world right now." "If China launched an attack, it could cause serious damage in a very short period of time, that would be very difficult to rebuild, especially after the [likely] loss of technology, equipment and talent," Tseng said. "So of course [Deng] was going to say this to the United States and other Western countries." Taiwan's foreign ministry spokeswoman Joanne Ou said the island welcomed U.S. support, but stood ready to defend itself. "In the face continued military expansion and provocation from China, Taiwan has a high degree of determination and capability to defend itself," Ou said on . Detained democracy activist Xu Zhiyong will stand trial for subversion in the eastern Chinese province of Shandong on , lawyers and a rights group said on . "Linyi Intermediate People's Court has decided that Xu Zhiyong's case will be heard in Courtroom No. 3 of the Linshu County People's Court at 9:00 am ," the Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) network said via its website and Twitter account, citing defense attorney Zhang Lei. Xu, who has already served jail time for launching the New Citizens' Movement for greater official accountability, was detained in early 2020 and held on suspicion of "subversion of state power" alongside Ding and other activists who held a dinner gathering in the southeastern port city of Xiamen on Dec. 13, 2019. Xu's pretrial conference was held on , with that of human rights lawyer Ding Jiaxi scheduled for , lawyers told RFA, citing a document issued by Shandong's Linyi Intermediate People's Court. Both men were held incommunicado, denied permission to meet with either family members or a lawyer for two years, under "residential surveillance at a designated location" (RSDL) and criminal detention. They haven't been seen or heard from since their indictments in . Trumped-up charges U.S.-based rights lawyer Wu Shaoping said the court has indicated that Xu and Ding will be tried separately. "According to the provisions of the Criminal Procedure Law, the two cases should be tried together, because they both resulted from the defendants attending the Xiamen gathering," Wu told RFA. "I believe that most of the evidence in their cases is the same," he said, questioning whether the two men would receive a fair trial, saying that the defense attorneys had been pressured into removing large amounts of "illegal" evidence from their case files in an impossibly short amount of time. "Really, the authorities just want to go through the motions and push this complicated case through a quick trial," Wu said. Rights lawyer Wang Yu said Xu and Ding are being tried on trumped-up charges. "These are trumped-up charges, and ... a lot of people in China want to hear the facts of the case ... but the facts will only be established if there is a joint trial," she said. CHRD had earlier called for Xu and Ding's immediate and unconditional release, and for an independent investigation into their accounts of torture while in detention. "Xu and Ding have told their lawyers that Chinese authorities subjected them to torture and other ill-treatment," the group said in a statement on its website. "CHRD reiterates its appeal to the UN experts to urge the [Chinese] government ... to launch a prompt and impartial investigation of police officers and/or other state actors accused of subjecting Xu Zhiyong, Ding Jiaxi, and others to torture, and prosecute any individuals who have been found to have violated Chinese law and international law," it said. Torture details Meanwhile, the Linyi municipal prosecutor's office has moved ahead with the trial of Xu's partner, the rights activist Li Qiaochu for "incitement to subvert state power." The case against Li rests on claims that she wrote and edited Xu's personal blog and uploaded articles he wrote there. Li, who was recently given the Cao Shunli Memorial Award for her rights activism, was initially detained on Feb. 6, 2021 on suspicion of "subversion of state power," and held at the Linyi Detention Center, then at a psychiatric facility. Her detention came after she posted details of torture allegations by Xu and Ding. U.S.-based lawyer Teng Biao said that a documentary about Xu's political activism, made by fellow activist and poet Chen Jiaping, will soon be available outside China. "It documents the whole of Xu Zhiyong's civil rights protection movement ... including many activities before he was imprisoned in 2013 and an interview after he was released from prison in 2017," Teng told RFA. "Chen Jiaping, the director of the film, was arrested by the Chinese police for a period of time because of the film." "Given that Xu Zhiyong's pretrial conference is , we wanted to let more people know what Xu Zhiyong did," he said. Teng added: "Xu Zhiyong is a human rights lawyer and a legal scholar who played a very, very important role in the Chinese human rights movement by civil society. He was sentenced to 4 years in prison from 2013 to 2017. Now he is facing trial." "A lot of citizens have come together in a very difficult and dangerous situation to campaign for basic human rights and the rule of law in China," Teng said. Xu has never advocated violence, and has paid a very heavy price for advocating for his personal ideals, he said. "This current charge of subversion of state power is totally a case of political persecution ... he didn't commit any crime at all, of course he didn't," Teng said. "He is respected and followed by many people." Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie. ASEAN Special Envoy Prak Sokhonn will not be allowed to meet with Aung San Suu Kyi on his second visit to Myanmar, military council spokesman Gen. Zaw Min Tun told RFA. The National League for Democracy leader and State Counsellor has been detained since the Feb.1, 2021 coup. Suu Kyi has been sentenced to 11 years in jail on 19 counts and faces further charges that could keep her in prison for as long as 100 years. When asked about possible meetings with Suu Kyi, and former Myanmar president Win Myint, the spokesman said the ASEAN Special Envoy was only scheduled to meet with ethnic armed groups currently holding peace talks with the junta. At this time, meeting with the appropriate and deserving people will be on schedule, he said. The people who deserve to be met do not include those who are being prosecuted and are on trial. Sokhonn, who is also Cambodias Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, is scheduled to make his second visit to Myanmar as ASEAN Special Envoy on June 29 and 30. The focus of his visit will be the urgent need for humanitarian assistance in Myanmar but ASEAN leaders, including Cambodias Prime Minister, have called for meetings with Suu Kyi and officials from the shadow National Unity Government (NUG), considering talks with them to be key to resolving the conflict. The military council scheduled meetings between Sokhonn and some members of the National League for Democracy (NLD) during the Special Envoys first visit in March this year but cancelled meetings with some NLD members due to political opposition from NLD MPs who have left the country. Political analyst Ye Tun said the trip could not be considered a success if the ASEAN Special Envoy was not allowed to meet with Suu Kyi at a time when the situation in Myanmar is deteriorating. He would be even more disappointed if he was not allowed to meet with Aung San Suu Kyi and if the military does not comply the Cambodian Prime Ministers request not to impose the death penalty on former NLD MP Phyoe Zeya Thaw, and others, he said. Cambodia stands by the pressure being applied by ASEAN. If it comes to nothing during the trip the feeling will be that the Special Envoy cannot do anything effectively in his visit. A file photo of Cambodian Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn, who serves as ASEAN Special Envoy to Myanmar. CREDIT: AFP Cambodia is the current chair of ASEAN and, in a call with Snr. Gen. Min Aung Hlaing on May 1, Prime Minister Hun Sen urged Myanmars junta chief to allow the special envoy to meet with Suu Kyi. He also asked the military leader to take further steps to implement the five-point consensus for Myanmar, reached with ASEAN's foreign ministers in April 2021. Failure to achieve all the points in the consensus in more than a year has led to growing criticism at home and abroad and Sokhonn will use his second visit to focus on the sticking points in the agreement. Malaysias Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah has spoken up in global summits, calling for specific talks between the Special Envoy, Suu Kyi and NUG leaders, arguing that the five-point consensus includes an agreement to hold a dialogue with all stakeholders in Myanmar. Aung San Suu Kyi will spend her 77th birthday on June 19 in detention. During her 34-year political career she has been repeatedly arrested and prosecuted by successive military governments, spending 17 of her birthdays in detention. Pro-democracy activists are expected to mark the Nobel Laureates birthday on Sunday with nationwide protests, according to Crisis24. The largest protests will probably occur outside government buildings and in other popular protest sites, such as public squares, in major cities like Yangon and Mandalay. Hundreds to thousands of people will probably participate in larger demonstrations, the global security consultancy said in an alert on Thursday. Authorities are likely to step up security, causing disruption to transport and businesses, it said. Crisis24 also warned of the likelihood of clashes between protestors and security forces and the risk of explosions targeting security personnel and facilities, both in the countryside and in cities including Yangon, Mandalay, and Naypyidaw. Talk that democracy activist Ko Jimmy and others would be hanged went viral on Burmese social media. Myanmar activist Kyaw Min Yu, better known by his alias Ko Jimmy, in a file photo. As talk that Myanmars junta was set to hang veteran democracy activist Ko Jimmy and three other men went viral on social media Thursday, other junta opponents and analysts said carrying out the executions would backfire on the military regime that has ruled the country since a coup last year. The rumored executions at dawn Thursday did not take place, but critics said carrying out death penalties handed down after brief, closed trials on terrorism charges would bring more international opprobrium and galvanize domestic opposition against the unpopular junta. "There will be calls for more pressure against the junta in the international arena, and the junta will find it more difficult to impose their rule on young people across the country, Aung Moe Zaw, chairman of the Democratic Party for New Society, told RFA. I think more people will be out on the streets," he added. On June 3, Ko Jimmy, lawmaker Phyo Zeyar Thaw of the National League for Democracy party that was banned after the military overthrew the countrys elected government on Feb. 1, 2021, and two other men lost appeals of their death sentences. The junta rejected the possibility of a pardon for the condemned men. Ko Jimmy, whose real name is Kyaw Min Yu, was a prominent leader of the pro-democracy 88 Generation Students Group who fought military rule three decades ago. The 53-year-old activist was arrested in October after spending eight months in hiding and was convicted by a military tribunal in January under the Counter-Terrorism Law. He was accused of contacting the National Unity Government (NUG), and Peoples Defense Force (PDF), an opposition coalition and militia network formed by politicians ousted in the Feb. 1 coup that the junta has declared terrorist organizations. In September, the NUG declared a nationwide state of emergency and called for open rebellion against junta rule, prompting an escalation of attacks on military targets by various allied pro-democracy militias and ethnic armed groups. Myanmar democracy activist Ko Jimmy (L) and former Myanmar lawmaker Phyo Zeya Thaw (R) in a combination photo created on June 3, 2022. Credit: AFP/Myanmars Military Information Team First judicial execution since 1988 Ko Jimmy was also accused of advising local militia groups in Yangon and ordering PDF groups to attack police, military targets, and government offices, and asking the NUG to buy a 3D printer to produce weapons for local PDFs. The four death sentences, as well 111 others that have been handed down by junta courts between the militarys 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. An appeal against carrying out what would be the first judicial execution in Myanmar since 1988 came from Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, who wrote junta leader Sen. Gen. Min Aung Hlaing on June 10, urging him to reconsider the sentences and refrain from carrying out the death sentences. If carried out, the executions would trigger a very strong and widespread negative reaction from the international community and hurt efforts to find a peaceful solution to the crisis in Myanmar, wrote Hun Sen, in his capacity as 2022 rotating chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), of which Myanmar is a member. Thiha Win Tin, a former member of the All Burma Federation of Students' Unions, Said plans to execute the four would spark an angry reaction from many quarters of society which dont accept the legitimacy of the junta or the military tribunals that meted out the death penalty. This is not a death penalty. They were simply arrested and ordered to be killed, he said. Its not just Phyo Zeyar Thaw and Ko Jimmy. Many of our comrades have been killed during interrogations, some killed on the streetsunarmed and peaceful protesters arrested late in the night, added Thiha Win Tin. Hatred of army will grow Mar Kee (also known as Kyaw Kyaw Htwe), a political ally of Ko Jimmy since the 1980s, said the consequences will not be good if the executions were carried out. There were people in the country who accepted Jimmy and Zeyar Thaw and their work, and there were those who didnt. Even those who didnt accept them, as well as those in the middle, would be outraged if the death penalty were to be imposed on people for their political beliefs, he told RFA. I think the hatred against [the army] will grow." Local anti-junta PDFs groups and other regime opponents have issued a series of warnings in recent days that they would retaliate if Ko Jimmy, Phyo Zeyar Thaw and the others were put to death. Military spokesman Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Tun, at a conference in Naypyidaw Thursday, defended the planned executions as a necessary measure by a sovereign country, but did not say when they would take place. Innocent people lost their lives because of these twos encouragement [of anti-junta militias], he said. I just said innocent people. I am not talking about security personnel. At least 50 lives were lost thanks to their support. So how can you say its not fair? said Zaw Min Tun. The junta has not provided evidence to support the allegations, and the spokesman did not elaborate. The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP), a Thai-based advocacy group, said that 1,958 people have been killed and 14,139 anti-regime activists across the country have been arrested in more than 16 months since the military coup. Of those, 11,081 are still in custody. Political analyst Sai Kyi Zin Soe said no one in Myanmar would believe in the multi-party elections the military has promised to hold in 2023 if the executions were carried out. When the elections are held in 2023, these guys, who were supposed to be contesting the elections but have been executed unfairly, would be absent, he told RFA. People will ask how this election could be fair when those who have the right to take part in the elections have been executed. And how are they going to explain? They will never be able to justify it, said Sai Kyi Zin Soe. Translated by Khin Maung Nyane. Written by Paul Eckert. When we can find something, we can have food. If not, we dont. Rohingya children sit on the floor of a shelter in the Thae Chaung IDP camp in Sittwe township, western Myanmar's Rakhine state, April 2022. More than 130,000 Rohingya Muslims in Myanmars Rakhine state remain stuck in makeshift camps that are often short of food and opportunity, unable to return to their homes after sectarian violence with Buddhists forced them to flee a decade ago. The communal fighting with ethnic Buddhists in Rakhine began on June 8, 2012, and spread across the state in western Myanmar, leaving more than 200 people dead and the communities of tens of thousands of Muslims burned. The refugees were forced to live in squalid settlements scattered around the state, including ones on the outskirts of Sittwe on the Bay of Bengal coast. Rohingya again faced mass violence in August 2017 when Myanmar forces brutally attacked communities in northern Rakhine. The attacks triggered an exodus of more than 740,000 people into neighboring Bangladesh, where they have also lived in sprawling settlements. Moe Moe An Ju, 37, who lives in Sittwes Thae Chaung camp, said she and her family do not get enough to eat and she cannot afford to send her five children to school. There is no work here, she told RFA. When things went awry, I had to pawn my rations book the relief team had given me. We cannot live without eating, right? If we had curry one day, wed have fish the next day. We have beef just once a month. Even for that, we have to try very hard. I can't send my children to school because there is no money. How can we do that? Before the violence of 2012, Moe Moe An Ju and her husband worked as bamboo traders in Sittwes Setyonzu industrial zone. Many families have struggled like hers to make ends meet since they were forced to take refuge at the Thae Chaung internally displaced persons (IDP) camp, surviving on 500 kyats (27 U.S. cents) per person a day from the World Food Program. Successive governments ruling Myanmar, a Buddhist-majority country of 54 million people, have ignored the plight of the Rohingya, despite calls by the members of the minority group to solve the problem. This includes the military junta that seized control from the elected government in a February 2021 coup. Fighting in Rakhine between the Myanmar military and the ethnic-Rakhine Arakan Army, as well as with Peoples Defense Force militias battling junta forces following the coup, have left the Rohingya stuck in a no-mans land. Those living in the camps say they are subject to a system of apartheid, sealed off from the rest of the country with barbed wire fencing and security checkpoints. Viewed by Myanmar as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, they are prohibited from leaving even though the camps lack jobs, educational opportunities and humanitarian aid. We are still waiting Ten years since the 2012 violence, prospects for the Rohingya living in the camps have not improved, with many saying they continue to experience shortages of food and shelter. Faysal Mauk said he could not find work on his own because the authorities do not allow the Rohingya to travel freely. We are facing much hardship here, he said. We could at least find something to do in the old place, but not here. We could have food only if we went out to sea. Otherwise, wed have nothing to eat. We could find some kind of work if we went to a Rakhine village, but after living here for 10 years, I no longer feel like going there, he said. We are so used to living in the camp now. When we can find something, we can have food. If not, we dont. Before June 2012, Fayzal and his family lived in Setyonzu, one of the areas along with Mingan and Magyee-myaing wards in Sittwe that were destroyed. The Thae Chaung camp has more than 2,700 refugee households and a population of over 14,000. Other displaced Muslims from Thetkei-byin, Darpaing, Mawthinyar and Sanpya wards, west of Sittwe, are spread among 14 settlements. After their homes were torched during the 2012 communal violence, ethnic Rakhines, who are predominantly Buddhist, moved into the communities abandoned by the Rohingya. Refugees said government officials have ignored their pleas to address this issue, along with other hardships they face. Kyaw Hla, who is in charge of the Thae Chaung camp, said the Rohingya still hope to return to their original places of residence one day. Nothing has been done for more than 10 years now, but we are still waiting, he said. We will go back to our areas, our villages, and live again like we did before just as we had lived and worked in the past, both Rakhines and non-Rakhines together. We still have our hopes, though it has not happened yet. In the meantime, some Rohingya are borrowing money to pay traffickers to transport them via land or sea to Muslim-majority Malaysia where they believe a better life awaits, but more than 600 have been caught and arrested in the past six months. RFA could not reach the military regimes spokesmen for comment. 'They have no future' Rohingya political activist Nay San Lwin, cofounder of the Free Rohingya Coalition, said Myanmar leaders have done nothing to help the Rohingya. The main important thing is the goodwill of the rulers of the country, [but] they just want to oppress the Rohingya, he said. They just want to hurt them. They do not even recognize the Rohingya as human beings." People in the IDP camps in Sittwe are not refugees from other countries, he said. Their homes and belongings were set on fire. Their land was confiscated. These people have now been locked up in refugee camps for more than 10 years. They have no opportunities. They have no future, so I dont think we need to talk further about how their human rights are being violated. The situation for the Rohingya is unlikely to improve under the current military regime, said New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW). The Myanmar juntas unyielding oppression of the Rohingya people is the foreseeable result of the military facing no consequences for its decade of ethnic cleansing and system of apartheid, Shayna Bauchner, HRWs Asia researcher, said in a statement issued Wednesday. Concerned governments should now be doing what they should have done in 2012 pursuing all avenues to hold Myanmar officials accountable for their grave crimes and delivering justice to the victims of their abuses. Translated by Khin Maung Nyane for RFA Burmese. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin. Before his arrest, Lodoe rejected Chinese government job offers to focus instead on Tibetan language preservation. UPDATED at 1:47 p.m. EDT on 2022-06-17 Chinese authorities arrested a young Tibetan language activist six months ago, and his whereabouts remain unknown, even to his family, sources in Tibet told RFA. Thupten Lodoe, also known by his pen name Sabuche, is a university graduate in his 30s from Seshul county (in Chinese Shiqu), part of the Garze (Ganzi) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan province. The husband and father of two children is fluent in Chinese, English, and Tibetan and is known to have studied at a school established by the Panchen Lama, a Tibetan spiritual leader. The Chinese government offered him 10,000 yuan (U.S. $1489) to accept a job, which he turned down to advocate for the preservation of the Tibetan language. Lodoe was arrested unexpectedly by the Chinese authorities six months ago from Seshul County and taken to Chengdu, [Sichuans capital], a Tibetan source in Tibet told RFAs Tibetan Service, on condition of anonymity for security reasons. Since then, his whereabouts and condition are unknown. His family has learned from some sources that he will be convicted soon, but they still dont know where exactly he is being detained at the moment whether in a prison or a detention center, the source said. The arrest of Lodoe is part of a larger crackdown by the Chinese government on Tibetan writers, intellectuals and cultural leaders. Authorities arbitrarily imprison them for long periods of time in undisclosed locations, without revealing the exact charges or the dates of their sentences to their families, sources said. File photo of Thupten Lodoe. Photo: citizen journalist Usually officials from a respective county will come and take individuals away to detention, the source said. However, this time Chinese officials from Sichuan province came to arrest Lodoe. Many believe that Lodoe was arrested for having communicated with people in exile and also for advocating for Tibetan language rights. Chinese officials have still not cited any reasons for his arrest, the source added. We still dont know the exact month and date of his arrest [either]. A friend of Lodoe, who resides in China, told RFA that the Chinese government threatened his family after his arrest. They were told not to discuss anything about matter with anyone. His two children were also barred from attending school and his family has no information on him at the moment, his friend said. Chinese authorities have frequently detained Tibetan writers and artists who promote Tibetan national identity and culture with many sentenced to lengthy prison terms following region-wide protests of Chinese rule that swept Tibet and Tibetan areas in western provinces of China in 2008. Language rights have become a particular focus for Tibetan efforts to assert national identity in recent years, with informally organized language courses typically deemed illegal associations and teachers subject to detention and arrest, sources say. Translated by Tenzin Dickyi. Written in English by Eugene Whong. Added photos, second source's quotes and additional information about Lodoe's name, schooling and family. Viettel accused of cooperating with Mytel to keep tabs on civilians and military personnel. Viettel has been helping Myanmars junta track civilians and military deserters, according to Justice for Myanmar (JFM), which called for immediate sanctions against Viettel Global Investment (VGI), a unit of Vietnam's largest mobile carrier. Viettel is owned by Vietnam's defense ministry and VGI holds a stake in Telecom International Myanmar, which runs mobile company Mytel. Mytel is a key pillar in the Myanmar militarys business network, providing revenue, technology and surveillance capabilities, JFM said in a news release. The activist group said leaked documents show Mytel has been working with military commanders to offer customized phone numbers to personnel that include their ID number. Over four years Mytel has given hundreds of thousands of free SIM cards to military personnel, as well as civil servants and members of the former National League for Democracy government, enabling the military to monitor them, Justice for Myanmar said. "Mytel is a product of the Myanmar militarys systemic corruption, supporting war criminals including Min Aung Hlaing and the illegal military junta that he is heading, with revenue, technology and intelligence, Justice for Myanmar spokesperson Yadanar Maung told RFA by email. Analysis shows that Myanmars military is set to earn more than U.S.$700 million from Mytel over 10 years, using the profits to fund continued war crimes and crimes against humanity, the report said. The spokesperson said the Vietnamese military also stands to benefit from its stake in Mytel's parent company through access to data military infrastructure, including bases for mobile phone towers and the Myanmar militarys fiber optic cable network. In seeking profits, military generals have handed the Vietnam Ministry of National Defence unprecedented access to military secrets, including personnel data and access to military bases. This is data that was not even available to the previous National League for Democracy-led government or the parliament that the military has attempted to dispose of. It includes the names, ranks and ID of personnel at a national level, organized by military base, and the personal call data of the majority of Myanmar military personnel, Maung said. "While Vietnam is an ally of Myanmar's militaristic regime, Viettel and the Ministry of National Defense of Vietnam can use and misuse this data if desired, even in their own national interest, Yadanar Maung said. Justice for Myanmar called for immediate targeted sanctions against Mytel owner Telecom International Myanmar as well as Viettel Global Investment. It also called for an immediate boycott of Mytel to stop money flowing into the pockets of the military. RFA emailed Viettel to ask for their comments on the report but did not immediately receive a response. Following the military coup in February last year, many soldiers and police defected to join the civil disobedience campaign. JFM claimed they were still being monitored by military authorities with the help of Mytels sim cards. JFM said Mytels profits should not be used by Myanmars military to buy weapons and equipment to target the opposition but should be used to serve the interests of the people. In December 2020, Justice for Myanmar released documents it said showed that Viettel was supporting the modernization of Myanmar's military through technology transfers and training, to improve the technical capacity of the military. Therefore, "Viettel and the Ministry of National Defense of Vietnam are contributing to military operations in ethnic Myanmar areas and supporting and abetting war crimes and crimes against humanity," JFM said. More than 1,900 people including children have been killed by the military, and more than 11,000 people have been detained and tortured, JFM said, citing the Myanmar Association for the Support of Political Prisoners. The controversial plan would see the college being renamed after VietJet founder Nugyen Thi Phuong Thao. The British government is investigating a 155 million (U.S.$191 million) grant to Oxford Universitys Linacre college by a Vietnamese billionaire. Education Minister Michelle Donelan told the House of Commons that the ministry would give an update in the next few days after looking into the grant from VietJet founder Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao. Donelans comments came in response to questions from a fellow Tory MP as the House of Commons considered the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill on Monday, British media reported. Conservative MP Julian Lewis asked Donelan whether she was concerned at conditions set by the Vietnamese billionaire such as renaming Linacre Thao College, considering Vietnam is a country where people seldom enjoy freedom of speech Dr. Nguyen Quang A, co-founder and former director of Vietnam's Institute of Development Studies, told RFA businesses that want to prosper in countries such as Vietnam need to have a good relationship with the government. In Vietnam and China officials use political power to make money from citizens and business owners. The relationship between businesses and the government is the crystallization of corruption. One party uses money to gain political influence and to enrich themselves while the official uses his power to enrich himself. That is corruption. This relationship is reciprocal, he said. Responding to RFAs questions by text, human rights activist Nguyen Thi Hai Hieu, a fifth-year student studying in the UK, said the British government's suspicions were completely justified. She said she agreed with the decision to investigate the donation, adding that she suspects it to be a money-laundering case involving the Vietnamese government. Hieu said she believed that investing in colleges or supporting scholarships for Vietnamese students was a good idea but not necessary even though she considered the British education system to be better than Vietnams. She said Vietnam should prioritize investment in its own education system because there are many disadvantaged areas in the country, where equipment and facilities in schools are still limited. Thao signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Linacre College on October 31, 2021. After signing the MoU and receiving the first 50 million of the agreed funding, Linacre College said it would approach the Privy Council, a group of politicians who advise the Queen, to ask to change the school's name to Thao College. Critics say that changing the school's name would lose the history of the college, named after Thomas Linacre, a British scholar, humanities researcher and physician. Linacre used to treat Utopia author Sir Thomas More, along with Cardinal Wolsey, chief advisor to King Henry VIII. KYIV -- Russian missile attacks on the Ukrainian capital and the central city of Cherkasy on June 26 killed at least two people and injured 11 others, including a 7-year-old girl pulled from the rubble, with more blasts reported later, in the first major strikes against either city in weeks. Ukrainian officials who have pledged to retake lost cities responded with a fresh plea for more weapons to fight the Russian invasion as G7 leaders opened a two-day summit at which they are expected to announce further punishing sanctions on Russia. The bombardments against Kyiv and Cherkasy came as Ukraine's defense forces battled to regroup after the loss of a strategic town to Russian forces on the front lines hundreds of kilometers to the southeast, where some of the most intense fighting is raging four months into Russia's full-scale invasion. Live Briefing: Russia's Invasion Of Ukraine RFE/RL's Live Briefing gives you all of the latest developments on Russia's ongoing invasion, how Kyiv is fighting back, the plight of civilians and refugees, and Western aid and reaction. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war, click here. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko went to the scene in one of that city's historic northern neighborhoods, known as the Shevchenko district, after at least two buildings were affected by the early morning explosions blamed on up to four Russian missiles. Klitschko said one person was killed and six were injured, including the 7-year-old, who was in stable condition after surgery. The condition of her mother, who was also hospitalized, was much more serious, Klitschko said on Telegram. Russia said its strike on Kyiv had hit a weapons factory, dismissing as "fake" reports that it had struck a residential area. The Artyom factory "was the target, as military infrastructure," the Russian Defense Ministry said. It claimed in a statement that damage to a nearby residential building had been caused by a Ukrainian air- defense missile. Klitschko called the attacks on Kyiv an attempt by Russia to "intimidate Ukrainians" ahead of a NATO summit slated for Madrid on June 28-30. Others suggested they and other bombardments -- including near Ukraine's border with Poland -- might also be an effort to send a message to G7 leaders gathering near Munich to discuss pro-Ukraine measures on June 26. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba responded to the fresh Kyiv attacks with an image of the 7-year-old being lifted from the apartment building rubble and urging "more sanctions on Russia and more heavy arms for Ukraine" from the G7. Also on June 26, current and former officials in central Ukraine said explosions had rung out in the city of Cherkasy, which had so far avoided being targeted by Russia's worst attacks on Ukrainian cities. Later, Cherkasy Regional State Administration Chairman Ihor Taburets blamed two Russian missiles for the blasts and said one person had been killed and five more injured. "Today, the enemy launched missile attacks on the Cherkasy region," Taburets said via Telegram. "There are 2 strikes near the regional center. One dead and five wounded. Infrastructure damaged." Cherkasy has not been targeted previously by major attacks by Russian forces. Farther to the southeast, Ukrainian forces said a day earlier that they had made a "tactical withdrawal" from the city of Syevyerodonetsk in a blow that could shape the fighting in the east. But President Volodymyr Zelenskiy vowed in his nighttime video address that Ukraine would eventually retake the cities it has lost since Russia's all-out invasion began on February 24. Zelenskiy said the biggest ground war in Europe since World War II had taken a heavy toll on Ukrainians and their defenders but spoke of eventually winning the war. "We don't have a sense of how long it will last, how many more blows, losses, and efforts will be needed before we see victory is on the horizon," Zelenskiy said. Zelenskiy is due to remotely address the G7 on June 27 to urge further international support for Ukraine's defense. On June 25, Ukraine's military said defense forces had withdrawn from Syevyerodonetsk after weeks of intense battles to fight from higher ground in nearby Lysychansk, across the Siverskiy Donets River. Ukrainian military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov said his forces were carrying out a "tactical regrouping" by pulling its forces out of Syevyerodonetsk. Syevyerodonetsk, a city in the Luhansk district of around 100,000 residents before the war, has been devastated as Russian forces sought to concentrate gains in the two eastern districts known collectively as the Donbas. Russia-backed separatists have controlled swaths of that region since Russia annexed Crimea and helped kick off the eastern Ukrainian fighting in 2014. Meanwhile, fears mounted of a widening war since Ukrainian officials reported "massive bombardment" from rockets "fired from the territory of Belarus and from the air" and Moscow said it would provide Belarus with an advanced missile system. In Belarus, strongman Alyaksandr Lukashenka's dependence on Moscow has increased since a crackdown over protests that began when he claimed a sixth presidential term in flawed elections two years ago. Russian President Vladimir Putin said in a televised meeting with Lukashenka on June 25 that Moscow plans within months to supply Belarus with Iskander-M missile systems, a nuclear-capable, mobile guided-missile system with a range of up to 500 kilometers. "Today's strike is directly linked to Kremlin efforts to pull Belarus as a co-belligerent into the war in Ukraine," the Ukrainian intelligence service said of the missiles launched from Russian warplanes over Belarusian territory. Lukashenka allowed thousands of Russian troops to stage attacks on Ukraine from the earliest stage of the invasion. A representative of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry's Main Intelligence Directorate, Vadym Skibitskiy, told RBC-Ukraine on June 25 that Belarus is maintaining 4,000-6,000 of its own troops near the Ukrainian border. He estimated that Russia has around 1,500 of its troops in Belarus to help with air, special forces, and missile components of the invasion. With additional reporting by Reuters, AP, dpa, and AFP Both the words "historic" and "symbolic" are appropriate when considering the June 17 decision by the European Commission to recommend that Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia be given a "European perspective" -- in other words, announcing for the first time ever that the trio of countries can become European Union members in the future. With Ukraine and Moldova, the commission went even further, recommending that the two countries be granted European Union candidate status, a first step in the long process of accession. The decision was "historic" because -- before Russia attacked Ukraine on February 24, spurring a war that has killed tens of thousands of people and devastated towns and cities -- this was seen as a political impossibility. Four months ago, you would have been laughed at in Brussels' corridors of power if you suggested that the European Commission would even draft opinions on these three countries, let alone offer two of them candidate status. The commission's decision was also highly symbolic. It doesn't mean anything concretely, nor will it immediately change the situation on the ground in any of the countries, most crucially in war-torn Ukraine. Bombs will not cease raining down on the Donbas. In all three countries, an untold amount of difficult political and economic reforms lay ahead, and corruption is still pervasive as ever. Notably, Brussels has separated the three former members of the Soviet Union, splitting them into two distinct groups. The European Commission has recommended that Ukraine and Moldova be granted candidate status and then fulfill certain conditions before moving along their respective accession paths. But for Georgia, conditions must first be met before its candidate status can even be considered. While the EU is impressed by Ukraine's courage and resilience in the face of war and Moldova's reform-minded government, there are concerns about what is perceived as Tbilisi's "political backsliding" in recent years. It was telling that the commission's first condition for Georgia was that the country address its political polarization, ahead of other conditions such as ensuring a "fully and truly independent judiciary" and undertaking "stronger efforts to guarantee a free, professional, pluralistic, and independent media environment." These are long-standing complaints from Brussels that, thus far, the South Caucasus country has struggled to address. Georgia will therefore be placed at the back of the queue of EU hopefuls along with Bosnia-Herzegovina, which -- due to its complicated political setup -- is struggling to meet the 14 recommendations set by Brussels three years ago to go from being a potential candidate country to being an actual candidate. (In addition to Ukraine and Moldova, the other official candidates to join the EU are North Macedonia, Montenegro, Albania, Serbia, and Turkey.) Most importantly, it is worth remembering that the commission's recommendation is still just that: a recommendation. The real decision will be taken next week at a Brussels summit on June 23-24, when all 27 EU member states have to unanimously agree for the recommendation to be approved. And while it now appears that most, if not all, are onboard to grant them candidate status, the harsh truth remains that EU enlargement just isn't very popular. Less than one year ago, some EU members were even questioning whether the word "enlargement" should be used when discussing the candidates in the Western Balkans. And even when candidate status is offered, the process is long and slow. Take Montenegro. A smaller and richer country than both Moldova and Ukraine and with no frozen conflicts to contend with, Montenegro has been a candidate country for a good 12 years now. While Podgorica is slowly making progress with reforms, there is little chance the country will join anytime soon. Or take Turkey, which has been an official candidate to join the EU since way back in 1999. Whisper it, but those long timelines don't bother many EU countries' leaders at all. So while Moldova and Ukraine -- and to a lesser extent Georgia -- should celebrate their new "European perspectives," unthinkable just a few months ago, the road ahead is still incredibly long. Vahid Bagheri, one of the protesters detained after deadly demonstrations in November 2019, is in critical condition as his hunger strike entered its 38th day. Bagheri was sentenced by the Tehran Revolutionary Court to six years in prison on charges of propaganda against the government and collusion, of which five years are enforceable. He has been on a hunger strike since May 6 to protest his imprisonment and the authorities' refusal to grant him parole, which he was eligible for after serving the first 20 months of his sentence. Today is the 38th day Vahid is on a hunger strike and his physical condition is very acute. We asked him several times not to harm his health and to break the strike. But Vahid says that, 'Either Ill be released, or my dead body will come out of here,'" Rasoul Bagheri, Vahid's brother, told RFE/RL's Radio Farda on June 17. The November 2019 nationwide anti-government protests were prompted by the resumption of gasoline quotas in Iran and a 200 percent increase in gasoline prices. News agencies and human rights organizations abroad, based on their research and sources, have put the death toll from the protests at several hundred to 1,500, while officials in Iran have refused to give the exact number of people killed. Human rights groups have reported that at least 8,600 people were detained during the protests, which spread across 22 Iranian provinces. Rasoul Bagheri said that he and his family went to parliament last week to protest his brother's situation, but that their calls for action fell on deaf ears before they were confronted by security forces. "We went in front of the parliament to make our voices heard by the deputies and officials so that the responsible deputies would come and ask us about our pain. No one came. Immediately, security forces mistreated our family and arrested me, telling me that we no longer have the right to go to the parliament" he said. With writing and reporting by Ardeshir Tayebi The Iranian Teachers' Union's Coordination Council says that more than 100 teachers were arrested for participating in widespread protests demanding better working conditions and the release of other imprisoned teachers. The council said on its Telegram channel on June 17 that 60 teachers in Shiraz, about 30 teachers in Kurdistan Province, 10 teachers in Qazvin, six teachers in Rasht, and three teachers in Khomeini-Shahr were arrested during a nationwide rally the previous day. Iranian teachers have been taking to the streets across the country to demand better pay and working conditions. In response, the authorities have summoned, detained, and jailed a growing number of protesters and activists, actions that have failed to stop the rallies. Ismail Abdi, secretary-general of the Iranian Teachers' Trade Association, has been in prison since 2015. Iranian authorities sentenced him to six years in 2016 on charges of "propaganda against the government" and "collusion against national security." Labor protests in Iran have been on the rise in recent years in response to declining living standards, wage arrears, and a lack of insurance support. Labor law in Iran does not recognize the right to form independent unions. With writing and reporting by Ardeshir Tayebi Hard-liners have gained a foothold in Iranian politics during the past year, taking control of the presidency and parliament. But there has been mounting evidence of divisions in the political camp. In the latest sign of an internal power struggle, authorities arrested the administrators of three hard-line Telegram channels believed to have links to the clerical establishment. Irans powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), the elite branch of the armed forces, said on June 15 that the three unnamed individuals were arrested and charged with publishing classified documents and disturbing public opinion. The IRGC accused them of creating discord among officials by publishing selective and false news. The three Telegram channels -- Semi-Confidential News, Secrets, and Shadow Writer -- were run by individuals believed to be pro-establishment. Each channel has several thousand followers. Iranian authorities have blocked most social media websites and tools, including Telegram. But many Iranians continue to use the banned platforms. The arrests came after several damaging, high-profile leaks that have exposed divisions among ruling hard-liners. 'Internal Score Settling' Berlin-based Iranian journalist Ehsan Mehrabi said the arrests appear to be a case of internal score settling within Irans hard-line faction. These individuals and channels are believed to have had special access and connections to [state] bodies, Mehrabi, a former parliamentary reporter, told BBC Persian. Therefore, their arrests can be seen as internal score settling and an attempt to stop the cyberconflicts between institutions affiliated with the IRGC and others. Lawmaker Malek Shahriati welcomed the arrests on Twitter, while expressing hope that the names of those behind the dangerous circle who spread the germ of discord among officials would be disclosed. Some reports suggested that hard-line media activist Ali Gholhaki was among those arrested by the IRGC. Gholhaki has been accused of working with intelligence bodies to create cases against journalists and others. In recent months, the Islamic republic has been rocked by several embarrassing leaks. In February, RFE/RLs Radio Farda obtained an audio recording in which officials can be heard discussing corruption investigations within the IRGC and Tehran's municipality under then-Mayor Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, who is currently the speaker of the parliament. Qalibaf was also the target of another damaging leak in April when images of his familys reported shopping spree in Turkey were posted on social media, triggering widespread outrage at a time when many are struggling to make ends meet. Qalibafs supporters claimed that the uproar had been orchestrated by fellow hard-liners who wanted to remove him from his powerful post. Details of the Qalibaf familys trip to Turkey were revealed by Iranian activist Vahid Ashtari, who is reported to have ties with Saeed Jalili, an ultra-hard-liner who was Iran's top nuclear negotiator under President Mahmud Ahmadinejad. Last month, an audio recording was leaked in which hard-line cleric Mehdi Taeb, whose brother Hossein Taeb heads the IRGCs intelligence branch, was heard saying that it was a relative of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi who had disclosed the details of the Qalibaf familys controversial trip to Turkey. Taeb later said that his comments were taken out of context and posted on social media. Later in May, the hard-line news site Rajanews accused the Semi-Confidential News Telegram channel of working to create a crisis among officials. Rajanews said that the channel had attempted to link the uproar over the Qalibaf family's trip to Turkey to individuals close to the Iranian president in order to make the incident a point of confrontation between Raisi and Qalibaf. Rajanews said that Irans intelligence bodies should pay closer attention to what he called internal Amadnews, a reference to a popular Telegram channel run by Ruhollah Zam. Zam was executed in December 2020 after he was accused of inciting violence during Iran's 2017 protests. Media watchdogs blasted his trial as grossly unfair. (jckonline.com) - The deputy general counsel of the Jewelers Vigilance Committee, Sara Yood, has been very busy of late, helping the industry navigate the Russian sanctions imposed by the Biden administration, which include sanctions against Russian diamonds. Below, she talks about the current state of play regarding Russian goods and what may be coming in the future. For now, the sanctions against Russian diamonds are limited to direct dealings with diamond miner Alrosa and buying rough or polished diamonds directly from Russian entities. However, they do allow for diamonds that are substantially transformed (meaning cut and polished) in another country. Could that change? Its certainly possible that we may see some kind of change, including changing the import ban to not allow for diamonds transformed elsewhere. A recent letter from members of Congress encouraged tightening that pathway. I think the chance of the Office of Foreign Assets Control [OFAC] adjusting their guidance on that is fairly high, as that is what happened with Burmese gemstonesfirst, they were directly banned, and then that was amended to Burmese rubies cut and polished elsewhere. Juneteenth is the official enslaved African independence day and recently became a federally recognized holiday. Best Private Instagram Viewer Sites That View Instagram Account Without Human Verification [2022] Instagram permits users to post photos, videos, and text. Well examine the 4 best private Instagram viewer apps to see private Instagram accounts without limit. un soldat congolais tue, deux policiers rwandais blesses Un soldat congolais a ete tue et deux policiers rwandais et des civils blesses vendredi dans un echange de tirs a un poste-frontiere entre la Republique democratique du Congo (RDC) et le Rwanda a Goma, dans un contexte de tensions extremes entre les deux pays, selon des sources securitaires. "Un soldat congolais a fonce, tirant en direction de la frontiere rwandaise. Un soldat rwandais a tire sur lui et il est mort sur place", a temoigne sous couvert de l'anonymat aupres de l'AFP un policier congolais present lors de l'incident, qui a eu lieu au poste frontiere dit de la "Petite barriere". "Il s'en est suivi un echange de tirs entre nous et les forces de securite rwandaises. Il y a des blesses parmi les civils qui voulaient traverser la frontiere", a ajoute la source. "Un militaire congolais non autrement identifie a tire sur les passants qui traversaient la frontiere (...) Il a blesse deux policiers (rwandais). Cest ainsi quen replique, le militaire congolais qui a tire a ete fusille", lit-on sur le compte Twitter de l'armee rwandaise. Les tensions ont repris entre la RDC et le Rwanda avec la resurgence du Mouvement du 23 mars (M23), accuse d'avoir tue en janvier au moins 26 militaires congolais dans une attaque, selon le Barometre securitaire du Kivu (KST). Depuis, Kinshasa accuse Kigali de soutenir cette rebellion a predominance tutsi, ce que Kigali dement. En debut d'apres-midi, le corps du soldat congolais tue a ete rapatrie en RDC, applaudi par la foule qui lui a rendu hommage, le qualifiant de "heros". Des observateurs de la CIRGL (Conference internationale sur la region des Grands Lacs) ont discute brievement avec des officiels congolais et rwandais sur le lieu de l'incident a la frontiere, avant de poursuivre les discussions ailleurs au Rwanda, a constate un correspondant de l'AFP. Au meme moment, des policiers congolais continuaient de contenir plus d'une centaine de manifestants qui tentaient de s'approcher de la "Petite barriere", scandant des slogans hostiles au president rwandais Paul Kagame et appelant a l'expulsion des Rwandais. A Bukavu, dans la province voisine du Sud-Kivu (est), des centaines de manifestants ont marche contre le Rwanda, scandant des slogans hostiles au president Paul Kagame et appelant a l'expulsion des Rwandais du territoire congolais. Lundi, le M23 a occupe Bunagana, un important centre commercial situe a la frontiere avec l'Ouganda, avec le soutien militaire du Rwanda selon les autorites congolaises. Rebellion a dominante tutsi vaincue en 2013 par Kinshasa, le M23 a repris les armes fin 2021, en reprochant aux autorites congolaises de ne pas avoir respecte un accord pour la demobilisation et la reinsertion de ses combattants. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate San Franciscos largest skilled nursing facility, Laguna Honda, has begun discharging patients as part of a federally mandated plan to relocate 700 mostly low-income, vulnerable people and close by September. The 156-year-old hospital has discharged two patients and transferred four since May, as part of a closure plan required by the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The federal agency decertified the hospital in April after finding deficiencies in safety protocols, hygiene practices and contraband reporting during inspections dating to last year. The hospital remains licensed and operational, but it needs CMS certification to receive federal payments to care for most of its patients, who are on Medicare or Medicaid insurance plans. The agency has agreed to continue paying for these patients until mid-September, even though certification has lapsed. Laguna Honda came under federal scrutiny in October after it reported two residents in July had non-fatal overdoses with illegal drugs. That triggered federal investigations into the hospitals safety practices that led to CMS terminating its certification and halting payments after finding that the hospital failed to follow policy on safety protocols including reporting smoking near oxygen. As a result, the hospital must present a plan to close, which means finding alternative beds for the hundreds of remaining patients by September. CMS has decertified at least two other California skilled nursing facilities recently Kingston Healthcare Center in Bakersfield in February, and Healdsburg Senior Living Community in Healdsburg in December after they agency found they failed to meet several requirements. Finding beds for Laguna Honda patients is extremely challenging, the hospital said, because many are medically fragile, face language barriers, and need behavioral health services or social services and because there are very few beds for Medicare and Medicaid patients in the region. Separately and simultaneously, Laguna Honda is seeking to regain its CMS certification and plans to apply to do so, also around September. It has hired consultants to ensure it makes necessary improvements to meet federal regulations before reapplying for certification. This is a highly unusual situation, Laguna Hondas interim CEO, Roland Pickens, told San Francisco supervisors last Tuesday during a presentation on how the hospital plans to seek alternative facilities for residents. Its very rare for an organization to lose its CMS certification, so we knew we needed help. The consultants have actively gone over every inch of Laguna ... with a fine-tooth comb, said Pickens, who took over the interim CEO role after the previous CEO, Michael Phillips, resigned this month. The relocation of patients has not been entirely smooth. Aquelio Mederos, a former Laguna Honda patient who was discharged last week, said he was told only the previous Friday that he would be discharged and transported to Next Door Shelter, a homeless shelter on Polk Street in San Francisco. Mederos, 72, had been living at Laguna Honda since April 2021 and was happy with the care he received there. He said he has also received good care at the shelter, but that the move felt sudden and he did not receive a medical evaluation before leaving Laguna Honda. Laguna Honda said he did receive the required medical assessments, which determined he no longer needed the level of care of a long-term skilled nursing facility like Laguna Honda. 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 hospital will assess each patient to determine what type of facility would best fit their needs, Laguna Honda said. Each patient is encouraged but not forced to accept the placement, and they are entitled to appeal the decision. Supervisor Rafael Mandelman called the federal action from CMS Kafkaesque nonsense. The state and federal government are coming after San Francisco providing beds that the state and federal government have abandoned, he said during Tuesdays board meeting. This is mind-boggling to me. ... How do they get to do this nonsense? CMS said Laguna Honda failed to comply with several federal requirements after multiple on-site safety surveys from October to March. Despite several opportunities to address their non-compliance, (Laguna Honda Hospital) was unable to demonstrate that it could ensure the health, safety, and well-being of its residents, the agency said. Because (it) remained out of substantial compliance for six months, CMS was required by statute to terminate the facility from the Medicare and Medicaid programs. San Francisco Chronicle staff writer Jessica Flores contributed to this report. Catherine Ho (she/her) is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: cho@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @Cat_Ho A San Francisco Superior Court judge ruled Friday that the man accused of murdering an 84-year-old Thai immigrant a case that invigorated a movement to stop violence against Asian Americans, and helped electrify the recall of District Attorney Chesa Boudin can now be tried for his alleged crimes. Judge Richard Darwin made his ruling at the end of a short but dramatic hearing, during which prosecutor Sean Connolly and public defender Anita Nabha both telegraphed the arguments they will likely wield at trial. Supporters of the victim, Vicha Ratanapakdee, packed the courtroom, some wearing light blue Justice for Vicha T-shirts with a picture of the mans smiling, bespectacled face. In his closing arguments, Connolly pointed to evidence of express malice in the actions of defendant Antoine Watson, who allegedly got out of a silver BMW on the morning of Jan. 28, 2021, punched a parked car and yelled at Ratanapakdee, prosecutors say, as the elderly man gingerly sauntered up a residential street in the Anza Vista neighborhood. Video displayed during two days of witness testimony shows Ratanapakdee try to change direction, apparently to avoid the defendant, Connolly said, in the moment before an assailant identified as Watson sprints across the intersection of Anzavista and Fortuna avenues and hits the 84-year-old man with such force that he launches into the air, his hat flying off his head before he crashes into the pavement. As Connolly recounted the point-by-point details of the confrontation and tackling that left Ratanapakdee with a fatal head injury, the victims daughter, Monthanus Ratanapakdee, fixed her gaze on the courtroom floor. Other spectators tried to console her, and a sheriffs deputy fetched tissues for several people to wipe tears. Watsons family members also attended the three days of witness testimony that wrapped up with Fridays ruling. They have declined to comment publicly. Defense attorney Anita Nabha disputed Connollys recitation of the facts, and especially one assertion from the prosecution that Watson walked back to the victim holding an object that appeared to be a phone, and leaned over as if to photograph the gravely wounded man. She argued, further, that Watson appeared distressed after a run-in with police hours earlier, and that he may not have known Ratanapakdee was elderly, a suggestion that drew a loud grunt and angry muttering from a spectator in the back row. Nabha also began building a case for an involuntary manslaughter charge instead of the counts of murder and elder abuse that Watson is currently facing, signaling a possible defense strategy at trial. When the judge made his ruling, people clapped and a few whispered thank you, a sign of how politically and emotionally charged the case had become. It will still grind through several more proceedings before going to trial, beginning with a defense motion to release Watson from custody. He appeared at all three days of the preliminary hearing in a red jumpsuit with his waist and ankles shackled. On July 1, the court will hold a new arraignment hearing on the murder and elder abuse counts that Watson is facing, now that the judge has found sufficient evidence to pursue them. Any time we dont prevail, were disappointed, Nabha told The Chronicle as she left court, indicating, however, that shes not surprised by the result. She also expressed satisfaction with some of Connollys comments at the hearing in particular acknowledgment from the prosecution that her arguments were appropriate and relevant. 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. Nabha noted, moreover, that the prosecution had not tried to add a hate crime charge, in spite of media narratives that conflated the fatal assault with a general rise in malicious attacks against Asian Americans. This was their opportunity to present the evidence to add those charges, she said. And they didnt do that, because the evidence doesnt exist. She viewed the case as tainted by a sad racial animus that exacerbated the pain for both families, while impeding Watsons chances of getting a fair trial. Rachel Swan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: rswan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @rachelswan This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Its a rescue even Carole Baskin would be proud of. Four female big cats with significant medical problems arrived Sunday at the Oakland Zoo after being rescued from a defunct, troubled roadside petting zoo in northeastern Oklahoma. Two of them will have a permanent home at the zoo. The rescue project was funded by the Oakland Zoo, with help from Lions, Tigers and Bears, a San Diego County sanctuary, and the Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge of Arkansas. The Oklahoma zoo where the animals had been housed was reportedly owned by a person with ties to Joe Exotic from the Netflix show Tiger King, according to a news release from the Oakland Zoo. The true crime series, which followed an interconnected group of big cat collectors and conservationists, detailed a feud between Baskin, a popular animal activist, and Exotic, aka the Tiger King, over how he treated the animals he owned. Exotic is serving a lengthy prison sentence after being convicted of trying to hire people to murder Baskin. The rescued animals the last survivors of the Oklahoma zoo were a lion and three tigers (including one hybrid tiger, the result of crossbreeding with another species), said Oakland Zoo spokesperson Erin Harrison. All had significant medical concerns. One of the two generic tigers was transferred Sunday night to the Lions, Tigers and Bears Sanctuary in San Diego County, where she will spend the rest of her life. The other tigers, now named Lola and Mia, were taken to the Oakland Zoos veterinary hospital for medical evaluation. Lola, the hybrid tiger, arrived at the zoo with a facial infection and will eventually need dental surgery, said Harrison. Mia was lean but energetic, Harrison said. Weve always dedicated the tiger habitat to rescued tigers for the last 30 years, Harrison said. We dont breed tigers here. Our tigers passed away last summer. Oakland Zoo wanted to keep the exhibit open to help tigers in need of rescuing. The 18-year-old arthritic lion went to Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge, a refuge in Arkansas for abused, abandoned and neglected big cats. The lioness was subjected to solitude 24/7 for seven years that we know of. It was simply inhumane, said Emily McCormack, animal curator for Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge. Oakland Zoo became aware of the condition of the cats last month when contacted by a concerned Oklahoma resident who knew the abandoned zoo had four big cats in deteriorating condition. These big cats were living in small, filthy enclosures. Shelter was provided but was terribly weathered and rotten, said Tanya Smith, president of Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge. Harrison said the Oklahoma zoo had originally been home to about 100 animals. A search of the property by Oakland Zoo and Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge representatives turned up skeletons and carcasses in the cages, Harrison said, adding that many animals were believed to have perished in a fire a few years ago. The Oklahoma roadside zoo was cited and shut down by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 2008 for multiple welfare and animal safety violations, according to the Oakland Zoo news release. USDA filings show a facility owned by Joseph M. Estes that did business by the names Safari Joe's Wildlife Ranch and Rock Creek Exotic Drive Thru in Adair, Okla., was cited numerous times over the past two decades for safety violations and other hazardous conditions. 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. Exotic and the owner of the Oklahoma zoo where the tigers and lion were found were believed to trade animals with each other, Harrison said. Beyond that, the nature of the alleged ties was not immediately clear. The two tigers residing at the Oakland Zoo will be able to enter to their habitat, and be seen by the public, in the next 30 to 45 days, said Harrison. Dr. Alex Herman, vice president of veterinary services at the Oakland Zoo, said the tigers are doing well but are still adjusting to their new environment. Lola is almost like a golden retriever, and they have indoor and outdoor access. They really have more enrichment than theyve ever had in their lives. Lola still has all of her claws, whereas Mia has been declawed, Herman said. Im just so glad theyre here and getting the high level of medical care were able to provide, Herman said. Jordan Parker is a staff writer at the San Francisco Chronicle. Email: jordan.parker@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @jparkerwrites A San Francisco police sergeant took his own life on Wednesday as colleagues were poised to search his Excelsior neighborhood home as part of an investigation, police officials said. Officials at the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in San Francisco identified the man as 40-year-old Christopher Morris. Morris was a 16-year veteran of the department, according to police. At about 1:21 p.m. Wednesday, officers were conducting an investigation, the details of which werent disclosed, on the 500 block of Moscow Street and were informed that an occupant inside the home was possibly suffering from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, officials said. Officers entered the residence, rendered emergency life-saving aid and called medics to the scene. Morris was taken to a local hospital where he died of his injuries, police said. Chief William Scott and the Command Staff of the San Francisco Police Department express their condolences to the officers family, officials said in a statement. The Departments Behavioral Science Unit was notified and has offered counseling to the officer;s family and to his colleagues. Police declined to elaborate on the circumstances surrounding the investigation. There were 136 law-enforcement officers who took their own lives in 2021 and 60 others have so far this year nationwide, according to Blue Help, an organization that collects data and provides training and resources on officer suicide prevention. In California, eight officers committed suicide last year and three have so far in 2022. 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 union officials declined to comment out of respect for the family, saying that the situation was a private matter. Megan Cassidy is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: megan.cassidy@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @meganrcassidy This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Since the start of the pandemic in 2020, hundreds of volunteers have gathered at the Mission Food Hub on Alabama Street every week to distribute milk, vegetables, corn flour and other foods to thousands of San Francisco residents at the community-run warehouse. For many of the mostly Latino and working-class volunteers a majority of whom used to line up for groceries the food hub became a place of refuge during the height of the COVID-19 outbreak when shelter-in-place orders took a heavy toll on peoples mental health. It serves as a form of therapy for me, said volunteer Carmela Gomez, 61, in Spanish. Gomez is one of 16 volunteers who were involved in a year-long community oral history project that examines the pandemics impact on the Latino communitys mental health and the lack of adequate services. Lea Suzuki / The Chronicle Each volunteer for the project, led and created by playwright Paul S. Flores in collaboration with researcher and writer Adriana Camarena and the nonprofit Accion Latina, was trained and tasked with interviewing and documenting the experiences of their neighbors, friends and family members. The research involved interviewing and documenting peoples stories including those of the volunteers. Camarena said the report will be available for community members and shared with city officials and the Public Health Department. Those stories were packaged into a bilingual report, documentary and monologues called Somos Esenciales / We are Essential. On Saturday, during Paseo Artistico, a free bimonthly art walk by the nonprofit Accion Latina, some of the volunteers will present their findings and solutions at the food hub, which city officials are expected to attend. Local artists will perform monologues based on their findings and stories as well. The food hub could close by the end of this year, according to leaders of the Latino Task Force, which manages the hub. Earlier this week, Latino advocates urged city officials to halt plans to eliminate COVID assistance funding from the budget. Mayor London Breed recently announced her nearly $14 billion budget for the 2022-23 fiscal year, which would cut $9.5 million in funding given to at least 25 nonprofits in an effort to equitably offer testing, vaccination, COVID care and other services to the citys low-income residents, many of whom are people of color. Parisa Safarzadeh, Breeds press secretary, said in a statement this week that the city was shifting from a COVID response to recovery. But some Latino adocates said the disinvestment would lead to further health inequities. The volunteers and researchers found that the pandemic harmed Latinos mental health, exacerbating the issues many were already facing before the COVID-19 crisis, such as unstable housing, pre-existing health conditions and the difficulty of tending to their physical and mental health due to work demands. When the pandemic struck in 2020, more burdens piled up, according to the report: unemployment, unpaid bills and rent, as well as the disproportionate health impact COVID-19 had on Latinos. Dara Montejo, an 18-year-old volunteer from the Mission District, told The Chronicle that conducting research allowed her to learn more about my community. She said its taboo for many older Latinos to talk about mental health issues, but many opened up to the volunteers. [T]here's a huge difference when you have strangers coming to research about a problem in the city or in the community than having people from the community doing research, you know, for the community, Montejo said in the report. Montejo herself said she felt anxious, constantly holding back tears, when she had to help take care of her siblings and cousins when her parents tested positive for COVID in 2020. After that experience, she said she looked for volunteering opportunities that allowed her to get out of the house. It was hard, she said. But volunteering at the food hub helped me have, like, a little routine and feel normal with everything that was going on at that time. The solutions listed in the report, funded by the National Association of Latino Arts and Cultures, Southwest Folklife Alliance and the Creative Work Fund, are meant to educate residents, community leaders and service providers about how to advocate for more resources from the citys budget, the researchers said. They include establishing a cultural center where mental health resources are offered and funding community-led and culturally appropriate wellness activities and ongoing community research on the mental health crisis. 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. But even if city officials do not fund these solutions, Camarena said, I believe that our community will support the solutions. She said the report was more than just research and described it as a workbook that can guide conversations among community members. It makes it more accessible, she said. For Gomez, the lockdown during the early part of the pandemic interrupted her routine of attending workshops and volunteering at local nonprofits. She described feeling trapped inside her house when her children began learning and working remotely. When she started volunteering at the food hub, she said, I felt like I was coming out of this tunnel where I was stuck. Flores said his goal for the project is to show residents and city leaders how Latino essential workers have and continue to respond to the issues the city is facing despite being affected economically, mentally and physically. We put our lives on the line, he said. I'm hoping that we move the dial away from San Francisco is a destroyed city to look at how Latinos are sustaining the greatness of San Francisco. People can watch the Somos Esenciales / We are Essential performance on Saturday at 4 p.m. at the Mission Food Hub at 701 Alabama Street. A screening of the documentary, directed by Oakland artist Rafael Flores, and a discussion with volunteers, artists, health professionals and city officials will follow from 4:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Jessica Flores (she/her) is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jessica.flores@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @jesssmflores A Vallejo woman who admitted stealing identities of mentally disabled patients at the treatment center where she worked, and filing false tax returns that netted her nearly $50,000, was sentenced Thursday to three years and three months in federal prison. Tamara Manuel, now 52, pleaded guilty to felony charges of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft in April 2019, three weeks after she was charged, and has been free without bail since then. Her sentence by U.S. District Judge Troy Nunley of Sacramento includes restitution to the government of $48,837 she obtained by filing 33 fraudulent tax returns. Manuel began working in 1999 at the Sonoma Developmental Center, a now-closed state facility for the mentally disabled in Eldridge, about 40 miles north of San Francisco. Starting in 2011 and continuing for more than three years, prosecutors said, she misappropriated patients identities and filed tax returns in their names that fabricated their employment status, wages, withholding and dependents in order to get refunds. For example, prosecutors said, Manuel filed a return in the name of a patient she described as a forklift truck driver who made more than $23,000 a year, had a dependent and was owed a child tax credit. In fact, they said, the man had no income, was severely disabled with conditions that included autism, bipolar disorder and epilepsy, and required 24-hour care. She filed similar returns for other patients who suffered from conditions that included blindness in both eyes, infantile cerebral palsy and the brain disease encephalopathy, prosecutors said. Manuel did not dispute the charges but said, through her lawyers, that she had been traumatized early in life. Her drug-using mother periodically sent her to live with her abusive father as punishment, and at age 16 she was living on the streets, where she was victimized by a brutal drug dealer, Assistant Federal Defender Noa Oren said in a court filing. She said Manuel was sent to a juvenile detention center, started experiencing mental problems, and still suffers from depression and anxiety. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. After her release, Manuel became the supportive and hard-working mother of four children, starting at age 19, and also supports the children of a sibling whose spouse is on drugs, Oren said. She asked for a two-year prison sentence. The U.S. attorneys office agreed that Manuel had an extremely difficult and traumatic upbringing, had taken responsibility for her crimes and poses no danger to the public, but said her conduct justified 39 months in prison, at the low end of federal guidelines. That was the sentence Nunley imposed. Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @BobEgelko With Bay Area grocery stores starting to run low on Sriracha, local fans might have to soon gasp! turn to temporary substitutes. Huy Fong Foods recently halted production of Sriracha, the bright red bottle with the outline of a rooster, due to weather conditions affecting the chiles needed to make the hot sauce. The shortage is starting to hit local grocery stores and restaurants as it becomes more difficult to secure the famed condiment. When all the Huy Fong Sriracha is gone, where will you turn? Good news: There are lots of alternatives out there, from smaller organic brands to a Tabasco spin-off. Even Trader Joes peddles a knockoff, stamped with a fire-breathing dragon instead of the iconic rooster. But are they any good? The Chronicle Food + Wine team tasted six sriracha alternatives available at Bay Area grocery stores to find out. For diehard fans, none of them will quite measure up to Huy Fongs dynamic, nostalgic flavor, but they can fill in as any decent understudy would. Bonus: You can always head to your own kitchen and employ a local chefs shortcut recipe, and we tried that, too. Here are the results, ranked from best to worst, followed by the homemade effort. Jessica Christian/The Chronicle Lee Kum Kee sriracha chili sauce: This Hong Kong sauce companys sriracha is sweeter and packs less heat than the OG, but its a pretty good facsimile in both flavor and consistency. Its main ingredients mirror Huy Fongs, with the exception of garlic powder instead of garlic. Yellowbird organic sriracha: Texas-based Yellowbird bills itself as a clean version of Sriracha, with no added sugar or additives. It has more ingredients than most sauces on this list, including jalapenos, distilled vinegar, garlic, dates, lime and tangerine juice. The chile flavor isnt as bright as Huy Fongs, and its definitely sweeter thanks to the dates and fruit juice. Its spicy, with the same heat lingering on the tongue. Trader Joes sriracha: Like many Trader Joes imitations, this one gets relatively close to the original but does not surpass it. Its got a nice citrusy acidity and a dry heat that kicks in toward the finish, with a thinner, less viscous texture than the Huy Fong Sriracha. A good try, but a dedicated fan probably wouldnt mistake it for the real thing. Fix sriracha: This Seattle company makes three kinds of srirachas, including one flavored with lemongrass. We tried the signature, made from chile peppers, garlic and rice wine vinegar. It claims to be the best hot sauce on earth, but we disagree, at least if Huy Fong is the competition. Its too liquidy and lacks the depth of real Sriracha. Food Guide Top 25 Restaurants Where to eat in the Bay Area. Find spots near you, create a dining wishlist, and more. Yellowbird blue agave sriracha: A Yellowbird sister sauce, but with blue agave nectar instead of dates. This tastes more like ketchup than sriracha and was among our least favorite. Ninja Squirrel sriracha hot sauce: While Ninja Squirrel is reportedly the hot sauce of choice of Hillary Clinton, it falls short of the original. The darker sauce, a Whole Foods in-house brand, tastes like sriracha and barbecue sauce had a baby and its not a cute one. Tabasco-and-ketchup home remedy: Rob Lam, the celebrated chef behind San Francisco restaurant Lily, suggested mixing Tabasco with ketchup for an easy Sriracha substitue. We tried it and dont entirely agree. With a 1-to-1 ratio, it tasted mostly like sharp, hot vinegar, slightly mellowed out by sugar. We missed the rounded, slightly garlicky chile flavor of Huy Fongs Sriracha and the long, spicy finish. That said, in a dire situation with no good alternatives, itll do. Elena Kadvany is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: elena.kadvany@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ekadvany San Franciscos apartment rental market has been the slowest in the country to bounce back after vacancies soared early in the pandemic. As the latest COVID surge continues to keep cases high across California, some may be left to wonder: Why have I still not tested positive? Go here for the latest updates on COVID in the Bay Area and California. Latest updates: CDC recommends COVID-19 vaccines for children under 5 U.S. health officials on Saturday recommended COVID-19 vaccines for infants, toddlers and preschoolers the last group without the shots, the Associated Press reports. The head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced the decision hours after an advisory panel voted unanimously that coronavirus vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna should be made available to children as young as 6 months. We know millions of parents and caregivers are eager to get their young children vaccinated, and with todays decision, they can, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the CDCs director, said in a statement. The shots offer young children protection from hospitalizations, deaths and possible long-term complications that are still not clearly understood, the CDCs advisory panel said earlier. The government has been gearing up for the start of the shots early next week, with millions of doses ordered for distribution to doctors, hospitals and community health clinics around the country. Roughly 18 million kids will be eligible, but it remains to be seen how many will ultimately get the vaccines. Less than a third of children ages 5 to 11 have done so since vaccination opened up to them last November. California unemployment falls to pre-pandemic levels, governor says California created 42,900 new jobs in May, driving the unemployment rate down to 4.3%, according to statistics released Friday by Gov. Gavin Newsoms office. The state has regained 93% of the 2,758,900 non-farm jobs lost during the first two months of the COVID-19 pandemic in March and April 2020. California has created 1,481,800 jobs over the past 16 months, including more jobs over the past year than any other state, the report said. Bay Area COVID surge looks to be past its peak Coronavirus cases are continuing to level off or decline across the Bay Area as the spring surge appears to be winding down, though health officials note that the amount of virus in the community is still astonishingly high and the arrival of new variants could prolong the current wave well into summer. The Bay Area reported a seven-day average of just under 3,000 coronavirus cases a day as of Thursday, according to the most recent state data. Thats down about 30% from the start of the month and the first time the daily average has dropped below 3,000 since mid-May. Read more about the drawn-out end to the most recent COVID-19 surge. Pfizer says Paxlovid not effective for patients not at high risk Pfizer will stop enrolling standard-risk patients in its clinical trials for the antiviral Paxlovid, after data revealed the treatment was not effective in people who are not at high risk for severe outcomes of COVID-19. In a release Tuesday, the drugmaker said it will cease enrolling healthier patients into the trial due to low rate of hospitalization or death in the standard-risk population. Pfizer submitted the data as part of its application to the FDA for full approval for the drugs use, which received emergency use authorization in December for use in high-risk patients over the age of 12. With up to 40-50% of people around the world estimated to be high risk, we believe there remains a significant unmet need for treatment options to help combat this disease, and we will continue to prioritize efforts to advance the development of Paxlovid, said Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla in a statement. Santa Clara County to begin vaccinating babies and toddlers on Tuesday Health officials in Santa Clara Clara will begin administering COVID-19 vaccinations for children ages 6 months to 5 years old on Tuesday, June 21, assuming the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides final approval and vaccine supplies arrive as scheduled. Advisers to the federal health agency are scheduled to review the data at meetings on Friday and Saturday. The county expects to receive its first allocation of the shots for the youngest group on Monday and distribute them quickly to county vaccination sites. We know how long families have been waiting for this moment. This will be our final step in being able to vaccinate everyone in our community, of every age, said Dr. Sara Cody, the countys health officer, in a statement. We know that many families feel great relief knowing that a COVID-19 vaccine will be available to keep their young children as safe as possible. Californias COVID test positive rate rises again, topping 10% The coronavirus test positivity rate in California has increased to 10.5%, according to state data published Friday. The test positive rate, which tracks the percentage of tests coming back positive for COVID-19, is up 2.5 percentage points from the previous seven-day average, with the state reporting about 38 new daily cases per 100,000 residents. That number that has held relatively stable since the beginning of June, while hospitalizations have increased by about 18%. There are now 2,741 patients hospitalized with COVID-19, compared to 2,329 over the same period. About eight Californians are dying daily with COVID-19. Several Bay Area counties are among those with the highest case counts in the state. Health systems in Hawaii and Maine performed best during pandemic, new ranking finds Health care systems in Hawaii and Maine endured the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic better than any other states, according to rankings released Thursday by the Commonwealth Fund. Researchers weighed such factors as vaccination rates, capacity in hospital and intensive care units, and death rates. Alabama ranked at the bottom in the scorecard, preceded by Oklahoma, Kentucky, Mississippi and Georgia. The rankings, which are released annually by the private foundation, were adjusted this year to measure the impact of COVID-19 from February 2020 to the end of March. Vermont, Washington and Oregon rounded out the top five, with California ranking at No. 19. White House: Florida doctors can order under-5 COVID shots 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. Florida doctors will be able to directly order COVID-19 vaccines for children under 5 from the federal government, the White House said Friday, after Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis said the state would not order and distribute the shots in the state. The Sunshine State was the only jurisdiction in the nation to decline to place advance orders for the pediatric shots, the Associated Press reports. The White House has been sharply critical of DeSantis position, but in a statement Friday it welcomed the news that he was permitting individual doctors to order vaccines for their patients. We are encouraged that after repeated failures by Governor DeSantis to order COVID-19 vaccines even after every other state had ordered, the State of Florida is now permitting health care providers to order COVID-19 vaccines for our youngest children, said White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre. We believe it is critical to allow parents everywhere to have the choice to get their kids vaccinated and have a conversation with their pediatrician or health care provider. White House gets testy about Bidens COVID-19 testing regimen The White House this week declined to comment on how often President Biden is testing for the coronavirus. The change of policy comes after people in the presidents orbit tested positive for COVID-19, including several guests at the Summit of the Americas and Dr. Anthony Fauci. Im telling you he has a regular cadence, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said during a heated exchange with reporters Thursday, after refusing to disclose when Biden, 79, last tested negative. I just dont have a date to share with you, but he does have a regular weekly cadence. She added that the public would be informed if he were to ever test positive for the coronavirus. Deputy press secretary Chris Meagher tweeted Thursday, Our policy is not to readout every test POTUS has taken. The White House said Biden has never tested positive for COVID-19. FDA authorizes two vaccines for children under 5 The Food and Drug Administration formally authorized both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines for children ages six months to five years old, the last group of Americans waiting to get shots. Now the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention must approve them, likely this weekend, before they are made available. Shots could start going into young arms as early as next week a relief to parents who have been waiting for the delayed approval. The FDA also approved the use of the Moderna vaccine for children aged 5 to 17, the Associated Press reports. Omicron less likely to cause long COVID than delta, study suggests The omicron variant of the coronavirus is less likely to cause symptoms of long COVID than delta, according to a peer-reviewed study by U.K. researchers at Kings College London. The report, published Thursday in The Lancet, tracked thousands of COVID patients from Dec. 20 through March 9, who self-reported persistent symptoms of long COVID to a custom app for at least a month after infection. They compared those results with reports submitted by people who had delta between June 1 and Nov. 27. The study ended before BA.2 and newer virus subvariants became prevalent, and none of the patients were evaluated in a clinic specifically for the study. The analysis nonetheless found that 4.4% of omicron cases led to symptoms associated with long COVID such as fatigue, brain fog, headaches, and cardiovascular issues compared to 10.8% of delta cases. However, the total number of people experiencing long COVID was in fact higher in the omicron period than delta based on the number of people infected with the former. The omicron variant appears substantially less likely to cause long COVID than previous variants but still 1 in 23 people who catch COVID-19 go on to have symptoms for more than four weeks, said Dr. Claire Steves, the lead author of the study. Given the numbers of people affected its important that we continue to support them at work, at home and within the (National Health Service). California lawmakers scrap plan for preteen vaccine consent California lawmakers on Thursday amended a bill that would have let preteens be vaccinated against a range of health conditions without their parents consent, instead raising the proposed minimum age to 15. The bill that cleared the state Senate last month on a 21-8 vote would have allowed those age 12 and up to receive any vaccine that has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, including against the coronavirus, even if their parents objected. It would have been the youngest age of consent in any state, the Associated Press reports. Catie Stewart, spokesperson for the bills author, Democratic Sen. Scott Wiener, said supporters of the measure were close to having the 41 votes needed to pass in the Assembly, but it wasnt a slam dunk. She added, We think that this will help make it easier. And we think the majority of the people who will use, who will take advantage of this are going to be 15 to 18, so we thought it was a good compromise. Regarding Militias were the intent (Letters to the Editor, June 16): As a historian of the Second Amendment, I agree with historian Joe La Salas letter about its intent and the fallacy of originalism, but not that its misinterpretation today is the fault of identity politics. Identity politics were embedded in the Constitution, written by white men, excluding Indian, Black people and women, plus Mexicans once the U.S. had forcibly annexed half of Mexico. Each group would experience oppression and struggle for citizenship and formal equality. La Sala also fails to mention research about what the white militias codified in the Second Amendment were for: killing Indians to occupy their land and to guard against slave revolts. The Second Amendment needs to be abolished for the white supremacist entity that it is. Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz, San Francisco Lets get free from virus Regarding Alameda County should end mask mandate (Insight, June 12): A quick look at virus numbers across the area, state and country shows yet another large spike. Why? Because careless individuals like the authors of Sundays opinion piece think their personal freedoms trump everyone elses right to be safe. As long as an attitude that somehow having to wear a mask in public is so horrific that you need to risk the health of others continues, this virus will continue to spike over and over. Lets get real, so-called personal freedom is an illusion. You pay taxes, obey traffic laws, wear clothing, use a helmet on a bike or motorcycle, use a seat belt; these are just a few examples of curbs on your freedoms. Why are you not screaming about these attacks? Irony much? Im really tired of all this whining of personal freedoms. We need to put this virus to sleep, and if that means a bit of inconvenience for all of us to get healthy, suck it up. Its really sad how self-centered so many have become. Its not all about you. Time to stop being so selfish and consider a greater good. Owen Rubin, San Leandro Dont blame Boudin Regarding Muni bond narrowly rejected voters (Bay Area & Business, June 15): Is the Chesa Boudin recall to blame? Connecting Measure A to the Boudin recall does little to address the root cause of the bonds failure: Proposition 13. In 1978, California voters passed Proposition 13, which placed limits on property tax increases but also stipulated that any tax increase or bond measure, local or statewide, could only pass with a two-thirds super-majority vote. Over the past four decades, raising needed funds for critical public services has become increasingly difficult. Measure A didnt fail because of pro-recall voters, we simply cant expect to pass $400 million for Muni when 66% of San Franciscans are required to vote yes. If our state representatives in Sacramento truly care about lifting our city out of this pandemic, then the answer is simple: Lower the super-majority threshold. Theyve already done this with school construction bonds, now its time to attend to our crippling infrastructure. Chronicle Editor in Chief Emilio Garcia-Ruiz took to Twitter Spaces on Wednesday to talk with local residents about the newsrooms just-launched project, SFNext. Listen to the recording here. We really need to change local journalism, said Garcia-Ruiz. Do you keep doing the same story over and over? Or do you try a different approach? In the face of San Franciscos historic problemsfrom the lack of affordable housing to fractious local politicsGarcia-Ruiz felt The Chronicle had a responsibility to step in. Historically the newsroom has reported on the citys problems and trusted that it would yield the needed changes. But that method began to feel insufficient, said Garcia-Ruiz. SFNext is the newsrooms answer to that call: a new prototype of local journalism that will not only highlight problems, but seek solutions to the citys most significant problems, and integrally involve local residents in the process. Read a full explanation of SFNext. Were going to surface creative ideas and identify solutions and get those into the fabric of the city, he said. About SFNext SFNext aims to involve city residents in finding solutions to some of San Franciscos most pressing problems. 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. Send feedback, ideas and suggestions to sfnext@sfchronicle.com Follow the discussion on Twitter: @SFNext Listen to the Fixing Our City podcast, launching June 21: sfchronicle.com/fixing-our-city Sign up for our newsletter: sfchronicle.com/newsletters/sf-next An audit of San Franciscos employment practices shows a city still grappling with workplace disparities amid a pandemic that saw more employees leave their jobs and fewer new hires to replace them. The audit, which the Budget and Legislative Analysts Office released this month and which does not address gender inequities, shows that the real disparity shows up in pay, with white employees making an average of $62.66 an hour during the 2020-21 fiscal year that ended June 30, 2021, a rate 16% higher than the average hourly earning of $53.97. The average hourly earnings for white employees were also 24.4% higher than the $44.78 an hour workers of color made on average last year, the audit reveals. This actually reflects a slight improvement from before the pandemic, when white city workers were outpacing their colleagues of color by more than 27% in hourly pay. The data shows kind of a mixed result, said Dan Goncher, the principal analyst who conducted the audit for the Budget and Legislative Analysts Office. When broken down by race or ethnicity, the average hourly wage was $54.21 for American Indian or Alaskan Native employees, $52.82 for Filipino employees, $51.99 for Asian employees, $50.50 for Hispanic employees, $46.66 for Black employees and $46 for multiracial employees in 2020-21 year. While average wages for employees of color rose by 12.5% to $50.36 in 2020-21, each nonwhite employee category earned less than the average hourly wage. Wage transparency is an important tool in creating an equitable workplace, said Supervisor Shamann Walton, who requested the report with Supervisor Hillary Ronen. If we are going to address institutional racism and change the practices that lead to gaps in who is employed and who is promoted, then we need to know the data and have a consistent mechanism in place to receive it, Walton said. The citys workforce declined by 4% over two years, from 36,497 employees in 2018-19 to 35,046 last fiscal year. Goncher said the reason for the decline is twofold: More people left their jobs and the city slowed its hiring during the early part of the pandemic. We have to keep in mind that a lot of hiring was stopped during the first pandemic year in 2020, he said. The city was only hiring essential workers at the time. The approximately 10,000 city employees who identified as Asian last year represented 28.7% of the citys workforce, overtaking white employees as the largest ethnic group two years earlier. The 2,207 hirings last fiscal year represented a 44% decline from two years ago, while the percentage of managers dipped 3.6% over the two-year period. The percentage of Asian, Black and multiracial employees in management slightly increased over the two-year period. Last fiscal year, 191 Asian employees held 18.7% of the citys roughly 1,000 management roles, 124 Black employees made up 12.1% of the leadership positions, 90 Hispanic employees accounted for 8.8% of the jobs and nine multiracial employees 0.9%. When compared with their makeup of the citys population, Asian, Hispanic and multiracial employees were underrepresented in management roles, while Black workers were overrepresented. African American residents account for less than 6% of the citys population. More than 540 white employees held over half the management positions in a city that is about 42% white, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. The report noted that efforts to address inequities across departments were being hobbled by local government bureaucracy. 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. For instance, the four-person Office of Racial Equity, formed in 2019, has two vacancies, including a director position that has been open since inaugural director Shakirah Simley left in July 2021. Sheryl Davis, the executive director of the San Francisco Human Rights Commission, which oversees ORE, said shes been meeting with community members and having internal conversations about the hiring process, while building an infrastructure to pursue the offices goals whether supporters of diversity initiatives remain in office or not. We need allies to help build the work, but need a new system to advance the work and have long-lasting impact, to move from transaction to transformation, Davis said. Currently, neither the Department of Human Resources nor the Office of Racial Equity monitors department initiatives to increase diversity in hiring and promotions, the report found. However, monthly workshops are held with department recruiters and human resources representatives to discuss strategies around diversity recruitment. But while departments may report their individual efforts, their Racial Equity Action Plans are not currently collected and reported by a centralized city agency, the report stated. This makes it hard to track diversity efforts, Goncher said. Last July, an independent report by William Gould IV, a labor and discrimination law expert at Stanford Law School, revealed disproportionate discipline and opportunities for and an ineffective system of resolving employee complaints by Black city employees. City agencies such as the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency released data in December 2020 showing the transit service doled out harsher punishments to transit operators of color than to white employees. According to the new city audit, people of color represented 72% of the citys workforce and received 67% of the 409 corrective actions issued last year. But Black workers remained overrepresented when it came to formal discipline. They accounted for 15% of the citys workforce and 23% of disciplinary actions, which can include performance improvement plans, write-ups and termination. The system is the challenge; bureaucracy is a challenge; upending the rules that have been in place that limit accountability on the government side is a challenge, Davis said. Building trust and partnership with people who have consistently been harmed and ignored is difficult. Shwanika Narayan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: shwanika.narayan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @shwanika Most California fathers have a legal right to take time off from work to bond with their babies without being retaliated against or losing their benefits. Employees would be wise to tell their employer in writing at least 30 days before they plan to take time off. The appearance of homelessness, drug addiction and mental health issues have plagued the streets of San Francisco over the past few years. Odd Andersen/AFP via Getty Images After an internal investigation, space tech firm SpaceX fired a number of employees who were involved in drafting and disseminating an open letter that criticized the companys founder and CEO Elon Musk, the New York Times reported Friday. The same person who is on a quest to buy Twitter for the purpose of protecting free speech was seemingly displeased by a letter that called his conduct on the platform a constant source of distraction and embarrassment, prompting a letter from SpaceX president Gwynne Shotwell that excoriated anyone who dared to criticize their billionaire leader. Houstonians are not the only fans of the Bayou City's museums. Kylie Jenner on Wednesday shared clips on her Instagram stories of her and daughter Stormi Webster as they explored the Houston Museum of Natural Science together. "Stormi look up there!" Jenner shouted in one of the clips, pointing to a butterfly flying above them at the museum's Cockrell Butterfly Center. Jenner then jumps in fear at the winged insect flying ever so closely. "Oh, hell no!" she yelled. A subsequent video shows Jenner walking alongside Stormi and exploring the museum's dinosaur exhibit. "I have a fascination with dinosaurs lately," she wrote. The Houston Museum of Natural Science shared one of Jenner's photos from the visit on its Instagram stories, writing, "Thank you for visiting Kylie Jenner and Stormi!" The family was in Houston to spend time with rapper Travis Scott's family, according to videos posted by a Brazilian fan page. "Kylie Jenner and Stormi Webster were seen together with Wanda Webster, Jordan and Josh (Travis's sister and brother) at a shopping center in Houston," the post read. "Kylie traveled to Travis' hometown to spend time with his family and siblings who turned 22 yesterday." Scott's younger brother and sister twins Jordan and Joshua turn 22 this week. However, the Houston native was not seen in any of Jenner's posts. Some fans on social media expressed excitement at the star taking the time to come to Houston and lamented missing out on meeting her. "Bruh Kylie Jenner was in Houston and I could've met her, but no I stayed home," wrote one disappointed fan on Twitter. "The one time I'm in LA, Kylie Jenner is in Houston lolol," wrote another Twitter user. Another fan claimed Jenner also made a stop at the Houston Zoo during her visit. Jenner and Scott were previously spotted at the zoo with Stormi in September during a family outing. However, the trip angered some locals who accused the family of shutting down rides for themselves. Many national food conglomerates in the U.S. tout stories of humble beginnings. Shipley Do-Nuts, known here simply as Shipley's, is a Houston success story that went from mom-and-pop to ubiquitous chain across the American South. Here's how it started, and how it's going. As the saying goes: "Behind every great man is a great woman." In the case of Lawrence Shipley, Sr., the woman was his wife Lillie, whose family owned a doughnut shop in Dallas, where he honed his leavened fried dough chops. The business-minded Shipley Sr. learned what he could of the doughnut trade, opening and then selling his own shop in Dallasreportedly for $350. He moved to Houston, where he worked tirelessly to develop a recipe for a quality doughnut that would withstand the city's sticky climate. The resulting treat held its glaze perfectly, and would eventually become the catalyst for his nearly century-old doughnut empire. The craving for a Shipley's doughnut wasn't so easy to satisfy back when the brand launched in 1936. Shipley Sr. opened Shipley Cream Glazed Do-Nuts as a wholesale bakery at 1417 Crockett Street, selling fresh, hand-cut doughnuts for $0.05 per dozen. It wasn't until the mid-1940s when the first retail location opened at the intersection of Michaux and Euclid streets. Visitors would venture in for a single serving with a cup of coffee. Lawrence and Lillie Shipley purchased a building on North Main in 1952 to establish their headquarters, with the aim of expanding their operation and eventually begin franchising. By the 1960s, Shipley's sold 27 varieties of doughnuts and rolls. How it's going Houstonians haven't been without the fluffy breakfast pastries since, although much has changed. The original bakery at 1417 Crockett is now a row of condos. The 3932 North Main location down the street from HQ that opened in 1950, however, lives on today as the oldest Shipley's still in operation. Until a year ago, Shipley Do-Nuts remained a family business, with Lawrence Shipley III at the helm. He honored the family's vision to expand, expand, expand, growing the company exponentially since taking the reins in 2005. In January 2021, Austin-based private equity firm Peak Rock Capital bought Shipley Franchise Co. and Shipley Do-nut Flour & Supply Co. with an eye on even more expansion. Today, there are more than 330 locations across 10 states: Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas. Flavors have more than doubled to 60 kinds of glazed, iced, jelly-filled and cake doughnuts available in storesbut the classic, hexagon-shaped, plain glazed doughnut remains the No. 1 seller by far, after all these years. While Shipley's is also famous for its kolaches, it actually wasn't until 1995 that the company made the addition, with combinations like sausage and cheese, cheese and jalapeno, and ham and cheese, complementing the menu with savory breakfast choices. The no-frills doughnut operation shows no signs of slowing down, as multi-unit franchise agreements have already been signed this year, soon resulting in 70 new locations in Texas, Georgia and Maryland. The company is actively searching for new franchisees, as they aim to increase their presence in Colorado, Oklahoma and the Southeast. With more than 350 new units brewing in the pipeline and a new coffee program in the works, the 86-year-old company is expected to nearly double in size in the next five years. In all my years as a journalist, I never imagined that my serious, on-the-ground reporting would ever be interrupted by a tiny, pastel-green locomotive called the Jolly Trolly. But here I am, sitting and watching it pleasantly chug past me like a character straight out of Pee-wees Playhouse. I wave at the conductor while he rings a little bell, joining the chorus of singing birds flying overhead. Ive only been in Childrens Fairyland for about 15 minutes, but much to my own surprise, I am already starting to short-circuit with glee I cant remember the last time Ive felt such a palpable sense of whimsy and magic. For Shannon Taylor and Ari Bird, the two artists in charge of restoring the beloved theme park, this is all just a normal day on the job. Together, they use their craftsmanship to sand, paint and restore or entirely recreate the 72-year-old parks surreal props, rides and architecture. One of the oldest theme parks in America, Oaklands Fairyland reportedly influenced some of the biggest theme park franchises we know today. Walt Disney visited it shortly after it opened in 1950, allegedly inspiring his magic kingdom, which opened five years later. Taylor and Bird, covered head to toe in splattered red, white and orange paint, met me outside the Old Lady in the Shoe to give me a tour of the park. The duo agreed its a rewarding and therapeutic occupation and they could never succumb to a traditional 9-5 because of it. Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE Its the most fun job, says Bird as we walk past Oswald, a bubble-blowing elf sitting on top of a larger-than-life red mushroom. Whenever Taylor and Bird talk about their projects, they always refer to them by their character name: Theres Miss Muffet, the lady in red, the Happy Dragon, Pinocchio and, of course, Ozzy. Bird and Taylor dont just restore the parks friendly characters, they breathe new life into their personas (this definitely applies to the parks older and unfortunately creepier cast members). Shannon Taylor It all seemed well, too good to be true. Was there anything at all that made this job challenging or difficult? Taylor and Bird seem confused by the question, though they do cite some physical challenges. For example, nearly every structure from the pumpkin-shaped espresso bar to the Storybook Puppet Theater is at a jaunty angle, making them hard to access. They say there are no straight lines in Fairyland, Bird says as we walk past the Jolly Roger Pirate Ship. Theres a surprise around every corner, which is especially true if youre trying to put a ladder anywhere, adds Taylor. Shes not just referring to the slanted, dreamlike architecture though: She says the park is dominated by miniatures miniature ponies, miniature donkeys, dwarf goats, babydoll sheep, chickens and ducks. And when the park closes, they get to wander around and stretch their legs, making the job all the more whimsical. Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE Youll be painting and then a little horse is just trotting by you. Its inherently therapeutic, Bird says as she applies yellow paint to a big letter D. Right now, shes restoring the iconic Fairyland sign that overlooks Lake Merritt, which gets tagged up or worn down by the elements (including small children). Her shared art studio with Taylor feels like a theme park in of itself: Its elegantly cluttered with old props and historic screen prints, hand-painted signs and rows upon rows of magic keys. Taylor says theyre part of an underground network among employees, but declined to go into further detail. Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE Behind its pastel gates, Fairyland feels like a secret world tucked away from reality. But even here, there are somber motifs that poke through its magic veil. Distance is delightful! says a hand-painted purple sign with a rainbow on it. Take turns, says another. In front of us, masked children walk in single-file, careful to avoid getting too close. Park employees, too, are adapting to modern times. Bird, who was forced to pack up her belongings and leave her job mid-shift during lockdown, is determined to keep her role at the park. In the early days of the pandemic, it faced an uncertain future: Fairyland closed in March of 2020, furloughing all 56 of its employees and losing more than $1 million during the shutdown. Now, Bird splits her time between Oakland and San Diego, driving her truck up to the bay monthly and crashing with friends so she can take on projects weeks at a time. Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE Working in the art and restoration department and learning from Taylor, whom she refers to as a master of materials, has also informed her own work. I love weird cartoons and things that are kind of off-kilter, she says. And it shows: An artist outside of Fairyland, Bird fabricates anything from 7-foot-tall tube socks to forbidden silica packets for drag performances, music videos and gallery installations. Baggies, Birds solo show, is currently on view at Oaklands lowbrow Crisis Club Gallery through July. Down the street, Berkeleys Rolodex Gallery is featuring some of her sculptures as part of its latest group exhibition, Excursions. Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE Similarly, Taylor, who coincidentally marked her 12-year anniversary at Fairyland the day I visited, is the new assistant chair of California College of the Arts illustration department. Taylor said she never expected to have a job like this, explaining that it just kind of happened. After finishing school, she saw a photo of Fairyland on her friends Myspace page. Enamored with the park, she started volunteering and realized that both she and her mother went there as kids. Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE Shes still a newbie compared to other Fairyland employees, though. Randal Metz, the master puppeteer, has worked at the park since he was kid, which equates to at least 40 or 50 years, she said. Even as someone who generally loathes amusement parks, I can see why children and adults flock to them and why they have such a strong hold on American culture. As this country continues to endure tragedy after tragedy, children deserve to have spaces that shelter them from the increasingly mundane evils of guns and illness. It is impossible to be in a place like this and not ruminate on how we are failing to protect our children, and how, every day, we continue to mourn the ones we have lost. As I gather my belongings and leave the park, chickens wander in their coop, and the painters and horticulturists and train conductors continue to oil the gears of Fairyland. Here, all is well. MIDDLETOWN Members of the Middletown Elks Lodge 771, as well as other clubs throughout the United States, Guam, Puerto Rico and the Panama Canal, have been marking Flag Day in June since 1908. The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks is the only fraternal organization to require a formal observance of Flag Day, according to a press release. EAGLE POINT, Ore. (AP) More than 12,000 marijuana plants in 32 greenhouses were seized from a marijuana grow site in southern Oregon on Thursday, according to the Jackson County Sheriff's Office. A search warrant was served by Illegal Marijuana Enforcement Team detectives along with Jackson County Sheriffs Office deputies at a rural property in Eagle Point at about 6:45 a.m., officials said in a statement. Currently Reading Alert: Police say multiple people have been shot at a church in Alabama and that a suspect is in custody Currently Reading Alert: Police say the 3rd victim of an Alabama church shooting, an 84-year-old woman, has died at a hospital Currently Reading Alert: The European Union's executive arm recommends making Ukraine a candidate for EU membership, first step in a long process CANBERRA, Australia (AP) Australias new Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Friday he would take advice on whether to accept President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's invitation to visit Ukraine during an upcoming European trip. Albanese will attend a NATO meeting in Spain at the end of this month. Albanese said he only became aware of the invitation to visit Ukraine when he read a newspaper report Friday. Ill take appropriate advice, and obviously there are security issues as well in terms of such a visit, Albanese told reporters. I appreciate the spirit in which its been offered and one of the reasons why Australia has been invited to NATO is that Australia is the largest non-NATO contributor to give support to Ukraine in its defense of its national sovereignty against Russias illegal, immoral invasion. And well continue to stand with the people of Ukraine, Albanese added. Zelenskyy gave the invitation when he wrote to congratulate Albanese on his center-left Labor Partys win at elections on May 21, said Ukraine Embassy in Australias deputy head of mission Volodymyr Shalkivski. The invitation was for Albanese to visit Ukraine at his convenience, Shalkivski said, and the embassy handed the invitation over to the new administration June 7. European leaders are increasingly visiting Ukraines capital Kyiv by rail from Poland. Zelenskyy addressed the Australian Parliament by video in late March when then-Prime Minister Scott Morrisons conservative coalition was in power. The president appealed for armored vehicles and tougher sanctions against Russia. Australia responded by promising 14 M113 fully tracked armored personnel carriers and 40 Bushmaster four-wheel-drive armored vehicles. The vehicles brought the cost of Australias contribution to Ukraines defense to 285 million Australian dollars ($200 million) by late May. CANBERRA, Australia (AP) Australias new foreign minister visited the Solomon Islands on Friday to assure the South Pacific island nation it does not need a security pact with China. The Solomons is the fifth Pacific nation that Foreign Minister Penny Wong has visited since her center-left Labor Party came to power in May 21 elections. She is the first Australian minister to visit the Solomons since its government signed a secretive security pact with China that many fear could lead to a Chinese naval base being established within 2,000 kilometers (1,200 miles) of Australias northeast coast. Wong described her talks with Solomons Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare as constructive and wide ranging. Australias view does remain that the Pacific family should be responsible for our security and the Pacific familys more than capable of providing that security, Wong told reporters in the capital, Honiara. I welcomed Prime Minister Sogavares reassurances that there will not be a military base nor persistent military presence here in Solomon Islands, and I welcome his assurance that Australia remains Solomon Islands first security partner of choice and first development partner of choice, she added. Sogavares office did not immediately respond to the APs request for comment. Australia is the Solomons most generous donor of foreign aid and, like China, has a bilateral security pact with the restive nation of 700,000. Australian police have been maintaining peace in Honiara since riots in November last year. When the Sino-Solomons pact was signed during the recent Australian election campaign, Wong described it as Australias worst foreign policy failure in the Pacific since World War II. The new Australian government is promising more action on climate change and greater engagement with Australias island neighbors. Wong announced in Honiara that Australia will donate up to 200,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses for children aged 5 to 11. Australia has already provided the Solomons with more than 500,000 doses. Australias former minister for international development and the Pacific, Zed Seselja, flew to Honiara in April to unsuccessfully urge Sogavare to abandon plans to sign the Chinese pact. Seselja arrived on the same day that U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman spoke with the Solomons government about Washingtons plan to reopen an embassy in Honiara. A U.S. delegation to Honiara led by Kurt Campbell, the National Security Council Indo-Pacific coordinator, and Daniel Kritenbrink, the assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, warned after the pact was signed that the United States would take unspecified action against the Solomons should the agreement with China pose a threat to U.S. or allied interests. Sogavare accused the U.S. and Australia of threatening and disrespectful behavior. WASHINGTON (AP) President Joe Biden signed a bill Thursday that will give around-the-clock security protection to the families of Supreme Court justices. The new law, which passed the House this week and the Senate last month, comes eight days after a man carrying a gun, knife and zip ties was arrested near Justice Brett Kavanaughs house after threatening to kill the justice. The bill calling for the expansion of security protections was approved unanimously by the Senate and passed shortly after the leak of a draft court opinion that would overrule Roe v. Wade and sharply curtail abortion rights in roughly half the states. Supporters of the legislation said threats to the justices have increased since then, with protesters sometimes gathering outside their homes. Justices were provided 24-hour protection by the U.S. Marshals. The new law expands that protection to their families. The bill was initially delayed in the House as Democrats sought to broaden the measure to include protection for families of court employees. Republicans ramped up pressure to pass the proposal after the arrest of Nicholas John Roske, 26, of Simi Valley, California, at Kavanaughs house. Roske was indicted by a federal grand jury Wednesday, charged with a single count of attempting to murder a Justice of the United States. Prosecutors say he traveled from California to the justices home in Chevy Chase, Maryland, with the intent of killing Kavanaugh. The House passed the bill Tuesday, 396-27. Democrats said they would pursue the protections for families of court employees separately. MEXICO CITY (AP) Mexican narcos fascination with exotic animals was on display this week after a spider monkey dressed up as a drug gang mascot was killed in a shootout, a 450-pound (200 kilogram) tiger wandered the streets in the Pacific coast state of Nayarit, and a man died after trying to pet a captive tiger in a cartel-dominated area of western Michoacan state. Like scenes out of a narco television series, exotic animals have been long been part of the Mexican criminal underworld. Photos from the scene of a shootout Tuesday with police in which 11 drug gang members died, showed a small monkey dressed in a tiny camouflage jacket and a tiny bullet-proof vest sprawled across the body of a dead gunman who was apparently his owner. Inexplicably, the well-equipped dead gunman had a plastic bucket on his head. Authorities in the State of Mexico confirmed the authenticity of the photos, and said it was unclear whether the monkey which was also wearing a diaper died in the hail of bullets that killed his owner. A primate was killed at the scene, which was presumably owned by a criminal who was also killed at the scene, state prosecutors said in a statement, adding An autopsy will be carried out on the animal by a veterinarian specialized in the species and animal-trafficking charges would be considered against the suspects who survived the shootout. True to form, the monkey quickly got his own corrida," the traditional Mexican folk ballad often composed in honor of drug capos. Life is very short, it wasn't the monkey's turn (to die), according to the ballad, posted on social media. Then on Wednesday, the Attorney General for Environmental Protection said it had seized a tiger in Tecuala, in the Pacific coast state of Nayarit, near the border with Sinaloa, which is home to the cartel of the same name. The office said it acted after receiving reports about a Bengal tiger that was wandering the streets of Tecuala, and found that the animal was being illegally kept there. Those reports were based on a video posted on social media earlier this week, showing a young woman shrieking as she came across the tiger on the street in a residential neighborhood. Be quiet, it might come close, a woman can be heard saying on the video. Authorities said the tigers claws and fangs had been removed, and a man can be seen later in the video casually tossing a rope over the tigers neck and leading him away. Perhaps the most tragic story came out of the western state of Michoacan, which has long been dominated by the Carteles Unidos gang and the Jalisco cartel. On Sunday, authorities confirmed that a man was seriously wounded by a tiger in Periban, Michoacan, a town in the states avocado-growing region, where gangs have long extorted protection payments from the lucrative avocado trade. In a video posted on social media, whose authenticity could not be confirmed, the man is seen calling the tiger to the side of a fenced enclosure. Come on, come, the man can be heard entreating. The man stands outside the enclosure, apparently feeding the tiger with one hand, while he stretches his other arm through the chain-link fence to stroke the animals neck. The man then shrieks in pain after the tiger quickly wheels and bites the extended arm and refuses to let go. Eventually the tiger mauled both the mans arms. Michoacan state law enforcement authorities confirmed that the man was taken to a hospital, where he died a few days later from his injuries. Mexican law allows private citizens to keep exotic animals if they register them under strictly supervised conditions. But Security analyst David Saucedo said criminals sometimes go to the length of getting such permits. Saucedo said drug traffickers often keep exotic animals as a symbol of status and power, imitating the Colombian drug lords of the 1980s and 90s. Mexican drug traffickers copied from the narcos of the Medellin cartel the custom of acquiring exotic animals and setting up private zoos, said Saucedo. According to the code of the drug trafficking aristocracy, having a private zoo was a prerequisite for being part of the circle of big-time drug traffickers. In some cases, the animals had a more sinister use. Some drug cartel capos, like Zetas leader Heriberto Lazcano, acquired exotic animals to torture or disappear their victims, Saucedo said. Several of his enemies were devoured by the tigers or the crocodiles that the Zetas kept in their pens or cages. Lazcano himself was killed in a shootout with Mexican military personnel in 2012. NEW YORK (AP) Deborah Borda will retire as president and CEO of the New York Philharmonic at the end of the 2022-23 season and will be succeeded by Gary Ginstling, head of Washingtons National Symphony Orchestra since 2017. Borda, who turns 73 on July 15, returned to the Philharmonic in 2017 for her second stint in charge and presided over the unprecedented dual challenges of the coronavirus pandemic and the reconstruction of David Geffen Hall, the orchestras long-maligned Lincoln Center home that reopens Oct. 7. Ginstling will become the Philharmonics executive director on Nov. 1 and take over from Borda when she retires June 30, 2023. Borda will then became executive adviser to Ginstling and the board of directors, a role in which she will concentrate on fundraising and anticipates cutting her work hours in half. We had a wild five years, which have been tremendous, Borda said Friday. Weve managed to take COVID and turn it into a positive thing and open the hall almost two years early, on time and on budget. Borda said she and Ginstling both will be part of the search for a successor to Jaap van Zweden, who announced in September that he will leave at the end of the 2023-24 season after six years as music director, the shortest tenure of anyone in a half-century. Borda said it is not certain whether a decision will be made before she steps down, but if the search extends past next summer, she will continue to advise on it. Ginstling said he was contacted by a search firm in late February or early March, and talks were finalized in May. He thought back to hearing the Philharmonic under music director Zubin Mehta and attending Leonard Bernsteins Mahler concerts. Its a combination of the New York Philharmonics storied history, its really innovative work in recent years and then the enormous potential that I see for the future as David Geffen Hall prepares to reopen, he said. My love for orchestras, my passion for orchestral music, it started with the New York Philharmonic. It was the first professional orchestra I ever heard. I can remember in junior high school going to concerts. My parents were subscribers to the Philharmonic for decades. Ginstling, 56, was born in Queens and grew up in New Jersey. He received a bachelors degree from Yale, a masters degree in music from The Juilliard School where he studied clarinet, and a masters in business administration from UCLA. He served as executive director of the Berkeley Symphony Orchestra from 2003-06, director of communications and external affairs of the San Francisco Symphony from 2006-08 and general manager of the Cleveland Orchestra from 2008-13. Ginstling was CEO of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra before replacing Rita Shapiro as the NSOs executive director in 2017. With the NSO, Ginstling inherited Gianandrea Noseda, hired by Shapiro in January 2016 to become music director for the 2017-18 season. Ginstling negotiated a pair of extensions for Noseda, first in September 2018 through 2024-25 and then this month through 2026-27. Borda navigated a pandemic that caused the cancellation of the final 33 concerts of 2019-20 plus all 119 concerts of 2020-21. and she accelerated the $550 million reconstruction of Geffen Hall. The Philharmonic returned from the pandemic to split the 2021-22 season between Lincoln Centers Alice Tully Hall and Jazz at Lincoln Centers Rose Theater. A native New Yorker and a former violist, Borda held top management positions with the San Francisco Symphony, Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra and Detroit Symphony Orchestra before she was hired as managing director of the New York Philharmonic in 1991. She announced her departure in September 1999 to become president and CEO of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. I did leave in frustration in 99 because I just felt like we could not make progress with what really seriously needed to be done to renovate the hall, she said, and then when 17 years later the board came back and I saw that there was a real possibility for this to happen but it was going to need a very heavy lift, it just felt like a perfect circle. It was unfinished business. Borda oversaw the opening of Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, and in 2007, hired acclaimed young conductor Gustavo Dudamel to succeed Esa-Pekka Salonen as music director for the 2009-10 season. In the orchestra world, theres a clear consensus that Deborah has certainly been one of if not the most transformational leaders in our field, Ginstling said. The chance to work alongside her and then eventually to succeed her is for me the opportunity of a lifetime. CHICAGO (AP) A white former Chicago police officer captured on video struggling with a Black woman who was walking her dog along a Lake Michigan beach pleaded not guilty Thursday to charges of official misconduct and aggravated battery. Bruce Dyker was released on his own recognizance by Cook County Judge William Gamboney. BRIDGE CITY, La. (AP) Control has been restored at a Louisiana juvenile detention center where a group of inmates sparked a riot after breaking out of their living areas and taking over parts of the building. Deputies were called to the Bridge City Center for Youth just before 10 p.m. Thursday after about 20 youths escaped their quarters, news outlets reported. Two inmates and an employee were injured. The extent of their injuries was not released. The juvenile detention center was back under control as of midnight after a two-hour standoff, according to Sheriffs Office spokesperson Jason Rivarde. Deputies, canines and the SWAT team were called to restore order at the facility. It takes a lot of personnel to come here and secure a facility of this size, Rivarde said. Its what we have to do because of the problems we are having here. No one escaped the facility's grounds during Thursday nights uprising. The sheriffs office said an investigation in underway to determine what started the uprising. The uprising came the same day that five juveniles escaped early Thursday through a hole they cut in a bathroom ceiling. Three were immediately captured, with a fourth arrested hours later. On Friday, the Louisiana Office of Juvenile Justice said that the fifth escapee was apprehended. There was no word on whether the two incidents are connected. The recent chaos at the juvenile detention center drew sharp criticism from Jefferson Parish elected officials. The (Office of Juvenile Justice administration) is aware this is happening, state Sen. Pat Connick said after Thursday's escape but before the takeover. Connick said the state promises to improve things, but nothing gets done. Its only a matter of time before someone gets hurt, he said. Friday morning, Connick told WWL-TV that the takeover was a tipping point and described it as a riot. He said he will ask the governor and state legislature to shut down the facility. BANGKOK (AP) A court in military-ruled Myanmar sentenced a close colleague of ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi to 21 years in prison on Friday after finding him guilty of corruption, a legal official said. Zaw Myint Maung is a second vice president and spokesperson of Suu Kyis National League for Democracy party, which won a landslide victory in the 2020 general election but was prevented from returning to office for a second five-year term when the army seized power in February last year. Widespread protests met the militarys takeover and Myanmar has been mired in violence and civil unrest since then. The military sought to justify its takeover by saying there was massive voting fraud in the election, an allegation that independent poll watchers disputed. The ruling military council has said it may hold a new election by August 2023. However, the Union Election Commission, with members appointed by the army after it seized power, could dissolve the National League for Democracy if it rules it committed election fraud. Suu Kyi was arrested and is being tried on multiple charges, including corruption, that her supporters say are politically motivated to discredit her and legitimize the militarys seizure of power. She has already been convicted of several less important offenses. The military government has also arrested many other leaders of her party, which could cripple its attempts to challenge the military in new polls. Charges against them include treason, corruption, incitement and flouting coronavirus regulations. A statement from the National League for Democracy released last month said 917 party officials and members have been arrested and 701 are still being detained by the military. Zaw Myint Maung has been a core member of the party since its inception and won a seat in a 1990 election that was voided by the army. He has been jailed at least twice before last year for his political activities He won election to the lower house in 2012 and state parliament in 2015, after which he was appointed chief minister of Mandalay, a central region considered the countrys heartland. Like many colleagues, he was arrested by the military on Feb. 1, 2021. He has been held at Mandalays Obo Prison, where his trial was held in closed chambers. The court found him guilty on five corruption counts, said a legal official familiar with his cases who spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to release information. He said Zaw Myint Maung pleaded not guilty to three charges of accepting bribes that went for medical treatment -- he suffers from leukemia -- and two that he abused his position as chief minister in acquiring land for party offices. Each charge carries a maximum punishment of 15 years imprisonment. The legal official said his lawyers are likely to appeal the courts ruling. Zaw Myint Maung has already been sentenced to five years in prison after being convicted on charges of violating coronavirus restrictions, sedition and election fraud, and is to be tried on another election fraud charge. WINFIELD, Kan. (AP) The Cowley County attorney has ruled that three sheriff's deputies acted appropriately when they shot and killed a woman near Winfield in April. County Attorney Larry Schwartz said in a report issued Wednesday the shooting of Andrea Barrow, of Arkansas City, was lawful and justified, KAKE-TV reported. The Cowley County deputies were responding to a report of a suspicious vehicle on April 15 when they encountered Barrow, who was acting erratically, according to the report. Body cameras worn by the officers show Master Deputy Cory Sunnenberg talked to Barrow for several minutes after seeing a Kansas license plate inside the car that he believed was stolen. She refused several orders to get out of her vehicle and became increasingly agitated, Schwartz said. After a stun gun was used on Barrow, Cpl. John Van Royan saw her pull a handgun from between the car seat and the center console and shouted a warning, according to the report. Barrow fell out of the car and fired at the officers, Schwartz said. All the deputies were hit but were able to take cover. Barrow returned to the vehicle and the officers believed she was reloading her weapon. Young and Sunnenberg fired back at Barrow, killing her, Schwartz said. GODFREY Prince is active and loves to run and play. He is an adult male lab mix who can be friendly once he gets to know you. He just needs a little patience and compassion. Alton's Five As would love to have a caring family or individual adopt Prince for a forever home. Also, to support the shelter, don't forget to check out the area's largest thrift shop, "The 5As Thrift" now located in North Alton, at 2600 State St., right next to Joe K's Restaurant. The upscale resale shop offers exclusive one-of-a-kind stylish furnishings, home decor, women and men's clothing and accessories, along with fine jewelry, kids toys and clothing, and much more. The 5As Thrift is open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Thursday and Friday and 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday. Check out the shop's Facebook page for more information. To adopt an animal from Alton's Five As, which stands for Alton Area Animal Aid Association, come out to the shelter and visit the animals. The no-kill shelter is open daily from 11a.m.-3 p.m. Come visit with the animals, fill out some needed paperwork and pay the adoption fee. 5A's is located at 5430 N. Alby St., in Godfrey. If an animal requires surgery, you will get the animal day of surgery; if they have had their surgery, they are available for adoption that day. The nonprofit no-kill shelter was organized and opened in 1956 and is an affiliate member of Illinois Federation of Humane Societies and the American Humane Association based in Denver, Colorado. A premier humane shelter in the Riverbend, 5A's has served the area for more than 60 years, providing compassion and care to abused, unwanted and abandoned animals. The shelter serves Alton, Godfrey, Bethalto, East Alton and Wood River, as well as other adjoining communities. 5A's places approximately 500 "forever friends" into "forever homes" every year. Check out its website regularly for new incoming pet pics and fun upcoming events. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) A standoff over the security of voting machines between a Republican-leaning county in New Mexico and Democratic state officials that threatened to erupt into a wider political crisis was defused Friday after local commissioners voted to certify their election results. The move by the Otero County commission reversed an earlier decision against certifying results of the June 7 primary because of unspecified concerns with Dominion voting systems, a target of widespread conspiracy theories since the 2020 presidential election. The two commissioners who voted in favor said they had been threatened with prosecution by the state attorney general and had no choice under the law but criticized their position as being little more than rubber stamps. Commissioner Couy Griffin was the lone dissenting vote, but acknowledged that he had no basis for questioning the results of the election. He dialed in to the meeting because he was in Washington, D.C., where hours before he had been sentenced for entering restricted U.S. Capitol grounds during the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection. My vote to remain a 'no' isnt based on any evidence. It's not based on any facts, Griffin said, nevertheless requesting a hand recount of ballots. Its only based on my gut feeling and my own intuition. The Otero elections clerk earlier told The Associated Press that the primary had gone off without a hitch and that the results had been confirmed afterward: It was a great election," said Robyn Holmes, a Republican. Democratic Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver, who had appealed to the state Supreme Court to intervene, expressed relief at the Otero County decision and called it a shame that the commission pushed our state to the brink of a crisis by their actions. The showdown provided a stark example of the chaos that election experts across the U.S. have warned about as those who promote the lie that former President Donald Trump was cheated out of reelection seek to populate election offices across the country and the usually low-profile boards that certify the results. Conspiracy theories mixing with misinformation has produced a volatile stew that has reduced confidence in elections, led to threats against election officials and created fears of violence in future elections. The passions were on full display Friday, the final day for New Mexico's 33 counties to certify their primary results. The last six counties to certify all voted to do so, but it was not without outbursts of fury from some of those attending the meetings. In one politically conservative county, angry residents greeted their three commissioners with screams and vitriol as they met to consider certification. As the visibly frustrated Torrance County commissioners indicated they were going to vote to certify their election, the audience shouted Shame on you, cowards and traitors, and Who elected you? The commissioners pleaded with the audience for patience and said concerns about alleged election vulnerabilities eventually would be addressed. The time and place to fight this battle is not by canvassing this election, Chairman Ryan Schwebach told the crowd in Torrance County. In another county, a commission chairman pounded a gavel frantically and ordered law enforcement to clear livid protesters from the room. The 4-1 vote to certify the election by a Republican-dominated commission in Sandoval County was nearly drowned out by jeers of opposition in a divided audience. Commissioner Jay Block a failed Republican primary candidate for governor in the June 7 vote noted his opposition to hoots of approval and applause. It is imperative that we are presented with a complete set of facts about the election, Block said. There is no evidence of widespread fraud or manipulation of voting equipment that could have affected the outcome of the 2020 presidential election, and no such fraud has surfaced in this years midterms. To underscore the accuracy of election results, another Sandoval County commissioner read to the audience the findings of an audit that compared the votes recorded by the countys tabulating machines in 2020 with a sampling of the actual paper ballots. The difference was just a fraction of 1% in the races for president, U.S. Senate and other offices almost insignificant, Republican commissioner David Heil said. Certifying elections by typically under-the-radar local commissions has been a routine ministerial task for decades that has become politicized ever since Trump sought to undermine the process following his loss to Joe Biden in the 2020 election. Otero County thrust the issue into the spotlight this week when its commission said it would not certify the local results from the primary because of concerns over Dominion voting systems, even though there was no evidence of problems. Had they stuck to their guns, the commissioners potentially would have disenfranchised more than 7,300 voters in a county that voted heavily for Trump in 2020. New Mexicos primary ballot included races at all levels including Congress, governor, attorney general and a long list of local offices. Those races would not be official until all counties certified. The developments in New Mexico can be traced to far-right conspiracy theories over voting machines that have spread across the country over the past two years. Various Trump allies have claimed that Dominion voting systems had somehow been manipulated as part of an elaborate scheme to steal the election, which Biden won. Dominion has filed several defamation lawsuits, including against Fox News, and in a statement earlier this week said the action by the Otero County commissioners was yet another example of how lies about Dominion have damaged our company and diminished the publics faith in elections. Election officials outside New Mexico are taking notice. The secretary of states office said Friday it has been flooded with calls from officials concerned that certification controversies will become a new front in the attacks on democratic norms and could affect future elections, especially in 2024. ___ Associated Press writers Christina Almeida Cassidy in Atlanta, Scott Sonner in Reno, Nevada, and Terry Tang in Phoenix contributed to this report. COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) Denmark's military says a Russian warship has violated its territorial waters. The Defense Command of the Danish armed forces says a Russian corvette entered Danish waters twice in the early hours of Friday near the island of Christiansoe in the Baltic Sea. In a statement, the Defense Command said the Russian vessel left after it was contacted on marine two-way radio by the Danish navy. Danish Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod said Denmark summoned the Russian ambassador to protest the incident. It has been communicated in very clear terms to the Russian ambassador that this type of action is completely inadmissible, Kofod said in a statement. "We will not accept this type of Russian provocations." Both Sweden and Denmark have reported airspace violations by Russian aircraft following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) After just seven months in office, and now reduced to heading a minority government, Bulgarias liberal Prime Minister Kiril Petkov finds himself between a rock and a hard place over European Union enlargement amid the war in Ukraine. Russias invasion spurred the EU to speed up its expansion drive in the Western Balkans, where Moscow still wields considerable influence. But EU and NATO member Bulgaria is blocking part of the process in the case of neighboring North Macedonia one of the six EU hopefuls in the region due to a dispute over history and cultural identity. Prime Minister Petkov, 42, has pledged to seek a solution to the decade-long gridlock, which, indirectly, would also unsnarl Albanias accession bid. But Bulgaria says its neighbor has not made enough concessions, and chances of a breakthrough seem slim. Bulgarian President Rumen Radev on Friday urged the cabinet to disperse any suspicion that the country might take the deeply unpopular step of abandoning its veto on North Macedonias EU accession. Speaking to reporters in Sofia, Radev called on Petkov to defend the national interest at next weeks European Council. He warned Petkov whos already under fire over the economy and faces a no-confidence vote in parliament next week that any chicanery or attempt to replace (the Bulgarian veto) will have severe consequences. The 27-nation bloc has invited the heads of government of six Western Balkan countries, including North Macedonia, to the EU leaders meeting in Brussels on June 23. In preparation, the six leaders gathered Friday at the lakeside resort of Ohrid, in North Macedonia, most arguing that the war in Ukraine had added greater urgency to their accession bids. Once the war in Ukraine is over, Russia will return to its old ways, fighting democracies in the West with fake news and propaganda, and pressing us not to seek EU and NATO membership, North Macedonias President Stevo Pendarovski said. We have been a candidate for (EU) membership for 17 years. This unfinished project has taken a toll on us. Also seeking EU membership for his country, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged the EU hopefuls to halt trade with Russia. You should not give money to those who seek your destruction, Zelenskyy said, speaking by video link. Back in Bulgaria, Prime Minister Petkov said his government had decided to submit all issues linked to the neighboring countrys EU membership to Parliament. The North Macedonia topic is used as a decoy, Petkov said. his From here on now, no politician can say that the government is capable of taking unilateral actions. The decision is parliaments. Sofia insists that if it is to soften its stance the EU must guarantee that North Macedonia implements three key Bulgarian demands: changes its constitution to recognize the existence of an ethnic Bulgarian minority, drops hate speech against Bulgaria and moves to settling disputes over the history of the two countries. Bulgaria has seen a spike in pro-Russian and anti-Western propaganda, and analysts say a move by Petkov to lift the veto on North Macedonia could elevate pro-Moscow parties to power and change the countrys orientation. On the other hand, maintaining the veto could also strengthen Russias grip on the Balkans by keeping North Macedonia away from the EU. Parvan Simeonov, from the Gallup International Balkan agency, said some 70% of Bulgarians oppose lifting the veto and warned that such a move would bring brutal Putinism in Bulgaria. Last week, one of the four parties in Petkovs governing coalition walked out, citing disagreements over fiscal policy and North Macedonia. That left Petkov in charge of a minority government, which next week faces a vote of no-confidence in parliament over the economy, brought by the countrys main opposition party. ___ Testorides reported from Skopje, North Macedonia. GENEVA (AP) The organizer of the Eurovision Song Contest said Friday that it will start talks with the BBC on possibly holding next year's event in the U.K. after concluding that it can't be held in Ukraine. Kyiv said it disagreed with the decision and called for additional negotiations. The event is traditionally staged by the previous year's winner. Last month, Ukrainian band Kalush Orchestra won the 2022 contest, pushing Britain into the runner-up spot thanks to a surge of popular votes from viewers. The win buoyed Ukrainian spirits amid the Russian invasion. Ukraine's public broadcaster, UA:PBC, has staged the event twice before, in 2005 and 2017. The European Broadcasting Union said it had carried out "a full assessment and feasibility study on the possibility of it doing so again. It said the contest is one of the world's most complex television productions and needs 12 months of preparation time. The contest's governing board has with deep regret concluded that, given the current circumstances, the security and operational guarantees required for a broadcaster to host, organize and produce the Eurovision Song Contest" under the event's rules cannot be fulfilled by the Ukrainian broadcaster, the EBU said in a statement. It said it shares the broadcaster's sadness and disappointment that next years Contest cannot be held in Ukraine. It is our full intention that Ukraines win will be reflected in next years shows, the EBU said. "This will be a priority for us in our discussions with the eventual hosts. In a statement, Ukraine's Culture Minister Oleksandr Tkachenko, UA:PBC's supervisory board chairman and the country's three Eurovision winners to date pushed back against the decision, arguing that holding the contest in Ukraine would send a strong signal of support. We will demand to change this decision, because we believe that we will be able to fulfill all the commitments we have made, the statement said. "That is why we demand additional negotiations on hosting Eurovision 2023 in Ukraine. The BBC said in a statement that clearly these arent a set of circumstances that anyone would want, but that after the EBU decision we will of course discuss the BBC hosting the Eurovision Song Contest. British Prime Minister Boris Johnsons spokesman, Jamie Davies, said Ukraines victory in the Eurovision Song Contest was richly deserved and Britain had hoped to see next years event held in the winning country. If that proved impossible, he said, we would welcome the opportunity to work closely with Ukraine and the BBC to host it here in the U.K. He said Britain would ensure the event reflected Ukraines rich culture, heritage and creativity. ___ Follow the APs coverage of the war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine ISLAMABAD (AP) An explosion ripped through a mosque in Afghanistan's northern Kunduz province on Friday, killing at least one worshipper and wounding seven others, a Taliban official said. Dozens of people had gathered inside the mosque in the district of Imam Sahib for Friday prayers when an explosive device that had been planted there went off, said Obaidullah Abedi, the Taliban-appointed spokesman for the Kunduz police chief. CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (AP) A fire that heavily damaged a historic church in Chattanooga was intentionally set and authorities searched Friday for a person of interest in the arson case, officials said. A three-alarm fire on June 10 at Phillips Chapel and Chauncey-Goode Auditorium in downtown Chattanooga nearly destroyed the buildings and resulted in parts of the structures being torn down, the city's fire department said in a news release. MIAMI (AP) A South Florida police officer has been charged with fraudulently applying for a COVID-19 relief advance grant and low-interest loan. A federal grand jury in Miami returned an indictment Wednesday against the 44-year-old Coral Springs police officer, according to court records. The officer faces one count of wire fraud, which carries a sentence of up to 20 years in prison. The officer's attorney said the government has been investigating for over a year, and he questions the strength of the prosecutions case. According to the indictment, the officer submitted a fraudulent Economic Injury Disaster Loan application and loan agreement to the U.S. Small Business Administration on behalf of his personal business. The application falsely and fraudulently certified that the business had gross revenues of $100,000 during the year prior to January 31, 2020, investigators said. The indictment also charges the officer with falsely and fraudulently certifying that he would use the funds only for business expenses to alleviate economic injury that the COVID-19 pandemic caused to the business. Officials said the officer spent more than $21,000 of the loan money at a car repair and detailing company for luxury vehicles and high-end auto parts. ___ Follow AP coverage of the pandemic at https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak. NEW YORK (AP) Elizabeth Holtzman, who was the youngest woman ever elected to Congress when she won a House seat in 1972 at age 31 and went on to serve as Brooklyn district attorney and New York City comptroller, is joining the crowded field of Democrats seeking to represent a newly drawn congressional district spanning parts of Brooklyn and Manhattan. Holtzman, who last served in Congress in 1981, said Thursday in an interview with TV station NY1 that she is running because she has the strong, proven record to take on the right wing, the forces of bigotry and racism, the forces of misogyny. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) Kentucky gubernatorial hopeful Ryan Quarles doubled down Friday on his grassroots Republican strategy, and Kelly Craft hinted at her own continuing interest in Kentucky's top political job undeterred after Donald Trump shook up the 2023 campaign by endorsing Attorney General Daniel Cameron. The thunderbolt announcement o n Thursday came 11 months before the state's primary, when GOP voters will select a nominee to challenge Democratic Gov Andy Beshear. The former president's declaration that Cameron has stood out at every level and would be a great governor was the sort of validation that every GOP hopeful had coveted. The fact that Trump did it while his former ambassador to the United Nations ponders a run of her own added a layer of intrigue. The endorsement was seen as a clear boost for the first-term attorney general in his quest for support from a Republican base viewed as still loyal to the ex-president. It comes as U.S. House investigators are trying to make a methodical case that Trumps lies about the 2020 election led directly to his supporters insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Cameron's GOP political rivals in Kentucky looking to downplay the biggest development in the evolving campaign offered business-as-usual assessments of their campaigns. Quarles, who has built connections across rural Kentucky as state agriculture commissioner, said he won't alter his grassroots strategy, which he described as a boots-on the-ground campaign. Quarles has won dozens of endorsements from state lawmakers and county judge-executives. I appreciate their support of my campaign and I think their endorsements resonate far greater with Kentucky voters than any out-of-state voice will, Quarles told The Associated Press in a statement. Trump's backing of Cameron comes as Craft is considering her own bid for the GOP gubernatorial nomination. Long seen as a potent political force in part because of her ability to fund a campaign with her own wealth, Craft served as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations during Trump's presidential term. Craft made no reference to her former boss in a statement Friday. Instead she said she's spent the past year traveling the state to talk to voters. The support and confidence I have received throughout the state has been humbling and encouraging, Craft said. My faith, family and principles will always be the compass I follow. I am enthusiastic and motivated about helping Kentucky. Stay tuned! Scott Jennings, a Kentuckian and onetime adviser to former President George W. Bush, predicted Craft will enter the race, undeterred by what he called Trump's extremely valuable endorsement of Cameron. In sizing up the rivals, Jennings said: Cameron is famous. Quarles is organized. Craft has resources. They all bring something to the table. And now Cameron has added the Trump endorsement to his case, which adds to the national feel of his candidacy. Cameron, who spoke at the 2020 Republican National Convention, has been pegged as a rising political star since being elected as the first African American to serve as Kentucky's attorney general in 2019. He also would become the state's first Black governor if victorious. Adding to the intrigue surrounding the endorsement is Cameron's long ties to Kentuckys most powerful Republican, U.S. Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell the target of blistering attacks from Trump. Their relationship soured after Trumps denial of his 2020 defeat and relentless efforts to reverse the voters verdict with his baseless claims that Democrats fraudulently stole the election. Meanwhile, Republican state Auditor Mike Harmon told the Lexington Herald-Leader that Trump's endorsement doesnt change anything for his run for governor. He added he wished he would have had the chance to get in front of the former president. Kentucky state Rep. Savannah Maddox's gubernatorial campaign didn't immediately respond to an email regarding Trump's endorsement of Cameron. Maddox, who portrays herself as an authentic conservative in trying to outflank her rivals, has stressed her alignment with Trump. Retired attorney Eric Deters, another Republican trying to tap into Trump's populist base, referred to the ex-president's support for Cameron as just another slap to his supporters. Deters responded by announcing he will shift course and run for governor as an independent. Nationally, Trump has a mixed record in this years midterm elections. As for his impact on the still-distant Kentucky primary, GOP political consultant T.J. Litafik said: I think that Trump is still very popular in this state. But Kentuckians are very independent-minded people, and I don't think that one man's endorsement no matter who it is is going to be the deciding factor for Kentucky Republicans. In 2019, Beshear defeated Republican Gov. Matt Bevin, who also had Trumps support. Beshear, who has remained popular during his term in the GOP-trending state, has emphasized his stewardship of Kentuckys economy which has included historically low unemployment rates and some of the biggest economic development successes in the states history. COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) State leaders continued to spar on Friday over whether the Ohio Supreme Court should force the state's Republican-dominated political mapmaking panel to answer for defying a court order to redraw unconstitutional Statehouse maps. Republican Secretary of State Frank LaRose, the state's elections chief, told justices it's wrong to ask him or any other member of the Ohio Redistricting Commission to show cause for why they ignored the high court's May 25 order. The 4-3 decision accompanied the high court's fifth rejection of a plan for Ohio House and Senate district lines, and the second of that particular plan as an unconstitutional partisan gerrymander. LaRose noted that, two days later, a federal judicial panel imposed use of the same invalidated map and set a legislative primary election for Aug. 2. He said he swiftly ordered county boards of elections to proceed with that map and date. The first ballots for that election went out Friday to military and overseas voters. Those events removed any urgency for the commission to reconvene and draw the newly ordered maps, he contended. LaRose said he agreed with state Rep. Jeff LaRe, a fellow Republican commissioner, that now that a map is in place for the 2022 elections, it is not possible to draw a new General Assembly district plan until the results of the November elections are known. Democratic and voting rights groups that have been fighting and winning lawsuits over Ohio's new political maps for months want the commission held accountable. Drawing the maps was required to reflect updated population figures from the 2020 census, It is bad enough that the Commission has ignored an express order of this Court, but Petitioners respectfully submit that it is nothing less than shocking that the Commission has done so without even deigning to provide an excuse to this Court for its failure to comply with the Courts deadline, according to a June 7 filing asking justices to demand accountability from the commission. The panel took no action at all in response to the May 25 order, such as gathering commissioners for a discussion or scheduling a meeting. On Friday, the redistricting commission's two Democratic members, state Sen. Vernon Sykes and House Minority Leader Allison Russo, urged the court to impose a line that the Republican commissioners cannot cross. Without consequences for breaking the law, the majority Commissioners will not stop and will not give up their supermajority power, they wrote. They will continue to do what they want. A $4,000 grant from Landmarks Illinois to repair the roof of the Granite City Fire Museum is just part of a much larger plan to renovate the museum and the building next door to it. Landmarks Illinois has awarded $24,500 in matching funds to eight preservation projects across the state. A total of $16,000 was awarded to four projects through the Preservation Heritage Fund Grant Program. That includes the grant for the Granite City Fire Museum, which was built in 1904 and used as the citys first city hall, police station and firehouse. Ive lived here for 51 years, including 24 years with the police department, and I knew the museum existed, but I had never been in the building, Granite City Mayor Mike Parkinson said. Larry Zotti (unofficial curator of the museum) is a longtime friend of mine and he has been involved with it, so I got in touch with Larry, and I told him I wanted to see the building. The city owns the building, but I knew that Larry had maintained it for many years. I met Larry at the museum and Rick Daily (building and zoning administrator for Granite City) went with me. We toured the building and we saw that it was a gem that our residents should be able to enjoy. While touring the building, which is located at 1411 19th St., Parkinson and Daily realized that it needed a lot of work. Its such a historic building, not only for Madison County but also for the region as a whole, said Parkinson, who was an arson investigator for the police department. It required support to get the maintenance of it where it needed to be. Much to Larrys credit, he put in a lot of money out of his own pocket to keep this place going through the years. I reached out to Paula Hubbard (grant writer for Granite City) and she started looking for grants. The first one she came up with was from Landmarks Illinois. The building has a lot of sentimental value for Zotti, who has been a collector of firehouse memorabilia since he was a little boy. I drove by the building one day back in 1991 after I had just bought an old firetruck and I needed a place to put it, Zotti said. I talked to a gentleman who was an alderman and he said he would see what he could do, and thats how I ended up with the building. The city put some money into it to get it up to snuff and Ive been in there since 1992. The museum is a collection of old firetrucks and fire-related memorabilia, photos and gear. Over the last 30 years, Ive watched the building deteriorate in certain areas, plus some prior damage from the building next door with a mishap they had, Zotti said. There is a lot that needs to be done, but it was Granite Citys first city hall, police station and firehouse and it has a lot of historical value. It was horse house originally because the building was built prior to having motorized firetrucks. The police department was in the back side of it. Where the jail used to be, prisoners would climb up to the top bunk and they would scratch their names on the wall, and you can still see them there today. Once Parkinson realized there was a need for funding to repair the building, things moved quickly. Hubbard said that Zotti suggested applying for a grant from Landmarks Illinois. Hubbard noted that some bids are out for the repair of the roof at the Fire Museum. Brick facade works needs to be done on the exterior of the building and the older boiler system and HVAC system need to be replaced as well. Together Larry and I wrote the grant and at the same time, Rick Daily used a drone to take pictures of the exterior of the building, Hubbard said. Hubbard added that the city will be using other sources, including additional grants from Landmarks Illinois, to provide more funding for renovation of the two buildings. We will have to continue applying for funds from Landmark Illinois if we want them, Hubbard said. We are eligible for specific monies for this particular project. Its preservation work that they are interested in and there are some standards that we have to abide by. Were using whatever funds we can to make sure that the building is safe, Parkinson added. Water has caused a lot of damage to it, so were looking at replacing the whole roof on both buildings. Were utilizing grant money to do these projects. This isnt taking money from roads that need to be fixed or curbs that need to be repaired because were doing millions of dollars of that right now. The city offices moved out of the building in 1929, when the current city hall was built, and the entire building became a firehouse. The firehouse was in service until 1960, when a new station was built. In addition to the city hall, police station and firehouse, the building once housed the city council chamber and the city jail. Zottis pride and joy is a 1922 fire engine that Granite City bought brand new. I used to play on it when I was a little boy, said Zotti, who is 71. I was able to get it back in 1987 and my father and I restored it for four and a half years just before he passed away, and its sitting in the same spot right now in that engine house that it was when it was delivered in 1922. The building next door to the Fire Museum, meanwhile, is the former home of an Elks Lodge and a Moose Lodge and has been vacant in recent years. We took on the idea of this being a legitimate museum for people to enjoy and we saw the opportunity to buy the building next door to expand it, Parkinson said. We can have kids parties there and have an event space for kids. In the near future, well be looking for grant money for that and grant money to expand the firehouse into a multi-use facility. Wed like to add more memorabilia and perhaps include some police-related items as well. Wed like to rent it out for fire-themed birthday parties and hold civic events there. In doing research, Hubbard found two possible construction dates 1904 and 1908 for the building next to the Fire Museum. In either case, both buildings date from the same era, making them a good candidate for a joint renovation project. No other city administration until right now had taken an interest in working closely with Larry to restore the museum building, Hubbard said. Mayor Parkinson took the initiative to meet with Larry and he got excited about the potential of the building. We only had a week to complete the grant, but we were able to do it. No mayor took this project on because they didnt have the money or the wherewithal to bring in somebody like Paula who can go out and find money that the city taxpayers dont have to account for, Parkinson added. To not only see the value of what Larry has done through the years but also to bring someone like Paula into the project and into the city is what the citizens of Granite City need. Parkinson added that anyone in the community who is interested in working with the renovation of the two buildings should call City Hall at 618-452-6214. HONOLULU (AP) Hawaii Gov. David Ige on Thursday signed three bills supporting Hawaii's LGBTQ community. The legislation "will help us identify and address social and community issues more effectively and ensure that we can work to prevent discrimination in many areas of our society, Ige said at a signing ceremony. HB2405 prohibits health insurers from excluding medically necessary gender affirming treatments from coverage. It also requires insurers to provide clear information about their coverage of gender transition services. This bill is key to protecting people from discrimination in accessing gender affirming treatment, Ige said. SB2136 prohibits people from being excluded from juries because of their gender identity or expression. Our Constitution requires a jury of peers, and we believe that everyone in our community should be a participant in our system, Ige said. SB2670 establishes a state commission on the status of LGBTQ people in Hawaii. The governor said the commission will play a critical role in coordinating programs and creating public awareness on behalf of the LGBTQ community. The bill signings coincide with Pride Month, which is observed in every June to honor the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in New York City. In the aftermath of Stonewall, the LGBTQ community coalesced, organized and became more visible. BURLINGTON, Vt. (AP) Nurses at Vermont's largest hospital are calling on the University of Vermont Medical Center to do more to address increasing violence in the emergency department. According to the Vermont Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals, 98% of UVM Medical Center nurses reported being verbally assaulted, and 78% said theyve been physically assaulted in the last year, WCAX-TV reported. Our staff have endured strangulation, broken ribs, concussions, contusions, lacerations, permanent hearing loss, jaw fractures, broken noses, broken arms, broken cheekbones, bites, sexual assaults, said Amanda Young, a registered nurse in the emergency department, at a news conference on Thursday. Threats with weapons including knives, a hatchet and a chainsaw. Verbal threats to our lives, and threats to our loved ones lives. She said she's had more than one nurse tell her that they're not worried about getting COVID-19 on duty but come to work afraid that they'll be assaulted. It's a nationwide problem that Vermont is not immune to, said Mike Del Trecco, the interim president and CEO of the Vermont Association of Hospitals and Health Systems. Nurses want the hospital to boost security measures, including adding a working metal detector in the department, 24-hour security, better lighting outside and more, the television station reported. Stephen Leffler, UVM Medical Center president and CEO, said the hospital is working on tightening security but has had challenges. We are concerned about this; we are doing everything in our power to make it better, he said. If we had all the security that we needed, wed have presence down there. If we could hire an outside police force, we would have done it. PANAMA CITY (AP) A Panamanian judge acquitted 39 people in a money laundering case Thursday, including lawyers Jurgen Mossack and Ramon Fonseca, who were key figures in the Panama Papers case. Judge Baloisa Marquinez Moran ruled that the prosecution did not prove that the law firm Mossack Fonseca handled illicit funds from Brazil, or try to hide them. Mossack and Fonseca had faced charges of creating accounts in multiple countries that were used by the Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht. The two had been accused of money laundering for allegedly setting up offshore accounts for Odebrecht to move bribes. Fonseca has claimed they were the victims of scapegoating to hide who accepted bribes from Odebrecht. The Panama Papers included a collection of 11 million secret financial documents that illustrated how some of the worlds richest people hide their money. The records were leaked in 2016, and the repercussions were far-ranging, prompting the resignation of the prime minister of Iceland and bringing scrutiny to the leaders of Argentina and Ukraine, Chinese politicians and Russian President Vladimir Putin. U.S. federal prosecutors have alleged that the Mossack Fonseca firm conspired to circumvent American laws to maintain the wealth of its clients and conceal tax dollars owed to the IRS. They have alleged the scheme dated to 2000 and involved sham foundations and shell companies in Panama, Hong Kong and the British Virgin Islands. Fonseca has said the firm, which closed in 2018, had no control over how its clients might use offshore vehicles created for them. Both Mossack and Fonseca have Panamanian citizenship. ISSAQUAH, Wash. (AP) A jury has sided with two Issaquah police officers who were sued by the wife of a 66-year-old man who died after suffering a neck injury when he was detained by police investigating a 2018 domestic dispute. A unanimous jury in U.S. District Court in Seattle sided with officers Michael Lucht and Kylen Whittom after eight days of testimony and a single day of deliberations about the circumstances surrounding the death of Wangsheng Leng, the Seattle Times reported. WESTON, W.Va. (AP) A gunman who was fatally shot by police on an interstate highway in northern West Virginia after he wounded a sheriff's deputy has been identified as a Pennsylvania man, state police said. Matthew Brevosky, 38, of Grindstone, Pennsylvania, was killed by law enforcement Thursday on Interstate 79 near the Weston exit, said Capt. Robert A. Maddy, a state police spokesman. SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (AP) Crews were working Friday to restore electricity to more than 6,000 customers in Santa Cruz after a metallic balloon became tangled in power equipment. Mayra Tostado, a spokesperson with Pacific Gas & Electric, told the Santa Cruz Sentinel that crews were working diligently to turn the lights back on by this afternoon. The power went out around 9 a.m. Friday. RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) Juvenile offenders in North Carolina sentenced to long prison terms for deadly and violent crimes must be eligible for parole after 40 years behind bars, a sharply divided state Supreme Court ruled on Friday. In a pair of cases involving youths who committed murder, rape, or both, the four justices making up the court's Democratic majority agreed that sentences that required the offenders to serve 45 or 50 years before a possible release were the equivalents of having no chance at all. Such punishments for offenders under 18 violate provisions in the state and U.S. constitutions barring cruel and unusual punishment, the majority ruled in the cases involving the sentencing of James Ryan Kelliher and Riley Dawson Conner. In each matter, the sentences imposed would have made them at least 60 years old before becoming parole-eligible. Conner was 15 in 2016 when he raped his aunt in Columbus County, beat her to death with a shovel and put her body in a wooded area, according to court documents. Kelliher was 17 in 2001 when he took part in a Cumberland County robbery and the shooting deaths of a drug dealer and his pregnant girlfriend. Both Kelliher and Conner pleaded guilty to crimes and were sentenced. The crimes Kelliher committed and the pain he caused are irrevocable," and he can't replace what he took from the victims and their families, Associate Justice Anita Earls wrote in the majority opinion on Kelliher's sentencing. But he cannot be deprived the opportunity to demonstrate that he has become someone different than the person he was when he was 17 years old and at his worst. The courts three Republicans joined in scathing dissenting opinions, accusing their colleagues of judicial activism by setting parole application period minimums that should be left for the legislature to enact. The rulings also will prevent judges from sentencing a juvenile offender convicted of multiple counts to serve prison terms on each count consecutively should the minimum cumulative time behind bars exceed 40 years, the dissenting justices wrote. Kelliher, who pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree murder, would have to wait until age 67 to be eligible for parole since each came with 25-year minimum sentence that a trial judge ordered he serve one after the other. But the majority in Kelliher's case agreed the sentences must run simultaneously, meaning he could seek parole after 25 years or later this decade. The majoritys holding today sets dangerous criminal policy. It devalues human life by artificially capping sentences for offenders who commit multiple murders, Chief Justice Paul Newby wrote. What is 'cruel' in this case is not the punishment for the crimes but the tragic irreparable loss because of the murder of a young man and his pregnant girlfriend and the ongoing anguish of the victims families. Earls and Associate Justice Mike Morgan, who wrote the prevailing opinion in Conner's sentencing case, said they examined federal prison population data, life expectancy tables and other information before settling on 40 years. Morgan wrote the rule attempts to give an offender sufficient time to rehabilitate while giving the offender enough time for a meaningful post-prison life. The majority made clear that eligibility doesn't mean the offender will be automatically paroled. A judge had sentenced Conner to life in prison with the possibility of parole for his aunt's murder and from 20 to 29 years in prison for the rape. The sentences were to run consecutively, so Conner would have to have been incarcerated for 45 years until age 60 to seek parole. The rulings further refine a landmark 2012 U.S. Supreme Court decision that held mandatory life sentences without the possibility of parole for a juvenile defendant are unconstitutional. North Carolina legislators responded with sentencing changes. There remains a process that allows a judge to sentence someone convicted of first-degree murder and under 18 at the time of the offense to life in prison without parole if it's determined the youth can't be rehabilitated. Disability Rights North Carolina and North Carolina Advocates for Justice, a trial lawyers' association, were among groups that filed briefs in the cases urging that sentences until parole eligibility for young offenders be capped at 25 years. RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) The North Carolina Supreme Court reinstated a man's murder and robbery convictions in the death of his co-worker on Friday, reversing an appellate ruling that had declared the circumstantial evidence at trial was too weak for guilty verdicts. A divided panel of the state Court of Appeals last August had vacated the 2019 convictions of David Myron Dover in the 2016 stabbing death of 79-year-old Arthur Buddy Davis in Kannapolis. Dover and Davis worked at the same automobile sales store. Their boss found Davis in his home, stabbed more than a dozen times. Dover was sentenced to life in prison without parole. In a 5-2 ruling, the state's highest court said the trial judge had been right to deny Dover's motion to dismiss the case after prosecutors presented their evidence. According to court opinions, Dover had a substance abuse problem and had asked his girlfriend to look in a trash can near his house for about $3,000 in cash to help him post bail on a charge unrelated to Davis. Evidence from cellphone records also shows his phone was in the vicinity of Davis home, even as Dover told police initially he had been at home the night before Davis was found dead. Here substantial evidence supports the reasonable inference that defendant murdered the victim and took $3,000 from Davis, Chief Justice Paul Newby wrote in the majority opinion. The evidence also was sufficient to infer that Dover had gone to Davis' home that night, Newby wrote, and case law establishes that when an accused person makes conflicting statements about a crime, it may be considered a circumstance of someone possessed of a guilty conscience seeking to divert suspicion. Taken together, these facts show that defendant had the motive, opportunity and means to commit both the robbery with a dangerous weapon and the first-degree murder, Newby added. In a dissenting opinion, Associate Justice Robin Hudson wrote that prevailing justices misapplied our standard of review when testing the sufficiency of the evidence to support a conviction based on inference from circumstantial evidence. There's no evidence that can lead someone to infer reasonably that the $3,000 was actually money that Davis was supposed to give to his daughter, according to Hudson. She pointed out that the prosecution's own expert said that the cellphone data didn't prove that Dover was at Davis' home, and none of forensic evidence connected Dover to the crime. The evidence at most raises only a suspicion or conjecture that defendant was the perpetrator of the robbery and murder, Hudson wrote in her opinion, joined by Associate Justice Anita Earls. Dover, 59, has been serving his sentence at an Alexander County prison. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate GRAND ISLAND, Neb. (AP) Horse races are regularly held in only two spots in Nebraska, and the tracks in Grand Island and Columbus are usually pretty quiet apart from the rumble of thoroughbreds that stomp past the half-empty grandstands. Suddenly, though, communities throughout the state are clamoring to revive mothballed tracks and build new ones. Why the surge in interest in a sport that for decades has waned throughout the country? In a word, casinos. All of a sudden you have a bunch of communities who dont give a darn about horses saying, Hey, we love horses! said Pat Loontjer, director of the anti-casino group Gambling with the Good Life. Indeed, gambling can take a circuitous route when it finally breaks into a market from which it's been shut out. In Nebraska, to get gaming options they want, people are being given something they don't want more racing at a cost of untold millions. And many operators that provide casino games could be excluded from the action. Forty six states have either commercial or Native American casinos, generating more than $30 billion in annual revenue. But Nebraska has only five tiny tribal casinos in isolated areas, and gambling proponents have complained for years about all the tax revenue lost as Omaha-area gamblers pour across the Missouri River to gamble in neighboring Iowa. After repeated failures in the Nebraska Legislature, backers won approval in 2020 of ballot initiatives legalizing private gambling. But they added the quirk that casinos could only open at spots with state-sanctioned horse tracks. Suddenly, the hottest real estate in the state is at the six qualifying tracks, four of which now offer only one live race a year. Five other Nebraska cities also have pitched plans for new horse tracks. For an industry that for years has struggled to attract any interest, the sudden embrace of the sport has led to plenty of eye-rolling and more serious concerns about even finding enough jockeys, exercise riders and veterinarians to hold races, never mind whether spectators will actually show up. Nationally, the sport has been in decline for decades. The number of race days has fallen by almost 40% in the last 20 years. Omaha's once-popular Ak-Sar-Ben (Nebraska spelled backwards) racetrack closed in 1995. Given that, proposals for nearly a dozen tracks has annoyed even some racing supporters. They could have done this five years ago, but they had zero interest, said Lynne McNally, executive director of the Nebraska Horsemens Benevolent and Protective Association, which owns Omahas only licensed track. They couldnt care less about racing. So many groups have proposed tracks in Nebraska that legislators approved a moratorium on new developments until studies determine how many tracks could reasonably operate. Two proposals unveiled so far would each spend $220 million to update and improve a little-used track and add a casino and hotel. Lance Morgan, whose company Ho-Chunk Inc., spent $7.5 million to bankroll the initiative campaign, acknowledged the track requirement was included in part to fend off competitors. Ho-Chunk, a Nebraska-based offshoot of the Winnebago Tribe, cut a deal with the Nebraska Horsemens Benevolent and Protective Association, to share proceeds from a new casino opening at the association's licensed tracks in Omaha and Lincoln. Meanwhile, casino operators without tracks will be frozen out. If were going to spend that money" on the ballot initiative, we want to be the entity thats most likely to have casinos, said Morgan. Nebraska is one of just four states that have legally tied casinos to horse racing tracks, said Christopher Browne, a spokesman for the American Gaming Association. Other states attached different conditions, such as operating on riverboats, but most were eventually lifted. The Nebraska measure is enshrined in the state constitution so changes would be difficult. Some who raise and race horses in Nebraska said they hope casinos can bring larger crowds back to their sport. Without the casino gaming, I dont know if we could have survived much longer, said Garald Wally Wollesen, a racehorse owner. Chris Kotulak, the CEO of Fonner Park in Grand Island, said his track manages to hold 40 race days over four months by offering more minor league races with modest purses compared to those in other states. But Kotulak said hes worried there won't be enough workers if more tracks offer races. We dont have enough infrastructure right now, he said. To think that we can have half a dozen more race tracks, or even two more ... where are these people going to come from? Anything that helps the sport is OK with Jay Helzer, who sat by himself and watched the races on a chilly day recently in mostly empty bleachers at Fonner Park. Helzer, 76, said he supported the 2020 ballot measure. Its sure not going to hurt anything, Helzer said, gesturing to rows of open seats all around him. Here we are, a Friday afternoon, and theres hardly anybody here. ___ Follow Grant Schulte on Twitter: https://twitter.com/GrantSchulte LIMESTONE, Maine (AP) Maine is launching a new push to revitalize a former Air Force base in the northern part of the state. Loring Air Force Base in Limestone closed in the 1990s. It was redeveloped into Loring Commerce Centre. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate ISLAMABAD (AP) An international watchdog said Friday it will keep Pakistan on a so-called gray list of countries that do not take full measures to combat money laundering and terror financing but raised hopes that its removal would follow an upcoming visit to Islamabad to determine its progress. The announcement by Marcus Pleyer, the president of the Financial Action Task Force, was a blow to Pakistans newly elected government, which believes that it has mostly complied with the tasks set by the organization. Expectations had been high in Pakistan that the FATF would announce its removal from the list at Fridays meeting in Berlin. Instead, Pleyer said an inspection by the FATF in Pakistan would take place before October, and that a formal announcement on the country's removal would follow. He praised Islamabad for implementing the organizations action plans a clear indication that Pakistan is moving closer to getting off the gray list. Pakistan is not being removed from the gray list list today. The country will be removed from the list if it successfully passes the onsite visit, he said. Pakistans continued political commitment to combating both terrorist financing and money laundering has led to significant progress, the FATF said in a statement, adding that Pakistans necessary political commitment remains in place to sustain implementation and improvement in the future. Pakistans foreign ministry said the FATF reviewed Pakistans progress in countering terror financing during a four-day meeting this week and acknowledged the completion of its action plans. It said a visit to Pakistan was authorized as a final step toward exiting from the gray list. Pakistans Deputy Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar, who attended the meeting in Berlin, said she was convinced that the process for Pakistans removal from the list would begin later this year since Islamabad had fully complied with tasks set by the FATF in recent years. Also Friday, the FATF removed Malta from its gray list but added Gibraltar. Pleyer urged Gibraltar to take steps in the right direction, including focusing on the gatekeepers to the financial system. The watchdog also expressed concerns over the Russian invasion of Ukraine, offering its deepest sympathies for the people of Ukraine and saying it continues to deplore the huge loss of life and needless destruction caused by the ongoing Russian invasion. Because of the invasion, the organization said Friday it has decided to severely limit Moscows role and influence within the FATF, which Russia joined in 2003. It was not immediately clear what that step entailed. The Paris-based group added Pakistan in 2018 to the gray list, which is composed of countries with a high risk of money laundering and terrorism financing but which have formally committed to working with the task force to make changes. At the time, the south Asian country avoided being put on the organizations black list of countries that do not take adequate measures to halt money laundering and terror financing but also have not committed to working with the FATF. The designation severely restricts a countrys international borrowing capabilities. Then-Prime Minister Imran Khan, who came to power in 2018, had hoped Pakistan would be removed from the list while he was in office and often stressed his administrations effort toward that goal. He was ousted in April, in a no-confidence vote in Parliament that he claimed was a U.S. plot. Both Washington and Khans successor, Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, have denied the allegation. Hammad Azhar, a leader of Khans Tehreek-e-Insaf claimed in a tweet later Friday that Pakistans removal from the list was now only a formality, and credited Khans government for this. Pakistans powerful army chief, Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa, said Friday's development was a great achievement," adding that the military has dedicated a special taskforce to ensure the FATF's tasks are implemented. Still, being on the Paris-based international watchdogs gray list can scare away investors and creditors, hurting exports, output and consumption. It also can make global banks wary of doing business with a country. Pakistan, whose economy has steadily declined since 2018, has said that it continues to detain suspects involved in terror financing to comply with tasks set by the watchdog. A Pakistani-based independent think tank, Tabadlab, has estimated that it has cost the countrys economy $38 billion since it was put on the gray list. The FATF is made up of 37 member countries, including the United States, and two regional groups, the Gulf Cooperation Council and the European Commission. Currently, only Iran and North Korea are blacklisted. A 71-year-old man fatally shot three elderly people with a handgun during a potluck dinner at an Alabama church where he occasionally attended services, police said Friday. Church members at St. Stephens Episcopal Church in the Birmingham suburb of Vestavia Hills were spared further violence Thursday evening when one of them rushed the gunman, struck him with a chair and held him until police arrived, a former pastor said. "It was extremely critical in saving lives," police Capt. Shane Ware told a news conference. "The person that subdued the suspect, in my opinion, was a hero." The suspected shooter, Robert Findlay Smith, was an occasional attendee of the church, police said. Ware said another church member subdued Smith after the shooting until police could arrive and take him into custody. Smith was booked into the Jefferson County Jail Friday afternoon on capital murder charges. He is being held without bond. Authorities believe he acted alone and there is no threat to the community. Walter Rainey, 84, of nearby Irondale was killed at the church and Sarah Yeager, 75, of Pelham died after being taken to a hospital. An 84-year-old Hoover woman whose name hasn't been released was injured in the shooting but died Friday at the hospital. Police shared this update Friday afternoon: "It is with great sadness that the Vestavia Hills Police Department reports the passing of the third shooting victim from Saint Stephens Episcopal Church. An 84-year-old white female was transported, from the scene, to UAB hospital for treatment on the evening of June 16, 2022. The family of the victim asks that we do not release her name for reasons of privacy. Our thoughts and prayers continuously go out to the victims, their families and all who are affected by this tragic event." The event was a "Boomers Potluck" gathering inside the church, according to messages posted on the church's Facebook page by pastor the Rev. John Burruss. He said he was in Greece on a pilgrimage with a group of members and trying to get back to Alabama. Video: Vestavia Hills residents react to deadly church shooting: Police are still trying to determine the shooter's motive, Ware said. Vestavia Hills Mayor Ashley Curry told reporters his "close-knit, resilient, loving community" had been rocked by "this senseless act of violence." The bedroom community is one of the wealthiest cities in Alabama, home to many business people, doctors and lawyers who work in nearby Birmingham. Vestavia Hills is known for top-flight schools and a family-centered, suburban lifestyle. It has nearly 40,000 residents, most of whom are white. The Rev. Rebecca Bridges, the church's associate rector, led an online prayer service on the church's Facebook page Friday morning. She prayed not only for the victims and church members who witnessed the shooting, but also "for the person who perpetrated the shooting." "We pray that you will work in that person's heart," Bridges said. "And we pray that you will help us to forgive." Bridges, who is currently in London, alluded to other recent mass shootings as she prayed that elected officials in Washington and Alabama "will see what has happened at St. Stephens and Uvalde and Buffalo and in so many other places and their hearts will be changed, minds will be opened." "And that our culture will change and that our laws will change in ways that will protect all of us," she added. Video: Bishop of Alabama on deadly shooting at St. Stephen's Episcopal: There have been several high-profile shootings in May and June, starting with a racist attack on May 14 that killed 10 Black people at a supermarket in Buffalo, New York. The following week, a gunman massacred 19 children and two adults at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas. Thursday's shooting happened just over a month after one person was killed and five injured when a man opened fire on Taiwanese parishioners at a church in Southern California. It comes nearly seven years to the day after an avowed white supremacist killed nine people during Bible study at Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina. Agents with the FBI, U.S. Marshals Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco and Explosives joined investigators at the scene, which remained cordoned off Friday with yellow police tape as police vehicles with flashing lights blocked the route to the church. On Saturday, thousands of people rallied in the U.S. and at the National Mall in Washington, D.C., to renew calls for stricter gun control measures. Survivors of mass shootings and other incidents of gun violence lobbied legislators and testified on Capitol Hill earlier this month. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey issued a statement late Thursday lamenting what she called the shocking and tragic loss of life. Although she said she was glad to hear the suspect was in custody, she wrote: "This should never happen in a church, in a store, in the city or anywhere." SHREVEPORT, La. (AP) The forensic lab at Louisiana State University has identified decomposed remains found in the wreckage of a house that was being demolished in late March, the Caddo Parish Coroners Office said. DNA analysis identified Juanita Brewer, 57, of Shreveports Martin Luther King neighborhood, according to a news release Thursday. BOSTON (AP) A former Boston public school employee convicted of sexually abusing a child with developmental disabilities was sentenced Friday to more than a decade in state prison. Jose Melendez, 55, will serve no less than 12 years but no more than 15 years behind bars under the terms imposed by a Suffolk Superior Court judge in Boston. He must also register as a sex offender. MADRID (AP) Officials say some 9,000 hectares of wooded hill land in northwestern Spain have been burnt by a wildfire that forced the evacuation of more than 650 people from eight villages on Friday as much of Europe suffered an early heatwave. Officials said the blaze in the Sierra de Culebra mountain range in the province of Zamora started Wednesday during a dry electric storm. ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) It appears chances are dead for a special legislative session that could have brought billions of dollars in tax cuts and new spending in Minnesota. Democratic Gov. Tim Walz told reporters late Thursday that talks with Republican leaders had reached an impasse, leaving about $7.2 billion of an original $9.25 billion surplus unspent. About a week before the end of the regular session last month, Walz and top legislators announced an agreement on a plan to use $4 billion of the surplus over the next few years to cut taxes, $4 billion to increase spending in a number of areas and to save another $4 billion in case of an economic slowdown. Democratic House Speaker Melissa Hortman told reporters that Republican Senate Majority Leader Jeremy Miller told her the budget surplus deal was no longer in force now that the regular session was over. If Minnesotans think we need to have a special session to finish this work, if Minnesotans think we need to invest in schools and nursing homes and roads and bridges and pass these tax cuts, they need to let Senate Republicans know, Hortman said. Miller blamed Democrats for the impasse, saying they wanted too much in spending and that the two sides were millions of dollars apart on key budget and policy areas. Simply put, Governor Walz and the House Democrats have different spending priorities than Minnesotans, Miller said in a statement. After four months of session and four more weeks of discussions, the differences could not be resolved. Now that billions of dollars will remain unspent and taxes won't be cut, next years Legislature and whoever wins the governors race will decide how to use the money. Control of both chambers is up for grabs. Walz said he was open to restarting the conversation about a special session, but was not optimistic. NEW YORK (AP) Retailers and marketers have been quick to commemorate Juneteenth with an avalanche of merchandise from ice cream to T-shirts to party cups. But many are getting backlash on social media for what critics say undermines the day, designated as a federal holiday last year to honor the emancipation of enslaved African Americans. A search for Juneteenth items among online sellers like Amazon and J.C. Penney produced everything from toothpicks with pan-African flags to party plates and balloons. Walmart, the nation's largest retailer, apologized last month after getting slammed for a Juneteenth ice cream flavor swirled red velvet and cheesecake under its store label Great Value. Walmart said it's reviewing its product assortment and will remove items as appropriate." As of Friday, Walmarts site was still offering lots of T-shirts and party plates. Meanwhile, the Indianapolis Childrens Museum removed a Juneteenth watermelon salad from its menu and issued a mea culpa earlier this week. In a statement posted on its Facebook page, the museum blamed a lapse in vendor oversight, noting the label and salad were not reviewed by museum staff. We are an imperfect institution, but we are committed to improvement and will work tirelessly to regain your trust," the museum wrote on its Facebook page. The backlash comes as companies promised after the police killing of George Floyd in May of 2020 to no longer stay silent and vowed to take an active role in confronting and educating customers and employees on systemic racism. According to the preliminary results of a survey by Mercer of 200 employers, 33% are offering Juneteenth as a paid holiday to their staff. That's up from 9% last year in a survey of more than 400 companies conducted shortly before Juneteenth was declared a federal holiday. At the same time, many have cashed in on a holiday that Black Americans have observed since June 19, 1865, when Union Major General Gordon Granger proclaimed freedom for enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, in alignment with President Abraham Lincolns 1863 Emancipation Proclamation. Many experts believe that if retailers and other marketers plan to recognize the day, they should either sell merchandise from Black-owned businesses or invest in campaigns that would help Black communities. Amazon. for instance, does have a Black-owned business storefront that's live all year-round for customers who want to support and shop Black-owned businesses selling on the site. This is a serious and reflective moment I am excited and grateful for the recognition," said Ramon Manning, chairman of the board at Emancipation Park Conservancy, a nonprofit organization aimed to restore the park, which was purchased in 1872 by a group of former enslaved people to commemorate the anniversary of their emancipation. However, I feel like it is also brought back everybody else out of the woodwork who are opportunists more so than folks who are looking at the history of this country and looking at where a group of people have come from," he added. Manning, who is also founder and chairman of Ridgegate Capital, a private investment fund, further wondered: Who is this going to benefit?" Sheryl Daija, founder and CEO of Bridge, a group of marketing and diversity, equity and inclusion executives, noted there's a disconnect between the seriousness of the holiday and the merchandise on display. A lot of companies have good intentions, but unfortunately good intentions can go awry, and this is what we have seen," said Daija, who found Walmart's Juneteenth ice cream particularly egregious because it used the holiday moniker to brand a new ice cream flavor. Companies have a long history of commercializing holidays and other moments in order to cash in. Take Cinco de Mayo, which has become in the U.S a celebration of all things Mexican, with companies selling everything from beans to beer to sombrero hats. The holiday has spread from the American Southwest, even though most have no idea about its original ties to the U.S. Civil War, abolition and promotion of civil rights for Blacks. In fact, it's often mistaken for Mexican Independence day. Meanwhile, every October, retailers are awash in pink merchandise to celebrate Breast Cancer Awareness month, but critics say many make misleading claims about supporting cancer groups. And Memorial Day, a federal holiday day designated to mourn the U.S. military who have died while serving in the U.S. armed forces, has morphed into all-day mattress sales at stores. But what makes the move by companies to cash in on Juneteenth worse is that it comes as the U.S. remains fraught with racial tensions, said Darnise Martin, clinical associate professor of African American studies at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. It is weird to merchandise around it, but thats what America does," Martin said. _____ Follow Anne DInnocenzio: http://twitter.com/ADInnocenzio LOS ANGELES (AP) Trial has begun for a man on charges alleging he was responsible for a blast at a Southern California spa that killed an ex-girlfriend and injured two others when she opened a box rigged with an explosive. Stephen Beal, 63, appeared in Los Angeles federal court on Thursday to face charges in the May 15, 2018, death of 48-year-old Ildiko Krajnyak, Southern California News Group reported. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron won former President Donald Trump's endorsement Thursday evening in his 2023 bid for governor, offering a momentum boost given the ex-president's enduring popularity among Republican voters in the state. In a news release that Cameron tweeted from his own account, Trump said he has known Cameron since the beginning of the Kentuckian's meteoric rise, describing the first-term attorney general as absolutely outstanding in every way. At every level, Daniel has stood out, he will be a great governor of Kentucky, and has my complete and total endorsement, Trump said. Cameron tweeted his thanks to the former president soon after the endorsement. Trump's endorsement, made about 11 months before the GOP gubernatorial primary, comes as a member of his administration former United Nations Ambassador Kelly Craft has been touted as a potential GOP candidate for governor in Kentucky. Craft so far has not declared herself a candidate. Cameron is among several Republicans already vying for the GOP nomination to challenge Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear next year. Beshear has remained popular during a term overshadowed by the COVID-19 pandemic and the response to tornadoes in December that killed 81 people in Kentucky and left massive damage in several towns. He has clashed with the Republican-controlled legislature, but his record includes some of the biggest economic development successes in the state's history. In 2019, Beshear then the state's attorney general narrowly defeated Republican Gov. Matt Bevin, who also had Trump's support. In his endorsement, Trump described Cameron as a crime fighter who represents the absolute opposite of Defund the Police. Cameron, who is Black, drew national scrutiny for his handling of the probe into Breonna Taylors shooting death, a botched late-night drug raid of her Louisville, Kentucky, apartment in which no drugs were found. Her death and the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis sparked nationwide protests for racial justice. During a 2020 news conference to announce a grand jurys findings, Cameron said jurors agreed that homicide charges were not warranted against the officers, because they were fired upon. That prompted three of the jurors to come forward and dispute Camerons account, arguing that Camerons staffers limited their scope and did not give them an opportunity to consider homicide charges against the police in Taylors death. Last year, in an interview with The Associated Press, Cameron said those jurors can speak for themselves, but he said the grand jury ultimately decided the charges in the case. No officers were ever charged for their roles in her death. Cameron, who landed a prime time speaking slot at the 2020 Republican National Convention, has close ties to Kentucky's most powerful Republican, U.S. Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell, and once served as the senators legal counsel. INDIANAPOLIS (AP) The Marion County Coroners Office has released the names of two girls who died at hospitals after being pulled from a suburban Indianapolis retention pond. The girls were Rosia Mang, 13, and Paw Lin, 11, the coroners office said. KYIV, Ukraine (AP) The Ukrainian cabinet approved a resolution on Friday to bar Russian citizens from entering Ukraine without a visa. The move is likely to be viewed as symbolic given that the borders between Russian and Ukraine have remained shut since Moscow invaded its neighbor on Feb 24 and Kyiv severed diplomatic ties with Moscow. The visa requirement, which is set to take effect on July 1, nevertheless represents a significant change to the ease of travel previously permitted. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on social media Friday that the decision was motivated by unprecedented threats to the national security, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. Before Russia invaded Ukraine, Russians didn't need visas to enter the country. Many Russians have relatives across the border, while others traveled regularly to visit Ukraines southern beaches and historic cities. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said his ministry had advocated for making it harder for Russians to enter the country from the very beginning of the war Russia started, which was in its 17th week on Friday. The time has come for such a decision. This is a thoughtful step that will protect the national security of our state, Kuleba said in a statement. He said it was symbolic that the Cabinet's action coincided with the European Commission recommending giving Ukraine a path to EU membership. The direction of movement of our state is obvious, Kuleba said. ___ Follow AP's coverage of the Ukraine war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine WASHINGTON (AP) The U.S. imposed sanctions Friday on Nicaraguas state-owned gold mining company and the president of its board of directors in part over the Central American nation's ties to Russia. The sanctions were imposed against the Nicaraguan Mining Co., known by the Spanish-language acronym ENIMINAS, partly because the country's leaders are deepening their relationship with Russia as it wages war against Ukraine, while using gold revenue to continue to oppress the people of Nicaragua, the Treasury Department said. The actions are authorized under an existing executive order that targets the violent response by the Nicaraguan government to civil protests that began in April 2018, as well as the Daniel Ortega regimes use of violence against civilians and destabilization of Nicaraguas economy. The executive order was imposed during Donald Trump's presidency. High-ranking members of the Ortega-Murillo regime have benefitted greatly from Nicaraguas increase in gold exports in recent years, due in large part to the outsized role ENIMINAS has played in funneling profits to private sector partners and kickbacks to regime insiders, Treasury said in a statement, referencing Ortega's wife and vice president, Rosario Murillo. The Treasury Departments Office of Foreign Assets Control said Fridays sanctions stemmed from the threats that the company, known in Spanish as Empresa Nicaraguense de Minas, and its leadership pose to the security of the hemisphere. The sanctions mean that all property and interests in property that the firm and the president of its board of directors have that the U.S. has jurisdiction over, or are in possession by Americans, are blocked. The U.S. government also issued a general license that would allow Americans doing business with the company to wind down their transactions with it by July 18. In 2021, gold exports from Nicaragua to the United States increased by 30%, totaling more than $744 million, according to U.S. figures. Sanctions involving the gold trade were also imposed on Russia earlier this year, as the mineral can be swapped for a more liquid foreign exchange that is not subject to current sanctions. In March, the U.S. and its allies moved to block financial transactions with Russias Central Bank that involve gold, aiming to further restrict the countrys ability to use its international reserves because of President Vladimir Putins invasion of Ukraine. Putin has been building his gold stockpile since 2014. ABINGDON, Va. (AP) A Virginia hair and nail salon operator has pleaded guilty to charges stemming from a scheme in which she filed for pandemic unemployment assistance despite reopening her shop after an executive order was lifted, a federal prosecutor said. Mandi Dawn Hammond, 36, waived her right to be indicted and pleaded guilty this week to fraud in connection with a major disaster or emergency benefits program and mail fraud, said U.S. Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh in a news release. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate WASHINGTON (AP) A timeline of the Watergate scandal, from the crime to the fall of a president: June 17, 1972: Five men are arrested in a break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate hotel and office complex in Washington. June 20, 1972: President Richard Nixon and aide H.R. Haldeman discuss Watergate. Later, prosecutors find an 18-minute gap in tape of that conversation. Sept. 15, 1972: Seven men, including two former White House aides, are indicted in the Watergate break-in. Jan. 11-30, 1973: Five of the men plead guilty to conspiracy, burglary and wiretapping. Two stand trial and are convicted. April 30, 1973: Haldeman and Nixon aide John D. Ehrlichman resign. White House aide John Dean is fired. July 16, 1973: Testimony before the Senate Watergate Committee reveals that all of Nixons White House conversations were taped. July 24, 1973: The Supreme Court rules that Nixon must provide the tapes and documents subpoenaed by special Watergate prosecutor Archibald Cox. Oct. 20, 1973: Cox refuses to compromise on the tapes, and Nixon orders Attorney General Elliot Richardson to fire Cox. Richardson refuses and resigns in protest. Acting Attorney General Robert Bork fires Cox. This becomes known as the Saturday Night Massacre. July 24, 1974: The Supreme Court rules Nixon must hand over the tapes. July 27-30, 1974: The House Judiciary Committee approves three articles of impeachment: obstruction of justice, misuse of powers and violation of his oath of office, and failure to comply with House subpoenas. Aug. 5, 1974: The smoking gun tape becomes public. In the recording of a June 23, 1972, conversation, Nixon is heard approving a proposal from his chief of staff to press the FBI to drop its investigation of the Watergate break-in six days earlier. Republicans who had intended to support Nixon in an impeachment trial abandon him. Aug. 9, 1974: Nixon resigns. Sept. 8, 1974: President Gerald Ford pardons Nixon. WASHINGTON (AP) In an abrupt change of course, the White House is now declining to comment on the frequency of President Joe Biden's COVID-19 testing regimen, even as it maintains that it would inform the public if he were to ever test positive for the coronavirus. Since Inauguration Day, the White House had frequently answered questions from reporters about when Biden, 79, last tested negative for the virus. Now, the White House says its policy is not to answer those questions. Im telling you he has a regular cadence," White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Thursday, refusing to say what day he last tested negative. "I just dont have a date to share with you, but he does have a regular weekly cadence. Following Jean-Pierre's comments, deputy press secretary Chris Meagher tweeted Thursday that Our policy is not to readout every test POTUS has taken." Biden has often been tested more frequently, either because of close calls with people who have subsequently tested positive for COVID-19 or because of his travel schedule. And the White House had previously been more transparent about Biden's testing. To remain transparent with you and the American people, we wanted to share that the President tested negative for COVID-19 on Monday, then-White House press secretary Jen Psaki said last February. "We will venture to provide this update the following day in the future. As recently as May 4, Psaki told reporters that Biden tested negative the previous day. The new, more opaque approach comes as top White House officials have been matter-of-fact about the chances of the president getting COVID, a measure of how ingrained the virus has become in society and of its diminished threat for those who are up to date on their vaccinations and with access to treatments. Jean-Pierre said Thursday that the White House would inform the public if Biden were to test positive or if he were to be deemed a close contact of someone who tested positive. The White House uses the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention definition of a close contact," which is being in the presence of someone with known or suspected COVID-19 for more than 15 minutes, or within six feet of someone with the virus up to two days before they tested positive. The White House said Biden has never tested positive for COVID-19. WINSTED There were few speakers during a recent public hearing on proposed cannabis regulations in town, but the public will have another chance to speak for or against them later this month. Members of the Planning & Zoning Commission continued the hearing when they realized the regulation, which would create three areas of town where cannabis retail and/or manufacturing businesses could be located, hadnt been reviewed by town attorney Kevin Nelligan. The regulation would allow cannabis businesses in the town center, the gateway areas of North Main Street/Route 183 and Route 44, and the towns production and innovation zone that includes industrial and manufacturing buildings. The commission began a review of the draft regulation in April. The town center between East End Park to the east and the Beardsley & Memorial Library to the west is not included in the regulation, meaning no retail cannabis store could open in that area, home to entities including Nutmeg Pottery, Town Hall or Kent Pizza. According to the regulation, No building, structure or premises shall be used and no building structure shall be constructed, reconstructed, extended, moved or altered that is intended or designed to be used as a cannabis retail, hybrid retailer, or micro-cultivator estabishment ... if (it) is situated within 200 feet of a residential zone, school or daycare building, place of worship or playground. State lawmakers gave their final approval for the bill, An Act Concerning Responsible and Equitable Regulation of Adult-Use Cannabis, in June 2021, legalizing the sale and cultivation of marijuana for adults over 21. The legislation creates a structure for recreational marijuana markets and eliminates criminal convictions for certain marijuana-based offenses. Adults are allowed to have up to 1.5 ounces of marijuana with them and up to 5 ounces in a locked container in their home or cars glove compartment or trunk. In May, Hearst Connecticut Media reported that more than 15,000 license applications for cannabis-related businesses had been filed with the state Department of Consumer Protection. Some applicants are eligible for social equity, and must meet a variety of criteria including living in a disproportionately impacted area and having an average income over the last three years of no more than about $235,000. The impacted areas were determined based on past drug convictions and current unemployment rates. Equity and non-equity winners will be selected in separate state-run lotteries. The cannabis Social Equity Council will vet the winners from the equity lottery to ensure they meet all the criteria. The states existing 18 medical dispensaries can apply to become hybrid retailers, without having to go through the lottery. Some have criticized what they see as a loophole in the lottery process: theres no limit to the number of applications an individual can submit. Critics argue that undermines the intent of Connecticuts law to create a marketplace that is equitable. The non-refundable application fees for retailers are $250 for equity applicants and $500 for non-equity applicants. Some applicants likely submitted hundreds of applications each, in some cases duplicate submissions, to increase their chances of getting selected. Gallman said he and his partners only submitted one application. Andrea Comer, chairwoman of the social equity council and deputy commissioner at the state Department of Consumer Protection, said in an interview on WNPRs Where We Live this week that between 15 and 20 applicants put in multiple submissions. On the one hand, we have robust applications, Comer said. On the other hand, the question is will there be dominance among certain applicants in terms of the number of applications they submitted. The state plans to hold mulitple lotteries and DCP cant issue a license to an applicant that already has two licenses of the same type or in the same license category. Winsted, like other towns and cities across the state, is writing zoning regulations and ordinances to establish its own rules for the retail and wholesale sale of cannabis, as well as public use of cannabis, which designates areas where it cannot be smoked. In Torrington, the regulation addresses all smoking activities, including tobacco, vaping and cannabis. Bryan Sundie was the lone speaker at the PCZ hearing this week. He is against cannabis businesses being allowed and asked about locations. I remain concerned about it, particularly in the downtown area, he said. The Board of Selectmen has recommended that we exclude the businesses being allowed, from East End Park to the (library) on the west end, so that whole center area has been excluded, Chairman George Closson said. At that point, Zoning Officer Pam Colombie said the regulation still needed a legal review. I thought you were going to carry this for two public hearings, she said. If you want (a review) you should continue the hearing ... in case theres some problem with it. Otherwise, procedurally, we might have to do (the hearings over) again. The next public hearing will be held June 27. JACKSON, Miss. (AP) A man accused of beating his mother to death with a hammer has been arrested. Sam Brown, a spokesperson for the Jackson Police Department, said it happened Wednesday at a home in Mississippi's capital city. WFO BOSTON Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Friday, June 17, 2022 _____ SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING Severe Weather Statement National Weather Service Boston/Norton MA 302 PM EDT Fri Jun 17 2022 ...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR SOUTHEASTERN WINDHAM COUNTY IS CANCELLED... The severe thunderstorm which prompted the warning has moved out of the warned area. Therefore, the warning has been cancelled. The National Weather Service in Upton NY has issued a * Severe Thunderstorm Warning for... Northern New London County in southern Connecticut... * Until 345 PM EDT. * At 301 PM EDT, severe thunderstorms were located along a line extending from near West Greenwich to near Ledyard Center, moving east at 25 mph. HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts and quarter size hail. SOURCE...Radar indicated. IMPACT...Minor hail damage to vehicles is possible. Expect wind damage to trees and power lines. * Locations impacted include... Jewett City, Norwich, Colchester, Salem, Ledyard, Griswold, Lebanon, Preston, Lisbon, Sprague, Bozrah, Voluntown, Ledyard Center, Montville and North Stonington. 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 these storms. Move indoors immediately. Lightning is one of nature's leading killers. Remember, if you can hear thunder, you are close enough to be struck by lightning. Torrential rainfall is occurring with these storms, and may lead to flash flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways. _____ Copyright 2022 AccuWeather WFO NEW YORK CITY Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Friday, June 17, 2022 _____ SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT Special Weather Statement National Weather Service New York NY 1256 PM EDT Fri Jun 17 2022 ...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of southern Fairfield and southern Westchester Counties through 145 PM EDT... At 1256 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm over Tarrytown, moving east at 60 mph. HAZARD...Winds in excess of 30 mph and pea size hail. SOURCE...Radar indicated. IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around unsecured objects. Minor damage to outdoor objects is possible. Locations impacted include... Stamford, Norwalk, White Plains, Port Chester, New Canaan, Rye, Tarrytown, Dobbs Ferry, Nyack, Greenwich, Harrison, Darien, Scarsdale, Bronxville and Hawthorne. 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 4096 7391 4100 7389 4102 7395 4114 7391 4114 7337 4100 7358 4100 7359 4097 7363 4097 7365 4091 7372 TIME...MOT...LOC 1656Z 271DEG 54KT 4105 7382 MAX HAIL SIZE...0.25 IN MAX WIND GUST...30 MPH _____ Copyright 2022 AccuWeather WFO BINGHAMTON Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Thursday, June 16, 2022 _____ SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING Severe Weather Statement National Weather Service Binghamton NY 520 PM EDT Thu Jun 16 2022 ...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 545 PM EDT FOR NORTHWESTERN SENECA...NORTHWESTERN MADISON...NORTHWESTERN CAYUGA AND CENTRAL ONONDAGA COUNTIES... At 520 PM EDT, severe thunderstorms were located along a line extending from Cayuga to near Kirkville, moving east at 15 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... Onondaga, Syracuse, Auburn, De Witt, Van Buren, North Syracuse, Seneca Falls, Solvay, Waterloo and Chittenango. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 1100 PM EDT for central New York. For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building. To report severe weather contact your nearest law enforcement agency. They will send your report to the National Weather Service office in Binghamton. _____ Copyright 2022 AccuWeather WFO BINGHAMTON Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Thursday, June 16, 2022 _____ SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING The National Weather Service in Binghamton has issued a * Severe Thunderstorm Warning for... Southeastern Oneida County in central New York... * Until 700 PM EDT. * At 630 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm was located near Clinton, or 8 miles southwest of New Hartford, moving east at 30 mph. HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts and penny size hail. SOURCE...Radar indicated. IMPACT...Expect damage to roofs, siding, and trees. * Locations impacted include... Utica, Kirkland, Westmoreland, Paris, Deerfield, Whitesboro, New York Mills, Sherrill, Yorkville and Augusta. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 1100 PM EDT for central New York. A Tornado Watch remains in effect for the warned area. Tornadoes can develop quickly from severe thunderstorms. Although a tornado is not immediately likely, if one is spotted, act quickly and move to a place of safety inside a sturdy structure such as a basement or small interior room. For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building. ...FLOOD ADVISORY IS CANCELLED... The Flood Advisory is cancelled for a portion of central New York, including the following county, Onondaga. The heavy rain has ended. Flooding is no longer expected to pose a threat. Please continue to heed remaining road closures. _____ Copyright 2022 AccuWeather WFO BURLINGTON Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Thursday, June 16, 2022 _____ SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING The National Weather Service in Burlington has issued a * Severe Thunderstorm Warning for... Northern Clinton County in northern New York... Eastern Franklin County in northern New York... Northern Grand Isle County in northwestern Vermont... Northwestern Franklin County in northwestern Vermont... * Until 730 PM EDT. * At 628 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm was located over Cannon Corners, moving east at 30 mph. HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts and quarter size hail. SOURCE...Radar indicated. IMPACT...Minor hail damage to vehicles is possible. Expect wind damage to trees and powerlines. * Locations impacted include... Chazy, Mooers, Altona, Alburgh Village, Ellenburg Depot, Champlain, St. Albans City, Swanton, St. Albans Town, South Alburgh, Alburgh, Alburgh Dunes State Park, North Hero, Swanton Village, Highgate Falls, Isle La Motte, Rouses Point, Highgate, Fairfield and Sheldon. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 1100 PM EDT for northern New York. 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. If on or near Lake Champlain, get away from the water and move indoors or inside a vehicle. Remember, lightning can strike out to 15 miles from the parent thunderstorm. If you can hear thunder, you are close enough to be struck by lightning. Move to safe shelter now! Do not be caught on the water in a thunderstorm. ...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR NORTHEASTERN WAYNE AND CAYUGA COUNTIES IS CANCELLED... The severe thunderstorm which prompted the warning has moved out of the warned area. Therefore, the warning has been cancelled. A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 1100 PM EDT for central New ...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 700 PM EDT FOR SOUTHWESTERN JEFFERSON...SOUTHWESTERN LEWIS AND OSWEGO COUNTIES... At 629 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm was located 7 miles southeast of Mexico Point State Park, or 14 miles south of Sandy Island Beach State Park, moving east at 40 mph. HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts and quarter size hail. SOURCE...Radar indicated. IMPACT...Minor damage to vehicles is possible. Expect wind damage to trees and power lines. Locations impacted include... Oswego, Fulton, Sandy Island Beach State Park, Pulaski, Central Square, Adams, Redfield, Selkirk Shores State Park, Mexico Point State Park and Adams Center. This includes Interstate 81 between exits 32 and 42. _____ Copyright 2022 AccuWeather WFO NEW YORK CITY Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Friday, June 17, 2022 _____ SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING The National Weather Service in Upton NY has issued a * Severe Thunderstorm Warning for... Central Suffolk County in southeastern New York... * Until 245 PM EDT. * At 153 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm was located over Mount Sinai, or over Port Jefferson, moving southeast at 40 mph. HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts and quarter size hail. SOURCE...Radar indicated. IMPACT...Minor hail damage to vehicles is possible. Expect wind damage to trees and power lines. * This severe thunderstorm will be near... Rocky Point around 200 PM EDT. Middle Island and Wading River around 205 PM EDT. Brookhaven National Laboratory around 210 PM EDT. Shirley and Manorville around 215 PM EDT. Center Moriches around 220 PM EDT. Westhampton around 225 PM EDT. 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. _____ Copyright 2022 AccuWeather Page Content Colorado recently expanded whistleblower protections at the state law level, and employers need to make sure their health and safety protocols are fully compliant if they want to avoid costly litigation. Under the new law signed by Gov. Jared Polis on May 31, both employees and independent contractors may now file a complaint with the Colorado Department of Labor & Employment (CDLE) if they have a reasonable, good faith belief that that their employer is committing a workplace violation of a government health or safety rule or a significant workplace health or safety threat. The law, which went into effect immediately, expands Colorado's Public Health Emergency Whistleblower (PHEW) law into broad new territories. What do you need to know about this new law, and what should you to do to prepare? Summary of Key Elements The PHEW law was initially enacted in 2020, permitting employees to raise workplace health or safety concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic to the CDLE. Now the law has been expanded to include any violation of a health or safety rule, regulation, or other significant health or safety threat. Employers with at least five independent contractors or workers are subject to the expanded PHEW law. The new law does not obligate employers to address a worker's health or safety concern. But businesses cannot fire or take other adverse action against the worker for raising such a concern, as long as the concern was reasonable and in good faith. The law permits workers to voluntarily wear their own PPE, as long as they are still able to perform their job duties safely. Costly Whistleblower Complaints The recently enacted PHEW law permits whistleblowers to file complaints with the CDLE and then ultimately in state court. Whistleblowers also have a host of federal laws that they can file under with the U.S. Department of Labor. Under Section 105(c) of the Mine Act, miners who believe they have been discharged or otherwise discriminated against in retaliation for voicing health or safety concerns may file a complaint with the U.S. Secretary of Labor. Under Section 11(c) of the OSH Act, employees at an OSHA-covered worksite who believe they have been discharged or otherwise discriminated against can file a similar safety and health complaint. If an employee believes that there are multiple reasons for their discipline or termination, they may also file with the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission or local state discrimination agency. These complaints do not typically involve safety concerns, but allege that in addition to safety, the employee's discipline or termination was due to their race, gender, or religion. Whistleblower complaints can be costly and time-consuming for a company. They typically involve many managers or front-line personnel and can raise a multitude of specific incidents, requiring many witnesses to refute or defend against. An employee may raise the same incidents or other incidents involving the same witnesses in multiple complaints filed with various state or federal agencies. An employer may have to defend themselves in front of multiple agencies at the same time, filing multiple position papers and subjecting the same witnesses to various interviews covering similar topics. What Employers Can Do to Prepare No employer is immune from a whistleblower complaint. Disgruntled employees can use the various administrative processes to try and force a settlement payment. Employers can defend against these types of complaints by thoroughly documenting the basis for a disciplinary decision or termination decision. Being able to illustrate consistency with other employee decisions, and that any decision was unrelated to an employee's prior safety complaint, will be critical in establishing a defense to any complaint. Furthermore, there are multiple efficiencies with having one firm handle both your whistleblower and discrimination cases. The documents have been pulled, witnesses interviewed, and defenses developed. This approach helps maintain consistency and avoid duplication of effort. Perhaps most importantly, any inconsistencies in the employee's arguments are quickly discovered and can be used in both administrative proceedings. Kristin R.B. White is an attorney with Fisher Phillips in Denver. 2022 Fisher Phillips. All rights reserved. Reposted with permission. Page Content As part of the end-of-session rush of legislative activity, New York State lawmakers passed a bill that will require private-sector employers in the state to disclose salary ranges on job postings. The bill now heads to Gov. Kathy Hochul for her signature or veto. If enacted, which is expected, New York will be the latest state to jump on the hottest trend in pay equity legislation. Here is what employers to know about the legislation which potentially has nationwide reach. What the Law Entails New York's salary transparency law mandates that employers disclose the compensation or range of compensation in any advertisement for a job, promotion, or transfer opportunity. The "range of compensation" means the minimum and maximum annual salary or hourly rate that the employer in good faith believes to be accurate at the time of the job posting. For positions compensated solely on a commission basis, employers can comply with the law by including a general statement that compensation will be based on commissions. In addition to salary disclosure, employers must also provide the job description for the position, if one exists. The statute applies to employers with four or more employees, so it excludes only the smallest employers from compliance. Temporary help firms are also excluded from compliance. Employers are required to keep records that show a history of compensation ranges for each job opportunity and the job description for the position. Importantly, the statute expressly applies to any jobs that can or will be performed, at least in part, in the state of New York. This means the statute applies to all listings for remote positions that can be performed wherever the employee resides because the position could be filled by an applicant who lives in New York, who would thus work remotely in the state. Accordingly, the statute has reach beyond employers with a physical presence in the state. Employers who fail to comply with the statute face civil penalties of up to $3,000, depending on employer size, good faith, gravity of the violation, and history of previous violations. Any person aggrieved by a violation of the statute can file a complaint with the New York labor commissioner, but there is no private right of action for an employee to file a lawsuit against the employer. Employers are, however, expressly prohibited from refusing to interview or hire or otherwise retaliating against any applicant or employee who exercises rights under the statute. The statute directs the labor commissioner to issue rules and regulations to implement the statute and to conduct a public awareness campaign to help make employers aware of their obligations. Pay Transparency Trend Continues All employers must have pay transparency at top of mind, as this continues to be the hottest trend in pay equity legislation. Colorado, Washington, and New York City have all enacted similar pay transparency laws requiring disclosure of salary in job postings. Some jurisdictions, like Connecticut, Nevada, and Rhode Island, require employers to proactively disclose salary ranges to candidates during the hiring process, but not in job listings, while others require employers to provide pay ranges to candidates upon request, such as California, Maryland, Cincinnati and Toledo, Ohio. We expect additional states and cities to consider similar pay transparency laws in the coming months. California, for example, has a pending bill that would require employers to provide the pay scale for a position to applicants, and some form of pay transparency laws have been proposed in Alaska, Massachusetts, Michigan, South Carolina, and Vermont. Five Steps to Take Now to Comply The New York law will take effect 270 days after signed by Gov. Hochul, assuming she signs it. So the effective date may be sometime in March 2023, depending on the date of signature. You should use this time to prepare to comply with the law. Here are five steps you should consider: Assess your policies for determining salaries and make adjustments where necessary. Determine and document pay ranges for all positions. Review existing job posting templates or create new templates, including internal listings for promotion and transfer opportunities, and ensure they incorporate job descriptions for the roles. Train supervisors and managers, as well as compliance and human resource staff, on the implications of the disclosure obligation and take steps to ensure that recruiters are prepared to comply with the impending law. Develop a process to consistently publish the expected wage range in connection with internal and external job postings. Consider conducting a pay equity audit to make sure there are no significant discrepancies that may be revealed once you are required to post salaries on new job listings. At best, such disparities could lead to discontent and employee attrition. At worst, they could lead to a pay equity lawsuit, if pay differentials appear to be based on a protected characteristic, such as gender or race. Melissa Camire is an attorney with Fisher Phillips in New York. 2022 Fisher Phillips. All rights reserved. Reposted with permission. Page Content Currently in Ohio, in order to obtain a concealed handgun license, which is valid for five years, an Ohio resident must submit an application to the county sheriff, pay an initial $67 fee, pass a background check, and meet the minimum educational requirements, which include completing eight hours of training (at least two of which must be in-person training) and passing a written test. Effective June 13, Ohio Senate Bill No. 215, which Governor Mike DeWine has already signed into law, will permit a qualifying adult to legally carry, possess, or conceal a handgun without a license, background check, or training requirements. A qualifying adult means a person who is 21 or older, not legally prohibited from possessing or receiving a firearm under federal law or state law, and satisfies various criteria listed in Ohio Revised Code (R.C.) 2923.125. In general, the new law still permits employers to establish, maintain, and enforce policies prohibiting individuals from carrying handguns or firearms in company buildings or within company vehicles. Furthermore, it states that private employers are "immune from liability in a civil action for any injury, death, or loss to person or property that allegedly was caused by or related to a [person] bringing a handgun onto the premises or property of the private employer, including motor vehicles owned by the private employer, unless the private employer acted with malicious purpose." Transporting and Storing Employers may be interested to learn that S.B. 215 does not mention R.C. 2923.1210, which prohibits employers from establishing, maintaining, or enforcing rules that restrict any individual with a valid concealed handgun license from transporting or storing a firearm or ammunition. That applies if each firearm and all of the ammunition remains inside the person's privately owned motor vehicle while the person is physically present inside the motor vehicle, or is locked in the trunk, glove box, or other enclosed compartment or container in or on the person's privately owned motor vehicle; and the vehicle is in a location where it is otherwise permitted to be." R.C. 2923.1210(C) also grants certain employers immunity from liability as set forth below: "No business entity, property owner, or public or private employer shall be held liable in any civil action for damages, injuries, or death resulting from or arising out of another person's actions involving a firearm or ammunition transported or stored pursuant to division (A) of this section, including the theft of a firearm from an employee's or invitee's automobile, unless the business entity, property owner, or public or private employer intentionally solicited or procured the other person's injurious actions." Need to Revise Handbooks Under Ohio's new law, because all qualifying adults have all the same rights that are granted to individuals who have been issued concealed handgun licenses, employers will not be permitted to enforce rules prohibiting individuals, including those without concealed handgun licenses, from transporting or storing firearms or ammunition. Employers may want to consider reviewing and revising their employee handbooks or applicable policies to ensure compliance with this new law. Amanda T. Quan is an attorney with Ogletree Deakins in Cleveland. 2022 Ogletree Deakins. All rights reserved. Reposted with permission. At 2,55,453 tonne in May 2022 compared to 2,28,319 tonne in May 2021, the export of oil meals for May 2022 has provisionally reported a hike of 12 per cent even as its overall export during April-May 2022 was reported at 5,89,425 tonne compared to 532,024 tonne that is, a hike by 11 per cent. According to the data compiled by the Solvent Extractors' Association (SEA) of India, there has been a jump in the rapeseed meal export by nearly 45 per cent. "First two months of the current year (2022-23), export of rapeseed meal has shown a sharp jump and reported at 3,98,355 tonne compared to 2,74,692 tonne i.e., up by 45 per cent," the data said. As of now, India is the most competitive supplier of rapeseed meal to South Korea, Vietnam, Thailand and other far-east countries. "However, in the case of soybean meal, the export is at the lowest level as India is out priced in the international market. Current price of soybean meal free on board (FOB) Kandla is quoted at $720, while soybean meal Argentina CIF Rotterdam is quoted at $532 and Brazil at $525," said SEA Executive Director B.V. Mehta. Export of rice bran extraction is down, however, the export of castor meal has marginally improved as compared to May 2021. Data also showed that during April till May 2022, South Korea imported 2,16,739 tonne of oil meals (compared to 1,79,115 tonne in 2021); consisting of 1,83,325 tonne of rapeseed meal; 27,084 tonne of castor seed meal, and 6,330 tonne of soybean meal. Vietnam imported 1,25,597 tonne of oil meals (compared to 85,636 tonne in 2021); consisting of 64,902 tonne of rice bran; 59,558 tonne of rapeseed meal; 821 tonne of soybean meal, and 316 tonne of groundnut meal. Thailand imported 61,539 tonne of oil meals (compared to 64,788 tonne); consisting of 61,215 tonne of rapeseed meal and 324 tonne of soybean meal. Bangladesh is sourcing rapeseed meal and rice bran extraction from India and imported 70,574 tonne of oil meals (compared to 74,066 tonne), consisting of 13,470 tonne of rice bran extractions and 57,104 tonne of rapeseed meal. Taiwan imported 27,089 tonne of oil meals (compared to 14,167 tonne); consisting of 23,594 tonne of castor seed meal; 2,947 tonne of rapeseed meal; 299 tonne of groundnut meal and 249 tonne of soybean meal, the SEA data showed. Giving a port-wise export of oil meals' break up for April-May 2022, the SEA data said the export from Kandla was reported at 1,99,377 tonne (34 per cent), followed by Mundra 1,70,923 tonne (29 per cent), Mumbai, including Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust, handled 36,535 tonne (6 per cent), Kolkata 63,266 tonne (11 per cent) while other ports handled 1,19,324 tonne (20 per cent). 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! Melissa Leong is having none of that business about how youre supposed to downplay the significance of a Gold Logie nomination. Its potentially a big deal, the MasterChef judge says of the fact she has a shot at becoming the first woman of Asian background to win Australian televisions biggest popularity contest. People go, Oh, its just the Logies, but its a mirror being held up: Who are we watching? What stories are we watching and experiencing through the course of the past year? Melissa Leong photographed at her stylists South Yarra apartment. Credit:Scott McNaughton This being the first Logies since Tom Gleeson stunned everyone with his irony-fuelled win in 2019, you can make that the past three years. And that just happens to be the span over which Leong has gone from a freelance food journalist to one of the most recognisable faces on Australian television and one of its most distinctive. The fact I am the only person of colour in the Gold nomination is surprising to me, she says when we meet in her stylists office, a tiny apartment in South Yarra thats absolutely packed with racks of clothes and shelves piled high with shoes. The fact Waleed Aly is the only person of colour who has won a Gold Logie so far saddens me. It shocks me that Deborah Mailman doesnt have a Gold Logie. So it does weigh a bit more for me. Le fled South Vietnam when she was aged seven alongside her mother and two younger sisters. Hoping to make it to freedom in the United States, they lived in refugee camps in the Philippines and Hong Kong where Le worked in a factory to help the family survive. Resettled in Australia under the Fraser governments generous refugee policy, they found a home in Bossley Park in Sydneys west. Les father intended to join them, but never made it out of Vietnam. We had one suitcase of clothes nothing more, Le says. We literally ran out of our house and ran for our life. Its hard for people to imagine who havent been through it. Dai Le aged four in Vietnam. Her family left their homeland with just one suitcase of clothes. Credit:Fairfax After attending schools in Wollongong and western Sydney, Le tried out science and law at university but felt directionless in life. I was lost, she recalls of her early adulthood. That changed when she got talking to a reporter from The Liverpool City Champion, a local newspaper, who encouraged her to apply for a cadetship. He said, Youve got this effervescent personality, you like to talk, I think youd be great at getting people to tell their stories especially multicultural communities. She won a cadetship and later began working at the ABC as a producer and documentary maker on programs such as Foreign Correspondent, Lateline and The World Today. She was just one of a handful of non-white journalists working as a journalist at the public broadcaster. At the time, Cabramatta, where Le grew up, was notorious as the heroin capital of Australia. The media was full of stories of young children overdosing in the streets. Our community was so demonised, she recalls. But she didnt vocalise her anger. As a reporter, I was told to gather the facts, not to have an opinion. I didnt put my feelings, my emotions into the story. Le eventually realised she didnt just want to report on her local community, she wanted to advocate for it. So, she decided to enter politics, running as the Liberal candidate for Cabramatta at a 2008 NSW byelection. The centre-right of politics, she says, seemed the logical place for her. My understanding growing up here was that the Liberal Party represented individualism, freedom of speech, the right to determine your own future. We escaped communism where we couldnt express ourselves. I thought thats what I was about. Reporting on her community was not enough for Dai Le, who swapped journalism for politics. Credit:Dean Sewell Le slashed Labors margin at the byelection and slashed it again at the 2011 state election, turning Cabramatta into a marginal seat. As the Heralds Alexandra Smith recently reported, efforts by former NSW Premier Mike Baird to preselect her for the state upper house floundered because of factional infighting. In 2016, she was suspended from the party for 10 years for teaming up with Fairfield Mayor Frank Carbone on an independent ticket. When Labor announced Keneally as its candidate for Fowler in September, Le and Carbone sniffed a political opportunity. Keneally had been living on exclusive Scotland Island, over 50 kilometres away, and locals were angry about having an outsider foisted upon them. The question was: which of them would run Carbone or Le, his deputy? Le says she would have happily sat the contest out if Carbone had wanted to go up against Keneally. It took Frank a long time to make up his mind. I would have supported him as long as a local was running for the seat. Independent MP Dai Le campaigning in the lead up to election day. Credit:Nick Moir In her only interview since conceding defeat, Keneally, said anger over COVID-19 lockdowns in southwest Sydney was the main factor in her defeat not the fact she was parachuted into the seat from the northern beaches. Those harsh lockdowns engendered an understandable sense of parochialism that the community had been left behind by both major political parties, the former NSW premier told The Sun-Herald. Going local: The bill from Pho 54. Credit:Matthew Knott And I genuinely believe that whether the Labor Party ran me or anyone else in Fowler, they would have encountered the same set of challenges. Le says anger over lockdowns did create a volatile climate in Fowler, but says the parachute backlash was also crucial. If Kristina or the Labor Party did not see the other factors then they were really blind, she says. People had seen me out doing things over the community for the past decade. If youve been parachuted in especially from an area that is so the opposite to a community like Fowler you would have no understanding of why people voted the way they did. In the days following her victory, Le faced questions about her eligibility to sit in parliament under section 44 of the constitution after it was revealed she said she had never been a subject of another country on her candidate declaration form. Le insists she has followed all the necessary steps to ensure she is not a dual citizen but bristles at requests to provide evidence. Ive done everything thats required. Im just not giving people the paperwork they want. According to my lawyer, I dont have to. Finishing off her final spoonfuls of pho, Le says her big priorities are securing more federal funding for Fairfield hospital and the creation of a rehabilitation centre for her local community. I have always believed that an individuals sexuality is their own business and should be of interest only if there is a reasonable prospect that you might have occasion to proposition that individual for sex. Which is why I am disappointed when someones sexuality becomes news. And more so in the past week when it became clear Rebel Wilson had cause to fear her sexuality might be revealed by this masthead without her permission. Rebel Wilson with girlfriend Ramona Agruma. Credit:Instagram But it also made me wonder about the many other private revelations which are still tolerated, even celebrated, despite dubious public interest. In the late 1980s and early 90s, outing was in vogue. Activists, believing themselves to be crusaders on behalf of the gay community, dragged prominent gay people out of the closet. Armistead Maupin, author of the iconic and groundbreaking Tales of the City about gay culture in San Fransisco, defended outing as a means of lifting the stigma of homosexuality, by being matter-of-fact about it. Maupin publicly outed his friend and erstwhile lover, the actor Rock Hudson, after Hudson had appeared emaciated on a talk show. The actor was succumbing to AIDS at a time when the disease was a death sentence, so in a sense, it was a double outing. An old boys representative on The Kings School board has quit over plans to fly the headmaster, his deputy and their wives first class to the worlds most prestigious rowing event, the Henley Royal Regatta, to rub shoulders with the heads of Britains top schools. The schools first VIII is competing in the Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup for the third time since 2001, when it became one of only three Australian crews ever to win a race historically dominated by Eton College, the alma mater of princes and British prime ministers. The Kings School in North Parramatta. Credit:Wolter Peeters Multiple sources told the Herald the expenses were signed off by the schools chair Rosemary Abrahams, the former deputy head of Abbotsleigh School. One estimate put the cost of flights and accommodation at $45,000, although the school did not confirm the figure. However, some members of council were concerned that the expenses had not been put before the whole council for approval, the sources said. The Herald has confirmed that one council member, a representative of the old boys on council, resigned over the issue. Kean knows his stuff and has done more than most to advocate for more renewable energy in the system, but there are serious questions over how the states and Canberra have managed the transition to ensure reliability of supply. The former federal Coalition government carries the greatest responsibility, having failed to come up with any sensible energy policy during its recent nine years in office. This is something the Herald pointed out in last months editorial endorsing the election of an Anthony Albanese-led Labor government. As chief political correspondent David Crowe wrote this week: Australia, a country with abundant energy, is now telling some citizens to turn off the lights to prevent a blackout. It is actually shameful. The nations political system has been unable to prepare for changes that everyone could see coming. Crowe said Australians were witnessing a sudden collapse that had taken years of incompetence to trigger. Or put another way, a crash everyone saw coming but did nothing to stop. You can read his blistering piece here. The Herald has published extensive coverage of the energy crisis, including news stories, analysis, commentary and explainers. On Saturday, Matthew Knott will bring you an excellent piece exploring how aspects of the energy saga, and other dynamics at work in the Australian economy, have a bit of a 1970s-vibe. Matts feature will be the cover of our News Review liftout in print, and you can also find it on our homepage from early tomorrow. In other news, you might have read on Friday that Russia has imposed sanctions on a broad group of 121 Australians including media executives, mining bosses, academics, defence officials and journalists. In a statement, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the sanctions were punishment for a Russophobic agenda. Entry to the Russian Federation is now banned for anyone on the list. Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size In an energy market that has collapsed under years of strain, prices have spiked and supply is tight. In the short term, there is little householders can do but find innovative ways to cut energy use. In the long run, we will need state and federal governments to work with regulators and industry to rebuild not just our energy infrastructure, but the market that shapes it. How did we get here? Will price caps help households? And where will it end? Credit:Getty Images How did we get into this mess? And why now? For years, just about the only thing the various voices in the Australian energy sector could agree on was the need for certainty. Fossil giants, renewables advocates, market analysts were all calling for it. But certainty of what? Certainty meant clear energy policy from governments (federal and state). And it was becoming more crucial because the world was changing fast. Every year the cost of renewable energy, particularly solar power, was dropping while worldwide demands to cut greenhouse gas emissions were ramping up. A chief executive could hardly go to a board or investors with a proposal to spend billions on new energy infrastructure without a business case and without clear government policy, they couldnt build the case. Most of the Australian east coasts electricity comes from a bunch of giant, coal-fired power stations. Theyve blessed the nation with abundant cheap energy and cursed it with among the highest carbon emissions per person in the world. Advertisement And theyve grown old. Once sold into private hands, it slowly became clear to their owners that, in this new world, at the end of their 40-odd years of life the stations would need to be replaced by cleaner forms of energy generation. That shift would cost a fortune and take a generation, even if done right. Done poorly, it would cost more and take longer. Loading But without a government willing to step in and make it happen to provide certainty via either regulations or a tax on carbon the transition never happened. (The tax might have worked, says Victoria Energy Policy Centre director Bruce Mountain, because of the incentive it would have created to plough more capital into renewable generation.) Federal party leaders and even whole governments were put to the knife when they flirted with policies that might see people actually have to pay for the new system that was needed. Burnt by the process, they fiddled with the market system that sees power traded between generators, wholesalers and retailers, in a bid to reduce the costs of the transition for householders.Australias system of generating, transmitting and selling electricity became all carrot and no stick and infernally complex. For this complexity let alone for failing to provide reliable and affordable energy the market is a catastrophic wreck, says Bruce Mountain. Meanwhile, the coal generators have lumbered along, backed by an influx of cheap renewables and by gas peakers that could be switched on when there was high demand. But while gas has filled the gaps, it has been costing more as the wells closest to cities have run dry and the export market has grown. Advertisement Encouraged by state governments determined to act on climate, renewables kept flowing in, straining the transmission system, or grid. The Coalition government both grumbled about this and claimed credit for the emissions reductions that renewables caused. Loading The system grew more brittle, more vulnerable to shock. And this year the shocks rolled in a cold snap, floods that stalled coal mining, plant and equipment sputtering and seizing, and Russias brutal invasion of Ukraine. Prices spiked. The government stepped in to cap them. But that also exacerbated the problem, so fractured is the market. Some generators simply chose to stop producing power rather than doing so at a loss. So, the government ordered them to fire up their plants, opening the door for valuable compensation from the public purse. Finally, this week the Australian Energy Market Operator, one of an alphabet soup of regulatory bodies, pulled the plug and suspended the market. Will that price cap you hear about curb your bill? In short, no or at least, not by much. Its complicated. Advertisement Regulators rely on two tools to restrain prices when they get out of hand. The first is the price cap that kicked in for some parts for the east coast when prices surged earlier this week. But the cap relates to the price that retailers pay to wholesalers not to the price you pay for your power. Obviously, by capping wholesale prices, pressure on the price you might expect to pay is relieved. But the money you pay your retailer is not just for electricity. That wholesale price accounts for roughly a third of your power bill. Retail costs add about 10 per cent, but almost half the cost goes into maintaining the network that takes the electron from the coal, solar or wind generators to the power switch in your home. Loading The second mechanism is the default market offer, which is a benchmark price set by different regulatory bodies depending on whether you are a customer in Victoria, or based in the other eastern states. (We told you it was complicated.) This will increase by around 10 per cent in NSW and Queensland and about 8 per cent in South Australia from July 1, which means that the average consumer who relies on this safety net price will pay anywhere between $119 and $227 more for their power this financial year than last. But that increase is just the beginning. It reflects price pressures that the regulator was able to consider when they set the cap before prices shot to a staggering $15,100 per megawatt hour for a period before the cap kicked in at $300 per megawatt hour this week. Advertisement And there is more. Those generators ordered to provide electricity will be allowed to recover their costs, which will, ultimately, be fed through to households, though those costs might be spread over years rather than months. Credit:Matt Golding Tennant Reed, lead national adviser with Australian Industry Group, says that if before the crisis households were paying around 25 cents a kilowatt hour in total on their bills, this could jump to between 35 and 40 cents once the current crisis fully flows through. That could happen in waves over the next two years, but would mean around a 50 per cent increase in household energy bills. If people have a less pessimistic outlook than that, Id be overjoyed to see their thinking, he says. So what can you do to brace for the shock? The first thing you can do is reasonably simple shop around among energy providers for the best plan. The governments Energy Made Easy website will help, but make sure the price being advertised is the one youll actually be paying, says Choices Chris Barnes. He recommends calling the company to make sure theyre not going to pull the rug from under your feet and charge higher prices later on. Advertisement Prime Minister Anthony Albanese hosts first national cabinet meeting Were sorry, this feature is currently unavailable. Were working to restore it. Please try again later. Dismiss Notorious paedophile priest Gerald Ridsdale has pleaded guilty to more sex offences following a police investigation into historical allegations of sexual assault earlier this year. Ridsdale has been in prison since 1994 for sexual offending against children while he was a parish priest in western Victoria for almost three decades. Gerald Ridsdale gives evidence at the Royal Commission into Institutional Child Sexual Abuse in 2015. He has been sentenced a handful of times over the years for crimes against a total of 69 known victims and is set to become eligible for release in April 2025. Ridsdale appeared before the Warrnambool Magistrates Court via video link from prison on Friday morning accused of committing 24 sex offences against children in Mortlake in 1981 and 1982. However, smarties at the Justice Department put in exceptions that left more holes than grandads undies. The association laws do not count if crooks were family members or seeking legal advice or involved in religious, study or work interests, so guess what? Not one person has been prosecuted. This (plus a series of shootings in Sydney) has left some bikie bosses contemplating moving to Melbourne, and it has nothing to do with the coffee culture and laneway art. This is an election year, so soon you can expect the major parties to go all Clint Eastwood on us, declaring they are going to drive these varmints out of town before sundown. With a state election on the horizon, Premier Daniel Andrews and Opposition Leader Matthew Guy will both be rehearsing their strongman poses on law and order. Credit:Felicity Lewis In fairness, the present government did introduce firearms prohibition orders aimed at bikies and Middle Eastern crime gangs, who tend to shoot each other for reasons varying from failure to pay drug debts to showing bad table manners. The head of Echo, Detective Inspector Graham Banks, says the orders have had a dramatic impact on drive-by shootings and gun battles. Previously bikie leaders could order shoot-on-sight instructions against enemies, he says. Loading Much of what police suspected about bikies has been confirmed from the mouths of the suspects through the international police sting operation that intercepted 27 million messages between crooks using the An0m coded app. It showed that bikies use a network of underlings without criminal records cleanskins to store and distribute firearms, bringing them out of the closet for organised shootings. There has been a drop-off in reckless shootings, says Banks. There has not been a drive-by attack on a clubhouse in more than two years. Bikie gangs remain a blend of high-end sophisticated criminal enterprises and dumb-dumb violent reactions that are bad for business. When US bikies saw a holidaying Australian rival in his gang colours they took the opportunity to give him a belt and take his gear. When requests for the return of the equipment were ignored, the rival gangs clubhouse in Victoria was shot up. Comancheros are not known for their sense of humour. This week police offered a $250,000 reward for information on the September 27, 2019, drive-by at the Outlaws Carrum Downs clubhouse. The Anti-Gangs Divisions boss, Detective Superintendent Peter Brigham, says we have 23 outlaw motorcycle gangs in Victoria, with 80 clubhouses, and while gangs such as the Hells Angels, Bandidos, Black Uhlans and Comancheros are well known, some smaller feeder clubs fly under the radar. When asked which are the biggest clubs, the two senior cops refuse to nominate not because they dont have a list, but because it can create friction. It plays to their egos, says Banks. Once when he nominated the top five, the bikie boss from another gang rang to complain they failed to make the cut. (What did he expect the police to say? You havent trafficked enough drugs or bashed enough people to make the finals?) Loading Most bikie violence is not against rival gangs but internal where the leaders decide to punish or kill their own for transgressing the rules. The An0m app gave us a snapshot of the bikie world and organised crime. The idea of gangs fighting for turf and ethnic cartels dealing only with their own is the stuff of Hollywood. An0m showed bikie gangs will unite if there is money to be made. They will co-operate as long as it is good for business, says Banks. Each gang is different. The Comancheros, for example, are homegrown and linked to Middle Eastern crime gangs. The Hells Angels are the KFC of bikies, a successful international franchise that must conform to the original US recipe for success. The Angels expansion is both impressive and sinister. From one clubhouse in California it has expanded throughout the world, with chapters in 41 European countries, eight in South America and eight in Asia. In Australia, there are 22 chapters. The gang started in 1948 by a group of ex-World War II pilots with an interest in motorbikes has morphed into an international business that has its own line in souvenirs delivered anywhere in the world by courier. Many bikie bosses have relocated overseas to avoid local police interest and pesky extradition treaties. The An0m app shows an Australian expat in Thailand or Turkey can order a murder in Melbourne, identifying cleanskins to provide the guns, car thieves to provide the getaway vehicles and the movements of the target. Banks says police thwarted one hit and disrupted the planning of several more through orders intercepted from An0m. Bikie groups are based on power. Those with it guard it jealously and those without it can please themselves. Loading The bikie leaders make millions but many of the soldiers and camp followers are cannon fodder. When theyre told to do a drive-by shooting, there will be no discussion. If you are caught, do your time. If you want to leave, pay a substantial exit fee. Using crooks on the fringe has its downside, as many arent that smart. This is why there have been at least four mistaken identity murders connected to the bikie world. So, whats in it for the plodder? Status and prestige. For some it is the family they never had. For others the colours provide a suit of armour. And it can be monetised by those down the pecking order. Outlaw bikies can use the fearsome reputations of their clubs for private business that includes extorting other criminals, running protection rackets and collecting drug debts. The one certainty in organised crime is where there is a demand there will be a supply and without customers there is no business. The core was based on illegal gambling, prostitution, sly-grogging and drugs, but it has widened into offering illegal options for legal problems. One such area is business debts. Civil action is expensive, protracted and difficult. If someone owes you money and refuses to pay, you have to employ expensive lawyers and hope the person you sue doesnt dispose of their assets, go bankrupt or disappear. Banks says some look to bikies for a shortcut. A couple of stern men in outlaw colours turn up at the defaulters business or home not with a court order but a threat. Pay up or find an orthopaedic surgeon to repair your broken legs (the going rate to break them is $20,000). Put it this way a goon in a leather jacket is cheaper than a silk in a barristers robe. The thing is if you employ bikies, and then they do some leg-breaking, you are part of the criminal conspiracy and will be charged. A few days ago Hells Angels heavy Luke Moloney and a couple of mates were arrested over a South Yarra home invasion and alleged assault over a debt. Bikies use social media, with party scenes, celebrity selfies and pretty girls, as modern-day recruiting posters. Man-about-town and former bikie enforcer Toby Mitchell (who was once shot seven times) has 365,000 followers on Instagram, where he provides life lessons and countless pictures of an apparently lavish lifestyle. The PR arm is such that one gang took an ad in a country newspaper to thank the local community and apologise if their National Run created any traffic problems. With two or three asylum-seeker boat turn-backs and the granting of bridging visas to the Nadeslingam family, Peter Dutton is again warning of a surge in boat arrivals. The recent spate of asylum-seeker boats is due to the combination of an economic crisis in Sri Lanka and a view that the Albanese government will relent on turn-backs. The Australian Border Force intercepts illegal fishing boats in Australian waters. Credit:Ausralia Border Force But the current resolve of the Albanese government to persist with the turn-back policy suggests these attempts will come to little and will soon subside. The cost of these ventures, especially if some of the boats are destroyed by Australian Border Force and passengers quickly returned on aeroplanes, together with the significant danger to life, means few people smugglers will keep trying. Australians would recognise the roots of this scheme. Indeed, the Rwanda Solution is modelled on Australias Pacific Solution. As my colleague Osman Faruqi pointed out this week, Australias (former) high commissioner in London, George Brandis, testified to the British House of Commons about Australias system as the UKs politicians debated the Nationalities and Borders Bill, which produced the Rwanda Solution. A woman protests against the Rwanda deportation flight at Boscombe Down Air Base in Wiltshire, England this week. Credit:Getty Images Britains own scheme, however, went awry this week. Just as the first plane carrying asylum seekers was to take off (the first of perhaps tens of thousands, according to British PM Boris Johnson), the European Court of Human Rights issued an injunction to stop the deportation. The courts intervention was met with howls of outrage from British conservatives, as if the European Court of Human Rights were some dreadful burden imposed by foreigners. Awkward, really. The European Convention on Human Rights, designed to prevent repetition of the horrors of World War II, was drafted largely under the supervision of Sir David Maxwell Fyfe, a conservative British politician who was one of the prosecutors at the Nuremberg trials of Nazi war criminals. The UK was the first country to ratify the convention in 1951. Lord McNair, a British legal scholar, became the first president of the European Court of Human Rights in 1959. Australians might recognise an echo of the kerfuffle. Article 14 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights - the very foundation of international human rights law - declares: Everyone has the right to seek and to enjoy in other countries asylum from persecution. Australia was one of eight nations involved in drafting this declaration after World War II. Its wording was heavily influenced by Dr Herbert Vere Evatt, the head of Australias delegation to the United Nations. In 1948, Evatt became president of the UN General Assembly, and oversaw the UNs adoption of the Universal Declaration. You might imagine such an achievement in world affairs would be celebrated in Australia. Instead, Australia has been turning its back on the obligation to help the desperate ever since John Howard ordered Special Air Service soldiers onto the MV Tampa in August 2001 to prevent the ship delivering 433 rescued refugees to Christmas Island. Loading Like Australias solution, Britains choice of Rwanda as a dumping ground is intended to strike fear into the hearts of others who might place their hopes of a new life in crossing the English Channel. It is reminiscent of Australias choice of Cambodia - among the worlds poorest and most corrupt countries - as a place of exile. Scott Morrison, when minister for border protection in Tony Abbotts government, went to Phnom Penh in 2014 to sign and toast with champagne the deal that cost Australia at least $40 million over four years. Precisely 10 asylum seekers agreed to leave for Cambodia, but soon found themselves cast adrift, the promises of worthwhile new lives unmet. Within a few years, only one of those refugees remained in Cambodia, and there were repeated campaigns to get him to Canada. Cambodia, of course, will forever be remembered as the setting for one of the worlds most brutal genocides. Just like Rwanda. Even now, 28 years after the eruption of killings in 1994, who can whisper the word Rwanda without a shiver? Certainly not Paul Rusesabagina, the man immortalised in the 2004 film Hotel Rwanda. He was depicted in the film - controversially to some - as saving the lives of more than 1200 people to whom he gave shelter in the Hotel des Mille Collines. Loading Having since become an international critic of Kagame, Rusesabagina found himself kidnapped in Dubai and flown to Rwanda in 2020, where he faced trial for terrorism. His supporters say he was tortured and his prosecution was a show trial. This year, this man with numerous awards for humanitarianism, including the US Presidential Medal of Freedom, was sentenced to 25 years jail. Yet Rwanda is back in the international communitys good graces. Why, in a few days the leaders of more than 50 countries will gather for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Rwandas capital, Kigali, to reaffirm their common values and agree actions and policies to improve the lives of all their citizens. Christian crusader and NSW upper house MP Fred Nile has opposed almost every reform that same-sex marriage campaigner and Sydney MP Alex Greenwich has worked to achieve in parliament. However, as Nile, 87, heads toward the end of his 40-year parliamentary career, he and Greenwich have forged an unlikely alliance through a shared passion for Indigenous rights and reconciliation. An unlikely alliance between MPs Fred Nile and Alex Greenwich will see a significant new bill introduced to NSW parliament. Credit:Oscar Coleman The pair will next week introduce a significant new bill to parliament, which would bring NSW in line with the rest of Australia to reform the protection of Indigenous culture and heritage. Niles Culture is Identity Bill would prevent the destruction of Aboriginal heritage by handing custodianship of sites, objects and remains to a new independent agency, the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Council. All these anxious covert years I held to the hope that my role in Vladimir Putins downfall would remain secret. I am not alone, though I had no idea of the eminence of my fellow 120 plotters. Good lord, Peter Costello has been in on it all along, apparently! Gina Rinehart. Ita Buttrose. Patricia Karvelas. Andrew Bolt. My colleague John Sly of the Underworld Silvester. The Ages editor Gay Alcorn and The Sydney Morning Heralds Bevan Shields too. Imagine! ABC chairwoman Ita Buttrose is among those to be sanctioned by Russia. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Why did no one say anything? The loneliness of bringing down Putin would surely have been eased. Oh, Gina. I would like to tell that it began, as these things do, in Dresden, East Germany, during the depths of the Cold War. Mining magnate Gina Rinehart has responded to news she has been sanctioned by Russia by issuing what amounts to a call to arms, saying we urgently need millions of smart mines in our thousands of kilometres of otherwise indefensible oceans, and capable missiles, war drones, and more. One of 121 people in Australia who have just been indefinitely banned from Russia by the Kremlins foreign ministry, Rinehart has released a statement calling for Australia to build up its defences. Much as I have very nice Russian friends and enjoyed very much my two visits to St Petersburg, and would love to revisit, I would not wish to do so if not welcomed, or if I have concerns for my safety. If speaking out in the manner above means I can never visit Russia again in my lifetime, so be it, she said. Gina Rinehart says that while she has good Russian friends, she does not mind if she never returns to Russia. Credit:Matt Krumins Late on Thursday (AEST), Russias Foreign Ministry posted an eclectic list of sanctioned Australians, including media executives, mining bosses, academics, defence officials and journalists, including the editors of The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age. London: The Saudi Arabian government is confiscating toys, clothes and other items bearing rainbow colours that it says evoke the well-known Pride flag and promote homosexuality in children. Its the latest crackdown by Saudi Arabia and some of its neighbours on objects that feature gay characters or are seen to promote LGBTQ rights. Certain superhero movies are not being shown in Saudi cinemas because they feature same-sex couples and hundreds of kites have been confiscated in Syria for their many colours. Saudi Arabias Ministry of Commerce posted a video on Twitter this week that shows its officials going around stores and inspecting toys, backpacks and other items for rainbow hues. Our supervisory teams make the rounds of sales outlet and seize and confiscate products that contain symbols and signs that call for aberration and contradict correct nature, and impose penalties on facilities in violation, the post said, using a derogatory word to refer to homosexuality. Washington: Donald Trump has defended his role in the US Capitol attack, denying that he incited the riot while accusing his former vice president and attorney-general of being too weak to help him overturn the 2020 election. In his first public appearance since the January 6 congressional hearings began, Trump also branded the investigation against him as a sham; described what happened at the Capitol that day as a simple protest that got out of hand; and insisted there was not one shred of evidence to support the view that he engaged in an unlawful conspiracy. Donald Trump gave his strongest hint yet that hes ready to run again for president. Credit:AP Theres no clearer example of the menacing spirit that is devouring the American Left than the disgraceful performance being staged by the Unselect Committee, Trump said, using the nickname he has given the January 6 Select Committee, which consists of seven Democrats and two Republicans. Theyre con artists. Speaking at the Faith and Freedom Coalitions Road to Majority conference in Tennessee, Trump also gave one of his strongest signals yet that he was planning another tilt at the White House in 2024, seemingly undeterred by the probe against him. The first COVID-19 shots for infants and preschoolers have been approved by US medical regulators, paving the way for vaccinations to begin as soon as next week. The Food and Drug Administrations action follows its advisory panels unanimous recommendation for the shots from Moderna and Pfizer. That means US children under five roughly 18 million youngsters are eligible for the shots. The nations vaccination campaign began about eighteen months ago with older adults, the hardest hit during the coronavirus pandemic. Vaccines will be available to children as young as three-year-old Hudson, seen here with his parents Barry and Ilena Diener at a vaccine trial in New York last November. Credit:AP Theres one step left: The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention recommends how to use vaccines. Its independent advisers began debating the two-dose Moderna and the three-dose Pfizer vaccines on Friday (Saturday AEST) and will make its recommendation within 24 hours. A final sign-off is expected soon after from CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky. At a Senate hearing Thursday, Walensky said her staff was working over the federal holiday weekend because we understand the urgency of this for American parents. Energy storage systems need lithium In the past, lithium was used mainly for glass and ceramics, as well as for greases, powders and industrial applications. In the transition from fossil fuels today, the raw material lithium plays an important role. Technological developments, lower costs and continued political support are driving this development. Installations are also expected to increase from about ten GWh today to about 500 GWh by 2030. This will result in a huge demand for lithium. Added to this is the demand from the electric vehicle sector. Battery sizes are expected to continue to grow, and range is now an important issue for buyers. Between January 2021 and June 2022, the price of lithium has risen from $6,750 per ton to a good $68,000. To bridge the gap between supply and demand, new types of extraction techniques are emerging, such as extracting lithium from clay deposits. In Nevada, for example, there is Cypress Development https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UyTvZ8scHI&t=30s a company that wants to extract the lithium in clay deposits and is developing the Clayton Valley Lithium Project there. Even if lithium prices ease or stabilize in the short term, in the longer term it will remain a commodity in high demand. Alpha Lithium https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9d-nsnTk4ZY&t=7s wants to start producing lithium in Argentina in the famous Lithium Triangle soon. Current corporate information and press releases from Alpha Lithium (https://www.resource-capital.ch/de/unternehmen/alpha-lithium-corp/ ) and Cypress Development (https://www.resource-capital.ch/de/unternehmen/cypress-development-corp/ ). In accordance with A34 of the German Securities Trading Act (WpHG), I would like to point out that partners, authors and employees may hold shares in the respective companies addressed and that there is therefore a possible conflict of interest. No guarantee for the translation into German. Only the English version of this news is valid. Disclaimer: The information provided does not constitute any form of recommendation or advice. Express reference is made to the risks involved in securities trading. No liability can be accepted for any damages arising from the use of this blog. I would like to point out that shares and especially warrant investments are fundamentally 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 a mistake, especially with regard to figures and prices. The information contained is taken from sources that are considered reliable, but in no way claim to be correct or complete. Due to judicial decisions the contents of linked external pages are to be answered for (so among other things regional court Hamburg, in the judgement of 12.05.1998 312 O 85/98), as long as no explicit dissociation from these takes place. Despite careful control of the contents, I do not assume any liability for the contents of linked external pages. The respective operators are exclusively responsible for their content. The disclaimer of Swiss Resource Capital AG applies additionally: https://www.resource-capital.ch/de/disclaimer-agb/ . GCM Mining announces May 2022 production; declares July 15, 2022 monthly dividend GCM Mining Corp. (aGCM Mininga or the aCompanya) (TSX: GCM, OTCQX: TPRFF https://www.commodity-tv.com/ondemand/companies/profil/gran-colombia-gold-corp/ ) announced today that its Segovia Operations produced 18,507 ounces of gold in May 2022, up from 17,936 ounces of gold in May last year. This brings the total gold production for the first five months of 2022 to 86,779 ounces, up from 84,467 ounces in the first five months last year. Segoviaa?s trailing 12-monthsa? total gold production at the end of May 2022 was 208,701 ounces, up about 1% over 2021. Expansion of the Companya?s processing plant at Segovia to 2,000 tonnes per day (atpda) is nearing completion and is expected to be finished in July. The Company is on track to meet its annual production guidance for 2022 of between 210,000 and 225,000 ounces of gold. GCM Mining processed a total of 52,731 tonnes in May 2022 at its Maria Dama plant at Segovia, representing a daily processing rate of 1,701 tpd, compared with 49,089 tonnes and 1,584 tpd in May 2021. Segoviaa?s head grades averaged 12.1 g/t in May 2022 compared with 12.6 g/t in May last year. For the first five months of 2022, a total of 246,352 tonnes (equivalent to 1,631 tpd) were processed at Segovia at an average head grade of 12.2 g/t compared with a total of 229,747 tonnes (equivalent to 1,522 tpd) at an average head grade of 12.7 g/t in the first five months last year. The Company also processed an average of 93 tpd of tailings in May 2022 at its polymetallic plant at Segovia resulting in the production of approximately 130 tonnes of zinc concentrate and approximately 94 tonnes of lead concentrate which have been stockpiled. A The Company finalized the offtake contract for the concentrates earlier this month and is making preparation for the initial shipments which are expected to occur by the end of this month. Payable production from the concentrates in May 2022 is estimated to total approximately 114,000 pounds of zinc, 124,000 pounds of lead, 9,500 ounces of silver and less than 50 ounces of gold. Actual payable quantities are subject to change and will be finalized once the concentrates are shipped. Monthly Dividend Declaration GCM Mining also announced today that its Board of Directors has declared the next monthly dividend of CA$0.015 per common share will be paid on July 15, 2022 to shareholders of record as of the close of business on June 30, 2022. About GCM Mining Corp. GCM Mining is a mid-tier gold producer with a proven track record of mine building and operating in Latin America. In Colombia, the Company is a leading high-grade underground gold and silver producer with several mines in operation at its Segovia Operations. Segovia produced 206,389 ounces of gold in 2021. In Guyana, the Company is advancing its fully funded Toroparu Project, one of the largest undeveloped gold/copper projects in the Americas, which is expected to commence production of more than 200,000 ounces of gold annually in 2024. GCM Mining pays a monthly dividend to its shareholders and has equity interests in Aris Gold Corporation (~44%; TSX: ARIS; Colombia a Marmato, Soto Norte; Canada Juby), Denarius Metals Corp. (~32%; TSX-V: DSLV; Spain a Lomero-Poyatos and Colombia a Guia Antigua, Zancudo) and Western Atlas Resources Inc. (~26%; TSX-V: WA: Nunavut a Meadowbank). Additional information on GCM Mining can be found on its website at www.gcm-mining.com and by reviewing its profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Information: This news release contains \forward-looking information\, which may include, but is not limited to, statements with respect to its production and production guidance, the payment of dividends and other anticipated business plans or strategies. 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\, \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. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of GCM Mining to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements are described under the caption \Risk Factors\ in the Company\-s Annual Information Form dated as of March 31, 2022 which is available for view on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Forward-looking statements contained herein are made as of the date of this press release and GCM Mining disclaims, other than as required by law, any obligation to update any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, results, future events, circumstances, or if management\-s estimates or opinions should change, or otherwise. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, the reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Calibre Mining receives environmental permit for development and operation of the high-grade Pavon Central open-pit mine expected to drive production increase in 2023 Calibre Mining Corp. (aCalibrea or the aCompanya) (TSX: CXB; OTCQX: CXBMF https://www.commodity-tv.com/ondemand/companies/profil/calibre-mining-corp/ ) is pleased to announce that the Company has been granted the key environmental permit for development and production of the Pavon Central open-pit mine from the Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources in Nicaragua. Darren Hall, Chief Executive Officer of Calibre, stated: aThe approval of Pavon Central marks a significant milestone in the Companya?s efforts to organically grow production, utilizing a portion of the installed excess capacity at our Libertad mill.A We are excited to introduce Pavon Central into the development profile fueling grade driven production growth in 2023 and 2024 from the 6.49 g/t gold reserve. See news release dated Feb 23, 2022 or Libertad Technical Report available on calibremining.com or sedar.com). We will continue to work closely with regulatory authorities, local communities, and all stakeholders to ensure safe and responsible development and mining at Pavon Central.a During 2021 Calibre initiated mining at Pavon Norte, the first of three known gold deposits hosting mineral resources in the district. Calibre is advancing development of Pavon Central with the objective to commence production in the first quarter of 2023. Combined 2021 end-of-year mineral reserves for the Pavon Norte and Central open-pit mines total 165,000 ounces at an average gold grade of 5.07 g/t. Pavon Central hosts an average reserve grade of 6.49 g/t gold, notably higher than the average 3.28 g/t gold grade at Pavon Norte and is expected to contribute to the Companya?s 2023 and 2024 production growth. See Calibre news release dated March 22, 2022 for details on recent highlight drill results, including: Highlight Pavon Central Drill Results 08 g/t Au over 7.6 metres estimated true width (aETWa) from 72.7 metres in hole PVC-21-046; 21 g/t Au over 6.5 metres ETW from 32.0 metres in hole PVC-21-062; 46 g/t Au over 9.8 metres ETW from 94.6 metres in hole PVC-21-078; and 58 g/t Au over 4.0 metres ETW from 145.3 metres in hole PVC-21-081. Highlight Pavon South Drill Results 56 g/t Au over 12.4 metres ETW from 37.6 metres in hole PVS-21-004; 08 g/t Au over 2.3 metres ETW from 49.4 metres in hole PVS-21-002; 04 g/t Au over 28.4 metres ETW from 26.2 metres in hole PVS-21-006; and 75 g/t Au over 3.9 metres ETW from 81.2 metres in hole PVS-21-014. Calibre has identified the potential for resource expansion along strike and at depth at the Pavon vein system and at new vein targets within the overall 32km2 land package, where two rigs are currently operating. Since the beginning of 2021, Calibre has continued to progress development at Pavon Central, working closely with our environmental consultant and the aCentre for an Understanding with Naturea? in Nicaragua, to ensure quality engineering designs with minimal impact to the environment. Calibre has advanced engineering studies, mine plans, road construction designs, and socio-environmental initiatives focusing on community resilience, water conservation, and sustainable forestry and ranching. With road construction to the project underway, Calibre is well-positioned to commence production from Pavon Central in the first quarter of 2023. Alan Bolt, Director General of the Centre for an Understanding with Nature (aCENa), stated: aHaving been approved by the population through public consultation and confirmed by the Ministry of the Environment, execution of Pavon Central will allow the local communities, CEN and Calibre to continue working together on the strengthening of native bee populations, forest and water restoration, and socioeconomic initiatives such as women\-s entrepreneurship and healthier homes with smokeless stoves and access to clean water.A Calibrea?s continued presence enables us to improve the local economy, contributing to a life without violence or poverty, and generating the necessary resilience to successfully face climate change.a Qualified Person Darren Hall, MAusIMM, President & Chief Executive Officer, Calibre Mining Corp. has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information in this news release. About Calibre Mining Corp. Calibre is a Canadian-listed, Americas focused, growing mid-tier gold producer with a strong pipeline of development and exploration opportunities across Nevada and Washington in the USA, and Nicaragua. Calibre is focused on delivering sustainable value for shareholders, local communities and all stakeholders through responsible operations and a disciplined approach to growth. With a strong balance sheet, no debt, a proven management team, strong operating cash flow, accretive development projects and district-scale exploration opportunities Calibre will unlock significant value. Notes Estimated True Widths (aETWa?) for reported vein intercepts are based on empirical 3D models of the individual veins. Estimates are determined in cross-section by measuring the modelled vein thickness perpendicular to the vein margins and through the midpoint of the drill hole intercept. Percentage based differences between individual ETWa?s and down-hole interval lengths will vary between drill holes depending on drill hole inclination, variations in vein strike and dip, and overall geometries of the different vein systems. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Information This news release includes certain aforward-looking informationa and aforward-looking statementsa (collectively aforward-looking statementsa) within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation.A All statements in this news release that address events or developments that we expect to occur in the future are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are identified by words such as \expect\, \plan\, \anticipate\, \project\, \target\, \potential\, \schedule\, \forecast\, \budget\, \estimate\, \intend\ or \believe\ and similar expressions or their negative connotations, or that events or conditions \will\, \would\, \may\, \could\, \should\ or \might\ occurA Forward-looking statements necessarily involve assumptions, risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond Calibrea?s control. For a listing of risk factors applicable to the Company, please refer to Calibrea?s annual information form for the year ended December 31, 2021, available on www.sedar.com. This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect Calibrea?s forward-looking statements. Calibrea?s forward-looking statements are based on the applicable assumptions and factors management considers reasonable as of the date hereof, based on the information available to management at such time.A Calibre does not assume any obligation to update forward-looking statements if circumstances or managementa?s beliefs, expectations or opinions should change other than as required by applicable securities laws. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, and actual results, performance or achievements could differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking statements. Accordingly, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements. 5G Smart Box: HMFa?s private 5G solution offers almost limitless possibilities The 5G Smart Box is a complete, fully autonomous and high-performing private 5G stand-alone radio system offering almost unlimited application possibilities.A Ultra-fast: transmission of data in real time Innovative: state-of-the-art 5G, easy to handle, future-proof Tailor-made: precisely matched to the individual area of application Secure: Data sovereignty through dedicated infrastructure Extremely flexible: Scalable, customisable, interconnective Experience the 5G Smart Box live at the HMF stand (5-322). The optimal solution for the energy industry The private 5G communication solution is THE communication ECO system of the future for companies in the energy industry. The 5G Smart Box from HMF not only easily meets the ever-increasing demand for communication, but is also ready for the most demanding tasks of today and tomorrow: The private 5G stand-alone radio system provides monitoring and control of devices (smart metering, smart grid, smart city) or spaces (object and traffic monitoring of critical facilities), data transmission and analyses in real time, automation, efficiency increase in energy transport, and much more at the most modern technical level. HMF\-s private 5G solution offers maximum availability and operational reliability. Thanks to its own network sovereignty and the highest level of cyber security, the 5G Smart Box also ensures communication capability in the event of a blackout. The 5G Smart Box Technical Highlights The 5G Smart Box is based on an O-RAN architecture and has the following main components: 5G Radio Access Network (RAN) with radio unit, distributed unit and centralised unit 5G core PTPv2 grandmaster (time server) Management and performance monitoring system 5G router The new private 5G solution from HMF enables both indoor and outdoor radio cells to be connected. Both can be flexibly combined. This means that the system can be easily expanded depending on requirements.A The system has standardised interfaces to connect private 5G stand-alone networks to the customer\-s own local applications and servers. The integrated 5G router also offers a wide range of interfaces (e.g. Gigabit Ethernet, serial protocols, CAN bus) as well as support for Node-RED and dockers for running your own applications. The 5G Smart Box can be specifically adapted for every application. Extremely flexible. aNo matter what requirements our customers have for their private 5G solution today or in the future we can meet individual technical needs in a targeted manner with our expertise and our services. To achieve this we bring more than 40 years of experience in the development, implementation and long-term support of customised, mission-critical radio systems from small networks for medium-sized businesses to nationwide radio systems,a explains Martin Hucke, Chief Innovation Officer at HMF. If you are interested and would like to test the 5G Smart Box, then visit us at E-world and simply make an appointment. With its flexible positioning and simple operation, the 5G Smart Box can be used for demonstration and testing purposes as well as for developing and testing of your own applications. Let\-s think 5G together. Hytera Mobilfunk GmbH (HMF), based in Bad MAnder, Germany, has been developing and implementing customised, mission-critical communication solutions in the field of professional mobile radio for more than 40 years. HMF is an established specialist for technologies such as TETRA and LTE/5G, offering easily available and secure radio communication solutions for industrial, utility and transport companies, the oil and gas industry as well as for security and rescue forces among others. HMF regards itself as a holistic solution provider whose core expertise is comprehensive project support from a single source a from development and planning to implementation, including services and network operation. Griffin Mining Annual General Meeting Annual General Meeting of Griffin Mining Limited to be held at Clarendon House, 2 Church Street, Hamilton, HM11, Bermuda on Friday 15th July 2022 at 11.00 am local time (3.00 pm BST) has been sent to shareholders and is available, on the Companya?s web site www.griffinmining.com About Griffin Mining LimitedA Griffin Mining Limiteda?s shares are quoted on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) of the London Stock Exchange (symbol GFM). Griffin Mining Limited owns and operates in China, through its 88.8% owned Joint Venture stock company, the Caijiaying Zinc Gold Mine, a profitable mine producing zinc, gold, silver, and lead metals in concentrates. For more information, please visit the Companya?s website www.griffinmining.com. Further information Griffin Mining Limited Mladen Ninkov a Chairman Telephone: +44(0)20 7629 7772 Roger Goodwin a Finance Director Panmure Gordon (UK) Limited Telephone: +44 (0)20 7886 2500 John Prior Ailisa MacMaster Berenberg Telephone:A +44(0)20 3207 7800 Matthew Armitt Jennifer Wyllie Deltir Elezi BlytheRay Tim Blythe Telephone: +44(0)20 7138 3205 Swiss Resource Capital AG Jochen StaigerA info@resource-capital.ch This announcement contains inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of the Market Abuse Regulation (EU) No. 596/2014 Welcome To SpoilerTV We bring you a comprehensive and up to date spoiler service on all the major US TV shows and Movies. You can find specific show content by clicking the menu system at the top of the screen. We scour the Internet for spoilers as well as posting our own exclusive spoilers (Scripts, Casting Calls, Set Photos etc) as well as recaps and other fun articles and polls. We hope you enjoy your stay. Since the death of George Floyd, the awareness of the Juneteenth holiday has soared in Connecticut and elsewhere. All the recognition is out there, said Don Harris, who sits on the state Board of Education. People are out there talking about it. People are out there celebrating it. Data from Google Trends about search interest in the word Juneteenth shows the holiday was barely searched prior to 2020, even on June 19. In 2019, between June 16 and June 22, Google Trends gave Juneteenth a 9 out of 100 on the interest scale in Connecticut. During the same period in 2020, the value was 72. In 2021, the value maxed out at 100, meaning peak popularity for the term. Awareness of Juneteenth, which recognizes the emancipation of enslaved people on June 19, 1865, became more widespread after Floyd was killed by a Minnesota police officer in May 2020, setting off a worldwide Black Lives Matter movement. While most protests have subsided, many Connecticut municipalities are holding first and second annual Juneteenth events this year, despite the holiday existing since 1866. During those two years, people were reacting to George Floyd, said Martha Brackeen-Harris, who is a consultant who advises organizations like the Connecticut Association of Boards of Education. There was a call that school districts and companies needed to hire a [diversity, equity and inclusion] person and that happened as a reaction, but as more and more people saw the value of it and started to learn and do some self work and reading, it has changed from being reactive to the right thing to do and even proactive as they see our country will continue to become more diverse. Many history books may not have caught up with the increased recognition around the holiday, but some educational leaders in the state are filling in the gaps. Public Act 19-12 passed the state Legislature in 2019, requiring all public high schools to offer courses in African, Black, Puerto Rican and Latino studies. In the first year of the curriculum, more than 1,000 students participated this academic year. It hit most school systems last September with the understanding it becomes mandatory next year, said Harris, who is also on the board of directors at CABE. Juneteenth is definitely a part of that curriculum. Increased societal awareness about Juneteenth is a side effect of a larger trend of having more access to information about diversity and inclusion, much of which is coming from the schools. Even among students who are not Black, students want to know because its their history too, Brackeen-Harris said. Many students want to know things. They dont want things held from them. Brackeen-Harris has been holding webinars and conversations at school districts across the state about how to incorporate diversity, equity and inclusion topics into the classroom. Weve been teaching about critical thinking in math and all the subjects, so they are used to saying, Hmm, I wonder what this is about and how this happened, Brackeen-Harris said. While many students will already be off for summer break, Juneteenth is now an official school and state holiday in Connecticut that will be recognized on Monday. The work of creating equitable education spaces doesnt end with increased Juneteenth recognition. Amy Dowell, state director for Democrats for Education Reform, said the organization has been working to recruit teachers from diverse backgrounds. One of the things that we have been focused in on right now is resource equity and how it relates to teacher shortages and which districts are able to retain teachers and recruit teachers competitively for hard-to-fill spots, like [special education] teachers, and math teachers and things like that, where certain districts are struggling to really fill those roles, from year to year, and how we can tie efforts to recruit more teachers of color into Connecticut schools, Dowell said. This weekend, towns across Connecticut are holding Juneteenth parades and festivals, such as East Hartford, which will hold its first Juneteenth celebration on Saturday. The woman behind the celebration, Rosamond White, said shes been attending Juneteenth events at the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art in Hartford for years. Its only recently that the holiday has become mainstream in East Hartford. Ive always known about Juneteenth, said White, chairperson of the commission on culture and finance in the mayors office. For me, what this does with the holiday and everything else, it says we are actually learning and exploring a lot more history and understanding each other. White credits the dialogue around the holiday and diversity in general for the increased recognition. All of our histories are intertwined in what makes this beautiful country, White said. It is important we all understand it so we understand this country, this flag, is freedom for all. At the East Hartford event, which will run from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, a variety of local artists, vendors and performers will spread out on the town green in a family-oriented setting. The students should learn American history: The good, the bad and the ugly, White said. That would be Juneteenth and everything else. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate BRESCIA, Italy (AP) Fine Italian knitwear packed in boxes addressed to retailers in Moscow, St. Petersburg and Kursk sit stacked in a Lombardy warehouse awaiting dispatch. Although not subject to sanctions to punish Russia for invading Ukraine, the garments are not likely to ship any time soon. Missing payments from the Russian retailers who ordered the garments are piling up due to restrictions tied to the banking sector, putting pressure on small fashion producers like D. Exterior, a high-end knitwear company with 50 workers in the northern city of Brescia. This is very painful. I have 2 million euros worth of merchandise in the warehouse, and if they cannot pay for it, I will be on my knees, said D. Exterior owner Nadia Zanola, surveying the warehouse for the brand she founded in 1997 from the knitwear company created by her parents in 1952. Italy is the largest producer of global luxury goods in the world, making 40% of high-end apparel, footwear and accessories. While Russia generates just about 3% of Italian luxurys 97 billion euros ($101 billion) in annual revenue, it is a significant slice of business for some of the 80,000 small and medium companies that make up the backbone of Italian fashion, according to industry officials. We are talking about eliminating 80% to 100% of revenues for these companies, said Fabio Pietrella, president of the Confartigianato fashion craftsman federation. Districts producing footwear in the Marche and Veneto regions, and knitwear makers in Umbria and Emilia-Romagna have grown particularly reliant on Russia. These are districts that connect the supply chain, and if it is interrupted, not only is the company that closes harmed, but an entire system that help make this country an economic powerhouse, Pietrella said. The Italian fashion world is best known for luxury houses like Gucci, Versace and Armani, which unveil their menswear collections in Milan this week. And some of the biggest names appear on a list compiled by Yale University professor Jeffrey Sonnenfeld of major companies doing business in Russia since the war in Ukraine began. There are companies that kept selling to Nazi Germany after the outbreak of World War II we don't celebrate them for that, Sonnenfeld said, labeling as greedy any enterprise that continues to do business in Russia today. He also underlined that fashion companies dont have the grounds to make humanitarian appeals to bypass sanctions, voluntary or otherwise, as has been the case with agricultural firms and pharmaceutical companies. Among those receiving a failing grade from Sonnenfeld is Italy's Benetton, which in a statement condemned the war but said it would continue its commercial activities in Russia, including longstanding commercial and logistic partnerships and a network of stores that sustain 600 families. French conglomerate LVMH, meanwhile, has temporarily closed 124 stores in Russia, while continuing to pay its 3,500 employees in Russia. The Spanish group Inditex, which owns the fast-fashion chain Zara, also temporarily closed 502 stores in Russia as well as its online sales, accounting for 8.5% of group pre-tax earnings. Pietrella fears a sort of Russia-phobia is taking hold that is demonizing business owners for trying to keep up ties with a longer-term vision. He characterized as a witch-hunt criticism of some 40 shoe producers from the Marche region on Italys Adriatic coast for traveling to Russia for a trade fair during the war. European Union sanctions against Russia sharpened after the Ukraine invasion, setting a 300-euro wholesale maximum for each item shipped, taking super-luxury items out of circulation but still targeting the upper-middle class or wealthy Russians. Without a doubt, we as the fashion federation have expressed our extreme concern over the aggression in Ukraine, Pietrella said. From an ethical point of view, it is out of discussion. But we have to think of our companies. Ethics are one thing. The market is another. Workers in a company are paid by the market, not by ethics. He said the 300-euro limit on sales was a gambit by European politicians that on paper allows trade with Russia despite accompanying bureaucratic and financial hurdles, while also shielding governments from having to provide bailout funds to the industry. He also dismissed as overly facile government suggestions to find alternative markets to Russia. If there was another market, we would be there already, Pietrella said. At D. Exterior, exposure to Russia grew gradually over the years to now represent 35% to 40% of revenue that hit 22 million euros before the pandemic, a stream that is also under new pressure from higher energy and raw material costs. The company was already delivering its summer collection and taking orders for winter when Russia invaded on Feb. 24. By March, Russian retailers were having trouble making payments. Not only is Zanola stuck with some 4,000 spring and summer garments that she has little hope of shipping to Russian clients, she said she was contractually required to keep producing the winter orders, risking 100,000 euros in labor and materials costs if those are unable to ship. Over the years, her Russian clients have proven to be ideal customers, Zanola said. Not only do they pay on time, but they are appreciative of the workmanship in D. Exteriors knitwear creations. After working so hard to build up her Russian customer base, she is loathe to give it up and doesn't see a quick long-term replacement. If Russia were Putin, I wouldnt go there. But since Russia is not only Putin, one hopes that the poor Russians manage to raise themselves up,'' she said. ____ AP reporter Ciaran Giles contributed from Madrid. ____ This story was first published on June 16, 2022. It was updated on June 17, 2022 to correct the name of a Yale professor. It is Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, not Jeffrey Sonnenberg. Mike Simons/AP MUSKOGEE, Okla. (AP) Police arrested a second person on Friday in a shooting at an Oklahoma festival last month in which one person was killed and eight others were wounded. Officers arrested Kendall Alexander, 25, at his home in Muskogee, about 125 miles (200 kilometers) east of Oklahoma City, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation said. He faces one count of first-degree murder and eight counts of shooting with intent to kill, Muskogee police said. Non-resident foreign tourists spent in Romania, on average, 2,465.9 RON per person in Q1 2022, according to a press release from the National Institute of Statistics, sent to AGERPRES on Friday. The total number of non-resident tourists accommodated in the collective tourist accommodation units, in Q1 2022, was 232,400, their expenditures amounting to 573.1 million RON (on average approximately 2,465.9 RON/person).Business trips (including participation in congresses, conferences, courses, fairs and exhibitions) were the main reason for the stay of 52.4% of non-resident tourists who arrived in Romania in Q1 2022, their expenditures accounting for 56.2% of the total spending.Among the non-resident tourists who arrived in Romania in Q1 2022, 47.6% traveled for private purposes, their expenditures representing 43.8% of the total spending. Trips for private purposes include holidays, shopping, cultural and sporting events, visiting friends and relatives, medical treatment, religion, transit, and other activities. The head of SRI, Eduard Hellvig, describes as "totally wrong" the idea that, in 2022, the intelligence services in Romania could return to the model of the former political police Securitate. "It is a totally wrong idea that, in 2022, the Romanian intelligence services could return to the model of the former Securitate, because that model (...) belonged to the totalitarian communist regime, a regime universally recognized as criminal, imposed by a foreign power and totally opposed to a society that wants freedom, prosperity and security," Hellvig told an online press conference on Friday.In his opinion, the Securitate was "a creator of mentalities" and "an administrator with a coercive role against consciences."And what I mean when I say Securitate is more than a repressive institution. It was an institution that created mentalities, corrected behaviours, an absolute judge and a manager of consciences. The laboratories of Securitate were abandoned in a hurry in December 1989, but the viruses that were developed there were already deeply rooted in our society. A virus like that, and the most dangerous of all, I believe, is the main method of the former political police, which is represented by the idea of using the traumas of the society during the communist regime to very smartly create a reflex of a totalitarian type. It is the idea that behind everything lies an obscure and necessarily malicious interest, that there are enemies inside Romania, enemies with whom we need to fight. The ability to present itself as a medicine is, in fact, the virus itself," said the SRI head. President Klaus Iohannis is going to welcome the King of Belgium, Philippe, on Friday at the 57th Air Base Mihail Kogalniceanu, southeastern County of Constanta, a release from the Presidential Administration informs. "In addition to the official talks, the two high officials will meet with the Romanian, Belgian and other allied military, deployed on the Romanian territory as part of the Allied effort to strengthen the deterrence and defense posture on the Eastern Flank, given the worsening of the security situation due to the Russian illegal aggression against Ukraine. The visit of His Majesty Philippe, King of the Belgians, takes place against the background of a strong bilateral dialogue at a high level and of the close Romanian-Belgian cooperation in the field of defense, especially in the context of the participation of the Kingdom of Belgium with a contingent in the NATO Battle Group in Romania," the Presidential Administration's release says.The President of Romania and the King of Belgium will discuss the priority themes of the bilateral agenda and the ways to deepen the cooperation at European and international level. Particular attention will be paid to the crisis in Ukraine and its multidimensional impact, the source reads."In the context of the humanitarian crisis caused by the armed aggression of the Russian Federation, there will also be discussions about the assistance measures for Ukraine and the support of the Ukrainian refugees, including through the humanitarian hub in northeastern Suceava. The two high officials will also address the strengthening of support for the Republic of Moldova, given that it faces multiple challenges generated by the effects of the Russian aggression against Ukraine, including hosting a very large number of refugees," the Presidential Administration also informs in the above-mentioned release. The PNL (National Liberal Party) leader, PM Nicolae Ciuca, states that "in times of instability it is not healthy to play with the tax system" and underscored that the Liberals will not support any measure that will stifle the business environment. "We all see in this period news and all sorts of statements about the effects of the global economic crisis that are now unfolding globally. And I want to say a few things now to be clear for everyone: 1. Playing with the tax system in times of instability is not healthy. We risk to have, in a year or two, two times bigger problems than we have today. We have about 96 billion euros allocated for development and the mission to direct this money to all key areas, intelligently, otherwise we will end up in a financial collapse, irreparably," Ciuca wrote on Facebook on Friday. He underscored that the PNL will not support any measures that will stifle the business environment, the vital engine of the economy. AGERPRES President Klaus Iohannis welcomes the European Commission's recommendation to grant European Union candidate status to Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova and believes that this is a "well-deserved step forward" for the citizens of the two states. "After months of intense dialogue and coordination, I am very pleased to welcome the European Commission's opinion on granting EU candidate status to Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova. This is a well-deserved step forward for the citizens of Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova. We will continue to actively support Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova and Georgia to become part of the European Union family," Iohannis wrote on Twitter on Friday. The European Commission has recommended that EU member states grant Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova candidate status for EU membership, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen announced on Friday. AGERPRES Belgium's King Philippe was welcomed on Friday by President Klaus Iohannis as he touched down at the 57th Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base. The two state leaders will hold official talks, meet with troops stationed at the base and deliver speeches.The President of Romania and the King of Belgium will discuss the priority topics of the bilateral agenda and ways to deepen European and international cooperation. A special focus will be on the crisis in Ukraine and its multidimensional impact, the cited source said."Amid the humanitarian crisis caused by the Russian Federation's armed aggression, talks will also tackle assistance measures for Ukraine and support to Ukrainian refugees, including through the humanitarian hub in Suceava. The two heads of state will also approach strengthening support for the Republic Moldova, currently faced with multiple challenges posed by the effects of the Russian aggression against Ukraine, including a high number of taken in refugees," the Presidential Administration said. Romania's Minister of Research, Innovation and Digital Transformation Sebastian Burduja and Moldovan Deputy Prime Minister for Digital Transformation Iurie Curcanu signed a joint statement on Thursday in Chisinau on the establishment of a joint commission for the implementation of a memorandum of understanding in the areas of digital transformation between the two countries, according to the Romanian Digital Transformation Authority (ADR). The joint commission will be composed of representatives of the Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digital Transformation, the Romanian Digital Transformation Authority and the National Cyber-Security Directorate (DNSC), as well as representatives of Moldova's Electronic Government Agency, Information Technology and Cyber-Security Service and Public Services Agency. Presidency of the commission will be provided on a six-month rotating basis by each signatory party to the joint statement. "By taking this step we send a clear message to citizens and authorities at the national, regional and international level, as well as to the business and ICT community on both the left and the right banks of the Prut,that this common digital space between Chisinau and Bucharest will propel us to a new administrative and economic level," Curcanu is quoted as saying in and ADR press statement. Burduja emphasised that this common digital space "means the chance of our countries to develop integrated, harmoniously, in step with the times." "Digital union means the chance for development. Digital transformation means connecting people to opportunities: connecting citizens to each other, connecting citizens to state services, as well as to the opportunities offered by the private sector. Bridges over the Prut must not only be made of concrete, cement and iron; they can be made easier, more efficiently, digitally, through new technologies. By our joint effort, Romania and the Republic of Moldova can have a common brand before the entire Europe: a brand of digital transformation that is based on the excellent human resources that we have in both countries," said Burduja. ADR Vice Chairman Octavian Oprea mentioned that this moment marks the digital connection of Moldova with the European Union and from now on, from a digital point of view, citizens in Moldova will be able to benefit from digital rights similar to European citizens. "We can say that today the Republic of Moldova has integrated itself from a digital perspective with the European Union," said Oprea. The joint agenda of the Romanian and Moldovan delegations includes intensifying the strategic partnership and dialogue between the national government of Moldova and Romania in the area of digital transformation, with the following steps: creating a common digital space between Moldova and Romania; exchanging data between public bodies of the two countries; mutual recognition of electronic signatures; coming up with a shared agenda in the area of digital transformation; developing digital platforms, digital infrastructures and electronic public services; facilitating investment and innovative entrepreneurship in the field of information technology; ensuring cyber-security. AGERPRES President Klaus Iohannis received the King of Belgium, Philippe, on Friday, at the 57th Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base in Constanta County. According to the Presidential Administration, during the talks, the two heads of state welcomed the positive dynamics of the bilateral relationship between Romania and Belgium, in multiple areas, and the close coordination at the European and international level. President Iohannis praised the excellent results of cooperation between the two countries in the field of defence and thanked King Philippe for Belgium's contribution to the defence and deterrence measures on the Eastern Flank, especially for participating in the NATO Battle Group. The same source said that, in terms of security and defense, the talks of the two heads of state focused on the security situation in the Black Sea region, in the context of the Russian military aggression against Ukraine, as well as on measures to help Ukrainian refugees. In this context, President Klaus Iohannis underscored that Romania will continue to provide humanitarian aid to Ukraine, while emphasizing the role of the Suceava hub for the transfer of international support to the benefit of this country. The head of state also said that the Russian Federation's aggression against Ukraine brutally threatens the European security architecture and the international order, and that the Allies and partners must continue to act in a united and coordinated manner, both within NATO and at the European Union level. to diminish the impact of the multiple and profound effects of this war. President Klaus Iohannis also presented Romania's standpoint in support of the process of accession to the European Union of Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova and Georgia, in the context of the European Commission's opinions published on Friday and the decisions scheduled for next week's European Council. The two heads of state met with the Romanian, Belgian and other allied contingents at the Mihail Kogalniceanu 57th Air Base, whom they thanked for the way they carry out their missions, as part of the joint allied effort in the Black Sea region. King Philippe's visit takes place amid the strengthening of the high-level bilateral dialogue between Romania and Belgium, in addition to the close cooperation between the two states in the field of defence, including in the context of the Kingdom of Belgium's participation with a military contingent to the NATO Battle Group in Romania, according to the Presidential Administration. AGERPRES PENSACOLA, Fla. (AP) Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday asked that a statewide grand jury be set up to examine networks that illegally smuggle people into the state as part of an investigation that also would focus on local governments that he says violate state law by adopting sanctuary" policies. DeSantis filed a petition with the Florida Supreme Court requesting that the grand jury be impaneled. The Republican governor announced the petition at a news conference with law enforcement agents in Pensacola where he also signed into law a bill that would require county jails to assist federal agents with immigration enforcement and prohibit state and local governments from doing business with contractors who bring into Florida people who are in the U.S. illegally. DeSantis also said he intended to expand a strike force made up of state and local law enforcement agents that is tasked with stopping trafficking. The concept is being tested in several Panhandle counties. We arent a border state. People are wondering, Why are you doing this?,'" DeSantis said. People will say, Let Texas or Arizona worry about that.' Let me tell you, people trying to come in illegally are trying to get to Florida." If approved, the statewide grand jury would investigate parents who use professional smugglers to bring their unaccompanied children to live with them in Florida, traffickers who smuggle people in the country illegally into Florida and people and organizations that do business with traffickers, either directly or indirectly. The grand jury also would be charged with investigating local jurisdictions that refuse to honor a request to detain people in the country illegally if they have been arrested for a crime. The governor's petition specifically cites Miami-Dade County as refusing to honor these immigration detainers. The governor asked that the statewide grand jury be run out of a judicial circuit that covers Hardee, Highlands and Polk counties, an agriculture-heavy region in the interior of the state. The Florida Legislature in 2019 passed a law banning so-called sanctuary cities but a federal judge last September blocked the state from enforcing it. The ruling was in response to a lawsuit filed by the city of South Miami and other organizations against DeSantis. The state is appealing the decision. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Olympia Gymnastics & Ninja City expanded with a new 35,000-square-foot location, billed as the largest gymnastics facility in Missouri. Custom Alternatives Inc., the general contractor on the project, renovated a former Office Depot store at Missouri 141 and Manchester Road in Manchester. The new center offers state-of-the-art gymnastics and ninja equipment, including multiple in-ground trampolines and foam pits, with dedicated preschool and ninja gyms. A sky bridge allows parents a view of the entire facility. The new location will also be home to Gateway Gymnastics, an Olympia subsidiary that hosts gymnastics competitions for competitive gymnasts throughout the Midwest. Ninja competitions will also be hosted at the new gym in conjunction with Central States Ninja Association. Olympia has seven locations in the St. Louis area, including Chesterfield, Ellisville, Festus, St. Peters and Rock Hill. RED LODGE, Mont. (AP) As punishing floods tore through Yellowstone National Park and neighboring Montana communities, the state's governor was nowhere to be seen. In the immediate aftermath, the state issued a disaster declaration attributed to the Republican governor, but for some reason it carried the lieutenant governors signature. It wasnt until Wednesday more than 48 hours after the flood hit the state that Gov. Greg Gianfortes office acknowledged he was out of the country, though it wouldnt say exactly where he was, citing unspecified security concerns. Gianforte finally returned on Thursday night from what his office said was a vacation with his wife in Italy. But he found himself facing a torrent of criticism for not hurrying home sooner and for not telling the public his whereabouts during the emergency. In a moment of unprecedented disaster and economic uncertainty, Gianforte purposefully kept Montanans in the dark about where he was and who was actually in charge, said Sheila Hogan, executive director of the Montana Democratic Party. Gianforte, 61, is a tech mogul elected governor two years ago. He made headlines when he body-slammed a reporter the day before winning a seat in Congress in a 2017 special election. He initially misled investigators about the attack but eventually pleaded guilty to misdemeanor assault. While Gianforte was away, Montana's lieutenant governor served as acting governor. And in Gianforte's defense, his office said he was briefed regularly about the flooding, which caused widespread damage to small communities in the southern part of the state and had threatened to cut off fresh water to Billings, the states largest city. But Gianfortes critics seized on his mysterious disappearance and started the mocking social media hashtag #WhereIsGreg. Montanans and others traded wisecracks about Gianforte and the Appalachian Trail a reference to former South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford, who disappeared in 2009 and had his staff tell reporters he was hiking the Appalachian Trail while he was actually having a tryst with his lover in Argentina. Montana reporters started asking more questions after noticing Lt. Gov. Kristen Juras signature on the flood-disaster declaration. Truthfully, it speaks for itself. It just does, Democratic U.S. Sen. Jon Tester of Montana said of the governor's AWOL status as he toured flood damage in Red Lodge on Friday. When youre in public service, there are things that take precedent, and this is pretty important. Gianforte finally toured the flood zone Friday but didn't address his absence. He instead encouraged visitors to still come to the Yellowstone region. Heres a very simple message for people that have planned trips to Yellowstone Park: Were open. Youve got to come. Theres so much to do in Montana," he said. "The vitality of our communities depend on it, and your families need what we have in Montana." The floods washed away roads, bridges and houses and closed all of Yellowstone, threatening some of the communities on the park's outskirts that depend heavily on tourists visiting one of America's most beloved natural attractions. Yellowstone officials said they could reopen the southern end of the park as soon as next week, offering visitors a chance to see Old Faithful and other attractions. But the northern entrances in Montana, which lead to the wildlife-rich Lamar Valley and Tower Fall, could be closed all summer, if not longer. Scott Miller, a commissioner in Carbon County, where flooding heavily damaged the town of Red Lodge and other areas, said Friday that he had been able to contact the governor by phone when he needed to and that the state did not neglect any duties. The fact that the governor has been on vacation theres been no hiccups, Miller said. Thats why you have people in your cabinet. In Red Lodge, Tester hesitated to criticize the governor, acknowledging he was in Washington this week working on a bill for veterans. Some could say, Jon, why didnt you come back Tuesday or Wednesday? Tester said. These are hard situations. I dont know what his circumstances were. ... Ive got a decent working relationship with the governor and want to continue that. Hanson reported from Helena, Montana. Associated Press journalists Brian Melley in Los Angeles, Mead Gruver in Cheyenne, Wyoming, and Lindsay Whitehurst in Salt Lake City contributed to this report. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. St. Louis own Virginia Slachman goes back to the track with Betrayed in the Bluegrass. This racetrack thriller follows up on the authors Blood in the Bluegrass, published three years ago. Slachman teaches writing at Washington University, so she practices what she teaches. She also carries a deep fondness for thoroughbred horses. Her two specialties merge well in Betrayed in the Bluegrass, as they did in Blood in the Bluegrass. Again, the heroine is Harper Hill, who breeds and trains thoroughbreds down Kentucky way. Again, the plot centers on misconduct in Kentucky murder, theft, animal-drugging and other outrages. Heroine Harper insists on investigating the two brutal murders that open this tale, even though her loving and patient husband carries the badge of a police detective. She shows up at the stables early each morning partly to check on her horses and partly to sniff around for clues about whos behind the bad doings. Her suspicion falls on a trainer she had imported from Britain, a thoroughly unlikeable thoroughbred handler. In the end, of course, Harper finds the killer. But the killers identity comes as a shock to Harper and to the reader. Author Slachman knows her way around horses, as does Harper. A sample: As she hefted the wheelbarrow filled with the end stalls droppings and soiled wheat straw bedding, she picked up the sharp smell of urine and loamy manure, reminded again that even the most mundane aspects of taking care of racehorses were just fine with her. As the time passed, she made her way from stall to stall, wondering who owned all the runners. She read a few stall plates: Dame Falona noseband, blinkers (to breeze) and next to her: Tamerett draw reins, shadow roll, earplugs. Just the horses name and training gear. But if that sounds everyday, Slachman also throws in a few examples of the unusual. Heres Harpers take on a horse named Fleet Light: He was well made, yes, but the sweet disposition and soft eyes shed picked up from him sometimes translated to not much heart on the track. Sometimes, she corrected herself, but certainly not always. And he was a bit on the smaller side. It took a whole package to make a star heart, breeding, the right training, the physical chops, desire, a head for it and luck. And here is Slachmans take on Harpers own trainer, an expert named Marshall: Hed learned long ago that the horses will always tell you what they need, so he listened, and backed or pushed them as they were ready. He trained the whole horse the mind and the body. You had to build cardio and bones and muscle but if you left out the mind, you had nothing but junk. Fans of the first Harper thriller will flock to this recent follow-up and come away hoping for a tale-telling trifecta. Harry Levins of Manchester retired in 2007 as senior writer of the Post-Dispatch. THURSDAY, June 16, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- EleCare specialty infant formula production at the Abbott Michigan plant has been halted after severe storms triggered flooding in the plant. The closure comes less than two weeks after the factory resumed production following a months-long shutdown that fueled a national formula shortage. As a result of the flooding, "Abbott has stopped production of its EleCare specialty formula that was underway to assess damage caused by the storm and clean and re-sanitize the plant. We have informed [the U.S. Food and Drug Administration] and will conduct comprehensive testing in conjunction with the independent third party to ensure the plant is safe to resume production. This will likely delay production and distribution of new product for a few weeks," the company said in a statement issued Wednesday night. After the plant is resanitized, Abbott said it will resume making EleCare, followed by specialty and metabolic formulas, and will "work to restart Similac production at the plant as soon as possible." Abbott added that it has "ample existing supply of EleCare and most of its specialty and metabolic formulas" to meet consumer demand until new products are available. "We know Abbott is working quickly to assess the damage and will be reporting its progress to us in the days ahead. Once the company establishes a plan, FDA will be back in the facility working to ensure that they can restart producing safe and quality formula products quickly," Robert Califf, M.D., FDA commissioner, said in tweets Wednesday night. Califf called the latest closure an "unfortunate setback and a reminder that natural weather events can also cause unforeseen supply chain disruptions." Originally published on consumer.healthday.com, part of the TownNews Content Exchange. FRIDAY, June 17, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- COVID-19 poses far more danger to kids than seasonal flu, a new study confirms. "We found the impact to pediatric hospitalization among the two viruses are not equivalent and, in fact, children admitted with COVID-19 or MIS-C experienced longer stays and required more invasive treatments like mechanical ventilation than children admitted with the flu," said principal investigator Dr. Steven Shein. He is chief of pediatric critical care medicine at University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Childrens Hospital in Cleveland. For the study, Shein and his colleagues analyzed data on critically ill children from 66 U.S. pediatric intensive care units. They identified 1,959 admissions for a primary diagnosis of COVID-19 or COVID-related multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) in the pandemic's first 15 months (April 2020 to June 2021), and 1,561 for flu in the two-year period before the pandemic (April 2018 to March 2020). That means there were nearly twice as many COVID-19/MIS-C admissions per quarter (about 400) during the pandemic's first 15 months than flu admissions in the two years before it (about 200). COVID-19/MIS-C patients had a higher risk of death, but actual death rates did not differ between the two groups, according to the findings. Shein said researchers wanted to do the study because of the frequent comparisons between COVID and flu, particularly in discussions of public health measures. The investigators noted that the flu patient data was gathered when there were no public health measures, while there was masking, social distancing and remote learning during collection of the COVID patient data. "It's important to note those measures did help to decrease critical illness from many respiratory viruses and nearly eliminated influenza admissions to pediatric ICUs," Shein said in a hospital news release. "Without them in place, especially for this largely unvaccinated population, we can assume COVID-19 would have led to even more critically ill children," he said. The study was published June 15 in JAMA Network Open. More information For more on children and COVID-19, go to the American Academy of Pediatrics. SOURCE: University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Childrens Hospital, news release, June 15, 2022 Originally published on consumer.healthday.com, part of the TownNews Content Exchange. FRIDAY, June 17, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Bioavailability is equivalent for a single oral dose of levothyroxine (LT4) sodium solution administered five minutes prior to coffee or under fasting conditions, according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the Endocrine Society, held from June 11 to 14 in Atlanta. Kris Washington, Pharm.D., from Vertice Pharma in Berkeley Heights, New Jersey, and colleagues conducted a bioavailability study to assess the rate and extent of absorption of the oral LT4 solution administered with coffee compared to administration under fasting conditions in 40 healthy adults in a two-period, two-treatment, two-sequence, crossover study. In each study period, a single 600-g oral dose of LT4 solution was administered five minutes before drinking 8 ounces of American coffee (without milk or sweeteners) or under fasting conditions. For 48 hours after drug administration, blood samples were collected for total T4. A 40-day washout period separated treatment periods. The researchers found there were no serious adverse events or discontinuations due to adverse events. For baseline-adjusted LT4, the geometric LT4 solution mean ratio of area under the receiver operating characteristic curve 0 to 48 hours and maximum serum concentration were 93.98 percent and 95.99 percent, respectively. The corresponding 90 percent confidence intervals fell within the U.S. Food and Drug Administration acceptance range for bioequivalence. "The results demonstrate that the absorption of levothyroxine sodium oral solution was not affected by the consumption of coffee, potentially offering patients and providers more dosing flexibility," Washington said in a statement. This research was conducted by Vertice Pharma, the manufacturer of the oral levothyroxine sodium solution used in the study. Originally published on consumer.healthday.com, part of the TownNews Content Exchange. THURSDAY, June 16, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Anthony Fauci, M.D., the country's leading infectious disease expert, has tested positive for COVID-19, the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) announced Wednesday. The 81-year-old director of NIAID tested positive on a rapid antigen test and has mild symptoms, the agency said in a statement. It said he is fully vaccinated and has received two booster shots. Fauci will isolate and continue to work from home until he tests negative. He has not been in close contact with President Joe Biden or other senior government officials, the NIAID said. This is the first time Fauci has tested positive, The New York Times reported. Fauci and other leading federal health officials were scheduled to appear Thursday before the Senate Health Committee to outline the current status of the COVID-19 pandemic. Efforts were made for Fauci to testify remotely, an official told The Times. More than 100,000 new COVID-19 cases are being reported each day in the United States, a Times database shows, but the actual number is likely higher because at-home rapid test results are not tallied by any government agency, experts added. Case numbers are falling in the Northeast and Midwest, but cases and hospitalizations are rising in the West and South. Still, The Times database shows fewer than 350 deaths being reported each day, far below the more than 2,600 a day at the peak of the omicron surge. Originally published on consumer.healthday.com, part of the TownNews Content Exchange. Aisha Sultan Aisha Sultan is home and family editor for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Follow Aisha Sultan 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 Michael Cook, 46, was never a political guy. As a young adult, he pretty much ignored all politics except for voting in a presidential election every four years. His interest began to shift after he first became a father 14 years ago. His transformation from apolitical, casual observer to outspoken activist has been informed by the intersection of life changes, such as fatherhood, and the larger societal changes over the past few years happening while his children are growing up. I started paying more attention to the world, he said. Initially, he kept it low-key. When he noticed bizarre political posts on his social media feeds, he began looking into the sources. He started doing more research about what was fueling phenomena like disinformation and the anti-vaccination movement. And, he started talking to his kids, now 12 and 14, hoping to foster their critical thinking and empathy about what was happening in the news. Hes one of those cool fathers, his 14-year-old son, Owen, explained. He said his dad has taught him that everyone has their own political opinions. You should respect them, but you dont have to agree with them, he said. Cook, who works as a software developer and lives in Fenton, says he wants his children to form their own opinions, even if they disagree with him, and to be able to evaluate sources and think critically. He participated in his first political protest with his children the summer when George Floyd was murdered by a Minneapolis police officer. We had never done that before, he said. But, he and his wife wanted their children to understand the importance of the moment and cause. That inspired us to get out and show our kids: You have to fight for the world to be the way you want it to be. Their 12-year-old daughter, Lily, says she remembers the massive crowd of people protesting the killing. It felt reassuring that all those people were on the same side, she said. Giving children ways to think about the world and how to engage in it are among the most important things parents teach their kids. For Cook, the countrys changing political discourse and events of the past six years have galvanized him in a way he couldnt have imagined prior to becoming a father. I feel our democracy has eroded a lot. I want our kids to live in a world with democracy and facts and provable truths, he said. It hit close to home for him when national political rhetoric began to encroach into local school boards. The attempts to ban books and limit what teachers can say or teach has motivated him to become even more involved. That impacts my kids directly, he said. He has joined several politically oriented groups on Facebook. He knows people who are running for political office locally. Hes even attended a fundraiser. The change in his activism has come at some personal costs. There are some acquaintances who cut him off once he began challenging their misinformation and racist posts on social media. He has confronted his mother when she shares outrageous conspiracy theories. Thats prompted some discussion with their children about why some people are drawn to such views. Hes considering taking his children to a larger protest in Washington, D.C. in the future. Im trying to inspire them to pay attention, be aware and understand whats going on, he said. His efforts may be taking root even during the early preteen and teenage years. I asked Lily about the most important lesson shes learned from her father so far. Stand up for what you believe in thats the big one, she said. Thats quite a gift. 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. LONDON (AP) Britain announced a new round of sanctions Thursday against Russia, targeting the head of the Russian Orthodox Church for his prominent support for the war in Ukraine as well as Russia's children's rights commissioner, who Britain said is responsible for the forced transfer and adoption of hundreds of Ukrainian children into Russia. Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said Patriarch Kirill, head of the Russian Orthodox Church, has repeatedly abused his position to justify the war" on Ukraine. Kirill is a longtime ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Truss also targeted children's rights commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova, who has been accused of enabling the taking of 2,000 vulnerable children from the Luhansk and Donetsk regions in eastern Ukraine and facilitating their forced adoptions in Russia. Others on Thursday's list include four colonels from a brigade known to have killed, raped and tortured civilians in the Ukrainian town of Bucha. Truss also said Britain's government is taking all steps we can regarding two British citizens sentenced to death for fighting Russian forces in Ukraine. She said officials are in regular talks with the Ukrainian government about Aiden Aslin and Sean Pinner, who were sentenced last week alongside a Moroccan, Brahim Saadoun, for allegedly fighting as mercenaries by a court in the self-proclaimed Donetsk Peoples Republic. These people are prisoners of war. They were fighting legitimately with the Ukrainian army," Truss said. "What Russia has done is a complete violation of the Geneva Convention. We are taking all steps we can. 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 Stacy McCarter thought education would help her escape. Escape the generational poverty she grew up in in the West End neighborhood of St. Louis. Escape the violence that landed her and her kids in a domestic violence shelter when she was married. I kept trying to find a way to escape from everything, McCarter says. I ran headfirst into school. In May, McCarter graduated with a degree in early childhood education from Misericordia University in Dallas, Penn. Its a private university founded by the Sisters of Mercy. Shes the first person in her family with a college degree. Her road to graduation, a job, and hope for her family, endured many potholes. As a child, McCarter attended Parkway schools as part of the regions voluntary transfer program. She dropped out of Parkway North High School before graduating. She eventually joined a job corps program and got her diploma. She tried St. Louis Community College and that didnt work out. Obstacles kept getting in the way. Life happened, McCarter says. She thought she had things figured out when she enrolled at Harris-Stowe State University, and got a job working in the day care center at the school, so she could be close to her kids. But the bills, including tuition and the day care fees, proved to be too much again. Things were very difficult for me, she remembers. I always wanted more but just couldnt figure it out. Thats when the pastor at her church, Maplewood United Methodist Church stepped in. Pastor Kim Shirar had heard of a program in Pennsylvania called the Ruth Matthews Bourger Women With Children Program. It is a unique residential center at Miseracordia University that helps single mothers get a college degree. McCarter didnt want to leave St. Louis. It was a place she never heard of, in a rural area in a state far away. But she prayed. She looked for signs. She took the plunge. We didnt have anywhere else to go. Students pay tuition at the school, though they can qualify for financial aid. The program pays for housing and utilities, childcare, food stipends, and even extra-curricular activities for the children. McCarter describes each of her children by their unique gifts. Sophia, 11, is the writer. Allen, 8, is the genius. We call him preacher, lawyer, doctor. Elijah, 6, is the athlete. They are her pride and joy, and now, she says, because she has a college degree, they have a future. Thats how the Women With Children program looks at itself, says its director, Katherine Pohlidal. Its not just about saving one generation, but two. It is a sustainable way of lifting families out of poverty, two generations at a time, Pohlidal says. The program, supported with donations, is expanding, and Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf, a Democrat, recently cited it in his annual address to the legislature, suggesting the states public universities should consider adding such programs. The program at Misericordia is one of eight similar programs in the country, but the only one that completely covers the cost of housing. Every program graduate, Pohlidal says, moves on to a professional career. Some of the programs first graduates from its founding in 2000, now have children who are graduating from college. McCarter has been hired as a special education teacher in the Wilkes-Barre public schools. She misses St. Louis, and thinks about coming back, but for now, shes on the path she believes God intended for her. We single mothers are significant. Having our education increases our ability and our knowledge, she says. I think about all the women whose day care bills are out of control and they cant afford to stay in school. I just want them to have a chance. I pray that Missouri wakes up and finds a way to pilot programs like this. 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. ALTON Liese Dodd, expecting her first child, was toying with baby names but hadn't quite decided. She was ecstatic about being pregnant, said Brooke Carney. "She was getting all the stuff together. Everyone was looking forward to it." Carney, a family friend, said the family that was preparing for a baby shower at the end of June is now reeling from Liese Dodd's horrific slaying June 9 in Alton. Dodd, 22, was decapitated at her apartment, and her unborn child also died. Prosecutors have filed murder charges against an ex-boyfriend, DeUndrea S. Holloway Jr. of Litchfield, Illinois. Carney, who is engaged to Dodd's older sister, said talking about what happened to Dodd is too hard for her right now. Dodds family, in the Jerseyville area, is a tight-knit group struggling to cope with the horrific crime, she said. Its just unreal, Carney said. Funeral arrangements are incomplete and will be handled by the Crawford Funeral Home in Jerseyville. Dodd was a graduate of Jerseyville High School and was hoping to go into the medical field like her mother, who is a nurse. Her mom was her rock star, Carney said. She looked up to her mom. Carney has set up a fund to help Dodds mother, Heidi Noel, and sister, Shelbi Dodd, with funeral expenses and other living expenses to help when they take time away from work. Any donations in excess of what the family needs will be redirected to animal shelter and domestic violence resources, Carney said. She was great, always willing to help, very outgoing and friendly," Carney said of Dodd. 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. CLAYTON A St. Louis County jury on Friday rejected a self-defense claim by Bonette K. Meeks in the 2019 shooting death of Officer Michael Langsdorf at a Wellston food market. Jurors found Meeks, 29, guilty of second-degree murder, armed criminal action, resisting arrest and unlawful possession of a gun in the death of Langsdorf, a police officer of 17 years. Meeks testified this week that he didnt know the man he fatally shot three years ago inside Clays Wellston Food Market, 6250 Page Boulevard, was a police officer. Meeks admitted trying to cash a $6,788 business check that didnt belong to him but said he didnt know someone had summoned police to the market. And, he said, he didnt realize Langsdorf, the uniformed North County Police Cooperative officer called to the store, was there to arrest him. I was trying to protect myself, Meeks said in court. By shooting him in the head? asked Assistant Prosecutor Jerry McDonald. Is that what you did? Thats what happened, Meeks said. Yes, I shot Officer Langsdorf. Meeks testified Thursday that he thought Missouris gun laws allowed him to have a gun despite felony drug convictions in North Carolina where he lived for years before moving back to the St. Louis area to live with relatives. The encounter began June 23, 2019, after Meeks tried to cash one of two checks that his cousins husband, Kawynn Smith, had found discarded outside a Chesterfield hotel where Smith worked at the time. Smith testified this week that he had no identification and that Meeks agreed to try to cash the checks and split the money with him. Smith was charged with second-degree murder, also called felony murder. He struck a deal with prosecutors to reduce his charges in exchange for truthful testimony. When Langsdorf, 40, arrived at the market, he passed Meeks at the front door and pulled him back into the store to ask staff if Meeks was the man who had tried to cash the check, according to testimony and video played at trial. Meeks testified that as he met Langsdorf at the front door, Langsdorf told him to come here but did not identify himself as a police officer. Langsdorf was wearing a ballcap with the letters NCPC on the front, a black polo shirt with shield patches on each arm, dark pants and a police duty belt. The brief tussle began when Langsdorf tried to arrest Meeks and put him in handcuffs. Cellphone and surveillance video showed Langsdorfs body over Meeks and struggling to pin him down. Meeks pulled a gun while he was on the floor and struck Langsdorf in the forehead with it. Do you remember what you were thinking or feeling at this moment? Meeks lawyer Paige Bremner asked him Thursday. No, I couldnt breathe, Meeks said. I was thinking about getting him off of me. Meeks then broke free, stood up, shot Langsdorf once in the back of the neck and ran out of the store, according to video and testimony. The bullet traveled downward into Langsdorfs chest. Bremner said in closing arguments Friday that Meeks had the right to walk away from Langsdorf because Langsdorf was merely investigating a bad check complaint and not yet trying to arrest him. She said Langsdorf escalated the situation by putting Meeks in a headlock and throwing him to the floor. She said Meeks wasnt resisting arrest but rather trying to survive during the struggle. At that point, Michael Langsdorf wasnt acting like a law enforcement officer, she said. He was a bully. Meeks likely dazed Langsdorf by striking Langsdorf in the head with a pistol, McDonald, the prosecutor, told jurors Friday. Meeks then stood up, aimed his gun with both hands and shot Langsdorf in the back of the neck as Langsdorf reached for the gun. McDonald said Meeks claim that he didnt know Langsdorf was an officer made no sense and that Meeks executed Langsdorf as the officer tried to arrest him. Lets call it what it is, McDonald said. The defendant was a criminal committing multiple crimes. Officer Langsdorf was there to do his job and he did it til the very end, McDonald said. Sentencing is set for Sept. 21. Circuit Judge William M. Corrigan Jr. permitted only relatives of Langsdorf and Meeks in the courtroom during the trial. Reporters and members of the public were allowed to observe the trial from an overflow room in the St. Louis County courthouse. Several times, technical problems with courts microphones and network cut or muffled sound in the courtroom, preventing spectators from hearing parts of the trial. The judge also ordered the entire Meeks case and docket sealed, citing the security of the parties and the privacy of the participants and the fair administration of justice. Shake off your afternoon slump with the oft-shared and offbeat news of the day, hand-brewed by our online news editors. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. ST. LOUIS The Missouri Attorney Generals Office filed a civil suit last week against a group of St. Louis County-based timeshare exit companies already at the center of a federal fraud case involving millions in pandemic relief money. Attorney General Eric Schmitts office filed suit June 9 against several companies linked to Square One Development Group, a Des Peres-based business that claims to help customers get out of onerous timeshare contracts for thousands or tens of thousands of dollars in fees. The suit alleges that the companies used misleading statements and high-pressure sales tactics aimed at people already feeling ripped off by timeshare companies to pay for services they never received. The attorney generals office has logged more than 200 complaints from consumers who collectively paid the companies more than $2 million since 2018, according to the suit. Two owners of Square One, Christopher Carroll and George Reed, were charged in federal court in September and accused of securing $2.8 million in fraudulent COVID-19 Paycheck Protection Program, or PPP, loans meant to support small businesses through the pandemic. In their application, the men claimed the aid would be spent to cover employee wages, but they instead suspended employees pay and health insurance coverage, the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Eastern District of Missouri alleged in a 2021 release. The indictments allege the men then used some funds to start a trucking company, Whiskey Dix Big Truck Repairs, and paid themselves $660,000. Reed and Carroll also were accused of submitting PPP loan applications in their spouses names in part to conceal Carrolls status as a paroled felon, according to the U.S. attorneys office. Both Reed and Carroll are listed on the sex offender registry. Reed was sentenced to five years in prison on charges of possession of child pornography and sexual misconduct or attempted misconduct with a child, registry and court records show. Carroll was sentenced in 1995 to 30 years in prison for forcible sodomy. Both face pending federal bank fraud and money laundering charges. Other company owners, Scott Jackson, Eduardo Balderas and Lou Ann Reed are also named in the civil suit. Attorney Jim Martin sent a statement on behalf of his client Carroll in response to allegations in the suit. Contrary to the allegations, the Square One Group timeshare exit companies have successfully obtained time share exits for almost 8,000 customer timeshares and given refunds when requested to over 1,100 customers, Martin wrote. We feel very comfortable that if we get the opportunity to sit down with the Attorney Generals Office, we will be able to demonstrate the inaccuracies in the petition and the legitimacy of the companies. Requests for comment sent to Square Ones corporate office as well as an attorney for Reed were not immediately returned Thursday. Unfair practices The attorney generals suit claims Reed and Carroll launched Square One in 2005, at first to manage a series of massage businesses, before the company began to advertise timeshare exit services in 2018. The business used direct mail campaigns and cold-call marketing to invite consumers to sales presentations where they would be promised free meals, gift cards or tablets, according to the suit. The suit claims the presentations at hotels or restaurants were full of hard-sell, misleading tactics. Tactics described in the suit include promises that the company would give customers a full refund if they didnt get customers out of their timeshares within a set timeframe, which the suit claims was typically only honored when customers filed a lawsuit or enlisted law enforcement. Sales people also claimed the company was accredited by the Consumer Rights Council, which, the suit claims, is a sham organization set up by Square Ones leadership. The suit alleges salespeople would also falsely claim timeshare maintenance fees would soon skyrocket to give a sense of urgency to their services. The company charged between $5,000 to $80,000, depending on the number of timeshares involved, according to the suit. The suit alleges that members of the company would also at times attempt to physically block consumers from leaving sales presentations until they signed a contract. One consumer reported to the attorney generals office that a Square One employee would not even allow her and her husband to excuse themselves to use the restroom at the same time because the salesperson did not want to give them the opportunity to leave, the suit states. The suit claims that owners of Square One created a number of linked companies that are named in the suit, including: Consumer Law Protection, Consumer Rights Council, Premier Reservations Group, Resort Transfer Group, Timeshare Help Source, Square One Transport and Square One Logistics. In July 2020, the Better Business Bureau of Eastern and Southwest Missouri and Southern Illinois released a warning about Square One after receiving more than 30 complaints alleging the company used misleading sales presentations, failed to honor contracts, did not issue refunds and provided poor customer service. The company has an F rating from the bureau. The attorney generals suit seeks restitution for consumers and requested the court compel Square One to stop doing business. A former employee of the companies told the Post-Dispatch this week that about 25 to 30 people are employed at the businesses Des Peres call center, at 1610 Des Peres Road. Earlier this month, Reed told employees that he was going to close the company, but Carroll then told staff he would try to keep the business running, according to the former employee. The attorney generals office asked customers nationwide who believe they were defrauded by the companies to file a complaint through the Consumer Protection Hotline at 800-392-8222, or submit a complaint online at ago.mo.gov. 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 COUNTY Explosives used to make fireworks might be what sparked a house explosion and fire early Friday that killed two people and critically injured four others near Black Jack. Authorities identified one of those who died as 17-year-old Christopher Jones. The identity of the second victim hasnt been released. The blast about 1:20 a.m. Friday demolished a house at 6680 Parker Road, shook nearby homes and blew out some neighbors windows. Debris rained down on a street more than a block away. Jones lived at the home that blew up and was pronounced dead at Mercy Hospital St. Louis in Creve Coeur, according to the county medical examiner's office. Then on Friday afternoon, hours after the blast, investigators on the property discovered a second person who died, said St. Louis County police Officer Adrian Washington. Police havent said whether the injured survivors are adults or children. A woman lived at the split-level house with her four sons, ranging in age from about 6 years old to late teens, and a man also stayed there often, according to two neighbors. As investigators continue their probe, the local fire chief told the Post-Dispatch the culprit might be explosives that young people were using to make fireworks in the homes garage. That is preliminary, he said, but this tragedy could be considered a teachable moment. They were teenagers and kids visiting, and they were trying to make fireworks, said Ankeneth Corbin, fire chief of the Black Jack Fire Protection District. If you buy 50 pounds of any explosive, you have just created a bomb. Electrostatic, anything, can cause a spark, Corbin added. St. Louis County police Officer Adrian Washington said he had nothing new to share, some 12 hours after the explosion. Near the scene on Parker Road, rescuers set up a triage station on a driveway across the street, on North Ranch Drive. It was pure chaos, said Nichole Thomas, who saw flames engulfing her neighbors home and a young boy and others running frantically in the yard. Theres kids in the house! Thomas screamed, as she used her cellphone to videotape the fire scene from her front porch. Oh my God. Oh my God. Authorities havent said for certain what caused the deadly blast. Investigators with the regional bomb and arson squad spent the morning searching the rubble for clues. They were especially focused on what had been a garage next to the brick, four-bedroom home. The garage was leveled, and the home was a burned-out shell with partial walls still standing. A cadaver dog was brought in, a fire official said. The neighborhood is the North Ranch Acres subdivision, west of Highway 367, in unincorporated St. Louis County. The explosion rocked neighbors homes, blasting out side windows on a few. Sections of roof, drywall, plaster and other materials littered the street and a lawn across the street. A resident of Partridge Run Drive, nearly two blocks away, reported debris in her yard. Police found one victim with deep lacerations, possibly an amputation, near where the garage had been, according to dispatchers. Another person had burns and cuts. At least two were rushed to Mercy Hospital St. Louis, and paramedics took at least one more victim to Christian Hospital nearby. They were blown from the blast area, Corbin said. EMS scooped them and ran, added Thomas Torminio, Black Jacks fire battalion chief. Police asked nearby residents to come outside and wait down the street for about 90 minutes while they made sure there wasnt an additional threat of explosion or gas leak. Thomas, who lives next to the house that exploded, said the boom shook her house. Honestly, we thought it was a big tree hitting our roof, Thomas said. Our neighbors thought the same thing. She went outside, saw orange flames shooting into the air next door and heard glass breaking. The force of the explosion shattered her garage window. Another neighbor, catty-corner to Thomas, said pictures fell off her wall and items dropped from a cabinet, like it was an earthquake. It was pretty rough watching it burn, said the woman, who asked that her name not be used. None of the neighbors interviewed by the Post-Dispatch knew the people who lived at the home that exploded. They said the man who stayed there worked on cars, turning them into hot rods. They said the home had a steady stream of traffic. After the explosion, Thomas said several people were running around in the yard between her home and the one on fire. The fire was so big. The house is on fire, theres people running everywhere, kids she said. There was one little boy, I didnt know if he lived there or not, but he just kind of darted across. I said, Honey, come here. The boy looked at Thomas but kept running. He looked to be about 6 or 7 years old, she said. County records show the house is owned by a property management services company based in Marietta, Georgia. About 40 firefighters from Black Jack Fire Protection District and surrounding departments helped fight the two-alarm blaze. No firefighters were hurt. Based on the first calls to 911, firefighters were told it was a fire with people trapped, and a vehicle reportedly had crashed into a home. But no car had crashed into the home; instead, cars parked in the driveway had caught fire in the blast. Black Jack fire Capt. Jeremy Bates said the injured were already out of the home when crews arrived. Supervisors ordered fire crews to fight the fire from outside the building because it was fully involved. It took firefighters about an hour to bring the fire under control, and 90 minutes to put it out. Kim Bell covers breaking news for STLtoday.com and the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Follow her on Twitter here. She can be reached at kbell@post-disptch.com 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. A Lincoln County woman was sentenced Friday to 12 years in prison after admitting she fatally shot her boyfriend in 2019. Angela L. Medici, 52, of the first block of Lakota Acres near Troy, Missouri, pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter in the March 11, 2019, killing of Keith Sweetin. Prosecutors dropped a count of armed criminal action in exchange for her guilty plea. Police said they found Sweetin, 63, dead inside his and Medici's home from a gunshot wound to his head. Medici told police she'd shot Sweetin with a handgun after he assaulted her. Medici told authorities she shot him with a handgun after being assaulted by him earlier that morning, charges said. A witness called 911 to report Sweetin assaulting Medici; the witness then reported seeing Medici shoot Sweetin in the head. Medici was originally charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action. According to court records, Medici's case was moved in 2019 from Lincoln County to St. Charles County Circuit Court. St. Charles County Circuit Judge Deborah Alessi accepted Medici's plea and sentenced her Friday. Medici's lawyer could not be reached. Shake off your afternoon slump with the oft-shared and offbeat news of the day, hand-brewed by our online news editors. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. ST. LOUIS A St. Louis man reached a plea deal Friday in a 2020 Dutchtown neighborhood homicide for a 7-year prison term. Antonio Carter, 32, of the 4600 block of South Spring Avenue, pleaded guilty Friday to charges of voluntary manslaughter and armed criminal action in the July 4, 2020, killing of John Young III. Carter was originally charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action. Young, 42, was fatally shot in the 3700 block of Neosho Street, authorities said. Carter told police he shot Young after arguing with him over personal matters and that Young was involved in a recent shooting involving Carter's brother. On Friday, Circuit Judge Elizabeth Hogan accepted Carter's plea agreement with prosecutors and sentenced him to the 7-year term. Carter's case was set for trial next week. Carter's lawyer Scott Rosenblum said he believed the case was "very triable." "In the end, the state agreed to a very reasonable outcome that was acceptable to Antonio," Rosenblum said. Rachel Rice 314-340-8344 @RachelDRice on Twitter rrice@post-dispatch.com JEFFERSON CITY A state-appointed commission to address Missouris teacher shortage held its first hearing Friday in open session, after education officials backtracked from plans to keep meetings closed to the public. The Missouri Board of Educations Teacher Recruitment and Retention Blue Ribbon Commission has 22 members, including two teachers, and is expected to produce a report in October with recommendations for increasing the workforce. Meetings are not open to the public, the state education website said before an update was made Thursday night. Post-meeting reports/summaries will be available approximately two weeks after each session. Missouris Sunshine Law requires open meetings for any committee appointed by or at the direction of a public agency for the specific purpose of recommending, directly to the public governmental bodys governing board or its chief administrative officer, policy or policy revisions or expenditures of public funds. The state education department reversed its decision to close the meeting after receiving a threat of a lawsuit, according to Mallory McGowin, spokeswoman for the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Time and resources are best spent working to solve the issues around teacher recruitment and retention, she said in a statement Thursday. McGowin declined to name the party who made the threat, citing potential litigation. An agenda for the six-hour meeting was posted Friday morning, far short of the 24-hour minimum required by the Sunshine Law. Rep. Ingrid Burnett, D-Kansas City, who serves on the commission, said a constituent had contacted her about the plans to close the meeting. Burnett contacted Education Commissioner Margie Vandeven earlier this week to discuss the closure. It seemed pretty futile to try to influence her, Burnett said. What I heard her say was that this was a collective decision that was already made up. This is how were going to do it. Our lawyers say its OK. And the reason were doing it is so that people can speak freely and not be intimidated by outside pressures, Burnett said. I really dont understand why this is what the secret is, Burnett said Thursday, before receiving word that the meeting would be open to the public after all. I dont think its a good idea. What we need to be focusing on is how we value teachers and how we keep our schools and classrooms safe and secure, and promoting a good learning environment, she said. Thats what teachers want. The states largest teachers union opposed the potential closing of the commissions meetings, said Mark Jones of the Missouri National Education Association. If you talk to any classroom teacher, so often policy happens to teachers, not with teachers, Jones said. Theres always a concern about that. Samantha Hayes, the unions teaching and learning director, said she was grateful to be able attend the meeting. This is an issue that affects every school district, she said. We need to build trust among all stakeholders and if we close doors thats not going to happen. The states teacher shortage is most urgent at the elementary school level, with 1,561 vacancies statewide last year. There were an additional 852 openings for special education teachers, according to the education department. Missouri ranks last in average starting teacher salary at $32,970, although legislators this spring approved raising the minimum to $38,000 for the next year. The bulk of the teacher workforce panel is made up of business leaders, including Maxine Clark, founder of Build-A-Bear Workshop, and Kathy Osborn, president and CEO of the Regional Business Council in St. Louis. Sens. Lauren Arthur, D-Kansas City, and Cindy OLaughlin, R-Shelbina, and Rep. Brad Pollitt, R-Sedalia, are the other legislators on the panel. Stay up to date on life and culture in St. Louis. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. CLAYTON The St. Louis County Council could vote Tuesday to try to compel County Executive Sam Pages administration to release any federal subpoenas issued to the county in the wake of a former jail officials indictment on federal bribery charges. Councilman Tim Fitch, R-3rd District, plans to introduce a resolution at the next council meeting to release any federal subpoenas the county received related to possible criminal violations since Jan. 1, 2020 the first day Page appointee Tony Weaver began working at the county jail. Page fired Weaver on June 7 after Weaver was charged with attempting to defraud a small business grant program funded by COVID-19 relief money on behalf of an area businessman, intending to split the proceeds. Weaver has pleaded not guilty. A vote would force the countys legislative body to take a position on whether any subpoenas should be made public, something Page has declined to do, saying he was deferring to County Counselor Beth Orwicks interpretation that the records are closed. It was unclear Friday how the seven-member council would vote. Fitch, a longtime Page opponent, is part of a bipartisan four-person council majority. Councilman Mark Harder, R-7th District, said he was in favor, but Council Chair Rita Days, D-1st District, and Councilwoman Shalonda Webb, D-4th District, did not respond to messages requesting comment. Two Page allies Councilwoman Lisa Clancy, D-5th District, and Councilwoman Kelli Dunaway, D-2nd District indicated they would be unlikely to support the resolution. I do not think we should get involved in ongoing federal investigations, Dunaway said. Clancy said she was eager to see the resolution and would spend the few days thinking through the merits of this request. Councilman Ernie Trakas, R-6th District, did not respond to a request for comment. Page spokesman Doug Moore on Friday referred to a statement by Orwick that maintained the records were closed in compliance with the Sunshine Law. The statement had been issued a day prior when a Missouri Sunshine Law expert told the newspaper that the countys decision to not release federal subpoenas would only make sense if it planned to fight them. But Page has pledged to cooperate with the federal investigation. Orwicks office on June 9 declined a Post-Dispatch request for the records, citing a Sunshine provision that allows records to remain closed if they relate to legal actions, causes of action or litigation involving a public governmental body and any confidential or privileged communications between a public governmental body or its representatives and its attorneys. The countys decision not to release the records runs counter to the legal interpretation by attorneys for the city of St. Louis, which released federal subpoenas to a Post-Dispatch request two weeks ago. And it reverses Pages 2019 position when he voted to release subpoenas related to an investigation of then-County Executive Steve Stenger. The County Council voted 5-0 to release the subpoenas issued to the county by Assistant U.S. Attorney Hal Goldsmith. Those subpoenas had been provided to the council by County Counselor Peter Krane. Prior to the vote, then-Council Chair Page told reporters about the contents of the subpoena, saying it was necessary for transparency and the public interest. Fitch said Friday that he was taking the same stance: The public still has a right to know, he said. Fitch, Harder, Trakas and Clancy had also voted in favor of releasing the subpoenas to the county in 2019. But Clancy said Friday that the comparison was out of line: This is a different situation than in 2019 when there was a clear consensus from the Council that our County Executive was likely a criminal, Clancy said. Despite some obvious political factions that have emerged since then, we have no evidence that the County Executives office is under investigation. Fitch took a similar tack in a letter to Page and Orwick last week calling for the release of the subpoenas; Page referred the request to Goldsmith, who is leading the prosecution of Weaver as well as separate cases involving three former members of the St. Louis Board of Aldermen. Goldsmith, in a response to Orwick sent Tuesday, said that it was St. Louis Countys decision whether or not those grand jury subpoenas are disclosable under the Sunshine Law. Fitch and Harder said Friday that Goldsmiths email indicated didnt object to the county releasing any federal subpoenas. If that information would jeopardize that case, I would think that Mr. Goldsmith and others would say that and say we cant reveal it, Harder said. But he doesnt say that. Orwick, a former federal prosecutor, said in her statement that extensive caselaw about the importance of the confidentiality of grand jury proceedings, which protects jurors, promotes the freedom of disclosure because it protects jurors, prevents escape of the subject of an investigation before their arrest, and protects the reputations of people who are not indicted. Jacob Barker of the Post-Dispatch contributed to this report. Posted at 6:15 p.m. Friday, June 17. Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. ST. LOUIS A push for more Board of Aldermen scrutiny of tax abatement deals following the recent indictments of three former board members related to such legislation stirred some emotional debate Thursday. The issue came up when Alderman Tina Pihl asked that two unrelated tax break bills be brought up for separate discussion instead of being passed without debate as part of a long list of legislation regarded as non-controversial. Any board member can make such a request. Pihl had no objections to the two bills in question aiding development of a new funeral home in the Ville neighborhood and two new homes on vacant lots in the Bevo Mill area. Both ended up passing unanimously during the videoconference meeting after sponsors explained them. But Pihl said the board should give tax incentive bills in general a closer look from now on. They really impact the city and the schools and the taxing districts, said Pihl, of the midtown 17th Ward. And they deserve to be voted on individually, especially in light of the situation that weve had with the indictments. Constituents, Pihl added, deserve transparency and accountability. But Alderman Pam Boyd said tax abatements in her 27th Ward and other economically depressed areas on the north side are vitally needed to spur development. As for transparency, Boyd said, people in her community already get details from her on the projects she sponsors. She said Pihls midtown area, which includes the Grove area and part of the Central West End, had prospered over the years with such city tax breaks. Allow us to get what we need for our communities, Boyd said. Were 20 years behind benefiting from these projects. She said Pihl, who was just elected last year, walked into a gold mine with the development in her ward. In an apparent reference to the three ex-aldermen charged in federal indictments, Boyd said these people that did whatever they did, thats them. But I cant account for them. I have to account for me and my community. In response, Pihl said she also wanted the north side to get more tax breaks and development. I want them to be put on the north side, she said. I dont want all the development and all these incentives to be put here (in her ward). Pihl, who struggled more than once to hold back tears during her comments, said she has given close scrutiny since taking office to tax breaks requested by developers in her ward and I am trying to do something different. Pihl has required some projects to divert money to affordable housing and other efforts. Im trying, Im trying my best, she said. Boyd chairs the boards Black caucus; Pihl, a part of the boards progressive faction, also is Black. Former Aldermen John Collins-Muhammad and Jeffrey Boyd along with former board president Lewis Reed are accused of accepting bribes in exchange for legislation granting tax abatements for properties owned by an area businessman. They each have pleaded not guilty. Jeffrey Boyd and Pam Boyd are not related. Budget, pay hikes passed Aldermen on Thursday also passed a $1.2 billion city budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1 and pay raises for city employees. Passage had been expected because the board on Tuesday had given the measures overwhelming preliminary support. Under the pay bill, civil service workers will get an immediate 3% across-the-board increase plus a 1.5% step increase on the anniversary date of their hiring. They also will get a $2,000 bonus next month. The budget also includes money to cover six weeks of paid family and medical leave; details of that policy have yet to be worked out by city personnel officials. Missouri Jobs With Justice, a coalition of union and community groups, commended aldermen and Mayor Tishaura O. Jones, who requested the new leave program. This will help those who are put into a situation that would negatively impact their finances by having to care for a loved one, child or recover from illness, said Mark Cavanah, an official with Local 410 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees. We need more leaders to step up and make this a reality across the St. Louis metro area and eventually nationwide. Separate pay hike measures were approved for independent county-type offices. NGA area street work The board also passed legislation aimed at spurring an additional $54 million in street improvements near the new National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency site. The bill calls for increasing the amount of city earnings tax payments from NGA employees diverted to the project until 2046. The $650,000 a year increase in city tax payments and $850,000 annually in additional state income tax payments from the employees will allow the city to sell about $30 million in bonds to help pay for the work. The city also would apply for federal and state grants. Jacob Barker of the Post-Dispatch contributed to this report. Posted at 6 p.m. Thursday, June 16. 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. CLAYTON A Missouri Sunshine Law expert says St. Louis Countys decision to not release federal subpoenas it has received would make sense if it planned to fight them. But St. Louis County Executive Sam Page has pledged to cooperate with the federal investigation stemming from last weeks indictment of Tony Weaver, a Page appointee. Page named Weaver, then an aide to Councilwoman Rochelle Walton Gray, to a job at the county jail in 2019. He also appointed Walton Gray to a job in the health department in early 2021, after she lost her seat on the council. Page this week declined to release the subpoenas a reversal from his 2019 position when he voted to release subpoenas related to an investigation of then County Executive Steve Stenger saying he would defer to County Counselor Beth Orwicks interpretation that they are not public records. The countys decision to keep the records secret also runs counter to the interpretation that attorneys for St. Louis had. They released federal subpoenas to the newspaper under an open records request two weeks ago. In response to a similar request for the newspaper for any subpoenas it has received in recent months, the county cited a provision of the states Sunshine Law that allows records to remain closed if they relate to legal actions, causes of action or litigation involving a public governmental body and any confidential or privileged communications between a public governmental body or its representatives and its attorneys. Jean Maneke, an attorney for the Missouri Press Association, said, If youre the recipient of it, youre going to have to decide whether to fight it or whether to conform to it and produce the materials, so I could see an argument that at this point in time its something that is a matter of potential litigation for the county. And so that might give them a toehold. But since Page has said he would cooperate with the investigation, I think you might have a better argument, she said. You need to release that to me because youre not looking at potential litigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Hal Goldsmith, who is leading the prosecution of Weaver as well as three former aldermen indicted in the city, said in a response to Orwick this week that it was St. Louis Countys decision whether or not those grand jury subpoenas are disclosable under the Sunshine Law. In a statement Thursday, Orwick cited her past experience as a state and federal prosecutor and said the investigation was ongoing. There is extensive caselaw about the importance of the confidentiality of grand jury proceedings because it protects jurors, promotes the freedom of disclosure, prevents escape of the subject of an investigation before their arrest, and protects the reputations of people who are not indicted, she wrote. St. Louis County is committed to cooperating with ongoing investigations. As a result, and in compliance with the Sunshine Law, we intend to keep these records closed. Goldsmiths response, released by the county Tuesday, indicates there are multiple subpoenas. Its unclear whether they encompass an investigation with targets beyond Weaver, a longtime north St. Louis County politico close to Walton Grays father, Elbert Walton Jr. Weaver is accused of filing false applications with a county small business grant program funded by COVID-19 relief money on behalf of an area businessman, intending to split the proceeds. Orwick has also declined to release the subpoenas to Councilman Tim Fitch, a longtime Page opponent, though she offered Tuesday to meet with him behind closed doors. Page, in a blistering letter to Goldsmith Monday, accused Fitch of attempting to interfere with a federal investigation. Pages opponent in the August Democratic election, Jane Dueker, has alleged that Pages decision to keep the subpoenas under wraps indicates the scope of the investigation goes beyond Weaver. If the subpoenas were limited to just Weaver we would have already seen them, she said on Twitter Wednesday. In 2019, the St. Louis County Council voted 5-0 to release the subpoenas Goldsmith sent the county related to the Stenger investigation. Page was one of the yes votes. Stenger had not yet been indicted. More than a week before that vote, Page told reporters the contents of the subpoena, severely damaging his longtime political foe. After Stenger was indicted and resigned, Page succeeded him as county executive. Posted at 6:45 p.m. Thursday, June 16. 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. VESTAVIA HILLS, Ala. (AP) The 70-year-old visitor had previously attended some services at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church before police say he showed up for a potluck dinner, pulled out a handgun and fatally shot three of the elderly participants, one of whom died in his wife's arms as she whispered words of love in his ear. Church members were spared further violence Thursday evening when one of them rushed the gunman, struck him with a chair and held him until police arrived, a former pastor said. The suspect, Robert Findlay Smith, was charged with capital murder Friday, the Jefferson County district attorney announced. The baffling violence in a wealthy suburb of Birmingham stunned a community known for its family-centered lifestyle. It also deepened the unease in a nation still reeling from recent slaughter wrought by gunmen who attacked a Texas school, a New York grocery store and another church in California. Why would a guy whos been around for a while suddenly decide he would go to a supper and kill somebody? said the Rev. Doug Carpenter, St. Stephen's pastor for three decades before he retired in 2005. It doesnt make sense. All three shooting victims were members attending a monthly dinner at the church, said Carpenter, who still attends Sunday services there but wasn't present Thurdsay night. A Facebook post referred to the gathering as a Boomers Potluck. Carpenter said one victim's wife and other witnesses recounted what happened. They said a man who introduced himself only as Mr. Smith sat at a table by himself as he'd done while visiting a previous church dinner. People tried to speak to him and he was kind of distant and very much a loner, Carpenter told The Associated Press by telephone. At Thursday's dinner, church member Walter Bartlett Rainey invited the visitor to join his table, Carpenter said, but the man declined. He said Rainey's wife noticed the visitor wasn't eating. Linda Rainey said he didnt have any food and she offered to fix a plate for him, and he turned that down, said Carpenter. Soon afterward, Carpenter said, the man drew his gun and opened fire shooting Walter Rainey and two other church members. Carpenter said another member, a man in his 70s, grabbed a chair and charged the gunman. He hit him with a folding chair, wrestling him to the ground, took the gun from him and hit him in the head with his own gun, Carpenter said. Church members held the suspect until police arrived, police Capt. Shane Ware said. A police mugshot showed Smith with a blackened left eye and cuts to his nose and forehead. The person that subdued the suspect, in my opinion, was a hero," Ware told a news conference Friday, saying that act was extremely critical in saving lives." Rainey, 84, died at the scene. His wife of six decades wasn't harmed. We are all grateful that she was spared and that he died in her arms while she murmured words of comfort and love into his ears, Rainey's family said in a statement. Police said Sarah Yeager, 75, of Pelham, died soon afterward at a hospital, and an 84-year-old woman died Friday. Police didn't release her name, citing the family's request for privacy. Ware said Smith and the three victims were all white. He said police are investigating what motivated the suspect, who occasionally attended services at the church. Authorities executed a search warrant Friday at Smith's home, less than 3 miles (5 kilometers) away. Records from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives show Smith is a licensed gun dealer whose business is listed at his home address. Court records show Smith filed a lawsuit in 2008 against Samford University, a private university in metro Birmingham, alleging campus security wrongly detained him and accused him of impersonating a police officer. Vestavia Hills Mayor Ashley Curry told reporters his close-knit, resilient, loving community was rocked by this senseless act of violence. It's home to nearly 40,000 residents, most of them white, including many businesspeople, doctors and lawyers who work in Birmingham. The churchs pastor, the Rev. John Burruss, said in a Facebook post that he was in Greece on a pilgrimage and trying to get back. The Rev. Rebecca Bridges, the associate rector, led an online prayer service on the church's Facebook page Friday morning. She prayed not only for the victims and church members who witnessed the shooting, but also for the person who perpetrated the shooting. We pray that you will work in that persons heart, Bridges said. And we pray that you will help us to forgive. Bridges, currently in London, alluded to other recent mass shootings as she prayed that "our culture will change and that our laws will change in ways that will protect all of us. Thursdays shooting happened just over a month after one person was killed and five injured when a man opened fire on Taiwanese parishioners at a Southern California church. It also came nearly seven years to the day after an avowed white supremacist killed nine people during Bible study at Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina. A message posted by St. Stephens said it would hold Sunday services, adding: We will gather at the Table that has taught so many that love is always breaking through in this world, no matter what we experience, whether it be doubt, anger, loss, grief, or death but yet also joy and life." AP writer Russ Bynum in Savannah, Georgia, contributed to this story. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) A standoff over the security of voting machines between a Republican-leaning county in New Mexico and Democratic state officials that threatened to erupt into a wider political crisis was defused Friday after local commissioners voted to certify their election results. The move by the Otero County commission reversed an earlier decision against certifying results of the June 7 primary because of unspecified concerns with Dominion voting systems, a target of widespread conspiracy theories since the 2020 presidential election. The two commissioners who voted in favor said they had been threatened with prosecution by the state attorney general and had no choice under the law but criticized their position as being little more than rubber stamps. Commissioner Couy Griffin was the lone dissenting vote, but acknowledged that he had no basis for questioning the results of the election. He dialed in to the meeting because he was in Washington, D.C., where hours before he had been sentenced for entering restricted U.S. Capitol grounds during the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection. My vote to remain a 'no' isnt based on any evidence. It's not based on any facts, Griffin said, nevertheless requesting a hand recount of ballots. Its only based on my gut feeling and my own intuition. The Otero elections clerk earlier told The Associated Press that the primary had gone off without a hitch and that the results had been confirmed afterward: It was a great election," said Robyn Holmes, a Republican. Democratic Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver, who had appealed to the state Supreme Court to intervene, expressed relief at the Otero County decision and called it a shame that the commission pushed our state to the brink of a crisis by their actions. The showdown provided a stark example of the chaos that election experts across the U.S. have warned about as those who promote the lie that former President Donald Trump was cheated out of reelection seek to populate election offices across the country and the usually low-profile boards that certify the results. Conspiracy theories mixing with misinformation has produced a volatile stew that has reduced confidence in elections, led to threats against election officials and created fears of violence in future elections. The passions were on full display Friday, the final day for New Mexico's 33 counties to certify their primary results. The last six counties to certify all voted to do so, but it was not without outbursts of fury from some of those attending the meetings. In one politically conservative county, angry residents greeted their three commissioners with screams and vitriol as they met to consider certification. As the visibly frustrated Torrance County commissioners indicated they were going to vote to certify their election, the audience shouted Shame on you, cowards and traitors, and Who elected you? The commissioners pleaded with the audience for patience and said concerns about alleged election vulnerabilities eventually would be addressed. The time and place to fight this battle is not by canvassing this election, Chairman Ryan Schwebach told the crowd in Torrance County. In another county, a commission chairman pounded a gavel frantically and ordered law enforcement to clear livid protesters from the room. The 4-1 vote to certify the election by a Republican-dominated commission in Sandoval County was nearly drowned out by jeers of opposition in a divided audience. Commissioner Jay Block a failed Republican primary candidate for governor in the June 7 vote noted his opposition to hoots of approval and applause. It is imperative that we are presented with a complete set of facts about the election, Block said. There is no evidence of widespread fraud or manipulation of voting equipment that could have affected the outcome of the 2020 presidential election, and no such fraud has surfaced in this years midterms. To underscore the accuracy of election results, another Sandoval County commissioner read to the audience the findings of an audit that compared the votes recorded by the countys tabulating machines in 2020 with a sampling of the actual paper ballots. The difference was just a fraction of 1% in the races for president, U.S. Senate and other offices almost insignificant, Republican commissioner David Heil said. Certifying elections by typically under-the-radar local commissions has been a routine ministerial task for decades that has become politicized ever since Trump sought to undermine the process following his loss to Joe Biden in the 2020 election. Otero County thrust the issue into the spotlight this week when its commission said it would not certify the local results from the primary because of concerns over Dominion voting systems, even though there was no evidence of problems. Had they stuck to their guns, the commissioners potentially would have disenfranchised more than 7,300 voters in a county that voted heavily for Trump in 2020. New Mexicos primary ballot included races at all levels including Congress, governor, attorney general and a long list of local offices. Those races would not be official until all counties certified. The developments in New Mexico can be traced to far-right conspiracy theories over voting machines that have spread across the country over the past two years. Various Trump allies have claimed that Dominion voting systems had somehow been manipulated as part of an elaborate scheme to steal the election, which Biden won. Dominion has filed several defamation lawsuits, including against Fox News, and in a statement earlier this week said the action by the Otero County commissioners was yet another example of how lies about Dominion have damaged our company and diminished the publics faith in elections. Election officials outside New Mexico are taking notice. The secretary of states office said Friday it has been flooded with calls from officials concerned that certification controversies will become a new front in the attacks on democratic norms and could affect future elections, especially in 2024. Associated Press writers Christina Almeida Cassidy in Atlanta, Scott Sonner in Reno, Nevada, and Terry Tang in Phoenix contributed to this report. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. UVALDE, Texas (AP) Two Uvalde city police officers passed up a fleeting chance to shoot a gunman outside Robb Elementary School before he went on to kill 21 people inside the school, a senior sheriff's deputy told The New York Times. That would mean a second missed opportunity for officers to stop Salvador Ramos before the May 24 rampage inside the school that killed 19 children and two teachers. Officials said that a school district police drove past Ramos without seeing him in the school parking lot. The unidentified officers, one of whom was armed with an AR-15-style rifle, said they feared hitting children playing in the line of fire outside the school, Chief Deputy Ricardo Rios of nearby Zavalla County told the newspaper. The officers' chance of stopping Ramos passed quickly, perhaps in seconds, Rios said. Messages from The Associated Press to Rios and the Zavala County Sheriff's Office have not been returned. The Zavala County sheriff's officials responded to the shooting in support of Uvalde and Uvalde County officers. Rios said he had shared the information with a special Test House committee investigating the school massacre. Uvalde police officials agreed Friday to speak to the committee investigating, according to a Republican lawmaker leading the probe who had begun to publicly question why the officers were not cooperating sooner. Took a little bit longer than we initially had expected," state Rep. Dustin Burrows said. On Thursday, Burrows signaled impatience with Uvalde police, tweeting that most people had fully cooperated with their investigation to help determine the facts and that he didn't understand why the city's police force would not want the same. He did not say which members of the department will meet with the committee, which is set to continue questioning witnesses in Uvalde on Monday about the attack that killed 19 students and two teachers. Uvalde police did not reply to messages seeking comment. Weeks after one of the deadliest school shootings in U.S. history, law enforcement officials have stopped providing updates about what they've learned about the shooting and the police response. Their silence comes after authorities gave conflicting and incorrect accounts in the days after the shooting, sometimes withdrawing statements hours after making them. Officials also haven't released records sought under public information laws to media outlets, including The Associated Press, often citing broad exemptions and the ongoing investigation. It has raised concerns about whether such records will be released, even to victims' families. The state House committee has interviewed more than a dozen witnesses behind closed doors so far, including state police, school staff and school district police. The list of witnesses provided by the committee so far has not included Pete Arrendondo, the Uvalde school district police chief, who has faced criticism over his actions during the attack. Burrows defended the committee interviewing witnesses in private and not revealing their findings so far, saying its members want an accurate account before issuing a report. One person's truth may be different than another person's truth," Burrows said Friday. Since the shooting, Republican leaders in Texas have called for more mental health funding but not new gun restrictions. Authorities say the 18-year-old gunman used and AR-15-style semi-automatic rifle. Police did not confront he gunman for more than an hour, even as anguished parents outside the school urged officers to go in. Find more AP coverage of the Uvalde school shooting: https://apnews.com/hub/uvalde-school-shooting Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. If ivermectin wont work, try this pesticide A New Jersey man illegally sold $2.7 million worth of pesticides that he falsely claimed had been registered with the Environmental Protection Agency as effective for use against the coronavirus. The coronavirus is not like a mosquito or parasite. It can no more be treated with pesticides as it can with horse de-wormers. That is, unless, it kills the patient, in which case, technically, the coronavirus dies along with the patient. Paul Andrecola pleaded guilty to selling an unregistered pesticide, wire fraud and presenting false claims. He agreed to forfeit the proceeds. According to the complaint, Andrecola made more than 150 sales of the pesticides. Included in that list was Moody Air Force Base in Georgia, the National Forest Service, a police department in Delaware, a fire department in Virginia, a medical clinic in Georgia, a janitorial supply company in New York and a school district in Wisconsin. Andrecola had placed another companys EPA registration number on his products. Next steps: Someone needs to contact the various entities that purchased the pesticide especially the Georgia medical clinic to find out what in the world they were thinking. Wrong side for Bush. Again. Apparently, being on the wrong side of the vote to help Ukraine fend off Russian invaders wasnt enough to convince Rep. Cori Bush that she needs to rethink her public profile. Somehow, appearing to side with Vladimir Putin against the forces of freedom doesnt tend to woo a lot of voters these days. The same holds true for Bushs vote against President Joe Bidens $2 trillion infrastructure bill: Being on the side of collapsing bridges and pothole-pocked highways is not what most people would consider a smart way to get reelected. Now Bush has voted against extra security for Supreme Court justices and their families after a would-be assassin was caught preparing to attack Justice Brett Kavanaugh. Once again, she finds herself in a small minority of mostly progressive Democrats. Bush cited the pending court ruling on abortion rights for her vote and said existing security measures for justices are sufficient. Bottoms up In congressional testimony this week, Jason Miller, aide to former President Donald Trump, claimed that Trump campaign lawyer Rudy Giuliani who was advising the president to declare victory in the 2020 election even before the votes were counted was definitely intoxicated on election night as he counseled the president on next steps. Giuliani angrily denied the allegation. But consider some of his other post-election behavior. Days after the voting, Giuliani unleashed a torrent of conspiracy theories in a news conference at Philadelphias Four Seasons not the upscale hotel, but a landscaping company of the same name, which was clearly booked in a mistake Giuliani wouldnt admit. Later, during another conspiracy-mongering Giuliani press conference, hair dye dripped down his face. Then, in a Jan. 6, 2021, speech to the Trumpian mob shortly before the Capitol insurrection, Giuliani called for the presidency to be chosen via trial by combat a phrase that literally means the winner is chosen based not on the facts but in a contest of brute force. If these were examples of Giuliani sober, maybe he should have a drink. Nazi ploy yields $1.5 million bonanza An assistant police chief in Kent, Washington, taped Nazi insignia to his office door one of many not-so-funny actions he labeled as jokes and pranks to poke fun at his own name and German ancestry. Derek Kammerzell was suspended with pay for the insignia incident after members of the Jewish community in Kent complained. The insignia was of a Nazi-era uniform symbol to designate a high rank of an SS officer. The city subsequently asked Kammerzell to resign. But because of the previous suspension, the city wound up having to pay him a $1.5 million settlement. Kammerzell argued that he had already been punished with the suspension, so additional punishment would constitute double jeopardy. The insignia incident wasnt the first time he had toyed with Nazi imagery. He reportedly had joked about the Holocaust and had altered a photo to depict himself wearing lederhosen and having a Hitler mustache. Wasnt on their radar Between 2015 and 2019, feminine hygiene products were in such plentiful supply, Americans donated boatloads of the products to Sub-Saharan Africa, where large percentages of girls typically miss their school days for lack of menstrual products or their inability to pay for them. No one could have envisioned that there would come a time when American women would find themselves in the same desperate situation. A shortage of tampons, as well as oral hormone replacement medication for some menopausal women, is the latest result of global supply-chain disruptions. There are indications that some corporate greed might also be coming into play. Time magazine reports that this shortage, like the infant formula crisis, is attributable to shipping issues and a shortage of production employees. The two top manufacturers, Procter & Gamble and Edgewell Personal Care, have been unable to meet demand for the last two months. Since tampons are classified as Class II medical devices, only certain workers are allowed to operate the manufacturing machines. Meanwhile, oral hormone-replacement drugs are often back-ordered. According to chief executive ot The Organic Project, Thyme Sullivan, its relevant that men run the majority of these manufacturing companies. It wasnt on their radar, she said. The U.S. Air Force has a major problem with its new KC-46A aerial tankers; it cannot reliably refuel aircraft in a combat zone. The is because of defects in the equipment used by the boom operator to maneuver the refueling boom to connect with the aircraft being refueled so transfer of fuel could begin and complete safely, without the boom hitting and damaging the refueled aircraft. Previous boom systems, were optically controlled as the boom operator directly observed the approaching aircraft while working from a position in the rear of the tanker, often in a prone position. The KC-46A uses a RVS (Remote Vision System) which uses vidcams providing the boom operator with views of the refueling boom and the approaching aircraft to be refueled. These cameras do not always provide accurate images of the boom and approaching aircraft. The air force is dissatisfied with how long it is taking Boeing to fix this problem. The RVS problem does not prevent refueling, but does limits its efficiency and increases the risk of the boom damaging the refueled aircraft. Boeing, the designer and manufacturer of the KC-46A, has spent over five years trying to make the EVR work correctly and safely. Changes to the EVR have been so extensive that a reliable EVR will essentially be a new version, or EVR 2.0 and that is not expected to be ready until 2024 at the earliest. Until then the KC-46A cannot be used in combat zones and is still not able to handle a number of aircraft types, including the A-10C ground attack aircraft. The air force claims that the KC-46A has been tested and certified to refuel 97 percent refueling missions, based on the types of aircraft refueled each day. The air force currently has 59 KC-46As and Boeing is delivering 90 more. After that the air force plans to buy a version of the Airbus tanker, which was originally selected to be the new tanker. Boeing appealed and got the contract. Versions of the Airbus tanker went on to operate successfully with a number of other air forces. If the air force had stuck with its original decision, reached after a competition between the two designs and evaluation of the suitability, there would be no problem. This raised questions about the air force ability to evaluate the true capabilities of new aircraft designs. By law, the air force is required to let the manufacturer take care of these problems. Usually that works but it failed with KC-46A EVR, and KC-46A in general because this aircraft was built under new management at Boeing that no longer had senior management with an engineering background. Boeing decided to become more efficient and competitive by favoring managers with a financial background and no experience in the special attention to detail and quality control required with new aircraft and especially new technologies like the EVR. Aircraft manufacturer Boeing has lost over $5 billion so far on its contract to supply the U.S. Air Force with new KC-46A aerial tankers. The air force then agreed to help pay for additional costs of getting the EVR to work. The problems were all on Boeing and now the air force decided to proceed with their plan to order another 140 tankers, but not automatically from Boeing as would be normal. The air force is holding a competition to see who will get the follow-on contract for an existing (non-developmental) tanker. There are only two tankers that qualify; the KC-46 and the Airbus KC-30. Airbus lost the initial competition to Boeing but has been far more successful in getting its KC-30 (formerly KC-45A), now known as the MRTT (Multi-Role Tanker Transport) into production, and has already won over some tanker customers who were originally going to take whatever the Americans were using. Another irony here is that originally the KC-45A/30 was in the lead and won the initial competition. Boeing sued for a do-over and barely won that. The new competition may find Airbus as the only competitor as Boeing may decline to compete, if only to avoid more bad publicity. Boeing is lobbying Congress to stick with the Boeing KC-46A and has succeeded in delaying the switch to Airbus until Boeing runs out of time in getting the EVR fixed so that it can safely refuel all U.S. military aircraft types which use aerial refueling. The problem here that the older air force tankers (mostly KC-135Rs are rapidly being retired because they can no longer be economically, or even safely, operated. By law the air force is mandated to have 479 tankers available for potential combat operations. Until the EVR is fixed all the KC-46As can do is handle some of the training and non-combat missions. This is putting a heavier workload on the KC-135Rs. The air force proposes lowering the mandate to 455 tankers, based on the smaller number of combat aircraft (like the F-35) needed compared to the more numerous F-16s. KC-46A finally entered service in 2019 but had not yet achieved full IOC (Initial Operating Capability) because of a number of unresolved new manufacturing and design problems. The first problem delayed the first deliveries in 2019 because of FOD (Foreign Object Debris), including tools and other metal objects, still showing up in various parts of the aircraft. This indicated a serious lapse in the management of assembly and quality control. After nearly a month of effort to check out aircraft nearly ready for delivery as well as factory inspection procedures, the air force agreed to begin accepting KC-46As. Deliveries continued despite a recently discovered cargo lock (unreliable cargo tie-down latches) problem. The air force was concerned about Boeing, while also needing the KC-46A as soon as possible. Boeing is the same firm that is having worse problems with its new 737 Max commercial airliner. Once deliveries began Boeing planned to deliver 36 KC-46As by the end of 2019 and later expected to meet that goal even though only 19 had been delivered by early September. At the end of the year, the goal of 36 was missed but Boeing did fix the cargo lock problem and this allowed cargo to again be carried. There was one problem left with the accuracy of the EVR used by the 46A boom operator. That does not prevent the operation of the aircraft, it slows down refueling and sometimes can lead to damage to refueled aircraft. In 2021 a problem was discovered involving leaky toilets. Most tankers are based on commercial freighters, with the addition of more onboard fuel and aerial refueling equipment. There is a lot of space left for passengers and cargo. The KC-46 can carry over a hundred passengers and when it does the crew toilet is not sufficient. There was already a cargo pallet based ATGL (Air Transportable Galley-Lavatory) in use with the C-17 and C-130 transports. These aircraft alternate between carrying all cargo, mixed (cargo/passenger) and all-passenger modes. Boeing, the developer of the KC-46 was told to make sure the KC-46 could easily handle the ATGL. It was a simple request for a simple task; just note the ATGL specs and their use on the other transports and the job is done. Like so many other simple design and construction tasks on the KC-46, Boeing got it wrong. They moved the orientation of the ATGL 90 degrees to fit into the KC-46 and did not note that the ATGL anti-spill valve did not work reliably in the new orientation. Boeing did not discover that until the ATGL underwent testing on the KC-46 and the leak problem became obvious. Now a new valve must be developed and tested, and there is no certainty when that will get done. Based on the many past problems with the KC-46, these avoidable problems take longer than anticipated to fix. Some problems discovered several years ago are still unresolved. Boeing was in a hurry to deliver 179 KC-46As to the air force but the air force decided to obtain a more reliable tanker for future purchases. The total value of the project, to replace the aging fleet of KC-135 and KC-10 tankers, was potentially as high as $44 billion. The initial order was for 18 aircraft at about $150 million each. That initial order also came with about a billion dollars for development work plus $4 billion in additional development costs that the manufacturer absorbed. The air force planned on ordering over a hundred KC-46As, but the exact number depended on what kind of future aircraft the air force will be using. The air force now wants the Airbus tanker to take over and the current contract with Boeing allows that. On paper the capabilities of the American (Boeing) and European (Airbus) tanker candidates were quite close. The KC-330 carries 20 percent more fuel than the KC-767, plus 37 percent more cargo pallets and passengers. But this apparently worked against the KC-330, as the KC-767 is closer in size to the KC-135, and thus will not require as many new maintenance facilities. The KC-767 is also considered easier and cheaper to maintain. The KC-330/45A was to have cost about $175 million each, 17 percent more than the KC-46A. The KC-46A is based on the Boeing 767-200 airliner, which sells for about $120 million. The 767 has been in service since 1982, and over 1,100 have been manufactured so far. Boeing developed the KC-46A on its own, at a cost of nearly a billion dollars. Boeing also developed the original KC-135 tanker in the 1950s and has since built over 2,000 of these. The two engine KC-330 (KC-45A) was based on the Airbus A330, which costs about $160 million each. Over 1,400 330s have been produced since the aircraft entered service in 1994. Both candidates were selected for their ability to replace the four-engine KC-135. This older aircraft carries 90 tons of fuel and can transfer up to 68 tons. Typically, aerial tankers service B-52s (which carry over 140 tons of jet fuel) and fighters like the F-15 (over five tons). The KC-135 has long made itself useful carrying cargo and passengers, as well as fuel, and both the KC-767 and KC-30 have more capacity for this. The KC-46A can pump 1,200 gallons (4,900 liters) a minute total while each of the underwing pods can deliver a third of that per minute. With the continued KC-46A delays most export sales went to the Airbus tanker, now called the A330 MRTT or KC-30A. So far, over 70 of these have been ordered by or delivered to Australia, France, NATO, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Singapore, South Korea, and Britain. The KC-46A has two export customers so far; Israel (8 KC-46As) and Japan (2). Several other nations are considering the KC-46A, but all these problems dont help in turning consideration into orders. President-Elect Marcos takes office at the end of June and is already meeting with foreign officials from nations the Philippines considers essential partners in economic and security matters. This includes China, which is a special case of frenemy. China plays a major rule as an investor in the Filipino economy and trading partner. China is also actively seeking to assert ownership of vast offshore areas that are legally considered part of the Philippines. Worse, the Philippines gets most of the unwanted Chinese attention in the South China Sea. Thats because the Philippines has the most to lose. In terms of land area, the 7,600 islands that comprise the Philippines amount to only 300,000 square kilometers (120,000 square miles). Compare this to China, with 9.6 million square kilometers of land. According to international law, the Philippines controls (via its EEZ or Exclusive Economic Zone) water areas covering 2.26 million square kilometers. By the same standards the Chinese EEZ waters comprises 877,000 square kilometers. The Philippines is also the weakest (in military terms) nation China has territorial claims on. The Philippines has a mutual defense treaty with the United States that is not always adequate to deal with the Chinese tactics. Thats because the Chinese strategy does not involve a conventional attack but a combination of lawfare and the use of unique Chinese military forces. Most Chinese commercial ships, particularly freighters and ocean-going fishing ships, are considered part of a military maritime reserve force and are expected to follow orders from navy or coast guard ships whenever called upon. This arrangement is not unusual as it is an ancient practice still used in many parts of the world. But the Chinese commercial naval militia ships are expected to collect intelligence and sometimes even risk damage and injuries by using their ships to block the movement of foreign ships (including warships). In return the Chinese navy and coast guard will come to the assistance if Chinese commercial ships get in trouble with foreign navies or coast guards. But this arrangement does not always work out as it should. Illegal fishing is a worldwide problem and Chinese trawlers are the biggest offenders. Most of the 5,500 Chinese built and operated commercial ships are much larger and usually operate legally. Some get involved, with government permission or under government orders, in smuggling. This usually involves transporting oil from embargoed nations like Iran. The oil is often transferred to a tanker operating legally. This is done at night and this has increasingly been spotted and hi-res video taken by American or allied nation maritime patrol aircraft. These videos make it possible to identify the ships involved and the Chinese deny any official involvement and dont punish the Chinese crews and shipping companies involved. In the South China Sea, Chinas naval militia is the main threat to Filipino efforts to protect islands, reefs and lucrative fishing grounds that are economically important. Other offshore areas have natural gas and oil that can be economically retrieved with new technology. The Philippines has ownership of these underwater treasure but China has the means to take and hold them using force. President-Elect Marcos is in a difficult situation with the U.S. as he relies on diplomatic immunity to legally visit the United States because he is the son of Ferdinand Marcos, the most corrupt president to ever hold the office in the Philippines. This notorious kleptocrat died in 1989 and his son, the 64-year-old Ferdinand Marcos Jr. was elected president using the populist approach. The younger Marcos favors the nickname Bongbong, which comes from a popular stew but can also be interpreted as fiery or inspirational. The younger Marcos also favored BBM (Bong Bong Marcos). Politicians often adopt a nickname to enhance their popularity and such was the case with the son of Ferdinand Marcos, who has spent his entire adult life in politics and strives to revise the bad reputation of his father and his notoriously spendthrift wife Imelda. His father stole as much as $14 billion while in office and much of it has not been recovered. After the Marcos family fled to the United States the Philippines established the PCGG (Presidential Commission on Good Government) in 1986 and gave it legal powers to track down and retrieve the billions stolen by the former president Ferdinand Marcos. Since then, the PCGG has identified over half the stolen billions and recovered about half of that, which comes to $3.5 billion. Less than half of that has actually been returned to the Philippines and some of that was in turn stolen by senior politicians then in power. Based on BBMs past performance, if elected the PCGG will be gradually weakened and disappeared. BBM has been caught trying to withdraw some of the family billions before the PCGG froze the account. BNM lawyered up and carried out a PR campaign to repair the damage. BBM may have successfully gained access to some of the foreign bank accounts where much of the stolen money was hidden. No one has been able to prove this and that becomes a lot more difficult if BBM is elected president. This also complicates relationships with many Western nations that are trading partners and actively opposing Chinese claims on Filipino portions of the South China Sea. June 12, 2022: In the south (Davao de Oro province) troops arrested six NPA (New Peoples Army) members, with the help information provided by an NPA man who had earlier surrendered. Information on the location of NPA camps, weapons storage sites or covert supporters is increasingly obtained from NPA members that surrendered. Because of that more NPA camps are being attacked, weapons storage sites seized and key supporters arrested or killed, even in traditional strongholds like Davao de Oro and Bukidnon provinces. The NPA continues its decline, especially since the loss of several senior leaders killed or captured since 2021, some of them with over fifty years NPA experience. Many were found because of tips from local civilians. Most of the political violence in the Philippines since World War II has come from communists, who were present but not very active before World War II. The communists became a major part of the armed opposition fighting the brutal 1942-45 Japanese occupation. After independence in 1946 leftist rebels continued fighting, trying to establish a communist dictatorship. That proved difficult to do. A major reorganization took place in the 1960s, resulting in the creation of the NPA in 1969. The new communist rebel organization adopted the Chinese Maoist long term strategy. That was not very successful despite lots of economic and social problems they could promise to fix if they were in charge. Enthusiasm for a "communist solution" went sharply downhill after the collapse of the Soviet Union and its East European communist allies between 1989 and 1991. That massive failure of communist states left the NPA much weaker ideologically and vulnerable to subsequent amnesty programs. A decade ago, NPA leaders admitted that they had only a small fraction of their peak (in the 1980s) strength of 26,000 armed members. There were some serious attempts to reverse the decline in popularity. NPA gunmen were instructed to behave better around civilians and the NPA were found giving some civilians, especially health or aid workers, cash compensation of a few hundred dollars each for wounds received during NPA attacks on soldiers or police. The government increased its efforts to provide medical care for such victims of NPA violence, the NPA tried to compete and found they couldnt afford it. Many NPA members arrested recently were wanted for banditry and similar crimes. Two days earlier four NPA leaders surrendered in Davao de Oro province. June 10, 2022: President-elect Ferdinand Bongbong Marcos Jr. said he would continue the war on drugs started by his predecessor, but avoid actions that offended foreign critics of how the war on drugs was conducted. Marcos also said he would be neutral in the Ukraine war and seek to maintain good relations with Russia. Marcos also wants to enhance economic and defense cooperation with Israel. June 7, 2022: In the south (Sulu province) five more Abu Sayyaf surrendered. Currently Abu Sayyaf has only a few hundred active members and are short of cash, local support and new recruits. Kidnapping used to be a good source of cash, especially if foreigners could be taken. That has become more difficult and riskier because the military has increased the number and effectiveness of its land and naval patrols. Thats one reason for the move across the Sulu Sea, where Malaysian security forces stay in contact with their Filipino counterparts to locate and eliminate remaining Abu Sayyaf groups. Those now in Malaysia are not very active at all. They have few local supporters and consider Malaysia a refuge rather than an operating base for local attacks. June 6, 2022: In the south (Maguindanao province) soldiers found and tried to arrest Abdulfatah Omar Alimuden, the spokesman for ISSA (IS Southeast Asia), the local ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) franchise that includes Filipino members as well as smaller factions in Malaysia and Indonesia. Earlier this year army intel revealed that Filipino Abu Zacharia was the new head of ISSA. The army has carried out several successful operations against ISSA this year, which has prevented the group from carrying out many operations. June 2, 2022: In the north (Ifugao province) the army continues an operation against BIFF leftist rebels in the province. The army is after a growing list of known BILL members it has obtained from BIFF members recently captured or surrendered. Once in army custody they often offer information on BIFF camps and hideouts in the area. Some of those who surrender are seeking protection of BIFF kill teams that go after defectors. May 30, 2022: In Central Philippines (Cebu province) police killed four members of a Chinese kidnapping gang who opened fire when the police appeared. The hostage was unharmed. The dead kidnappers worked for a Chinese gambling operation and may have feared being extradited to China if captured alive. The Chinese gang kidnapped a local gambler who would not pay gambling debts. Chinese gangsters have become more of a problem that came with increased Chinese investment. Over two thousand illegal aliens, most of them Chinese, are arrested each year in the capital alone. Most of those arrested were participating in the growing Internet based criminal activities. After 2008 the Philippines slowly became a hotspot for computer hacking groups, and for nearly a decade the computer crime gangs were able to survive by bribing the right officials. Only when the cybercrime involved Islamic terrorism did the bribes not work. In 2016 the government legalized online gambling operations. These were to be regulated and taxed. Filipinos were forbidden to use the new online gaming sites because popular opinion in the country was that the online gambling sites were addictive and sometimes rigged. There was also an effort to eliminate a lot of the bribery that caused things like online gambling to become more of a problem than economic benefit. All this was complicated by new (since 2016) Chinese investment activity, which were part of the government effort to boost the economy. While the government was also at odds with China over illegal South China Sea claims, the Chinese were using large investments to reduce the popular hostility to what was going on in the South China Sea. The Chinese investments came with the usual demands that more Chinese be allowed to work in the Philippines. In return more Filipinos would be allowed to work in China. In 2016 the Filipino police were ordered by the new president (Rodrigo Duterte) to aggressively go after corruption and criminal activity. This was soon applied to the online gambling business, which were dominated by Chinese gangs. In addition to corrupting legal online gaming operations the new flood of Chinese gangsters led to the establishment of illegal online gaming operations. All this Chinese gangster activity led to more arrests and prosecutions. The Chinese government often cooperates because many of these gangsters are moving to the Philippines because police pressure in China was more intense. In foreign countries it was often possible to exploit the legal system and extradition treaties to avoid being sent back to China to face even more serious criminal charges. A growing number of Chinese arrests are the result of information provided by the American FBI, which had been investigating international computer and phone fraud and the hackers behind it. China has also provided information about Internet based criminals preying on individuals and businesses in China. In 2019 nearly two thousand illegal aliens were arrested in the Philippines, most of them Chinese. For all of 2018 only 500 illegal aliens were arrested. In 2019 nearly two million Chinese traveled to the Philippines, most of them tourists. Tourism has always been good for the economy but the growing number of Chinese tourists is accompanied by more Chinese gangsters looking for a safer place to work and skilled at corrupting local officials. May 21, 2022: In the south (North Cotabato province) seven BIFF (Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters) surrendered to the army. There have been few violent encounters with BIFF forces in the last year, although there was some violence between two BIFF factions who carried out several attacks against each other. The BIFF factions involved are from different clans and violent feuds between clans has been common in the Moslem south for centuries. The commanders of the two clans are not only from different clans but also have grudges against each other. Since 2021 most of the BIFF losses have been from BIFF gunmen surrendering. BIFF personnel who surrender or turn themselves in with their weapons and tell interrogators what they know can get amnesty. There are less than a hundred BIFF members left and most are veterans, which explains how they have remained active for so long. Because of their small numbers, BIFF has not been able to carry out any attacks lately. Just surviving has become a full-time BIFF activity. May 16, 2022: China finally compensated the owners of a Filipino fishing boat that was sunk by a Chinese naval reserve trawler three years ago near the Recto Bank, which is within the Filipino EEZ (Exclusive Economic Zone) but now claimed by China, along with many other fishing grounds within the Filipino EEZ. The Philippines has been demanding compensation since the sinking and China paid (via the company that owns the trawler) rather than risk another court case that would, like the last one, declare Chinese claims in the Filipino EEZ illegal. China continues its aggressive efforts to drive Filipinos away from key territory within the Filipino EEZ. President-Elect Marcos pledged to improve relations with China while also protecting Filipino territory. eCommerce and the Future of Streaming Monetization Learn more about streaming monetization at Streaming Media West 2022. John Petrocelli: One thing that's coming up pretty quickly is ecommerce live streaming, which is a $300 billion-plus business in China. Accenture estimates the global market at $492 billion, and it's still pretty much brand new, certainly in North America. I think it became an $11 billion business here this past year, and it's gonna go to $25 billion sometime in the coming year. This is all the more reason to have quality live ecosystems available to meet that demand, knowing that we're headed to this kind of Web 3.0, where a lot of the brands and people that make beauty and fashion products and even cars--these things can be demonstrated in real time, in real broadcasts with subject-matter experts. You can ask questions. You can ask the host and the host can ask the guest, "Hey, Tommy from London has a question." It's here. That's a massive, massive market. Certainly, it's been fueled by the pandemic, but it seems like that's definitely going to continue, knowing that, Gen Z and millennial consumers are buying product at alarming rates. Corey Behnke: In the last nine months, we have three or four customers, two of whom are major display manufacturers, but one of whom is a small beauty product. They do a $10-15,000 live stream in our studio from New York every Friday. And they make all of their ROI back immediately from that. That's the first time I've ever seen that in my life, where they're literally selling 40 to 50 beauty products that make them back that $15 grand. And then they've got that VOD, and they don't really use the VOD, but it's incredible. I have a former client who just started e-commerce that's for mobile out of Alabama, and they're doing like crazy business. How many years are we gonna be at Streaming Media talking about low latency and interactivity, and all we have to show for it are super chats on YouTube--which make great money for a lot of people, by the way--YouTube has killed with that product. And it's incredible how there's maybe two or three startups in that space that are really trying to monetize interactivity. And it's like been this gold mine for all of us--interactive live streaming. We're gonna do interactivity. That's why you live stream. I think the pandemic is one of the things that did help more adoption. But you know, at some point we're gonna make a shitload of money in interactivity. I hope it's in this decade. Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Related Articles VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / June 17, 2022 / Core Assets Corp., ("Core Assets" or the "Company") (CSE:CC)(FSE:5RJ)(OTCQB: CCOOF) is pleased to announce the completion of two diamond drill holes totalling 671 metres at the Laverdiere Skarn-Porphyry Project ("Laverdiere"), eastern Blue Property ("Property"); Atlin Mining District of NW British Columbia. Highlights The first two drillholes of the 2022 exploration campaign have successfully confirmed massive to semi-massive Fe-Cu skarn mineralization, and extended porphyry-style Cu mineralization to just over 400 metres depth and remains open for exploration. To date, 671 metres of HQ-size diamond drilling has been completed at the French Adit area of the Laverdiere Project (Figure 1). LAV22-001 was drilled steeply to the east for a 268 metre core depth and intersected: Alternating intervals of marble-hosted and locally massive magnetite (Fe)-chalcopyrite (Cu)-dominant skarn - containing up to 10% visual coarse-grained chalcopyrite ; and zones of deformed, chlorite altered felsic intrusive that extended from surface to 78 metres depth (Figure 3). The Llewellyn Fault Zone (LFZ) was intersected near 180 metres depth in LAV22-001 and consisted of fault-bound, marble, intrusive, and intensely sheared mafic volcanics hosting finely disseminated and locally pervasive magnetite-pyrite-pyrrhotite mineralization that persisted to end of hole (EOH). LAV22-002, the deepest drill hole completed on the property to-date, was collared from the same location as LAV22-001 and oriented southwest intersecting: Alternating intervals of marble-hosted magnetite (Fe)chalcopyrite (Cu) skarn, garnet-chalcopyrite endoskarn (>10 % visual chalcopyrite locally) , and intensely altered felsic intrusive to 224 meters depth (Figure 3). An upper molybdenite (Mo) zone characterized by patchy to finely disseminated molybdenite hosted in chlorite-epidote-garnetpotassium feldspar altered felsic intrusive was intersected at 63 metres depth and was observed intermittently to 189 metres depth (Figure 3). A 179m interval that remains open at depth of chalcopyritebornite porphyry mineralization and potassic alteration from 224 metres to 403 metres (EOH). The porphyry is granodiorite in composition and contains disseminated magnetite and chalcopyrite with locally abundant magnetite-biotite-chlorite-chalcopyritebornite veinlets, and minor intervals of quartz-potassium feldspar-biotitecarbonate chalcopyritemagnetite veining (Figure 4). *All drill core assays are still pending and until assay results are completed and received, any inference of potential copper, gold, silver, and molybdenum grades from the geological descriptions provided in this release are speculative in nature and based on preliminary visual observations only. Core Assets' Vice President of Exploration Monica Barrington commented, "Drilling at the French Adit has confirmed the presence of skarn mineralization and intersected mineralized porphyry earlier than anticipated. Preliminary observations from the first two holes indicate that we are situated within the potassic zone of a mineralized Cu-bearing porphyry core. We are eagerly awaiting assay results and are excited to further investigate the geometry and extent of porphyry-skarn mineralization at Laverdiere through additional field work and diamond drilling." Figure 1: Historic and 2022 diamond drillhole status, surficial skarn extents, and Cu-bearing rock samples plotted on TauSf geophysics (Conductivity increasing - hot colours; Resistivity Increasing or Conductivity decreasing - cold colours). Line A-B illustrates the location of the east-looking cross-section/3D model in Figure 2. Figure 2: (Above) Illustrated and updated 3D Model of the high-grade Fe-Cu-Au skarn at the Laverdiere Project highlighting 2022 drilling progress and plans, skarn mineralization extents, and historic diamond drilling. Upper Cu-rich skarn and molybdenite (Mo) zones, the lower potassic porphyry-Cu zone, and lithology have been extrapolated from visual observations of 2022 diamond drill core are illustrated down hole; (Below) Generalized deposit model (Wade et al., 2014 and references therein) of the porphyry-skarn-epithermal continuum; *indicates zones exposed at surface at the Laverdiere Project. Figure 3: Photographs of HQ-sized core intervals representing upper Cu-bearing skarn, Mo mineralization in diamond drillholes LAV22-001 and LAV22-002 completed at the historic French Adit of the Laverdiere Project in 2022. Figure 4: Photographs of HQ-sized core intervals in LAV22-002 showing the potassic alteration assemblage (qtz-ksp-bio-mt) in granodiorite as well as porphyry Cu style mineralization and veining. 2022 Diamond Drilling at the Laverdiere Project 1,500 metres of exploratory HQ-sized diamond drilling is planned for the Laverdiere Project in June. 2022 drilling efforts are designed to confirm and extend high-grade Fe-Cu-Au skarn and associated Cu-Mo porphyry style mineralization exposed for 800 metres along the western flank of Hoboe Creek, and up to 400 metres depth, situated between the historic North and South Adits. The Laverdiere Project is located proximal to the Llewellyn Fault Zone, coincident with Hoboe Creek in the eastern Blue Property. Laverdiere is characterized as a fine-to-coarse grained and locally massive Fe-Cu-Au-rich skarn (magnetite and/or magnetite-chalcopyrite-dominantbornite-tetrahedrite-molybdenite-pyrite-pyrrhotite) hosted in dolomitic limestone and marble of the Devonian Boundary Ranges Metamorphic Suite. Along the western side of Hoboe Creek, dolomitic limestone is overlain by thin-bedded calcareous siltstone, quartzite, and schist - all of which are locally folded, dip moderately to the west, and are intruded by an Early Cretaceous post-accretionary granodiorite intrusion of batholith size (Coast Plutonic Complex). The granodiorite is locally foliated, Cu-Mo-bearing, and exhibits potassic alteration in the form of secondary K-feldspar and shreddy biotite after hornblende along the Fe-Cu-Au skarn contact. The highest-grade skarn occurrences observed at Laverdiere are hosted in dolomitic limestone, near the siltstone contact and along the margins of the granodiorite intrusion. Disseminated and quartz-vein/fracture-hosted chalcopyrite, molybdenite, magnetite, and malachite have been observed in granodiorite outcropping along the Lewellyn Fault Zone (LFZ/Hoboe Creek) for up to 3.9km south from the main Fe-Cu-Au Skarn body (See News Release Dated April 6, 2022). National Instrument 43-101 Disclosure Nicholas Rodway, P.Geo, (Licence# 46541) (Permit to Practice# 100359) is President, CEO and Director of the Company, and qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Rodway supervised the preparation of the technical information in this news release. About Core Assets Corp. Core Assets Corp. is a Canadian mineral exploration company focused on the acquisition and development of mineral projects in British Columbia, Canada. The Company currently holds 100% ownership in the Blue Property, which covers a land area of111,648.8 ha (~1,116 km). The project lies within the Atlin Mining District, a well-known gold mining camp located in the unceded territory of the Taku River Tlingit First Nation and the Carcross/Tagish First Nation. The Blue Property hosts a major structural feature known as The Llewellyn Fault Zone ("LFZ"). This structure is approximately 140km in length and runs from the Tally-Ho Shear Zone in the Yukon, south through the Blue Property to the Alaskan Panhandle Juneau Ice Sheet in the United States. Core Assets believes that the south Atlin Lake area and the LFZ has been neglected since the last major exploration campaigns in the 1980's. The LFZ plays an important role in mineralization of near surface metal occurrences across the Blue Property. The past 50 years have seen substantial advancements in the understanding of porphyry, skarn, and carbonate replacement type deposits both globally and in BC's Golden Triangle. The Company has leveraged this information at the Blue Property to tailor an already proven exploration model and believes this could facilitate a major discovery. Core Assets is excited to become one of Atlin Mining District's premier explorers where its team believes there are substantial opportunities for new discoveries and development in the area. On Behalf of the Board of Directors CORE ASSETS CORP. "Nicholas Rodway" President & CEO Tel: 604.681.1568 Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange 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 STATEMENTS Statements in this document which are not purely historical are forward-looking statements, including any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations, or intentions regarding the future. Forward looking statements in this news release include expectations regarding the pending core assays, including speculative inferences about potential copper, gold, silver, and molybdenum grades based on preliminary visual observations from results of diamond drilling at Laverdiere; that preliminary results of drilling have exceeded the Company's expectations; the Company's plans to further investigate the geometry and extent of the porphyry-skarn continuum at Laverdiere through additional field work and diamond drilling; the proposed diamond drilling program planned for Laverdiere in June 2022; that drilling efforts will aim to confirm and extend certain targets and mineralization on the property; that the Company's exploration model could facilitate a major discovery at the Blue Property; that the Company anticipates it can become one of the Atlin Mining District's premier explorers and that there are substantial opportunities for new discoveries and development in this area. It is important to note that the Company's actual business outcomes and exploration results could differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. Risks and uncertainties include that expectations regarding pending core assays based on preliminary visual observations from diamond drilling results at Laverdiere may be found to be inaccurate; that results may indicate Laverdiere does not warrant further exploration efforts; that the Company may be unable to implement its plans to further explore Laverdiere and, in particular, that the proposed diamond drilling program planned for Laverdiere may not proceed as anticipated or at all; that drilling efforts may not confirm and extend any targets or mineralization on the Laverdiere; that the Company's exploration model may fail to facilitate any commercial discovery of minerals at the Blue Property; that the Company may not become one of Atlin Mining District's premier explorers or that the area may be found to lack opportunities for new discoveries and development, as anticipated; that further permits may not be granted in a timely manner, or at all; that the mineral claims may prove to be unworthy of further expenditure; there may not be an economic mineral resource; that certain exploration methods, including the Company's proposed exploration model for the Blue Property, may be ineffective or inadequate in the circumstances; that economic, competitive, governmental, geopolitical, environmental and technological factors may affect the Company's operations, markets, products and prices; our specific plans and timing drilling, field work and other plans may change; we may not have access to or be able to develop any minerals because of cost factors, type of terrain, or availability of equipment and technology; and we may also not raise sufficient funds to carry out or complete our plans. Additional risk factors are discussed in the section entitled "Risk Factors" in the Company's Management Discussion and Analysis for its recently completed fiscal period, which is available under the Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com . Except as required by law, the Company will not update or revise these forward-looking statements after the date of this document or to revise them to reflect the occurrence of future unanticipated events. SOURCE: Core Assets Corp. View source version on accesswire.com: Credit Suisse analyst Dan Levy reiterated an Outperform rating and $21.00 price target on Ford (NYSE: F) after touring Fords F-150 Lightning plant and meeting with management including Stuart Rowley (Chief Transformation & Quality Officer), Kumar Galhotra (President of Ford Blue), John Lawler (CFO), and Lisa Drake (Vice President of EV Industrialization / Ford Model e) and learning that Lightning volumes are ramping, with benefits coming from simplification and process and design improvements. The analyst stated "Mgmt noted that while it has seen fewer quality issues due to manufacturing, the majority of issues stem from supplier challenges and lack of design robustnessi.e. the recent Mach-E recall related to lack of design robustness. Mgmt is working to incorporate the supplier quality initiatives it discussed in late 2020 (i.e. including supplier debit of repair cost for problematic parts), though more are required. Powertrain was also noted as an area where Ford has had quality issues. To address the issues, Ford is in the process of completely redesigning its end-to-end quality operating system to improve design robustness, which should driver earlier identification of issues; Fords push toward simplicity will also help. OUR TAKE we await further color from mgmt on the root causes of the quality challenges, and how much work is required to bring quality to more appropriate levels, as we had been under the impression that warranty/quality challenges at Ford began to improve in 2021, but seem to have taken a clear step back." For an analyst ratings summary and ratings history on Ford click here. For more ratings news on Ford click here. Shares of Ford closed at $11.25 yesterday. Credit Suisse analyst Dan Levy reflected on Ford Motor (NYSE: F) after touring the companys s F-150 Lightning plant in Dearborn and meeting with senior management. The analyst witnessed ramping Lighting volumes with the company heavily focused on improving electric vehicle (EV) costs. The meetings provided yet another reminder of how much deeper a focus weve seen from Ford on the EV transition. While we still see a number of outstanding questions on how the re-segmentation will play out, and while EV transition will be a challenge, we appreciate the greater focus by Ford on the transition, Levy told clients in a note. The plant in Dearborn is scheduled to hit a run-rate of 150k units/year next year after expansion works are completed. While the ICE plant currently has an output of 1 truck every 53 seconds (~350k units/year), REVCs Lightning output is much lower. However, managers at the plant noted that Lightning output will increase as Ford adds more stations and employees, enabling more jobs per hour, Levy added. The analyst added that both F-150 Lightning and the standard F-150 take about 25 hours for a unit to be produced. By Senad Karaahmetovic OTTAWA, Ontario--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Beginning Monday, June 20, security screening officers at 40 airports across Canada will be wearing street clothes on the job to draw attention to longstanding concerns over substandard pay, working conditions and disrespect from the federal government. WHO: Airport security screening officers, members of the United Steelworkers WHAT: Casual Monday, with security officers wearing jeans to draw attention to longstanding concerns WHERE: 40 airports across Canada WHEN: Monday, June 20, 2022 Airport security screening officers across Canada have been disrespected by the federal government for years, said Marty Warren, National Director of the United Steelworkers union (USW), which represents thousands of screening officers at several airports across the country. Airport security screening officers face tremendous pressure, stress and demands in their jobs, but they are underpaid and undervalued by the federal government, Warren said. Security screeners at numerous airports across the country, members of the USW, are in negotiations for new collective agreements. Next week they will begin wearing jeans as part of Casual Monday actions at several airports, to bring public attention to their concerns over low pay and working conditions, which are due primarily to the federal governments underfunding of the sector. Staff turnover is a longstanding problem, as many security officers simply quit to seek jobs with better pay and working conditions, and less stress. This has led to an untenable situation, with serious staffing shortages leading to greater pressure on security officers and unacceptable delays for travellers, Warren said. The federal government is scrambling to respond to the public outcry over airport delays, but it is still failing to mandate the funding needed to provide the wages, working conditions and respect that security screening officers deserve. The Casual Monday action by security screeners will not disrupt service at their airports in any way, Warren emphasized. Our members sympathize with travellers who have had to endure lengthy delays. We want to bring public attention to the need for the federal government to treat airport security screeners with respect and to resolve these longstanding issues, he said. Airport security screening officers in Canada are employed by one of three private, multinational security corporations. The corporations are overseen and funded by the federal government, through its Crown corporation, the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA). The system put in place by the federal government, through CATSA, provides healthy profits to the security contractors, while frontline security officers are told there isnt enough funding to give them the better pay and working conditions they deserve, said Warren. Its time for the federal government provide the funds and the mandate to CATSA to finally address the concerns of airport security screening officers who have been underpaid, undervalued and disrespected for too long, he said. Click here for a list of airports where security screeners will be participating in the Casual Monday action. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220617005532/en/ Marty Warren, USW National Director for Canada, 416-544-5951 David Lipton, USW Staff Representative, 613-859-8403, [email protected] Denis St. Pierre, USW Communications, 647-522-1630, [email protected] Source: United Steelworkers Partnership aligns to Bonas vision to lead the sustainability transformation of its industry, caring for people and the planet, and being carbon neutral by 2040 MALMO, Sweden--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Bona, a global, sustainably-driven company that supplies products for installing, renovating, maintaining and restoring premium floors, has partnered with WeForest, an international non profit headquartered in Belgium that specialises in restoration projects that benefit the climate, the planet and people. Restoring our global forests, particularly in regions such as South America and Africa, is one of the most direct ways to positively impact the climate, said Magnus Andersson, president and CEO at Bona. This partnership aligns to the core of our business at Bona which encourages floor renovation rather than replacing the flooring material which often ends up in landfill. WeForest conserves and restores the ecological integrity of forests and landscapes and engages communities to implement and deliver lasting solutions for climate, nature, and people. WeForests goal is to reach over 100 million trees restored or conserved by the end of 2024. WeForest was created to address one of the biggest challenges of our time: climate change, says Jessica Chalmers, WeForest's Partnerships & Communications Director. 730 billion tonnes of CO2 must be actively removed from the atmosphere during this century in order to limit global warming to 1.5C, and natural climate solutions such as forest restoration have the potential to achieve a third of that by 2030. Bona is specifically supporting WeForests Brazil project in the state of Sao Paulo. The Tiete river in the Atlantic Biome is a powerhouse, yet is one of the most polluted rivers in Brazil. WeForest and AES Brasil are collaborating to restore the forest on the edges of the Tiete river and its tributaries with native species, protecting water bodies from soil siltation and runoff from herbicides and pesticides. The project is also providing a testing ground for pioneering restoration approaches that aim to reduce the use of herbicides which are usually relied on in Brazil to control invasive grasses or even eliminate them entirely. For more than 100 years Bona has embraced its mission to bring out the beauty in floors while delivering on a promise to minimize environmental impact by innovating safer systems and products to the highest sustainability standards. Bonas sustainability platform is rooted in the three pillars of Home, Health, Humanity with a vision to lead the sustainability transformation of our industry, caring for people and the planet. As part of this vision Bona is committed to three sub-visions -- reducing environmental impact, being carbon neutral by 2040, business growth through healthy and innovative choices, and fair and equal opportunities for our employees and supply chain. About Bona Bona is a family-owned, sustainably driven company that supplies products for installing, renovating, maintaining and restoring premium floors. Founded in 1919, Bona was the first in the industry to offer a full system of waterborne hardwood floor finishing and floor care products. Today, Bona offers products for most premium floor surfaces including wood, tile, vinyl, resilient, rubber and laminate. Bonas turnover is 3.1bn SEK (EUR 307 million) 2021. The head office is in Malmo, Sweden, and the company is represented globally by its 17 subsidiaries, 70 distributors, 4 production units and 600 employees. For more visit www.bona.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220616005018/en/ Heather Lindemann | Bona +1 (800) 872-5515 [email protected] Source: Bona IFPMA, the body representing biopharmaceutical companies in Geneva, expresses deep disappointment with the decision taken to adopt a TRIPS waiver, despite intellectual property (IP) not being a barrier to vaccine scale-up and wide acknowledgment of vaccines surplus. IP has enabled the rapid research and development of several effective vaccines against COVID-19 and underpinned the more than 380 voluntary partnerships; while trade barriers have severely undermined collective efforts to deliver vaccines to those who need them most. Industry warns that such an empty shell and fact-free decision can have severe consequences on innovation and global health security. GENEVA--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Todays decision at the World Trade Organization (WTO) Ministerial Conference (MC12) to endorse a TRIPS waiver for COVID-19 vaccines sends the wrong message to those carrying out research and development and innovating. It incorrectly points to intellectual property (IP) as a barrier to the pandemic response rather than an enabler bringing healthcare solutions, safely and quickly to patients. IP has supported the fastest development and scale-up of safe and effective vaccines in history, with 13.9 billion COVID-19 vaccines produced to date. The IP framework has provided the basis for more than 380 voluntary partnerships for COVID-19 vaccines to be set up in record time, 88% of which involve technology transfer1. Todays decision sends a dangerous signal not only to the pharmaceutical industry but to all innovative sectors. Dismantling the very framework that has brought solutions to tackle COVID-19 and facilitated the unprecedented number of partnerships, voluntary licensing, and knowledge-sharing taking place during this pandemic can have ripple effects for the future. Thomas Cueni, IFPMA Director-General, said: The conversations on an intellectual property waiver have been challenging from the beginning, with disregard to evidence and facts. The decision is a disservice to the scientists that left no stone unturned and undermines manufacturing partnerships on every continent. The single biggest factor affecting vaccine scarcity is not intellectual property, but trade. This has not been fully addressed by the World Trade Organization. About IFPMA IFPMA (https://www.ifpma.org/) represents the research-based pharmaceutical companies and associations across the globe. The research-based pharmaceutical industrys 2 million employees discover, develop, and deliver medicines and vaccines that improve the life of patients worldwide. Based in Geneva, IFPMA has official relations with the United Nations and contributes industry expertise to help the global health community find solutions that improve global health. 1 https://www.ifpma.org/resource-centre/research-based-biopharmaceutical-industry-on-the-trips-waiver-discussions-at-wto-ministerial-conference-mc12 View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220617005130/en/ For further information, please contact Abigail Jones, [email protected], +32 475 41 09 76 Ana-Maria Nia, [email protected], +41 79 585 92 97 Source: IFPMA DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- KBRA Europe (KBRA) releases a Day 3 recap of the IMN Global ABS 2022 conference. The final day of the conference featured panels across a range of topics including blockchain, online and nonbank lenders, risk sharing, and asset-backed commercial paper (ABCP). A keynote address from the European Bank Authority as well as the Investor Roundtable rounded out the day. Click here to view the report. Related Publications About KBRA KBRA is a full-service credit rating agency registered in the U.S., the EU, and the UK, and is designated to provide structured finance ratings in Canada. KBRAs ratings can be used by investors for regulatory capital purposes in multiple jurisdictions. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220617005306/en/ Gordon Kerr, Head of European Research +44 20 8148 1020 [email protected] Kali Sirugudi, European Structured Finance +44 20 8148 1050 [email protected] Stephen Hughes, European Structured Finance +44 20 8148 1004 [email protected] Karl Cummins, European Structured Finance +353 1 588 1240 [email protected] Christopher Noonan, European Structured Finance +353 1 588 1225 [email protected] Yee Cent Wong, European Ratings +353 1 588 1260 [email protected] Business Development Mauricio Noe, Co-Head of Europe +44 20 8148 1010 [email protected] Miten Amin, Managing Director +44 20 8148 1002 [email protected] Source: KBRA Europe NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Napoli Shkolnik, one of the nations leading litigation firms in the field of environmental law, commends the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for the groundbreaking drinking water health advisory levels the agency released earlier this week for four PFAS chemicals found in thousands of water systems across the country. The health advisory levels or HALs, which were issued on Wednesday, June 15, 2022, identify the maximum levels of these PFAS chemicals that EPA currently believes protect all people, including sensitive populations and life stages, from adverse health effects due to exposure. The four PFAS chemicals addressed in the health advisories include perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorobutance sulfonic acid (PFBS), and hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (GenX). PFOS and PFOA are the two of the most widely studied chemicals in the PFAS group and until the early 2000s were used in a wide range of products, including firefighting foams used by military and airports for decades. EPAs actions on Wednesday lower the health advisory levels for PFOS and PFOA from a combined level of 70 parts per trillion or ppt, which the agency had issued in May 2016, to 0.02 ppt for PFOS and 0.004 ppt for PFOAlevels that are below what can even be detected using standard PFAS testing methods. According to EPA, it felt the need to revisit the health advisories for PFOS and PFOA because the levels at which negative health effects could occur are much lower than previously understood when EPA issued the 2016 health advisories for PFOA and PFOS including near zero for certain health effects. EPA had not previously issued health advisory levels for PFBS or GenX, which in recent years have been considered replacements for PFOS and PFOA in chemical and product manufacturing. EPA issued final health advisory levels for these two PFAS of 2,000 ppt for PFBS and 10 ppt for GenX. This is a tremendous step forward for tens of millions of Americans at risk of developing cancer and other deadly diseases from simply drinking tap water at home they trust the government to protect, said Paul Napoli, Partner at Napoli Shkolnik. In his 2021 article, Product Liability Law: Another Weapon in The Arsenal Against Environmental Contamination, he observed: Thousands of unregulated, emerging contaminants have yet to be listed as hazardous substances under CERCLA [the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act]. To make matters worse, there are potentially tens of thousands of unregulated, emerging contaminants such as PFAS that neither CERCLA nor RCRA [the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act] can provide a remedy for because they have yet to be listed as hazardous substances under CERCLA. About PFAS Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are harmful, man-made chemicals that include PFOA, perfluorooctanoic acid, and PFOS, perfluorooctane sulfonic acid. These chemicals have been manufactured by a variety of industries all over the world since the 1940s. Poor handling and disposal of these chemicals has led to the contamination of natural water sources through the contamination of ground water wells and rivers. Water districts and treatment plants have had to foot the bill for the removal of PFAS from their water treatment systems. More than 1500 drinking water systems across the U.S. may be contaminated with PFOA and PFOS. According to a May 2018 Environmental Working Group (EWG) Report. PFAS chemicals are very persistent in the environment and in the human body. This means that they don't break down and can accumulate over time. There is evidence that exposure to PFAS can lead to negative health effects to humans. Studies have shown an association between increased PFOA and PFOS blood levels and an increased risk for several health effects, including effects on the liver and the immune system, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, thyroid disorders, pregnancy-induced hypertension and preeclampsia, and cancer (testicular and kidney). About Napoli Shkolnik Napoli Shkolniks attorneys have handled landmark water contamination cases. We obtained a $625 million settlement on behalf of Flint, Michigan residents exposed to lead in their water; a $60 million settlement achieved in connection with the MTBE contamination of municipal water supplies in Long Island, New York; a $11 million settlement for a water district serving over 48,000 residents in an action against several industrial entities for contamination; and a $7 million settlement obtained in connection with the MTBE contamination of municipal water supplies in Rhode Island, among others. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220617005488/en/ Media: Paul J. Napoli C: (516) 639-6909 [email protected] Source: Napoli Shkolnik Myanmar Now wins top regional Human Rights Reporting award; The Wall Street Journal receives Award for Public Service Journalism HONG KONG--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The Society of Publishers in Asia (SOPA), a Hong Kong-based not-for-profit organization dedicated to pursuing excellence in journalism, today announced the winners of its annual Awards for Editorial Excellence in recognition of outstanding works of journalism over the past year in the Asia-Pacific region. The ceremony took place virtually on Thursday evening, June 16 where 98 awards were presented for coverage of key issues around the region, including the coup in Myanmar, the fall of Afghanistan, the continued fallout from the Covid-19 pandemic, and tightening freedom of expression in Hong Kong. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the founding of SOPA and the 24th consecutive year of Awards for Editorial Excellence. More than 750 English and Chinese-language entries competed this year in 20 categories. They ranged from photography to business and investigative reporting to public service journalism and included two new categories of Excellence in Technology Reporting and Excellence in Audio Reporting. The keynote address featured a wide-ranging fireside chat between Gina Chua, executive editor of media startup Semafor, and The Economists Alice Su, last years winner of the SOPA Young Journalists Award, on topics from increasing restrictions on press freedom, restoring trust in the media, and viable financial models in the news industry. Two major political events shook the region in 2021. In February, the military launched a coup in Myanmar, putting local reporters in particular jeopardy. Myanmar Nows news team won an Award for Excellence in Human Rights Reporting for Human responses to the juntas cruelty, while Frontier Myanmar won an Award for Excellence in photography for The evolution of Myanmars Spring Revolution. Al Jazeera also won an Honorable Mention in the global Human Rights Reporting category for This is Myanmars State of Fear. August marked the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan. The Wall Street Journal won the top global prize for its breaking news coverage Saigon on Steroids and the Los Angeles Times won an Award for Excellence in the global photography category for The Fall of Afghanistan. Womens Issues stayed in the news again this year with the global Award for Excellence going to 1843 Magazine, The Economist and The Fuller Project, for She was trafficked into a giant brothel. Now she runs it and Sixth Tone won the regional Award for Excellence for A Womans Quest for Motherhood. A Cross-Border Trade in Babies. The new category of Audio Reporting drew strong contenders, including startup Project Brazen, whose podcast Fat Leonard won a global Award for Excellence. And in the new Technology Reporting category, Tencent News won the Chinese-language Award for Excellence for Across the Ruins: The Bicycle Sharing Drama Has Not Ended. The fallout from Beijings imposition of a national security law in Hong Kong was also a focus as was increasing tension between Beijing and Taipei. Ming Pao won the Award for Excellence in Chinese-language for Explanatory Reporting for National Security Law: Year One. And Initium Medias report on the historic closure of a Hong Kong newspaper took Honorable Mention in the breaking news category for Like a hand over your mouth: Journalists, readers and newspaper sellers say goodbye to Apple Daily. CommonWealth Magazine won the Chinese-language Award for Excellence in the Infographics category for its depiction of The Direst Straits: Why Has the Chinese Military Increased Activity Near Taiwan? In awarding the prestigious SOPA Award for Public Service Journalism to The Wall Street Journal for its coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic, Of Unknown Origin, the judges said: No other news story has been of greater public interest in this year. Madeleine Lim, Senior Executive Editor Asia at Bloomberg News and Chair of the SOPA Editorial Committee, said: Congratulations to the winners for your excellent work and thank you to everyone who submitted to the awards and to the judges who volunteered their time to make the difficult decisions selecting the best of the best. How uplifting to see such a strong field of entries across so many different categories, said Byron Perry, Founder and CEO of Coconuts Media and Chair of the SOPA Board: Your terrific work exemplifies why we need good journalism now more than ever. I salute all of you for telling the true stories of our times in a compelling and impactful way. The SOPA 2022 Awards Platinum sponsor is Google News Initiative; the Gold sponsor is the Judith Neilson Institute for Journalism and Ideas; and the Silver sponsor is WP Engine. About SOPA The Society of Publishers in Asia (SOPA) is a Hong Kong-based not-for-profit organisation that was founded in 1982 to champion freedom of the press, promote excellence in journalism and endorse best practices for all local and regional publishing platforms in the Asia Pacific region. Today, SOPA is the voice of Asias media and publishing industry, and continues to work to uphold media standards and freedoms while celebrating and supporting professional journalism and publishing. The SOPA Awards for Editorial Excellence are the annual flagship awards, serving as a regional benchmark for quality, professional journalism. www.sopasia.com; www.sopawards.com; SOPA LinkedIn View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220616005003/en/ Ms. Peggy Wong, SOPA Secretariat Tel: +852 5182-8323 Email: [email protected] Source: The Society of Publishers in Asia Jon Parr, President, Global Crop Protection, to retire in September 2022 after 35 years of service Jeff Rowe, currently President, Global Seeds, to become President, Global Crop Protection Justin Wolfe, Regional Director North America Seeds to become President, Global Seeds Matthew Johnston, Head of Vegetable Seeds and Flowers, to report directly to CEO Erik Fyrwald to reinforce strategic focus on the business segment BASEL, Switzerland--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Syngenta Group today announced succession plans for its leadership team. Jeff Rowe, currently President, Global Seeds, will take over the leadership of Syngenta Crop Protection, effective July 1, 2022. His former role will be assumed by Justin Wolfe, currently Regional Director North America Seeds. As members of the Group Leadership Team, the two will report to CEO Erik Fyrwald. Jeff will relocate to Basel, Switzerland; Justin will continue to be based in Downers Grove, Illinois, USA. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220616005925/en/ (Photo: Business Wire) Jon Parr, President, Global Crop Protection, will retire on September 30, after a 35-year tenure at the company, including the last seven years as head of the global crop protection business. I would like to thank Jon for his many achievements, steering the business and the team successfully through the pandemic and unprecedented supply chain challenges. During Jons tenure, Syngenta Crop Protection has grown back into the global market leader and has become a leader in biologicals and innovation, said Syngenta Group CEO Erik Fyrwald. At the same time, I am excited to have Jeff and Justin taking on their important new roles, building on our momentum to drive further growth of the Crop Protection and Seeds businesses and advancing our commitment to regenerative agriculture. Jeff Rowe was instrumental for the successful turnaround of the Seeds business, with outstanding growth and return to profitability. Most recently, he has spearheaded Syngenta Groups efforts into regenerative agriculture and soil health. Prior to joining Syngenta in 2016, Jeff served in several leadership roles at DuPont Pioneer over a 20-year period. He has nearly 30 years diverse experience as an agriculture leader. Justin Wolfes leadership and focus on strong commercial execution were key to significant business growth and market share gains in North America. He joined Syngenta in 2018 as Regional Director EAME Seeds, where he successfully led the creation of the specialized Seeds business. Prior to joining Syngenta, Justin had a strong track record with Monsanto over 20 years, holding roles in operations, strategy, sales and marketing, including Vice President, Europe and Middle East Commercial Operations. With increasing ambitions for Syngenta Groups Vegetable Seeds and Flowers business, Matthew Johnston will continue in his current global role as Head of Vegetable Seeds and Flowers, now reporting directly to CEO Erik Fyrwald as from July 1, 2022. Under Jon Parrs leadership in the past seven years, the Syngenta Crop Protection business grew 50 percent. He joined Syngenta Group and its predecessor companies in January 1987. Prior to his current role, Jon Parr was Chief Operating Officer EAME & Latin America from 2015 to 2016. Before that, he was Head of Global Crops & Assets for Syngenta from 2014, Regional Director for EAME from 2009 to 2013 and Head of Syngenta Flowers from 2007 to 2008. Through his long career at Syngenta Group, Jon has also held other roles across marketing, strategy and manufacturing. About Syngenta Group Syngenta Group is one of the worlds leading agriculture innovation companies, with roots going back more than 250 years. In more than 100 countries, the company strives to transform agriculture through breakthrough products and technologies that play a vital role in enabling the food chain to feed the world safely, sustainably and with respect for our planet. Syngenta Group, registered in Shanghai, China and with its management headquarters in Switzerland, draws strength from its four business units Syngenta Crop Protection headquartered in Switzerland, Syngenta Seeds headquartered in the United States, ADAMA headquartered in Israel, and Syngenta Group China that provide industry-leading ways to serve customers everywhere. For Syngenta Group photos and videos, please visit the Syngenta Group Media Library. Data protection is important to us. You are receiving this publication on the legal basis of Article 6 para 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interest). However, if you do not wish to receive further information about Syngenta Group, just send us a brief informal message and we will no longer process your details for this purpose. You can also find further details in our privacy statement. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This document may contain forward-looking statements, which can be identified by terminology such as expect, would, will, potential, plans, prospects, estimated, aiming, on track and similar expressions. Such statements may be subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results to differ materially from these statements. For Syngenta Group, such risks and uncertainties include risks relating to legal proceedings, regulatory approvals, new product development, increasing competition, customer credit risk, general economic and market conditions, compliance and remediation, intellectual property rights, implementation of organizational changes, impairment of intangible assets, consumer perceptions of genetically modified crops and organisms or crop protection chemicals, climatic variations, fluctuations in exchange rates and/or grain prices, single source supply arrangements, political uncertainty, natural disasters, and breaches of data security or other disruptions of information technology. Syngenta Group assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, changed assumptions or other factors. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220616005925/en/ Media Relations [email protected] Source: Syngenta Group SANTA MONICA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- ZipRecruiter (NYSE: ZIP), a leading online employment marketplace, today announced its board of directors has authorized a $150 million increase to the Companys share repurchase program. This is in addition to the previous authorization of $100 million. As of June 15, 2022, approximately $6.6 million in shares of the Companys Class A common stock was available for future repurchases under the Companys share repurchase program. As a result of the increase, an aggregate of approximately $156.6 million in shares of the Companys Class A common stock is available for future repurchases under the Companys share repurchase program. Increasing the share repurchase program by $150 million demonstrates ZipRecruiters confidence in delivering profitable growth, said Ian Siegel, CEO of ZipRecruiter. While we prioritize investing in organic and inorganic growth over returning capital to shareholders, we recognize that potential market dislocations provide for an attractive use of capital. The repurchases will be made from time to time through open market purchases, accelerated share repurchases, block trades and/or in privately negotiated transactions or pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 plans, in compliance with applicable securities laws and other legal requirements. The timing, volume, and nature of any repurchases will be determined by ZipRecruiters management, based on its evaluation of the capital needs of the business, market conditions, applicable legal requirements, and other factors. In conjunction, ZipRecruiter announced that it has entered into an accelerated share repurchase agreement (ASR) with Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC to repurchase $50 million of ZipRecruiters common stock. Under the ASR, ZipRecruiter will make an initial payment of $50 million to Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC and will receive an initial delivery of approximately 2.6 million shares of its common stock by June 21, 2022. The final number of shares to be repurchased will be based on the volume-weighted average price of ZipRecruiters common stock during the term of the ASR, less a discount. The final settlement of the ASR is expected to occur by the third quarter of 2022. The ASR transaction will be effectuated pursuant to ZipRecruiters newly increased share repurchase program. There is no expiration date for the share repurchase program, and it will continue until otherwise suspended, terminated or modified at any time for any reason by ZipRecruiters board of directors. ZipRecruiter currently expects to fund the repurchase program from its existing cash balance and future cash flows from operations. ZipRecruiter believes investing in undervalued equity is an attractive option in its balanced capital allocation approach. ZipRecruiter also believes in its ability to generate strong cash flow and invest in attractive organic and inorganic opportunities in the future. About ZipRecruiter ZipRecruiter (www.ziprecruiter.com) is a leading online employment marketplace that actively connects people to their next great opportunity. ZipRecruiters powerful matching technology improves the job search experience for job seekers and helps businesses of all sizes find and hire the right candidates quickly. ZipRecruiter has been the #1 rated job search app on iOS & Android for the past five years1 and is rated the #1 employment job site by G2.2 Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements including, ZipRecruiters intention to implement a program to purchase up to $150 million of ZipRecruiters common stock; the expected timing, volume and nature of such share repurchase program; the duration of the program; the expected source of funding; the expected completion and completion date of the ASR; and ZipRecruiters expected financial and operational performance. Statements containing words such as could, believe, expect, intend, will, or similar expressions constitute forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially, including, but not limited to, the market price of ZipRecruiters common stock prevailing from time to time, the amount of ZipRecruiter's cash commitments, the nature of other acquisition or investment opportunities presented to ZipRecruiter from time to time, ZipRecruiters cash flows from operations, the impact of general economic, industry or political conditions in the United States or internationally, including the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, and other factors identified in ZipRecruiters Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the three months ended March 31, 2022, which was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 13, 2022. The foregoing list of risks and uncertainties is illustrative, but is not exhaustive. Additional information will also be set forth in ZipRecruiters future quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, annual reports on Form 10-K and other filings that it makes with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These forward-looking statements are subject to material risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Except as may be required by law, ZipRecruiter undertakes no obligation, and does not intend, to update these forward-looking statements after the date of this release. 1 Based on job seeker app ratings, during the period of January 2017 to January 2022 from AppFollow for ZipRecruiter, CareerBuilder, Glassdoor, Indeed, LinkedIn, and Monster. 2 Based on G2 satisfaction ratings as of January 1, 2022. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220616005969/en/ Investors: Alex Wellins The Blueshirt Group, for ZipRecruiter [email protected] Corporate Communications: Julia Pollak Chief Economist, ZipRecruiter [email protected] Source: ZipRecruiter, Inc. Centene Corporation (NYSE: CNC) will host its June investor day today. During the presentation, the Company will discuss its updated 2022 Premium and Service Revenues and Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Share (EPS) guidance and provide updates on its Value Creation Plan. For 2022, the Company has increased its Premium and Service Revenues guidance range by $2.0 billion to a new range of $134.3 billion to $136.3 billion and has increased its Adjusted Diluted EPS guidance range by $0.15 to a new range of $5.55 to $5.70. "We are pleased to report Centene's business continues to perform well, and we are increasing our 2022 full year guidance. Our Value Creation Plan is operating at scale, and we are executing our capital allocation strategy through the increased stock repurchase program and new debt repurchase program. Overall, the work we are doing today not only positions Centene to deliver on our financial objectives but also to better serve our members, providers, and communities, now and in the future," said Sarah M. London, Chief Executive Officer of Centene. The Company's 2022 financial guidance has been updated to reflect the following: Increased Medicaid premium revenue reflecting the assumed ongoing suspension of Medicaid eligibility redeterminations to November 1, 2022, and Favorable second quarter performance to date, primarily in Marketplace. Following a strategic review of the Company's real estate portfolio as part of the Value Creation Plan and the adoption of a more modern, flexible work environment, the Company has initiated a reduction of its real estate footprint. As a result, the Company expects to record estimated pre-tax costs including impairments of approximately $750 million to $800 million attributable to leased space (reflecting a 65% decrease in domestic leased space), inclusive of the cost to decommission space and lease termination fees, and $750 million to $850 million attributable to owned real estate. The costs are expected to be recorded primarily during the second and third quarters of 2022 and will be recorded outside of Adjusted Diluted EPS. The Company expects to decrease its leased real estate expense by an annualized run rate of $180 million to $200 million. In addition, in preparation for the Magellan Rx and PANTHERx divestitures, as well as planning for the future, the Company also announced today that its Board of Directors has authorized a $3.0 billion increase to the Company's existing stock repurchase program and a new $1.0 billion debt repurchase program. The Company repurchased $200 million of stock in May 2022 and currently has $3.6 billion of authorization remaining. The Company's guidance does not reflect the effects of the pending divestitures of Magellan Rx and PANTHERx. Investor Day The Company will host a virtual investor meeting on June 17, 2022, including a question-and-answer session. The event will begin promptly at 8:30 AM (Eastern Time). Investors and other interested parties can access the full Centene Investor Day event and presentation online at: https://investors.centene.com/news-events/events-presentations. Non-GAAP Financial Presentation The Company is providing certain non-GAAP financial measures in this release as the Company believes that these figures are helpful in allowing investors to more accurately assess the ongoing nature of the Company's operations and measure the Company's performance more consistently across periods. The Company uses the presented non-GAAP financial measures internally to allow management to focus on period-to-period changes in the Company's core business operations. Therefore, the Company believes that this information is meaningful in addition to the information contained in the GAAP presentation of financial information. The presentation of this additional non-GAAP financial information is not intended to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for the financial information prepared and presented in accordance with GAAP. Specifically, the Company believes the presentation of non-GAAP financial information that excludes amortization of acquired intangible assets, acquisition related expenses, as well as other items, allows investors to develop a more meaningful understanding of the Company's performance over time. The Company is unable to provide a reconciliation of its 2022 Adjusted Diluted EPS guidance range to the corresponding GAAP measure without unreasonable effort. This is due to the uncertainty and inherent difficulty of predicting, within a reasonable range, the amount and/or timing of various items and the periods in which such items may be recognized, including costs related to lease impairments, owned real estate impairments, cost to decommission space, and lease termination fees that have not yet occurred and may be out of the Company's control or cannot be reasonably predicted. The Company currently estimates these lease and real estate costs to be in the range of $1.50 billion to $1.65 billion, on a pre-tax basis. However, the Company maintains its estimates of the amortization of acquired intangible assets of approximately $1.02 to $1.04 per diluted share (net of an estimated tax benefit of $0.32 to $0.33) and acquisition related expenses of approximately $0.19 to $0.21 per diluted share (net of an estimated tax benefit of $0.04 to $0.05) for the full year 2022. The price for private lunch with legendary investor Warren Buffett, Chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, has gone up a notch Friday after someone bid more than $12.3 million for the privilege. The bids are part of an auction being held on eBay, with the money going towards a charity that helps the poor, homeless, and people battling substance abuse. The $12,345,678 bid comes from an unknown bidder and stomps on the previous record of $4.57 million that was paid in a similar auction in 2019. The winner back then was cryptocurrency entrepreneur Justin Sun. However, there are still over 10 hours left for someone to top the bid. The proceeds are going to Glide Foundation, a San Francisco nonprofit. The auction wasn't held for the past two years due to the pandemic. The Oracle of Omaha, now 91 years old, has been stepping up his philanthropic efforts. Earlier in the week, Buffett donated another $4 billion to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. By Sam Boughedda VANCOUVER, British Columbia, June 17, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Billy Goat Brands Ltd. (the Company or Billy Goat Brands) (CSE: GOAT), an investment issuer focused on investing in high-potential companies operating in the plant-based food technology sector, is pleased to announce the appointment of Alex Benger as a director of the Company. Mr. Benger is an accomplished leader and entrepreneur with experience in the biotech and plant-based sectors. Alex Benger also has several years of experience in marketing having led several creative digital marketing strategies over a variety of industries. He holds a Bachelors in Economics and a Minor in Business from the University of Victoria. Furthermore, the Company is pleased to appoint Lawrence Hay as Corporate Secretary, replacing Jan Urata effective immediately. The Company would like to thank Mrs. Urata for her valuable contributions to date and wishes her the best of luck with her future endeavours. ABOUT BILLY GOAT BRANDS Billy Goat Brands is an investment issuer focused on investing in high-potential companies operating in the plant-based food technology sector. The paramount goal of the Company will be to generate maximum returns from its investments in a manner consistent with its environmental, social and governance values. For more information about the Company, please visit https://billygoatbrands.com/. The Companys final prospectus, financial statements and management's discussion and analysis, among other documents, are all available on its profile page on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. The CSE has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release. Neither the CSE nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION This news release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of such statements under applicable securities law. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "anticipates", "plan", "continue", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "may", "will", "potential", "proposed", "positioned" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. The Company has provided the forward-looking statements in reliance on assumptions that it believes are reasonable at this time. All such forward-looking statements involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond the Companys control. Such risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, delays resulting from or inability to obtain required regulatory approval. The reader is cautioned that the assumptions used in the preparation of the forward-looking statements may prove to be incorrect and the actual results, performance or achievements could differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking statements. Accordingly, no assurances can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will transpire or occur, or if any of them do, what benefits, including the amount of proceeds, the Company will derive therefrom. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. 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. CONTACT INFORMATION Lawrence Hay, DirectorBilly Goat Brands Ltd.Email: [email protected] Phone: +1 (604) 687-2038 Source: Billy Goat Brands Inc. EDMONTON, Alberta, June 17, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bitcoin Well Inc. (the Company or Bitcoin Well) (TSXV: BTCW), announced that at its 2022 annual general meeting of shareholders held yesterday (the Meeting), four nominees were elected as directors of Bitcoin Well. The elected directors are: Mitchell Demeter, David Bradley, Adam OBrien and Terry Rhode. I wish to extend my heartfelt thanks to our outgoing directors for their expert guidance and support as we took Bitcoin Well public and over the last year, said Adam OBrien, Founder & CEO of Bitcoin Well. As we move into the next stage of our strategic plan, I look forward to working with the Board to identify how to best facilitate sustainable shareholder value creation as we continue to future-proof money. Mitchell Demeter and Terry Rhode are newly appointed to the Bitcoin Well Board of Directors. Mitchell Demeter is the Founder, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Madali Ventures. Previously, he was the President of Netcoins Inc., a Canadian online cryptocurrency brokerage wholly owned by BIGG Digital Assets (CSE: BIGG) in which he also sat on the Board of Directors. He is a serial entrepreneur with a range of experience in blockchain, exchanges, and currency trading. He brought the world its first Bitcoin ATM in 2013 to Vancouver, BC. He currently sits on the Board of Neptune Digital Assets (TSXV: NDA) and advises several other cryptocurrency and fintech businesses including Secure Digital Markets and Inetco Systems Limited. Terry Rhode was one of Rosenau Transports longest-serving employees and a partial owner. Before starting with Rosenau Transport in 1998, he was a management consultant and advised various businesses on ways to streamline their operations and has returned to that role at a board level. He is well-versed in every aspect of administration including: accounting and IT, operations, change management, project management, sales and pricing. Terrys final role at Rosenau Transport was Vice President of Corporate Development and Chairman of the board for the Rosenau group of companies. At the Meeting, resolutions were also passed to appoint Kingston Ross Pasnak LLP as auditors of Bitcoin Well and to approve the Amended Stock Option Plan, as described in the Bitcoin Well Management Information Circular dated May 3, 2022 with slight amendments as presented at the Meeting. Additional details regarding the Meeting are available on the Bitcoin Well website (www.bitcoinwell.com), via SEDAR (www.sedar.com) or can be requested from the Company. About Bitcoin Well Bitcoin Well offers convenient, secure and reliable ways to buy, sell and use bitcoin. Bitcoin Well is on a mission to shift the relationship that society has with money by offering an ecosystem of products and services that make Bitcoin accessible and understood. This ecosystem includes self custodial financial offerings (both in-person and online); technology development, including SaaS and internal technology developments through Ghostlab, the technology arm of the business; and educational resources designed with the needs of both the customers, and the industry, in mind. Sign up for our newsletter and follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram to keep up to date with our business. For OTC location information visit bitcoinwell.com/locations. Bitcoin Well Contact Information For investor & media information, please contact: Myles Dougan, Director of Investor RelationsTel: 587 982 2769[email protected] 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. Forward-Looking Information: Certain statements contained in this news release may constitute forward-looking information. Forward-looking information is often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "anticipate", "plan", "estimate", "expect", "may", "will", "intend", "should", or the negative thereof and similar expressions. Forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking information. Bitcoin Well actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in this forward-looking information as a result of regulatory decisions, competitive factors in the industries in which Bitcoin Well operates, prevailing economic conditions, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of Bitcoin Well. Bitcoin Well believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking information are reasonable, but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct and such forward-looking information should not be unduly relied upon. Any forward-looking information contained in this news release represents Bitcoin Well expectations as of the date hereof, and is subject to change after such date. Bitcoin Well 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 securities legislation.For more information, see the Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Information found in the Bitcoin Well quarterly Management Discussion and Analysis. Source: Bitcoin Well TORONTO, June 17, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Brookfield Global Infrastructure Securities Income Fund (the Fund) (TSX: BGI.UN) today announced a distribution of C$0.15 per unit for the quarter ending June 30, 2022. The distribution will be paid on or before July 15, 2022 to holders of record on June 30, 2022. Eligible holders of the Units (Unitholders) may participate in the Funds Dividend Reinvestment Plan (DRIP), where they may elect to automatically reinvest their dividends in additional Units. Details of the DRIP are available on the Funds website at https://publicsecurities.brookfield.com/. Unitholders who wish to participate in the DRIP should contact their investment advisor for further information and to enroll. Brookfield Public Securities Group LLC (PSG) is registered as an investment fund manager in Ontario, Quebec, Newfoundland and Labrador and as portfolio manager in each of the provinces and territories of Canada. PSG is an SEC-registered investment adviser and represents the Public Securities platform of Brookfield Asset Management Inc., providing global listed real assets strategies including real estate equities, infrastructure equities, multi-strategy real asset solutions and real asset debt. With approximately US$20 billion of assets under management as of May 31, 2022, PSG manages separate accounts, registered funds and opportunistic strategies for institutional and individual clients, including financial institutions, public and private pension plans, insurance companies, endowments and foundations, sovereign wealth funds and high net worth investors. PSG is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Brookfield Asset Management Inc., a leading global alternative asset manager with approximately US$725 billion of assets under management as of March 31, 2022. For more information, go to https://publicsecurities.brookfield.com/. The Fund uses its website as a channel of distribution of company information. Financial and other material information regarding the Fund is routinely posted on and accessible at https://publicsecurities.brookfield.com/. For more information, please visit https://publicsecurities.brookfield.com/ or contact: Investor Relations Tel: (855) 777-8001 Email: [email protected] LONDON, June 17, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Condor Gold (AIM: CNR; TSX: COG) is pleased to announce the closing of its previously announced placing of 11,607,149 units of the Company (Units) at a price of 28p per Unit (the Placing), including a Directors subscription of 1,833,573 Units, for aggregate gross proceeds of 3.25 million before expenses (the Proceeds). Each Unit is comprised of one ordinary share of 20p each in the Company (each, an Ordinary Share) and one-half of one Ordinary Share purchase warrant (each whole Ordinary Share purchase warrant, a Warrant). Each Warrant, which is unlisted and fully transferable, entitles the holder thereof to purchase one Ordinary Share at a price of 35p for a period of 36 months from the date on which the shares are issued pursuant to the Placing. The Proceeds have been received by the Company, and the Placing Shares were admitted to trading on AIM on 17 June 2022. TSX Matters The Company is relying on the exemption provided for pursuant to Section 602.1 of the TSX Company Manual (the Manual) from the requirements of the Manual and the Toronto Stock Exchange (the TSX) related to the Placing, as the Company is an Eligible Interlisted Issuer as defined in the Manual. For further information please visit www.condorgold.com or contact: Condor Gold plc Mark Child, Chairman and CEO+44 (0) 20 7493 2784 Beaumont Cornish Limited Roland Cornish and James Biddle+44 (0) 20 7628 3396 SP Angel Corporate Finance LLP Ewan Leggat +44 (0) 20 3470 0470 H&P Advisory Limited Andrew Chubb and Nilesh Patel+44 207 907 8500 BlytheRay Tim Blythe and Megan Ray+44 (0) 20 7138 3204 About Condor Gold plc: Condor Gold plc was admitted to AIM in May 2006 and dual listed on the TSX in January 2018. The Company is a gold exploration and development company with a focus on Nicaragua. In August 2018, the Company announced that the Ministry of the Environment in Nicaragua had granted the Environmental Permit (EP) for the development, construction and operation of a processing plant with capacity to process up to 2,800 tonnes per day at its wholly-owned La India gold Project (La India Project). The EP is considered the master permit for mining operations in Nicaragua. Condor has purchased a new SAG Mill, which has mainly arrived in Nicaragua. Site clearance and preparation is at an advanced stage. La India Project contains a Mineral Resource of 9,850 Kt at 3.6 g/t gold for 1.14 M oz gold in the Indicated category and 8,479 Kt at 4.3 g/t gold for 1.18 M oz gold in the Inferred category. A gold price of $1,500/oz and a cut-off grade of 0.5 g/t and 2.0 g/t gold were assumed for open pit and underground resources, respectively. A cut-off grade of 1.5 g/t gold was furthermore applied within a part of the Inferred Resource. Mineral Resources are not Mineral Reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability. There is no certainty that any part of the Mineral Resources will be converted to Mineral Reserves. Environmental Permits were granted in April and May 2020 for the Mestiza and America open pits respectively, both located close to La India. The Mestiza open pit hosts 92 Kt at a grade of 12.1 g/t gold (36,000 oz contained gold) in the Indicated Mineral Resource category and 341 Kt at a grade of 7.7 g/t gold (85,000 oz contained gold) in the Inferred Mineral Resource category. The America open pit hosts 114 Kt at a grade of 8.1 g/t gold (30,000 oz) in the Indicated Mineral Resource category and 677 Kt at a grade of 3.1 g/t gold (67,000 oz) in the Inferred Mineral Resource category. Following the permitting of the Mestiza and America open pits, together with the La India Open Pit Condor has 1.12 M oz gold open pit Mineral Resources permitted for extraction. Disclaimer Neither the contents of the Company's website nor the contents of any website accessible from hyperlinks on the Company's website (or any other website) is incorporated into, or forms part of, this announcement. Qualified Persons The technical and scientific information in this press release has been reviewed, verified and approved by Andrew Cheatle, P.Geo., who is a qualified person as defined by NI 43-101 and Gerald D. Crawford, P.E., who is a qualified person as defined by NI 43-101 and is the Chief Technical Officer of Condor Gold plc. Technical Information Certain disclosure contained in this news release of a scientific or technical nature has been summarised or extracted from the technical report entitled Technical Report on the La India Gold Project, Nicaragua, October 2021, dated October 22, 2021, with an effective date of September 9, 2021 (the Technical Report), prepared in accordance with NI 43-101. The Technical Report was prepared by or under the supervision of Tim Lucks, Principal Consultant (Geology & Project Management), Gabor Bacsfalusi, Principal Consultant (Mining), Benjamin Parsons, Principal Consultant (Resource Geology), each of SRK Consulting (UK) Limited, and Neil Lincoln of Lycopodium Minerals Canada Ltd., each of whom is an independent qualified person as defined by NI 43-101. Source: CONDOR GOLD PLC San Diego, CA, June 16, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- This week, His Excellency Philippe Etienne, Ambassador of the French Republic, visited General Atomics (GA) and toured the Magnet Technologies Center, a cutting-edge production facility in Poway, California where GA is fabricating the Central Solenoid Modules for the ITER project. ITER is an international collaboration of 35 nations that will prove the feasibility of fusion as a means of producing virtually limitless clean, safe, and sustainable energy. During the visit, which was arranged and hosted by Dr. Vivek Lall, Chief Executive of the General Atomics Global Corporation, Ambassador Etienne saw several stages of the Central Solenoid fabrication process where modules are undergoing the final phases of construction. Joining Ambassador Etienne was Julie Duhaut-Bedos, Consul General of France in Los Angeles. It was a great privilege to host Ambassador Etienne at General Atomics to showcase the full range of our capabilities in the defense, energy, and technology sectors, said Dr. Lall. General Atomics is proud of its strong collaboration with France. This visit provided an invaluable opportunity for Ambassador Etienne to see a few of our facilities and learn more about our other areas of expertise. I look forward to continuing these conversations as we look to the future. General Atomics and French organizations have a strong relationship in both the Defense and Energy sectors, as well as in the unmanned field, that meet both France's and the United-States' important interests, said Ambassador Etienne. I was deeply honored to welcome Ambassador Etienne to the Magnetic Technologies Center at General Atomics to see our fabrication process first-hand, said Dr. Anantha Krishnan, Senior Vice President of the Energy Group. General Atomics is fabricating the most powerful pulsed superconducting electromagnet ever built, for ITER, and we are proud to play this integral part in the quest for fusion energy. Having recently returned from visiting the ITER facility in France, I was pleased to show Ambassador Etienne how General Atomics is playing a key role in the success of this ambitious project. The Central Solenoid is a critical component of the ITER experiment. Fully assembled, this massive magnet will be 59 feet tall, 14 feet in diameter, and weigh a thousand tons. Often referred to as the heart of the ITER facility, it will drive 15 million amperes of electrical current that will be used to shape and control the fusion reaction. ITER is the largest scientific experiment in human history, with the top talent from across the world working together to ensure its success. It truly is an honor to be part of this effort. said John Smith, Senior Director of Engineering and Projects and Program Manager for Central Solenoid Module Fabrication. The design of the Central Solenoid is complex, and we are bringing the full weight of GAs expertise in engineering and precision manufacturing to this project to ensure its success. I am deeply appreciative of Ambassador Etiennes support as we complete this project and eagerly await the first plasma at ITER. The Central Solenoid modules are being manufactured under the direction of the US ITER project, managed by the Department of Energys (DOEs) Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Under the ITER agreement, all members share equally in the technology developed while funding only a portion of the total cost. The United States is contributing approximately nine percent of ITERs total construction costs. The Central Solenoid is one of 12 hardware systems that US ITER, funded by the DOEs Office of Fusion Energy Sciences, is providing to the project. Most of the funds appropriated by Congress for ITER are used to support high-tech jobs and manufacturing in the United States by funding in-kind contributions like the Central Solenoid. It takes two years to complete a single module using a range of specialized manufacturing capabilities. Two of the seven Central Solenoid Modules have arrived at the ITER facility in France. The additional modules, including one that will act as a spare, are at various stages of fabrication. The Central Solenoid will be assembled as the modules arrive on site in support of the assembly of the device in preparation for first plasma. About General Atomics: Since the dawn of the atomic age, General Atomics innovations have advanced the state of the art across the full spectrum of science and technology from nuclear energy and defense to medicine and high-performance computing. Behind a talented global team of scientists, engineers, and professionals, GAs unique experience and capabilities continue to deliver safe, sustainable, economical, and innovative solutions to meet growing global demands. ### Attachments Evan Polisar General Atomics 858-455-3474 [email protected] Source: General Atomics VANCOUVER, British Columbia, June 17, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Golden Sky Minerals Corp. (AUEN.V) (the Company or Golden Sky) is pleased to announce that, through staking and property purchases, the Company has expanded the ~11,000-hectare Rayfield Copper-Gold Property in southern British Columbia, Canada, to ~24,992-hectares. With the optioning of the ~8,100-hectare Vidette-Mowich (VM) Property, the purchase of the ~20-hectare Them-Gold (TG) Property and the staking of an additional ~5,900-hectares, Golden Sky has further consolidated its position in the area. The Vidette-Mowich Property is located to the south and southeast of the 2021 Rayfield Property limits, which will be 100% owned by Golden Sky with no underlying royalties once the option agreement is complete. The Them-Gold Property is located adjacent to newly staked ground and is 100% owned by Golden Sky with no underlying royalties as the purchase agreement is already complete (see Transaction Details) (Figure 1). The Rayfield Project is located in the Quesnel Trough, British Columbias primary copper-producing belt, which hosts Teck Resources Highland Valley Mine, Imperial Metals Mount Polley Mine, Centerra Golds Mount Milligan Mine, and Kodiak Coppers MPD Project (see Figure 2). The Rayfield Copper-Gold Project is located approximately 20 kilometers east of the Town of 70 Mile House, British Columbia, and is accessible year-round by well-maintained service and logging roads extending from BC Highway 97. Transaction Details Golden Sky has entered into a property option agreement to acquire a 100% interest in the Vidette-Mowich Property, subject to the approval of the TSX-Venture Exchange and other customary conditions. The terms consist of: (a) The Optionee paying an aggregate of $120,000 to the Optionor as follows: a) $20,000 upon receipt of Exchange approval for the proposed transaction; b) a further $25,000 on or before the 31st of December 2024; c) a further $35,000 on or before the 31st of December 2025; and d) a further $40,000 on or before the 31st of December 2026; (b) The Optionee issuing an aggregate 240,000 Shares to the Optionor as follows: a) 40,000 Shares within six weeks of the date of this Agreement; b) a further 50,000 Shares on or before the 31st of December 2024; c) a further 75,000 Shares on or before the 31st of December 2025; and d) a further 75,000 Shares on or before the 31st of December 2026; (c) The Optionee having expended a minimum of $575,000 of Exploration Expenditures on the Property as follows: a) $65,000 on or before the first anniversary date of the date of this Agreement; b) a further $90,000 on or before the 31st of December 2024; c) a further $150,000 on or before the 31st of December 2025; and d) a further $270,000 on or before the 31st of December 2026. Golden Sky has completed a property purchase agreement to acquire a 100% interest in the Them Gold Property, subject to the approval of the TSX-Venture Exchange and other customary conditions. The terms consist of: A cash payment of C$500 upon signing of the agreement About Golden Sky Minerals Corp. Golden Sky Minerals Corp. is a well-funded junior grassroots explorer engaged in the acquisition, assessment, exploration, and development of mineral properties located in highly prospective areas and mining-friendly districts. Golden Skys mandate is to develop its portfolio of properties to the mineral resource stage through systematic exploration. The drill-ready projects include: Hotspot, Bullseye, and Lucky Strike, all in Yukon, Canada. In addition, the recent purchases of the Rayfield Copper-Gold Project in southern British Columbia, and the staking of the Eagle Mountain Gold Project in the Cassiar Gold District in northern British Columbia, add to the companys substantial early-stage Canadian project pipeline. 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 [email protected] or [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. Forward-Looking Statements Statements contained in this news release that are not historical facts are forward-looking information or forward-looking statements (collectively, Forward-Looking Information) within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. In certain cases, Forward-Looking Information can be identified by the use of words and phrases such as anticipates, expects, understanding, has agreed to or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results would, occur or be achieved. Although Golden Sky has attempted to identify important factors and risks that could affect Golden Sky and may cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in Forward-Looking Information, there may be other factors and risks that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended, including, without limitation: inherent risks involved in the exploration and development of mineral properties; the uncertainties involved in interpreting drill results and other exploration data; the potential for delays in exploration or development activities; the geology, grade and continuity of mineral deposits; the possibility that future exploration, development or mining results will not be consistent with Golden Skys expectations; accidents, equipment breakdowns, title and permitting matters; labour disputes or other unanticipated difficulties with or interruptions in operations; fluctuating metal prices; unanticipated costs and expenses; uncertainties relating to the availability and costs of financing needed in the future, including to fund any exploration programs on its projects; that Golden Sky may not be able to confirm historical exploration results and other risks set forth in Golden Sky's public filings at www.sedar.com. In making the forward-looking statements in this news release, Golden Sky has applied several material assumptions, including the assumption that general business and economic conditions will not change in a materially adverse manner. There can be no assurance that Forward-Looking Information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on Forward-Looking Information. Except as required by law, Golden Sky does not assume any obligation to release publicly any revisions to Forward-Looking Information contained in this news release to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. Photos accompanying this announcement are available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/fbb5005b-0abe-44e9-9b7d-1ef7eddcdd1c https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e018298a-75a2-42dd-9ae8-29ac04df74c8 Figure 1 Regional map outlining the original Rayfield Copper-Gold Property (2021) and the newly consolidated land package that was acquired through staking, and option/purchase agreements (2022). Figure 2 Rayfield Copper-Gold Property Location Map Source: Golden Sky Minerals Corp. BARNESVILLE, Ga., June 17, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Gordon State College is excited to announce a new partnership with Upright Education to accelerate the career journeys of working adults in Barnesville, Georgia, and the surrounding cities. Upright's award-winning courses in Software Development and UX/UI Design will offer Gordon State's body of over 3,000 students access to a competitive 92% job placement rate and a 39% average wage increase. Growth in Georgia's tech workforce is currently trending above the national average, with just under 9,000 new tech jobs expected by the end of 2022. Approximately 6,000 of these jobs will be based in Atlanta, a close neighbor of Barnesville and home to a large segment of Gordon State's student body. Gordon State College also maintains a commitment to pursuing community partnerships that enrich the broader socioeconomic landscape in the state of Georgia. Partnering with Upright will allow Gordon State to develop further its connections to the burgeoning technology sector in the surrounding area. "The Office of Continuing & Professional Education at Gordon State College is excited about this partnership. These technology boot camps are truly game-changing and will give us a chance to continue living in our rural communities while having access to high-demand and high-paying careers. The world has changed, and it is now possible for people in our communities to stay close to home and work remotely for a large network of employers," says Simonia Ridley Blassingame, Director of Continuing & Professional Education. Upright Education's courses include full-time and part-time live online programs and offer multiple tuition assistance programs to help career changers take an Upright Program for little to no upfront expense. Both organizations have built their curricula to be as flexible and dynamic as working adults' professional aspirations and initiatives in navigating the new skilled labor economy. Benny Boas, CEO of Upright Education, explained the importance of these education programs. "Working adults want to learn new skills that allow them to jump into a new career, but they don't want to spend years getting there. By partnering with Gordon State College, we are providing thousands of learners the opportunity to start a new career in as little as 12 to 24 weeks." If you are interested in learning more about these programs, please join Gordon State College and Upright Education staff at our upcoming boot camp information session on Wednesday, June 29, 2022, at 6 p.m. EDT, register here. For more information on these programs or to apply, visit us here. Press Contact: [email protected] +1 (802) 242-0561 Related Images Image 1: Gordon State Boot Camp Student Gordon State student learning online This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. Attachment Gordon State Boot Camp Student Gordon State Boot Camp Student Source: Upright Education LITTLE ROCK, Ark., June 17, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Inuvo, Inc. (NYSE American: INUV), a leading provider of marketing technology, powered by artificial intelligence (AI) that serves brands and agencies, is set to attend Cannes Lions: The International Festival of Creativity, which will return to Cannes, France for the first time since 2019, on June 23. Rich Howe, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Inuvo, is issuing a challenge to their ad-tech competitors to mark the occasion. We welcome Googles plan to eliminate cookies next year, said Inuvo Board Member Jon Bond. Tracking and building persistent user profiles to use in real-time ad buying is already difficult due to increasingly unstable cookies, the accelerated adoption of VPN, and incognito-based consumer browsing; by our estimates, only 35% of real-time ad impressions have a persistent ID that is actionable, and this will only continue to decrease. Most ad-tech vendors have a vested interest in the continuation of privacy-intrusive technologies like finger-printing methods, where a consumers data and persistency remain the cornerstone of the targeting. And thats where Inuvos industry-changing product, IntentKey, comes in. Bond elaborated: Even if Google doesnt follow Apples lead to eliminate cookies by 2023, consumers are taking control of this privacy issue themselves in record numbers by using VPNs and browsers like Firefox and Safari that now prevent the assignment of identity. Our differentiation is that our AI-based modeling and matching are not dependent on identity-based technologiesand as such we are already purchasing high-value Safari impressions where others cannot, and as these mechanisms for persistent identification continue to decline, Inuvo will continue to be able to target 100% of open web ad impression opportunities. Artificial intelligence like the IntentKey, that can interact with consumers without these mechanisms while still delivering an exceptional return on advertising spend, is the solution to our industrys most significant challenge, commented Howe. And we are so confident in our solutionand the results were already seeingthat wed like to challenge our ad-tech competitors to a test with any one of their clients. They can deploy any tactic they want, bring the best data they haveand if we cant hit an agreed-upon client goal, then Inuvo will waive its invoice. Howe and Bond will be in attendance at the summit, along with Claudia Arango, Inuvos Director of Account Management. About InuvoInuvo, Inc. (NYSE American: INUV) is a market leader in Artificial Intelligence built for advertising. Its IntentKey AI solution is a first-of-its-kind proprietary and patented technology capable of identifying and actioning to the reasons WHY consumers are interested in products, services, or brands, not WHO those consumers are. To learn more, visit www.inuvo.com. Safe Harbor / Forward-Looking StatementsThis press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially, including, without limitation risks detailed from time to time in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC), and represent our views only as of the date they are made and should not be relied upon as representing our views as of any subsequent date. You are urged to carefully review and consider any cautionary statements and other disclosures, including the statements made under the heading "Risk Factors" in Inuvo, Inc.'s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021 as filed on March 17, 2022, our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and our other filings with the SEC. Additionally, forward looking statements are subject to certain risks, trends, and uncertainties including the continued impact of Covid-19 on Inuvos business and operations. Inuvo cannot provide assurances that the assumptions upon which these forward-looking statements are based will prove to have been correct. Should one of these risks materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statements, and investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which are current only as of this date. Inuvo does not intend to update or revise any forward-looking statements made herein or any other forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Inuvo further expressly disclaims any written or oral statements made by a third party regarding the subject matter of this press release. The information, which appears on our websites and our social media platforms is not part of this press release. Inuvo Company Contact: Wally Ruiz Chief Financial Officer Tel (501) 205-8397 [email protected] Investor Relations:David Waldman / Natalya RudmanCrescendo Communications, LLCTel: (212) 671-1020[email protected] Source: Inuvo Inc. Bigben Press release Lesquin,17 June 2022, 18:00hrs Distribution in kind of Nacon shares BIGBEN INTERACTIVE ("BBI" or the "Company") informs its shareholders of the technical details of the exceptional distribution in kind of NACON shares ("Nacon"). The Board of Directors of BBI will propose to its shareholders, at the annual general meeting convened for 22 July 2022 (the "General Meeting"), to approve in addition to a standard distribution of a cash dividend of EUR 0.30 per share - a distribution in kind in the form of Nacon shares at the rate of one (1) Nacon share for every four (4) BBI shares held, the terms and conditions of which are described below. This distribution in kind of Nacon shares will be paid on 29 July 2022. The Nacon shares so distributed would represent approximately 5.4% of the capital and voting rights of Nacon. Following this transaction, BBI will retain 56,575,0501 Nacon shares, representing approximately 65.54% of the share capital and 75.12% of the voting rights2. BBI shareholders are invited to refer to the 2021 universal registration document filed with the Autorite des Marches Financiers on July 6, 2021 under number R. 21-0037 and to the press releases published by Nacon since that date for all information relating to Nacon. These documents are available on Nacon's website (https://corporate.nacongaming.com/espace-investisseurs/). This press release does not constitute (i) an offer to sell or subscribe for, or the solicitation of an offer to acquire or subscribe for, any shares of Nacon, or (ii) a solicitation to obtain consent or a favourable vote to approve the distribution described in this press release, including in any jurisdiction where such solicitation is not permitted under the laws of that country or territory. * * * United States of America No shares, securities or other instruments may be offered, sold or transferred in the United States of America unless they are registered or exempt from registration under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended. The Nacon shares that are the subject of the In-Kind Distribution have not been and will not be registered in the United States of America under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the In-Kind Distribution has not been approved or disapproved by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) or any other state securities commission in the United States of America, and neither such commissions nor the SEC has reviewed the accuracy or adequacy of this report. Any representation to the contrary may be a criminal offense in the United States of America. Member States of the European Economic Area This report does not constitute a prospectus or any other offering document within the meaning of Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 (as amended) and should not be relied upon as containing all the information necessary for a potential investor to evaluate the suitability of an investment in BBI or Nacon or to be included in a prospectus prepared in accordance with the provisions of Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 (as amended). * * * 1 of which 3,555,937 Nacon shares were loaned to BNP Paribas for hedging purposes in connection with the bond issued by Bigben Interactive (please refer to note 2.2.4 of the notes to the consolidated financial statements in the universal registration document filed by Bigben Interactive on 6 July 2021 with the Autorite des Marches Financiers under number D.21-0687). 2 based on the number of shares and voting rights making up Nacon's capital at 31 May 2022. 1. 2. TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE DISTRIBUTION IN KIND 1.1 Features of the Distribution in Kind BBI holds 61,244,6661 Nacon shares, representing, based on the number of shares and voting rights comprising Nacon's share capital as at 31 May 2022, 70.97% of the share capital and 79.12% of the voting rights. The shares making up the share capital of Nacon are ordinary shares, all of the same class, fully paid up, and admitted to trading on the Euronext Paris regulated market under ISIN code FR0013482791. In addition to the distribution of an annual ordinary dividend of 0.30 per share in cash (the "Ordinary Dividend"), At the General Meeting, BBI shareholders will be asked at the Annual General Meeting to vote on a distribution in kind represented by Nacon shares up to a maximum of one (1) Nacon share for every four (4) BBI shares held, subject to the Ceiling (as defined below) (the "Distribution in Kind"). Based on the information available as at 31 May 2022, the Distribution in Kind would therefore relate to approximately 4,669,616 Nacon shares (out of the 61,244,666 Nacon shares held by BBI as at that date, representing 7.6% of the Nacon shares held by BBI). Upon completion of the Distribution in Kind, assuming no adjustment of the exchange ratio of one (1) Nacon share for every four (4) BBI shares held, BBI will retain 56,575,050 Nacon shares, representing 65.54%2 of the share capital and 75.12% of the voting rights. The Distribution in Kind is scheduled to be paid on 29 July 2022 (the "Payment Day"), with ex-date on 27 July 2022. The Distribution in Kind will benefit all BBI shareholders whose shares have been registered in their name at the end of the trading day preceding the Payment Day i.e. on 28 July 2022 (the "Persons Entitled to the Distribution in Kind"). Purchases of BBI shares made on Euronext until and including 26 July 2022 will be eligible for the Distribution in Kind (the "Record Date"). In the event of a division of the ownership of Nacon shares, the beneficiary of the Distribution in Kind will be the bare owner (nu-proprietaire), unless otherwise agreed. Shareholders are advised to consult their usual advisor on these matters. BBI shares held in treasury by the Company on the Position Determination Date will not be entitled to the Distribution in Kind. The amount corresponding to the Distribution in Kind (i) will be determined by multiplying the number of Nacon shares distributed (whether delivered to BBI shareholders or sold as fractional shares) by the opening price of Nacon shares on the Payment Date; (ii) will be charged in priority to "Other Available Reserves" and, for any surplus, to "Additional paid-in capital" and "Share premium", it being specified that it will be proposed to the General Meeting to allocate all "Retained Earnings", less the sums deducted from this account to pay the Ordinary Dividend, to "Other Available Reserves" prior to the payment of the Distribution in Kind, and (iii) may not exceed the amount of the net income for the financial year ended 31 March 2022 and retained earnings, increased by the amount of distributable reserves and premiums, in accordance with applicable laws and regulations, and decreased by the total amount of the Ordinary Dividend, which will be deducted in priority from the net income for the financial year ended 31 March 2022 and retained earnings, i.e. a total net amount estimated at EUR 50,786,949 (the "Ceiling"). In the event that the amount of the Distribution in Kind exceeds the Ceiling, the Board of Directors of BBI shall have full powers to adjust the above-mentioned parity so that the amount distributed does not exceed the Ceiling; this would be the case, on the basis of a maximum distributable amount of EUR 50,786,949 and assuming that approximately 4,669,616 Nacon shares would be distributed, if the opening price of the Nacon share on the Payment Date exceeds EUR 10.88. 3 of which 3,555,937 Nacon shares were loaned on 12 February 2021 to BNP Paribas for hedging purposes in connection with the bond issued by BBI (see Note 2.2.4 of the notes to the consolidated financial statements in the universal registration document filed by BBI on 6 July 2021 with the Autorite des Marches Financiers under number D21-0687). 4 This number is obtained by multiplying the number of BBI shares entitled to the Distribution in Kind, i.e. 18,678,467 BBI shares (18,699,733 shares making up BBI's share capital, less 21,266 treasury shares), by the distribution ratio, i.e. 1 Nacon share for every 4 BBI shares, and assuming the theoretical absence of fractional shares. 5 on the basis of the number of shares and voting rights making up Nacon's capital at 31 May 2022 BBI will issue a press release on the morning of the Payment Date, once the opening price of the Nacon shares is ascertained, to confirm the parity chosen for the Distribution in Kind and, in the event of an adjustment of the parity, to inform shareholders of any potential changes to the timing of the Distribution in Kind. Rights forming fractional shares shall not be tradable or assignable. Accordingly, if the allocation to which a shareholder is entitled by application of the parity retained is not a whole number of Nacon shares (i.e. a holding of BBI shares of less than four (4) or not corresponding to a multiple of four (4)), the shareholder shall receive the number of Nacon shares immediately below this amount, together with a cash payment for the balance, the amount of which will be calculated on the basis of the price at which the Nacon shares corresponding to the fractional shares will have been sold. Shareholders holding less than four (4) BBI shares on the evening of the Record Date will therefore solely receive a cash payment. For illustrative purposes only and assuming a theoretical opening price of the Nacon share of EUR 5.741: - a shareholder holding 3 BBI shares would not receive any Nacon shares but only a balancing payment, the amount of which will depend on the date on which the Centralising Bank or its financial institution, as the case may be, sells the fractional shares to which it is entitled, and - a shareholder holding 5 BBI shares would receive one (1) Nacon share and, for the balance, a balancing payment, the amount of which will depend on the date on which the Centralising Bank or its financial institution, as the case may be, sells the fractional shares to which it is entitled. 1.2 Timetable for the Distribution in Kind The indicative timetable for the Distribution in Kind is as follows: 17 June 2022 Publication of the first notice (avis de reunion) in the BALO (French official bulletin of legal notices) convening the Combined Shareholders Meeting of BBI 6 July 2022 Publication in BALO of the second notice (avis de convocation) in the BALO convening the Combined Shareholders Meeting of BBI 20 July 2022 Start of the suspension period of the liquidity agreement 22 July 2022 Combined Shareholders Meeting of BBI 27 July 2022 Ex-date of the distribution in kind 28 July 2022 Record date of the distribution in kind 29 July 2022 Pay date of the distribution in kind End of the suspension period of the liquidity agreement 3. PAYMENT OF THE DISTRIBUTION IN KIND The payment of the Distribution in Kind will take place as from the Payment Date, i.e. 29 July 2022, under the conditions specified below. The bank responsible for the centralizing the transactions in connection with the Distribution in Kind (the "Centralising Bank") is BNP Paribas Securities Services, 9 rue du Debarcadere - 93761 Pantin Cedex. For the Beneficiaries entitled to the Distribution in Kind who hold BBI shares in bearer or administered registered form: - the Centralising Bank will credit, via Euroclear France, each financial institution holding an account (i) on the Payment Date, the whole number of Nacon shares corresponding to its position in BBI shares duly registered with Euroclear France at the end of the Record Date, by applying the parity of one (1) Nacon share for every four (4) BBI shares registered in the account of the financial institution holding the relevant account and (ii) the amount of the cash balance payment due to this financial institution holding the account, as from the sale of the Nacon shares corresponding to the fractional shares after the distribution between the financial institutions holding the Nacon shares corresponding to multiples of four (4) BBI shares; 6The theoretical share price used for the above examples (i.e. EUR 5.74 per Nacon share) is the closing price of Nacon shares on 31 May 2022. - Following which, each of the account-holding financial institutions will credit each of its clients first with (i) the whole number of Nacon shares corresponding to multiples of four (4) BBI shares registered in its books in the name of the client concerned and then (ii) the amount of the cash balance due to this client, the amount of which will be based on the sale price of the shares corresponding to the fractional shares after the distribution of Nacon shares corresponding to multiples of four (4) BBI shares between its clients. For the Beneficiaries of the Distribution in Kind holding their BBI shares in the issuer registered form: - the Centralising Bank, acting as financial institution in charge of keeping the register of issuer registered shareholders, will (i) credit, as from the Payment Date, the account of each of the Beneficiaries of the Distribution in Kind holding issuer registered BBI shares with the Nacon shares corresponding to multiples of four (4) BBI shares held in issuer registered form by the Beneficiary concerned and (ii) credit the account of the Beneficiary with the Nacon shares corresponding to multiples of four (4) BBI shares, as from the sale of the shares corresponding to the fractional shares, the account of each of the concerned Beneficial Owners of the Distribution in Kind of the net amount of the balancing payment due to him/her, if any, the amount of which will be based on the sale price of the shares corresponding to the fractional shares after the distribution between the Beneficial Owners of the Nacon shares corresponding to multiples of four (4) BBI shares. The Beneficiaries of the Distribution in Kind, regardless of whether the BBI shares are held in bearer or administered registered form, must pay, as the case may be, to their authorised financial intermediary or to BBI, through BNP Paribas Securities Services, the social security deductions and/or the non-dischargeable deduction or withholding tax payable in respect of the Distribution in Kind. Where applicable, the authorised financial intermediary responsible for maintaining the bearer or administered registered share accounts or BBI, through BNP Paribas Securities Services, responsible for maintaining the issuer registered share accounts, may sell the number of Nacon shares necessary to pay the social security contributions and/or the withholding tax due in respect of the Distribution in Kind. Shareholders who wish to sell the Nacon shares received under the Distribution in Kind should contact their usual financial advisor and/or their financial institution holding the account. 4. TAX TREATMENT OF THE DISTRIBUTION IN KIND1 The following discussion summarizes the French tax consequences that may apply to BBI's shareholders as a result of the Distribution in Kind, based on the legislation in force at this time. The rules described below are subject to change and new laws or regulations could be retroactive or apply to the current calendar or fiscal year. BBI's shareholders are advised that the tax information contained in this Section 3 is only a summary of the tax provisions applicable under current legislation and is provided for general information purposes only. Accordingly, the tax information below does not constitute a comprehensive description of all tax impacts that may apply to BBI's shareholders as a result of the Distribution in Kind. BBIs shareholders are advised to consult their usual tax advisor on the tax consequences in light of their particular circumstances. In addition, persons who are not French tax residents must refer to (i) the provisions of the applicable tax treaty concluded between their own State of residence and France; (ii) the provisions of French tax legislation; and (iii) the legislation of their State of residence and/or nationality that may apply to them so that they may determine their applicable tax regime. These persons should seek advice from their usual tax advisor regarding the applicable tax treatment for the Distribution in Kind. A portion of the Distribution in Kind will correspond, from a tax point of view, to a reimbursement of a contribution. In light of the provisions of Article 112 of the French General Tax Code ("CGI"), using the closing price of the Nacon share on May 31, 2022, i.e. EUR 5.74, as a basis for calculation, and in light of the analysis of the composition of BBI's shareholders' equity as of the date of the Distribution in Kind, this portion should be approximately 23.88% of the value of the Distribution in Kind. Thus, BBI will indicate, in a press release to be published on the Payment Date, the allocation of the Distribution in Kind from a tax point of view between, on the one hand, a distribution of income from transferable securities (a priori the share of the Distribution in Kind charged to the "Other reserves" and "Merger premiums" items) and, on the other hand a reimbursement of a contribution (a priori the share of the Distribution in Kind charged to the items "Contribution Premiums" and "Share Premiums"), which reimbursement will not be considered as a distribution of income and will therefore not be subject to French withholding tax by the paying institution of the Distribution in Kind or to French withholding tax. 7 Share fractions will be subject to the same tax regime as specified here 4.1. Shareholders with a tax residence in France 4.1.1. Natural persons holding BBI shares as part of their private assets and not carrying out stock market transactions under conditions similar to those characterizing an activity carried out by a person professionally engaged in such transactions 4.1.1.1. 12.8% withholding tax Pursuant to Article 117-quater of the CGI, subject to the exceptions mentioned below, natural persons domiciled in France are subject to a mandatory 12.8% PFNL non-final withholding tax on the gross amount of distributed income. This withholding is made by the paying agent of the income if it is located in France. When the paying agent of the income is established outside of France, the income is declared and the corresponding withholding tax is paid within the first 15 days of the month following the month of the payment of the income, either by the taxpayer him/herself or by the paying agent, when that entity is established in a Member State of the European Union or in another Member State of the European Economic Area Agreement that has entered into an administrative assistance agreement with France to combat tax evasion and tax fraud and has received instructions to this effect by the taxpayer. BBI shareholders who find themselves in this situation should contact their financial intermediary to find out what processes they will put into place in this respect. Natural persons belonging to a tax household whose reference taxable income (revenu fiscal de reference) for the second-to-last tax year, as defined in 1 of IV of Article 1417 of the CGI, is lower than EUR 50,000 for taxpayers who are single, divorced or widowed, or EUR 75,000 for couples filing jointly, may request an exemption from this withholding under the terms and conditions of Article 242-quarter of the CGI by providing to the paying agent no later than November 30 of the year preceding the year of the payment of the distributed income a sworn statement that the reference taxable income shown on the tax notice issued in respect of the second-to-last year preceding the year of payment was below the above-mentioned taxable income thresholds. When the paying agent is established outside France, only natural persons belonging to a tax household whose reference taxable income for the penultimate year, as defined in 1 of IV of Article 1417 of the CGI, is equal to or greater than the amounts mentioned in the previous paragraph are subject to this tax. The withholding tax does not apply to income related to securities held in French share savings plans (Plan dEpargne en Actions, PEA). 1.1.1.2. Income tax The final taxation of dividends is determined based on the information reported in the income tax return filed the year following the year in which the dividend income is received. Pursuant to 1 of the Article 200 A of the CGI, dividends are, in principle, subject to the 12.8% single flat rate withholding tax (prelevement forfaitaire unique, PFU). Pursuant to Article 193 of the CGI, the 12.8% PFNL non-final withholding tax may be credited against the income tax due in respect of the year in which it was paid. Where it exceeds the income tax due, the surplus is refunded. In practice, the alignment of the current PFU and PFNL rates at 12.8% is equivalent to paying withholding tax at source. Pursuant to Article 200 A2. of the CGI, by way of derogation from the application of the PFU, taxpayers wishing to do so, may, upon express, global and irrevocable election be subject to the progressive scale of income tax. Under Article 158 of the CGI, dividends must be included in the shareholder's global taxable income as portfolio income (revenu de capitaux mobiliers) in respect of the year during which they are received. The election is exercised each year when filing the tax return and no later than the filing deadline. The dividends are then subject to income tax under the progressive scale and benefit from an unlimited tax allowance of 40% on the amount of distributed income (40% Allowance). The option for the progressive income tax scale applies on an annual basis to all income from portfolio income and capital gains subject to the aforementioned flat-rate tax of 12.8% and realised in respect of the same year. If the BBI shares are held in a French share savings plan (PEA), dividends and similar distributed income are exempt from income tax, subject to compliance with the terms and conditions applicable to the PEA. 1.1.1.3. Social contributions Regardless of whether or not the 12.8% PFNL is applicable, the gross amount of income distributed by BBI (before application of the 40% Allowance when the shareholder has opted for taxation under the progressive scale) will also be subject to social contributions at a global rate of 17.2%, broken down as follows : general social contribution (contribution sociale generalisee, CSG) at the rate 9.2%; social debt repayment contribution (contribution pour le remboursement de la dette sociale, CRDS) at the rate of 0.5%; and solidarity levy at a rate of 7.5%. These social contributions are not deductible from income subject to PFU. When income is subject to the progressive tax scale upon election, the 9.2% CSG is deductible up to 6.8% from the taxable income of the year of its payment. Shareholders should consult their usual tax advisor to determine the tax reporting obligations and payment rules that may apply to them in respect of the PFNL and social contributions. 1.1.1.4. . Payment of the PFNL withholding tax and social contributions The Beneficiaries of the Distribution in Kind shall pay, as the case may be, to their authorized financial intermediary or to BBI, through BNP Paribas Securities Services, the social security contributions and/or the withholding tax or the withholding tax due in respect of the Distribution in Kind. Where applicable, the authorized financial intermediary responsible for maintaining the bearer or administered registered share accounts or BBI, through BNP Paribas Securities Services, responsible for maintaining the bearer share accounts, may sell the number of Nacon shares required to pay the social contributions and/or the PNFL withholding tax due in respect of the Distribution in Kind. 1.1.1.5. Exceptional contribution on high-income earners Pursuant to Article 223-sexies of the CGI, taxpayers subject to personal income tax are liable for a contribution based on the amount of the tax household's reference taxable income as defined in 1 of IV of Article 1417 of the CGI, without any application of the quotient rules defined in Article 163-0 A of the CGI. The defined reference income includes the distributed income and dividends received by the relevant taxpayers (before the 40% Allowance when the shareholder has opted for taxation under the progressive scale). This contribution is calculated by applying the following rates: 3% of the portion of reference taxable income between EUR 250,000 and EUR 500,000 for single, widowed, separated or divorced taxpayers, and the portion of taxable income between EUR 500,000 and EUR 1,000,000 for couples filing jointly; 4% of the portion of reference taxable income above EUR 500,000 for single, widowed, separated or divorced taxpayers, and the portion of taxable income above EUR 1,000,000 for couples filing jointly. 1.1.1.6. Portion of the Distribution in Kind having the nature of a reimbursement of a contribution for tax purposes Pursuant to the provisions of 1 of Article 112 of the CGI, distributions made by a company to its members or shareholders who are natural persons and who, for tax purposes, have the nature of a reimbursement of a contribution or share premiums in the sense of the latter, are not considered as distributed income and, as such, are not subject to income tax and are therefore not subject to the levies and taxes set out in paragraphs 3.1.1.1 to 3.1.1.5. In accordance with the provisions of 1 of Article 112 of the CGI, this absence of taxation only applies insofar as all the distributable results and reserves of the distributing company have been allocated, which will be the case for a fraction of the Distribution in Kind since this will be charged in priority to the "Other Reserves" item in the accounts and, for any surplus, to the "Other Reserves" item in the accounts, for any surplus, to "Additional paid-in capital" and "Share premium", it being recalled that a proposal will be made to the General Meeting to allocate all "Retained earnings", less the sums deducted from this account in order to pay the Ordinary Dividend, to "Other reserves" prior to the payment of the Distribution in Kind. BBI will indicate, in a press release to be published on the Payment Date, the allocation of the Distribution in Kind from a tax point of view between, on the one hand, a distribution of securities portfolio income corresponding to the share of the Distribution in Kind allocated to the "Other reserves" item and, on the other hand, a repayment of contribution corresponding to the share of the Distribution in Kind allocated to the "Additional paid-in capital" and/or "Share premium" items.) Pursuant to the doctrine published by the tax authorities (BOI-RPPM-PVBMI-20-10-20-40-20141014 No. 240 in its version dated December 20, 2019), in the event of a subsequent sale of their shares by these partners or individual shareholders, the amount of these distributions is deducted from the acquisition or subscription price of the shares as determined under the conditions of Article 150-0 D of the CGI. Shareholders whose cost price for tax purposes of the BBI share is lower than the amount of the reimbursement of the contribution, as well as shareholders who have benefited from a deferral or suspension of taxation on the occasion of the acquisition of their BBI shares, are invited to contact their usual tax advisor in order to determine the tax treatment applicable to them. 4.1.2. Legal entities subject to corporate income tax (under standard rules) 1.1.1.1. Legal entities without the status of a parent company (societe mere) in France Legal entities, other than those having parent company (societe mere) status within the meaning of Article 145 of the CGI, should include the dividends and distributed income received in their taxable income subject to the ordinary corporate tax rate. An additional 3.3% social contribution may also apply, based on the corporate income tax charge, after a deduction of up to EUR 763,000 for each twelve-month period (Article 235- ter ZC of the CGI). However, pursuant to Article 219 I-b of the CGI, for legal entities with annual revenue of less than EUR 7,630,000 (excluding taxes), and whose share capital is fully paid up and at least 75% continuously held throughout the relevant fiscal year by natural persons or by a company satisfying all these conditions, the corporate income tax rate is set at 15% for the first EUR 38,120 of taxable income for each twelve-month period. In addition, these legal entities are exempted from the aforementioned 3.3% social contribution. 1.1.1.2. Legal entities qualifying as a parent company (societe mere) in France Legal entities holding at least 5% of BBI's share capital and voting rights and which meet the conditions set out in Articles 145 and 216 of the CGI may benefit, upon election, from a dividend and distributed income exemption under the parent-subsidiary regime. Subsection I of Article 216 of the CGI provides, however, for the inclusion, in the taxable income subject to corporate income tax at the standard rate of the beneficiary, of a charge for costs and expenses set, under the current legislation, at 5% of total proceeds from shareholdings, tax credits included. 1.1.1.3. Other shareholders BBI shareholders subject to a tax system other than those referred to above, in particular taxpayers whose transactions in securities goes beyond simple portfolio management or who have recorded their shares as assets on their business balance sheet, should consult their own tax advisors to determine the provisions that apply to their particular circumstances. 1.1.1.4. Fraction of the Distribution in Kind having the nature of a reimbursement of a contribution for tax purposes Legal entities are invited to consult their usual tax advisor in order to determine the tax treatment applicable to them, in the light of their particular situation, as a result of receiving the portion of the Distribution in Kind that is in the nature of a reimbursement of a contribution. 1.2. Shareholders with a tax residence located outside France Under French law as it currently stands and subject to the possible application of international tax treaties, the following discussion summarizes certain French tax consequences that may apply to investors (i) who are not French tax residents within the meaning of Article 4 B of the French Tax Code or whose registered office is located outside France and (ii) whose ownership of shares cannot be traced back to a fixed base or permanent establishment subject to taxation in France. Such persons should consult their usual tax advisor regarding the taxation applicable to their particular circumstances and comply with the tax legislation in force in their State of residence and/or nationality. The Beneficiaries to the Distribution in Kind will have to pay to their paying agent, the withholding tax, subject to the provisions of the international tax treaties that may be applicable and to the exceptions mentioned hereafter, when the tax residence or the registered office of the beneficial owner is located outside France. Consequently, the amount of the withholding tax shall be made available to the paying agent prior to the delivery of the shares. If necessary, the paying agent may sell the number of Nacon shares necessary to pay the applicable withholding taxes. BBI shareholders should contact their financial intermediary to find out the processes that will be put in place by the latter for this purpose. Subject to what is set forth below and to the completion of the formalities necessary for the elimination or limitation of the rate of withholding at source that may be payable, the rate of this withholding tax is set in particular at: 12.8% by the 2 of the Article 187 (1) of the CGI where the beneficiary is a natural person; and 15% where the beneficiary is a non-profit organization that has its registered office in a Member State of the European Union or in another Member State of the European Economic Area Agreement that has entered into an administrative assistance agreement with France for the purpose of combating tax evasion and tax fraud, that would be taxed according to the treatment referred to in Article 206-5 of the CGI if it had its registered office in France and meets the criteria provided for by paragraphs 580 et seq. of the administrative guidelines BOI-IS-CHAMP-1050-10- 40 ass of 23 March 2022. This withholding tax is also applicable to any payment made for the benefit of a non-resident in the context of a temporary assignment or a similar transaction giving the right or obligation to return or resell the shares or other rights relating to these shares. In accordance with the new Article 119 bis A, 1 of the CGI, the temporary or similar transaction must be carried out for a period of less than forty-five days, including the date on which the right to the distribution of the proceeds of the shares is acquired. If the beneficiary of the payment provides proof that it corresponds to a transaction that has primarily a purpose and effect other than avoiding the application of a withholding tax or obtaining the granting of a tax benefit, then they will be able to obtain the reimbursement of the withholding tax which will be definitely deducted from the tax department of his or her domicile or head office. Regardless of the location of the beneficiary's tax residence or registered office, the income distributed by BBI outside France to a "non-cooperative" State or territory within the meaning of Article 238-0 A of the French Tax Code is subject to withholding tax at a rate of 75%. The list of non-cooperative states and territories is published by ministerial order and updated annually. The list was updated by the ministerial order dated 2 March 2022 (published in the Official Journal of the French Republic (JORF) dated 16 March 2022) and includes the following States and territories: British Virgin Islands, Anguilla, Panama, Seychelles, Vanuatu, Dominica, Fiji, Guam, US Virgin Islands, Palau, American Samoa, Samoa, Trinidad and Tobago. If States or territories were to be blacklisted by the European Union because they facilitate the creation of offshore structures or devices, they would also be affected by the application of the 75% withholding tax from the day the Ministerial Decree is amended accordingly, in accordance with Article 238-0 A 2 bis 1 of the CGI. Investors that may be impacted by such measure and those who are domiciled or established in a non-cooperative State or territory should seek the advice of their usual tax advisor to determine the tax treatment applicable to them. Shareholders that are legal entities having their place of effective management in a Member State of the European Union may benefit from a withholding tax exemption if they hold at least 10% of BBIs share capital and otherwise meet all the conditions of Article 119-ter of the CGI. In addition, subject to meeting the conditions specified in administrative guidelines BOI-RPPM-RCM-30-30-20-40-20160607, legal entities that hold at least 5% of BBIs share capital may, under certain conditions, benefit from a withholding tax exemption if their place of effective management is located either in another Member State of the European Union or in another Member State of the European Economic Area Agreement that has entered an agreement with France to avoid double taxation which includes an administrative assistance clause to combat tax fraud and evasion. Legal entity shareholders who may be affected by this measure should consult their usual tax advisor to determine the tax treatment applicable to them. Furthermore, and subject to the payment in a non-cooperative State or territory as defined in Article 238-0 A of the CGI, the withholding tax is not applicable pursuant to Article 119 bis (2) of the CGI to dividends distributed to collective investment undertakings governed by foreign law, located in a Member State of the European Union or another State which has entered into an administrative assistance agreement with France for the purpose of combating tax evasion and tax fraud, and which satisfy the following two conditions: raising capital from a certain number of investors with the purpose of investing it in a fiduciary capacity on behalf of such investors, pursuant to a defined investment policy; and having features similar to those required of collective undertakings governed by French law under section 1, paragraphs 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6 of sub-section 2, sub-section 3, or sub-section 4 of section 2 of Chapter IV of the 1st Title of Book II of the French Monetary and Financial Code (Code monetaire et financier). The conditions of this exemption are set forth in detail in the official bulletin of public finances (bulletin officiel des finances publiques) dated 12 August 2020 (administrative guidelines BOI-RPPM-RCM-30-30-20-70). Finally, the withholding tax may be reduced or even eliminated pursuant to tax treaties signed by France. Accordingly, it is the responsibility of BBI shareholders to consult their usual tax advisors to determine whether they are likely to qualify for a reduction to or exemption from the withholding tax by virtue of the preceding principles or provisions of international tax treaties and to determine the formalities to be complied with to benefit from these treaties, including those provided for by administrative guidelines BOI-INT-DG-20-20-20-20 of 12 September 2012 relating to the standard or simplified procedure for the reduction of or exemption from the withholding tax. IMPACT OF THE DISTRIBUTION IN KIND ON CONSOLIDATED SHAREHOLDERS FUNDS, NET RESULT AND NET DEBT OF THE BBI GROUP 1.1. Impact of the Distribution in Kind on the consolidated shareholders' funds of the BBI Group Following the Distribution in Kind, BBI will retain sole control over Nacon. Therefore, in accordance with the IFRS standards under which the Bigben Group's consolidated financial statements are prepared, the Distribution in Kind will be treated as a disposal of minority assets with no impact on the control of Nacon and will be treated for accounting purposes as a transaction between shareholders and thus recognised as equity. The Distribution in Kind will result in a decrease in BBI's consolidated shareholders' funds on the payment date equal to (i) the number of Nacon shares distributed multiplied by the opening price of the Nacon share on the payment date of the Distribution in Kind, minus (ii) the gain on disposal of shares net of tax with no "Income Statement" impact resulting from the difference between the Distribution in Kind and the share of the net assets of the Nacon shares transferred to the Minority Shareholders, net of the taxes recorded at the time of the Distribution in Kind. The impact of this transaction and of the change in Nacon's share price, on BBI's consolidated shareholders' funds group share, compared to the consolidated balance sheet at 31 March 2022, can therefore be summarized as follows: Number of outstanding BBI shares Shareholders funds (group share) of BBI (in EUR millions) Shareholders funds (group share) of BBI per share (In EUR per share) Situation at 31 March 202281 18 906 0009 233,4 12,3 Impact of Distribution in Kind Distribution in Kind -26,7 -1,4 Capital gain on share disposal net of tax without any impact on Income Statement 13,6 0,7 Situation post Distribution in Kind 220,3 11,7 1.2. Impact of the Distribution in Kind on the consolidated net result of the BBI Group (group share)I Given the absence of a loss of control of Nacon by BBI, the Distribution in Kind will not have a material impact on the consolidated net result of the BBI Group. 1.3. Impact of the Distribution in Kind on the consolidated debt of the BBI Group The Distribution in Kind has no impact on the consolidated net debt of BBI, except for the taxes due in respect thereof. The distribution of a cash balance to shareholders who do not hold a number of BBI shares entitling them to a whole number of Nacon shares will have an insignificant impact on the consolidated net debt of BBI. RISK FACTORS These risk factors should be carefully considered. 4.4. Specific risk factors related to the Distribution in Kind The main risk factors related to the Distribution in Kind are set forth below. BBI's shareholders should be aware that the list of risks presented below is not exhaustive and that other additional risks that are unknown or whose realization as of the date hereof is not considered likely to have an adverse effect on the Distribution in Kind, may exist: - in the event that the Distribution in Kind exceeds the Ceiling, the Board of Directors will have to make the necessary adjustment to the parity so that the amount distributed does not exceed such Ceiling; this would be the case if the opening price of the Nacon share on the Payment Date exceeded EUR 10.88, based on a distributable amount of EUR 50,786,949 and assuming that all 4,669,616 Nacon shares would be distributed, it being specified that in the event of an adjustment of the parity, the timing of the Distribution in Kind may change. - BBI shareholders could sell the Nacon shares they receive in connection with the Distribution in Kind, which could lead to downward pressure on the market price of Nacon shares, - the market price of Nacon shares could decline after the Distribution in Kind, and - tax laws and regulations may change unfavorably compared to the current tax system. 5.2. Risk factors relating to Nacon and its business The main risk factors relating to Nacon and its business are described in Nacon's universal registration document filed with the Autorite des Marches Financiers on July 6, 2021 under number R. 21-0037.* Next events: Annual General Meeting: 22 July 2022 Q1 2022-23 sales: 25 July 2022, Press release after close of the Euronext Paris stock exchange SALES 2021-22 275.7 M HEADCOUNT Over 1200 employees INTERNATIONAL 31 subsidiaries and a distribution network in more than 100 countries www.bigben-group.com Bigben Interactive is a European player in video game development and publishing, in design and distribution of smartphone and gaming accessories as well as in audio products. The Group, which is recognized for its capacities in terms of innovation and creativity, intends to become one of Europes leaders in each of its markets Company listed on Euronext Paris, compartment B Index : CAC Mid & Small Eligible SRD long ISIN : FR0000074072 ; Reuters : BIGPA ; Bloomberg : BIGFP PRESS CONTACTS CapValue Gilles Broquelet [email protected] - +33 1 80 81 50 01 8 on the basis of BBI consolidated annual disclosed at 31 March 2022 approved by the Board on 31 May 2022. 9 number of shares making up the capital of BBI minus the number of treasury shares held by BBI as at 31 March 2022. Attachment On 19 June 2020, Harju County Court approved the reorganization plan of AS Baltika (Baltika). The restructuring advisor needs to submit a report to the court and the impacted creditors every six months. The first report was submitted in December 2020. The fourth report is hereby published to all investors. The data and numbers in the report refer to Baltika on a stand-alone basis, not as a Group i.e. the numbers are not consolidated. The results of the first four months of 2022 were significantly affected by the war in Ukraine, which significantly reduced the number of store visits throughout the Baltics in the first weeks of March. In addition, during the first quarter, the entire Baltics continued to suffer from high a COVID-19 morbidity rate and this offered challenges in terms of day-to-day operations and, of course, store visits. Due to the reorganization proceedings, Baltika has been able to take the following successful steps in implementing its business strategy closing most of the unprofitable stores and launching the new store concept in three locations. Although Baltikas sales revenue decreased due to the planned closure of unprofitable stores, this is compensated by the opening of the new concept stores. Baltika opened new Ivo Nikkolo concept stores in March and April in the Spice shopping center in Riga, in the Rotermann Quarter in Tallinn and in the Riga Plaza shopping center in Riga. According to the reorganization advisor, Baltikas financial position has improved because of the approval of the reorganization plan and the implementation of reorganization measures. Baltikas management and the representative of the majority shareholder have presented the reorganization advisor a plan to restore equity without increasing the share capital. Baltika confirms that it will be able to successfully fulfil the commitments made in the reorganization plan and restore the companys equity. Brigitta Kippak Member of the Management Board [email protected] THE REPORT OF THE REORGANISATION ADVISOR ON THE FULFILMENT OF THE REORGANISATION PLAN Harju County Court confirmed with 19.06.2020 ruling for civil case 2-20-4688 the reorganisation plan of AS Baltika (hereafter Baltika). In accordance with 50 of the Reorganisation Act, the reorganisation advisor of Baltika hereby presents to the court and creditors the fourth written report regarding the fulfilment of the reorganisation plan. To verify the fulfilment of the reorganisation plan and evaluate the financial situation, the reorganisation advisor has used the audited accounts of Baltika as at 31.12.2021 and unaudited accounts as at 30.04.2022. Fulfilment of the reorganisation plan The claims of 30 creditors in the total amount of 12 206 649.74 euros were transformed based on the reorganisation plan. Claims were transformed in two groups. Total financial impact of reduction of claims based on the reorganisation plan is 5 045 198 euros, which is recorded under other operating revenue in Baltikas 2020 profit and loss statement. Based on the reorganisation plan Baltika had to pay interest on the claims in Group I and starting from June of 2021 start payments of principal amounts in Group I. Baltika has fulfilled this obligation to Swedbank AS. Other creditors in Group I have confirmed to reorganisation advisor that they do not require Baltika to pay in accordance with the reorganisation plan and agree to be paid later. Based on the reorganisation plan payments of principal amounts of claims in Group II have to begin from the end of 2021. The company has fulfilled this obligation before 31.12.2021. Baltikas financial situation Within the first six month after the confirmation of reorganisation plan Baltikas financial situation had been positively influenced by both transformation of the creditors claims and also several substantive changes in Baltikas operations, as a result of which compared to the state prior to reorganisation, the gross profit of Baltika from the sale of goods had improved and various operating expenses have reduced (incl rent expenses that fall under several operating expenses, payroll). The below table contains the prognosis of 2021 profit and loss statement presented in the reorganisation plan of Baltika, actual profit and loss for 2021, the figures for 4 months from the prognosis (01.01.2022 until 30.04.2022) and the actual profit and loss statement for the four months of 2022. Thousand euros Prognosis 12 months 2021 in reorganisation plan Actual 12 months 2021 Prognosis 4 months 2022 Actual 4 months 2022 Revenue 17 535 6 113 8 944 1 499 Total revenue 17 535 6 113 8 944 1 499 Cost of goods sold 12 202 5 402 4 978 1 209 Gross profit 5 333 711 3 966 290 Gross profit margin 30% 12% 44% 19% Various operating expenses 2 432 1 640 845 403 Payroll 2 267 2 028 814 616 Depreciation, amortisation and impairment 162 56 65 39 Other operating expense (-) /income (+) -119 111 0 -7 Operating income (-loss) 591 -2 902 2 243 -774 Results of 2021 have been significantly affected by restrictions caused by Covid-19 pandemic and closure of stores in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. Sharp decline in revenue starting from December 2020 (stores were completely closed in Latvia and Lithuania from December of 2020 and in Estonia from March of 2021, and reopened to visitors in May of 2021 in Lithuania and Estonia and June of 2021 in Latvia), which was partly compensated by an increase in revenue from e-channel, meant that during 2021 Baltikas actual revenue, gross profit and operating profit were considerably lower than the respective figures presented in the prognosis in the reorganisation plan. Revenue, gross profit and operating profit for the four months of 2022 were significantly affected by the following events: Unpredicted state of war between Russia and Ukraine that had an impact of the sales of Baltika in the first weeks of March (decline in number of visitors to stores). The strongest impact was experienced in the Lithuanian market where visitor numbers began to decline from the second half of February (local media was covering the threat of potential war). By the end of March the situation in the Baltics had stabilised and visitor numbers started to recover gradually. All Baltic countries experienced high rates of COVID-19 cases in the first quarter of 2022, which impacted negatively on the visits to stores and also presented challenges to everyday management of stores operations, due to which quality of service also declined and impacted on sales negatively. Decline in revenue resulted from planned closure of loss making stores: In January of 2022 three stores were closed in Estonia: Narva Fama Parnu Kaubamajakas Tallinn Viru Centre In March of 2022 two more stores were closed: In Nautica centre in Tallinn In Spice trade centre in Riga In April of 2022 the outlet store in Tallinn was closed In Estonia, which is the market with the largest number of stores, closure of loss making stores is planned to continue until July of 2022. Decline in revenue will be compensated by opening of three new Ivo Nikkole concept stores: 17.03.2022 in Spice trade centre in Riga 28.03.2022 in Rotermann quarter in Tallinn 6.4.2022 in Riga Plaza trade centre in Riga The actual cumulative profit and loss for 28 months from 1 January 2020 to 30 April 2022, the period which reflects the effect of reorganisation plan and closure of stores due to COVID-19, shows that cumulatively both actual total revenue and total operating profit are significantly lower than foreseen on the reorganisation plan (see table below). Thousand euros Prognosis in reorganisation plan for 28 months till 30.04.2022 Actual for 28 months till 30.04.2022 Revenue 38 779 17 503 Total revenue 38 779 17 503 Cost of goods sold 28 482 15 190 Gross profit 10 297 2 313 Gross profit margin 27% 13% Various operating expenses 6 121 4 182 Payroll 6 614 5 221 Depreciation, amortisation and impairment 364 176 Other operating expense (-) /income (+) 3 776 3 851 Operating income (-loss) 974 -3 415 The comparison between actual profit and loss for 28 months and prognosis made while compiling reorganisation plan shows that actual various operating expenses and payroll expenses are lower than in prognosis. Therefore, the deficit of operating profit can be explained by lower revenue and gross profit, which in turn is caused by the circumstances described above (closed stores, low visitor number due to high rates of Covid cases, and war in Ukraine). For the fulfilment of the reorganisation plan it is important that Baltikas future financial results, considering the worsening in 2021 and the first half of 2022, are such that they allow repayment of creditors claims in accordance with the terms of the reorganisation plan. According to explanations provided to reorganisation advisor by Baltikas management, Baltikas financial results and cash flows would be sufficient for that purpose. The number of Baltikas employees reduced from 112 as at the end of March 2020 to 58 as at 31.10.2020 and 39 as at 30.04.2022. Baltikas shareholders equity is -821 thousand as at 30.04.2022. Baltikas consolidated equity as per audited annual financial statements for the year ended 31.12.2021 is also not meeting the requirements of the Commercial Code of Estonia (as of year-end equity amounts to 312 thousand, according to the first quarter interim report as of 31.03.2022 equity decreases to -1,033 thousand). In the Management Report for 2021 the management states that a detailed plan for restoring sufficient equity level would be discussed at the next general meeting of shareholders, which has not yet taken place by the date of this report. As at 30.04.2022 Baltika had overdue payables to suppliers in the amount of 369 thousand, of which 138 thousand have not been paid as of the date of this report, of the later amount majority is formed by a supplier invoice disputed due to quality problems. Baltikas free cash (unused bank overdraft) balance as of 30 April 2022 is 738 thousand. Companys current receivables amount to 2 494 thousand and current liabilities to 1 724 thousand. Therefore there are currently no indications of liquidity problems. Based on the above, the reorganisation advisor is of the opinion that as a result of confirming of the reorganisation plan and implementing the reorganisation measures Baltikas financial situation has improved. Baltika has followed in its operations the reorganisation plan and fulfilled the reorganisation measures. Due to worsening of financial performance from the end of 2020, Baltikas equity as of 30 April 2022 has become negative, which indicates that uncertainty exists that may cast doubt upon Baltikas ability to continue as a going concern. Baltikas management and a representative of majority shareholder have presented reorganisation advisor with a plan that would result in restoring the equity without a share capital increase, but reorganisation advisor is not in a position to disclose details of this plan. Restoring of equity to the level prescribed by the Commercial Code is thus dependent on realisation of the aforementioned plan or may alternatively be achieved by decision of the general meeting of shareholders to raise additional share capital. Assuming one of these alternatives materialises, fulfilling the reorganisation plan, including paying the creditors claims in the period set out in reorganisation plan is still realistic. The reorganisation advisor confirms, that he has forwarded this report in addition to the court also to all the creditors that are impacted by reorganisation. In Tallinn, on 17 June, 2022 Artur Suits Reorganisation advisor of Aktsiaselts Baltika Digitally signed PALM BEACH, FL., June 17, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Uni Tequila is making a splash on the drinking scene with its organic, low-calorie, super smooth, tasting tequila. Recently awarded Double Gold in Taste at the prestigious SIP Awards, Unis formula is perfect for sipping on the rocks or mixing, making it ideal for drinking anytime this summer. The mission of Uni Tequila is to create the smoothest, best-tasting tequila for customers to enjoy in moderation. With its organic, fresh ingredients, Uni is taking Tequila to a new level. Uni is produced using an organic rested blanco tequila that is aged just under 2 months in oak barrels with no pesticides and nothing artificial, all under the watchful eye of founder and CEO Metta Risdal. CEO Metta Risdal has been traveling to Mexico for the past 15 years trying to find the best-tasting tequila. After moving from Norway to New York on her own, Metta became a bartender and fell in love with the hospitality industry. Pairing her love of the industry and Tequila with years of research, Metta set out to create her own organic tequila, for the sophisticated health-conscious consumer. The brand can be found in a number of restaurants in Palm Beach, NYC, and the Hamptons; including 1000 North, Lucky Shuck, Beacon, Waxins, Bice, Sant Ambroeus, Tutto il Giorno, Casa Lever, and Gurneys resorts. Uni continues to expand its reach across South Florida and New York and will soon become an established brand in the Tequila space. You can find out more about the brand at http://www.unitequila.com/. About Uni Tequila Uni Organic Blanco Tequila is a small batch producer exclusively crafting one bottle at a time. We carefully hand select 100% estate-grown organic agave. There are no shortcuts taken. Uni go through a long innovative extraction process method that makes our tequila super smooth, pure and crisp with aroma, taste and finish of vanilla, citrus and complex floral notes perfect for sipping on the rocks. Truly unique. Kelly O'Shea Uni Tequila 9176854515 [email protected] Source: Uni Tequila SpaceX has reportedly fired some employees who were behind an open letter criticizing the behavior of CEO Elon Musk, the New York Times reports. The Verge reported yesterday that the space companys employees drafted a letter to the companys SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell in which they denounced Elon Musks behavior. The letter was then published on Twitter by several employees. Among other things, the letter called Musks behavior a frequent source of distraction and embarrassment. The company then moved to fire several employees behind the letter, according to the NYT. The report cites Shotwells internal e-mail in which she confirms that SpaceX terminated a number of employees involved with the letter. The letter, solicitations and general process made employees feel uncomfortable, intimidated and bullied, and/or angry because the letter pressured them to sign onto something that did not reflect their views, Ms. Shotwell wrote. We have too much critical work to accomplish and no need for this kind of overreaching activism. Blanketing thousands of people across the company with repeated unsolicited emails and asking them to sign letters and fill out unsponsored surveys during the work day is not acceptable. Please stay focused on the SpaceX mission, and use your time to do your best work, she continued. This is how we will get to Mars. By Senad Karaahmetovic Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - June 17, 2022) - Boosh Plant-Based Brands Inc. (CSE: VEGI) (OTCQB: VGGIF) (FSE: 77 i ) ("Bosh" or the "Company"), a premier plant-based brands in the in-health food sector, provides the following update summary: Recent Sales Activity Beanfields Safeway Nor California Division was just launched this month at 250 stores HEB Launching two more SKUs (flavours of Beanfields Chips) at 340 stores Fresh Market is launching Beanfields in September at 230 stores Boosh US Opened retail chain in the USA at Market of Choice (11 stores in Oregon). This will open up UNFI Pacific Northwest for independent accounts to purchase. Opened up retail Chain Nugget Market (14 Stores in Nor Cal.) which will open up UNFI NOR Cal, we will be able to reach out to Nor Cal stores. Boosh Canada Save-On-Foods launched and selling through well New shelf-stable Mac & Cheeze launching at Whole Foods Canada in July Horizon Distributors will be listing all frozen lines. Currently only listed with UNFI so this will expose Boosh line to a lot of new retailers. Luongo has agreed to launch frozen lines and shelf-stable Mac n Cheese to its 36 stores in Ontario. Staffing Announcements and Updates Greg Gilbert CFO Beanfields Greg Gilbert has been named CFO of Beanfields and is an experienced finance leader focused on growing shareholder value as CFO for mid-stage food and beverage companies. Greg's experience in the industry spans across start-up to multi-national strategic businesses; across dry, frozen, and fresh categories, and across all market channels, including in-depth experience scaling/incubating emerging/natural brands. Greg has served as Chief Financial Officer of Beanfields since Q1 2020 where he led the work to optimize the business model; utilizing his depth of experience and inventiveness, to meet evolving investor needs. West Bonebrake: Director of Operations Beanfields Wes oversees all aspects of Beanfields' business operations. He is an accomplished professional with 6+ years of experience improving efficiency, quality, and cost in the high-growth CPG category. Wes has cultivated a unique and comprehensive cross-functional operational perspective in contract manufacturing, material procurement, demand forecasting, product launch, vendor relationship, and inventory & logistics management which makes him a valuable asset to the team. Maria Hussaini Maria Hussaini has stepped down as CFO of Boosh Plant-based Brands. The Board and Company wish to thank Maria for all her hard work over the past year, especially in overseeing the audit of Beanfields acquisition. (From the left to right: Wes Bonebrake, TJ Walsh, Colton Marples, and Greg Gilbert) To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/7944/128129_89302b48848df9db_002full.jpg Boosh Plant-based Brands Founder and CEO Connie Marples states, "I could not be more proud of our team through the successful integration of Beanfields into the Boosh Plant-based family of brands. The addition of Greg Gilbert and Wes Bonebrake to our management group has been seamless and their industry expertise plus history with Beanfields is highly valued." On behalf of the Board of Directors Connie Marples Founder/President [email protected] Telephone: 778 840 1700 www.Booshfood.com About Boosh Plant-Based Brands Inc.: Boosh Plant-Based Brands Inc., through its wholly owned subsidiary, Boosh Food (www.booshfood.com), offers high quality, non-GMO, gluten free, 100% plant-based nutritional comfort foods for the whole family. Through a separate subsidiary, Beautiful Beanfields, the Company owns Beanfields, a plant-based chips brand sold in over 7,000 stores throughout North America. Boosh, good for you and good for planet earth. The information in this news release includes certain information and statements about management's view of future events, expectations, plans and prospects that constitute forward-looking statements. These statements are based upon assumptions that are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Because of these risks and uncertainties and as a result of a variety of factors, the actual results, expectations, achievements or performance may differ materially from those anticipated and indicated by these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, the Company's expectations concerning the size of the Financing, its ability to close the Financing in whole or in part or at all and its plan for the proceeds of the Financing.. Any number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements as well as future results. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurances that the expectations of any forward-looking statements will prove to be correct. Except as required by law, the Company disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, whether as a result of new information, future events, changes in assumptions, changes in factors affecting such forward-looking statements or otherwise. 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. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/128129 Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - June 17, 2022) - Datametrex AI Limited(TSXV: DM) (FSE: D4G) (OTCQB: DTMXF)(the "Company" or "Datametrex'')would like to report that further to the news release on June 9, 2022, announcing the acquisition of EV Connect Solutions Inc. ("EVCS"), the Company has changed the name of its newly acquired subsidiary to Datametrex Electric Vehicle Solutions Inc. ("DMEVS"), www.dmevs.com. "As we begin executing DMEVS' business operations, branding is a priority. The new name builds on the strong reputation and goodwill of the Datametrex" brand and better positions DMEVS within the emerging global electric vehicle charging infrastructure market.We look forward to launching DMEVS in a way that brings the utmost value and success to all", said Marshall Gunter, CEO of the Company. About Datametrex Datametrex AI Limited is a technology-focused company with exposure to Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Telehealth and has recently entered the Electric Vehicle (EV) market. Datametrex' mission is to provide tools and solutions that support companies in fulfilling their operational goals, including health and safety, with predictive and preventive technologies. By working with companies to set a new standard of protocols through Artificial Intelligence and health diagnostics, the Company provides progressive solutions to support the supply chain. For additional information on Datametrex and other corporate information, please visit the Company's website at www.datametrex.com. For further information: Investor Relations & Communications Marshall Gunter, CEO Email: [email protected] Tel: 514-295-2300 Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-Looking Statements 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, including statements regarding the Company's EV business. 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. Except as required by law, the Company does not undertake 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/128113 - No exposure to stablecoins or yield products demonstrates GlobalBlock's responsible approach to its service provision - London, United Kingdom and Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - June 17, 2022) - Service led digital asset broker GlobalBlock Europe, UAB ("GBE"), an operating subsidiary of publicly listed GlobalBlock Digital Asset Trading Limited (TSXV: BLOK) (OTC Pink: BLVDF) (FSE: BD4) (the "Company" or "GlobalBlock"), is pleased to provide an update in the midst of the current crypto market conditions. Whilst GlobalBlock does offer some stablecoins for its clients to trade, the business does not currently have any risk exposure to any stablecoin or yield products and as a result has not suffered any adverse effects from the recent seismic events that have led to the current downward trend in digital asset prices. The Company's focus on providing a service driven offering is allowing them to provide reassurance to customers that their assets are safe and easily accessible for trading or transferring purposes. Rufus Round, CEO of GlobalBlock, said: "GlobalBlock has seen similar market conditions on more than one occasion since its inception in 2018 and we have steered our clients through each and every one by providing them with the highest security and custody of their assets and our reassuringly human touch. "The current climate is no different and it is our service led approach that makes us stand out from the competition. We remain on call to support our clients in their digital asset needs during these volatile times and as ever look optimistically towards the future as broader adoption of crypto continues." ABOUT THE COMPANY GlobalBlock Digital Asset Trading Limited is a publicly traded holding company (TSX Venture: BLOK) whose subsidiary, GlobalBlock Europe, UAB (https://www.globalblock.eu), is a European Union based digital asset broker that provides a personalised telephone brokerage service, trading platform and mobile app. Established by an experienced team of financial services professionals, GlobalBlock Europe, UAB acts as a trusted agent serving the digital asset needs of individuals, corporations, institutional financial firms and intermediaries, providing best execution trading and safe custody of digital assets. At this time, clients or customers based in Lithuania and the UK can be onboarded to its digital asset broker and trading services. For further information please contact the Company at: Rufus Round, CEO c/o 65 Curzon Street, London, W1J 8PE, United Kingdom Tel. +44 20 3307 3795 [email protected] https://globalblock.eu/ and http://www.globalblockdigital.com/ https://twitter.com/Globalblocknews https://www.linkedin.com/company/globalblock/ Media Contact Angus Campbell Citigate Dewe Rogerson [email protected] CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS Certain information set out in this news release constitutes forward-looking statements or information. Forward looking statements are often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "seek", "anticipate", "plan", "continue", "estimate", "expect", "may", "will", "intend", "could", "might", "should", "believe" and similar expressions. In particular, this news release contains forward-looking statements in respect of among other things: the continued and successful development of the businesses and technologies of each of the Company and its subsidiaries, the continued adoption of digital assets, the exposure that the Company and its subsidiaries have to stablecoin and yield products and plans, future action and future successes of the Company, and its businesses, technologies and products described herein. Forward-looking statements are based upon the opinions and expectations of management of the Company as at the effective date of such statements and, in certain cases, information provided or disseminated by third parties. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable assumptions, and that information obtained from third party sources is reliable, they can give no assurance that those expectations will prove to have been correct. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements included in this document, as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions or expectations upon which the forward-looking statements are based will occur. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve numerous assumptions, known and unknown risks and uncertainties that contribute to the possibility that the predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not occur, which may cause actual results in future periods to differ materially from any estimates or projections of future performance or results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, among other things, risk factors set forth in the Company's most recent management's discussion and analysis, a copy of which is filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com, and readers are cautioned that the risk factors disclosed therein should not be construed as exhaustive. These statements are made as at the date hereof and unless otherwise required by law, the Company does not intend, or assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/128135 Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - June 17, 2022) - Idaho Champion Gold Mines Canada Inc. (CSE: ITKO ) (OTCQB: GLDRF)(FSE: 1QB1) ("Idaho Champion" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that the Company has closed the first tranche of its private placement offering. As part of the closing of this first tranche, the Company issued 11,079,210 units for gross proceeds of $553,960.50*. *All amounts expressed are in Canadian dollars. Idaho Champion opened a non-brokered private placement of up to 20,000,000 units at a price of $0.05 per unit for gross proceeds of up to $1,000,000. Each unit will consist of one (1) common share and one (1) non-transferable purchase warrant (a "Warrant"). Each Warrant will entitle the holder to purchase one additional common share at a price of $0.10 for a period of 24 months from the date of issue. The proceeds of the financing will be used for the funding of an exploration program at the Idaho Champion Cobalt Projects in Idaho, USA, and for general working capital purposes. In connection with the private placement, the Company paid a cash finders' fee of $10,800 and issued 216,000 finders' warrants, representing 8% cash and 8% non-transferable warrants. Completion of the private placement and payment of any finders' fees remain subject to the receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals, including approval of the Canadian Securities Exchange ( the "CSE"). The participation by three of the directors of the Company in the financing constitutes a "related party transaction" pursuant to Multilateral Instrument 61-101 Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). The Company intends to rely on the exemptions from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 contained in Section 5.5(b) and Section 5.7(1)(b) of MI 61-101, respectively, on the basis that (i) no securities of the Company are listed or quoted on any of the markets specified in Section 5.5(b) of MI 61-101 and (ii) the fair market value of the securities issued to related parties pursuant to the financing does not exceed $2,500,000, along with the other applicable circumstances contained in section 5.7(1)(b) of MI 61-101. In accordance with applicable Canadian securities laws, all securities issued pursuant to the private placement with be legended with a hold period of four months and one day from the date of issuance. About Idaho Champion Gold Mines Inc. Idaho Champion is a discovery-focused exploration company that is committed to advancing its 100%-owned highly prospective mineral properties located in Idaho, United States. The Company's shares trade on the CSE under the trading symbol "ITKO", on the OTCQB under the trading symbol "GLDRF", and on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under the symbol "1QB1". Idaho Champion is vested in Idaho with the Baner Project in Idaho County, the Champagne Project located in Butte County near Arco, and four cobalt properties in Lemhi County in the Idaho Cobalt Belt. Idaho Champion strives to be a responsible environmental steward, stakeholder and contributing citizen to the local communities where it operates. Idaho Champion takes its social license seriously, employing local community members and service providers at its operations whenever possible. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD "Jonathan Buick" Jonathan Buick, President and CEO For further information, please visit the Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com or the Company's corporate website at www.idahochamp.com. For further information, please contact: Nicholas Konkin, Marketing and Communications Phone: (416) 567- 9087 Email: [email protected] THIS PRESS RELEASE DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER TO SELL OR THE SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO BUY ANY SECURITIES IN ANY JURISDICTION, NOR SHALL THERE BE ANY OFFER, SALE, OR SOLICITATION OF SECURITIES IN ANY STATE IN THE UNITED STATES IN WHICH SUCH OFFER, SALE, OR SOLICITATION WOULD BE UNLAWFUL. Cautionary Statements Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its regulation services provider has reviewed or accepted responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release This press release may include forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation, concerning the business of the Company. Forward-looking information is based on certain key expectations and assumptions made by the management of the Company, including suggested strike extension. Although the Company believes that the expectations and assumptions on which such forward-looking information is based on are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking information because the Company can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date of this press release. The Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise, other than as required by applicable securities laws. NOT FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/128247 Calgary, Alberta and Denver, Colorado--(Newsfile Corp. - June 17, 2022) - INDVR Brands, Inc. (CSE: IDVR) (the "Company" or "INDVR Brands" or "INDVR"), a premier cannabis brand house and edibles producer, provides an update regarding the previously announced management cease trade order (the "MCTO") voluntarily requested by the Company and issued by the British Columbia Securities Commission on June 2, 2022 in connection with the Company's annual financial filings (the "Annual Financial Filings"). The Company's staff and internal audit team continue to make progress and are proceeding without any known material issue. The Company continues to make efforts to file the Annual Financial Filings by no later than July 30, 2022. The Company is providing this status update in accordance with National Policy 12-203 - Management Cease Trade Orders ("NP 12-203"). The Company reports that: (i) there are no changes to the information contained in its default announcement on June 2, 2022 that would reasonably be expected to be material to an investor; (ii) the Company is satisfying and confirms that it intends to continue to satisfy the provisions of the alternative information guidelines set out under NP 12-203 and issue bi-weekly default status reports for so long as the delay in filing the Annual Financial Filings is continuing, which will be issued in the form of a news release; (iii) there has not been any other specified default by the Company under NP 12-203 and no such other default is anticipated; and (iv) there is no material information concerning the affairs of the Company that has not been generally disclosed. The MCTO relates to trading of securities of the Company by the Chief Executive Officer and Executive Vice President and Director of the Company. All other securityholders continue to be able to trade in the securities of the Company in accordance with applicable securities laws. About INDVR Brands Inc. INDVR is focused on growing its popular hemp and cannabis brands throughout North America. We are committed to the pursuit of becoming a premier, globally recognized "House of Brands," holding a portfolio of award-winning products with an extensive market footprint. For consumers, INDVR seeks to be the recognized source of a broad portfolio of the highest quality hemp and cannabis products suited to meet both health and lifestyle needs. INDVR's management team brings expertise in manufacturing and retail operations, hemp and cannabis R&D, and cannabis cultivation, all working together to support a U.S. expansion plan through organic growth and accretive acquisitions. Additional Information Additional information regarding INDVR is available under INDVR's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com.This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities. Investor Information Hugh Hempel [email protected] Disclaimer and Forward-Looking Information Certain statements contained in this press release constitute forward-looking information. These statements relate to future events or future performance. The use of any of the words "anticipate", "could", "intend", "expect", "believe", "will", "projected", "potential", "endeavor", "estimated" and similar expressions and statements relating to matters that are not historical facts are intended to identify forward-looking information and are based on the parties' current belief or assumptions as to the outcome and timing of such future events. Actual future results may differ materially. In particular, but without limiting the foregoing, this news release contains forward-looking statements pertaining to the following the closing of the Transaction, any stated or perceived benefits or results attributed to the Company in regards to the Transaction, the closing of the debt settlement agreements and the benefit of the Offering to the Company. These statements are only predictions. 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 assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. The forward-looking information contained in this release is made as of the date hereof and the parties are not obligated to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. Because of the risks, uncertainties and assumptions contained herein, investors should not place undue reliance on forward looking information. The foregoing statements expressly qualify any forward-looking information contained herein. To the extent any forward-looking information in this press release constitutes "future-oriented financial information" or "financial outlooks" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws, such information is being provided to demonstrate the anticipated product sales of the Company and the reader is cautioned that this information may not be appropriate for any other purpose and the reader should not place undue reliance on such future-oriented financial information and financial outlooks. Future-oriented financial information and financial outlooks, as with forward-looking information generally, are, without limitation, based on the assumptions and subject to the risks set out above under the heading "Disclaimer and Forward-Looking Information". To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/128267 Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - June 16, 2022) - Royalty North Partners Ltd. (TSXV: RNP) ("RNP" or the "Company") announces that in accordance with a Loan Agreement between Advance Wire Products Ltd ("AWP") and RNP as entered into on August 24, 2017, and as amended by subsequent amending agreements, (the "Loan Agreement"), AWP has chosen to voluntarily prepay the loan in its entirety. RNP and AWP have entered into an agreement dated June 16, 2022 whereby AWP has agreed to repay $5,546,637 on July 29, 2022 (the "Initial Payment") and a further $453,360 to be paid in 24 equal monthly installments commencing on September 1, 2022. At the time of entering into the Loan Agreement RNP advanced $4,550,000 to AWP. Upon completion of the Initial Payment, AWP shall have no more obligations under the Loan Agreement and RNP shall have no more rights to payments pursuant to the Loan Agreement. Trading in the common shares of RNP is currently halted and it is not anticipated that trading in the common shares of RNP will resume prior to completion of the previously announced reverse take-over transaction with Sandstorm Gold Ltd. For further details, please see the Company's press releases dated February 17, 2022 and May 2, 2022, May 26, 2022 and June 1, 2022. For more information about Royalty North Partners Ltd., please contact: Victoria McMillan Chief Financial Officer Phone: (604) 628-1033 www.royaltynorth.com Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. NOT FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES OR FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. WIRE SERVICES To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/128122 By Foo Yun Chee BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Cross-border Big Tech privacy cases should be handled by the EU watchdog rather than national agencies, the head of the bloc's data protection watchdog said on Friday as he lamented the poor enforcement of landmark rules adopted four years ago. The rules known as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) have drawn criticism over the costs of compliance and long-running investigations with few decisions. The Irish regulator, which has oversight of Google, Meta, Apple, Microsoft and Twitter, has in particular come under fire for its slow pace of enforcement. One solution could be to hand over big cases to the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) whose members are national privacy regulators and the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) which oversees EU institutions, EDPS head Wojciech Wiewiorowski said. "I myself share views of those who believe we still do not see sufficient enforcement, in particular against Big Tech," he told a conference. "At a certain moment, a pan-European data protection enforcement model is going to be a necessary step to ensure real and consistent high-level protection of fundamental rights to data protection and privacy across the European Union," Wiewiorowski said. He said this could mean that key investigations, based on a certain threshold, would be done at a central level, in essence the EDPB, and subject to direct scrutiny of Europe's top court. Empowering the EDPB to take on Big Tech cases directly would mean changing GDPR rules, a move which the European Commission is unlikely to do under the current leadership because of insufficient time, a European Commission official told Reuters. (Reporting by Foo Yun Chee; Editing by Alison Williams) New partnership allows PEOs to offer their clients tailored, value-added benefit plans NEW YORK, June 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America (Guardian) today announced a new partnership with PrismHR that allows Professional Employer Organizations (PEOs) access to Guardian's full suite of dental, vision, life, disability, supplemental health, and mental wellness benefits. "The Guardian PrismHR relationship reinforces Guardian's commitment and leadership in the PEO space. We are excited to bring our innovative product portfolio to more employees, helping PEO members obtain lifelong well-being," said Jeff Wasco, Head of Specialty and Emerging Markets for Guardian. The partnership will provide several benefits to PEOs including: Access to comprehensive employee benefits that prioritize well-being like mental wellness benefits through Spring Health, tailored solutions to improve benefits communication, and value-added benefits such as Will Prep Services and an Employee Assistance Program, all with a focus on helping PEO member firms attract and retain employees No ongoing EDI maintenance fees and zero set up cost PrismHR Data Bridge, which automatically extracts, transforms, validates, and securely transfers enrollment data to carriers and providers "I'm excited about the union of PrismHR's technology and Guardian's insurance offerings," said Tim Pratte, President, HRO Business Unit at PrismHR. "This partnership allows PEOs to offer worksite employees attractive benefit offerings that keep cost, value, and variety in mind." About The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America (Guardian) Every day, Guardian provides Americans the security they deserve through our insurance and wealth management products and services. Since our founding in 1860, our long-term view has helped our customers prepare for whatever life brings, whether starting a family, planning for the future, or taking care of employees. Today, we're a Fortune 250 mutual company and a leading provider of life, disability, dental, and other benefits for individuals, at the workplace, and through government sponsored programs. The Guardian community of over 9,000 colleagues and our network of over 2,500 financial representatives is committed to serving with expertise when, where, and how our clients need us. Our commitments rest on a strong financial foundation, which at year-end 2021 included $10.7 billion in capital and $1.9 billion in operating income. For more information, please visit guardianlife.com or follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and YouTube. About PrismHR PrismHR's mission is to fuel the growth of small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) across the U.S. Our HR software, combined with our ecosystem of HR service providers, enables SMBs to manage payroll, benefits, and HR, leveling the playing field with large enterprises. Today, PrismHR software delivers world-class HR services to more than 80,000 organizations and over 2 million worksite employees, processing greater than $80 billion in payroll each year. PrismHR is located in Hopkinton, Mass. For more information, visit www.prismhr.com. GUARDIAN and the Guardian Logo are registered trademarks of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America. Copyright 2022 The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, New York, N.Y. Media ContactsFor Guardian: Lou Haber ([email protected])For PrismHR: Ginny Carpenter ([email protected]) View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/comprehensive-employee-benefit-plans-from-guardian-life-now-available-to-prismhr-professional-employer-organizations-peos-and-their-small-business-clients-301570474.html SOURCE Guardian AG had intervened claiming gender-affirming treatments constitute child abuse DALLAS, June 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- A judge in Dallas County today removed Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton from a lawsuit involving Dallas' Children's Medical Center and physicians there providing gender-affirming care for transgender youth. Judge Melissa Bellan in Dallas County Court at Law No. 2 ruled that Mr. Paxton and his office do not have the authority to act in the case and that no state law was implicated. "The attorney general has no business being in this case and tried to push his way into it to satisfy a political interest, not a legal one," says Charla Aldous, who along with law partner Brent Walker and attorney Stephen Malouf represent the plaintiff, Dr. Ximena Lopez. Attorney General Paxton intervened in the case claiming gender-affirming care constitutes child abuse. During a two-hour hearing in front of Judge Bellan, attorneys for the AG questioned whether Dr. Lopez was following the proper standard of care, but the court rejected those arguments. "The attorney general intervened in this lawsuit with no purpose but intimidation only," Mr. Walker told the court. Dr. Lopez filed suit in April against Children's Medical Center in Dallas in order to continue providing gender-affirming care including hormone treatments and puberty blockers for transgender youth after such care was suspended last fall. She and others believe that action happened after the attorney general and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott pressured Children's and the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center to stop providing such treatment at the GENECIS clinic. During the hearing in front of Judge Bellan, Mr. Malouf pointed out that use of puberty blockers for gender dysphoria is on an approved list of treatments written by the Texas Department of Health and Human Services. Through the lawsuit, and a temporary injunction that is now in place, Dr. Lopez and other physicians at Children's are once again allowed to provide gender-affirming care. The case is Ximena Lopez, M.D., v. Children's Medical Center at Dallas, Cause No. CC-22-02427-B in the County Court at Law No. 2 in Dallas County, Texas. The Aldous\Walker LLP law firm represents clients in civil litigation and specializes in high-profile, high-stakes cases. Learn more about the firm at http://www.aldouslaw.com. Contact:Mark Annick800-559-4534[email protected] View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/dallas-judge-removes-texas-attorney-general-ken-paxton-from-case-involving-transgender-youth-301570682.html SOURCE Aldous\Walker LLP Aviation expert expands contribution to industry with latest appointment BALTIMORE, June 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- At the National Air Transportation Association (NATA) Annual Meeting of the Membership held June 16, 2022, in conjunction with its Aviation Leadership Conference in Washington, DC, Jessie Naor, GrandView Aviation President joined two others as newly elected members of the association's Board of Directors. "I'm thrilled to continue supporting NATA's mission of advancing aviation infrastructure and services in the US. GrandView Aviation transports private charter passengers and organ transplant teams to communities without airline services around the country," said Ms. Naor. "Our essential service cannot succeed without access to the over 5,000 airports and thousands of other aviation business that NATA advocates for." Jessie Naor was named President of GrandView Aviation in 2022 after serving as its Chief Operating Officer and Chief Marketing Officer. In addition to her leadership of GrandView, she was elected to the National Air Transportation Association (NATA) Board of Directors and serves as Vice Chairman of the Air Charter Safety Foundation Board of Governors and former Chairman of the Part 135 Committee; she was a member of the FAA's Duty & Rest Aviation Rule Making Committee; sits on the Board of Governors' for the Air Charter Safety Foundation; writes a monthly aviation safety column for Aviation Week and a National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) Top 40 under 40 in 2020. Jessie's speaking engagements include presentations at Women in Aviation International (WAI) and the Organization for Donation and Transplant Professionals (NATCO). Jessie holds an Associate's Degree in Air Traffic Control (Summa Cum Laude), CCBC Catonsville, and a BA in Aviation Business Administration (Cum Laude), Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, and an MBA in Management & Finance from The Johns Hopkins University - Carey Business School. "NATA is thrilled to have Jessie as a strong voice for the Part 135 community on NATA's Board of Directors. Her enthusiasm, knowledge, and experience are invaluable to furthering NATA's mission to advance the safety and success of all aviation businesses," stated NATA President and CEO Timothy Obitts. See NATA's press release About GrandView Aviation GrandView Aviation is a private aviation charter operation serving VIP clients and medical transplant transport missions. The company's fleet of Phenom 300 private charter jets and Sikorsky helicopter gives access to departure points across the United States from the company's 8 bases in Baltimore/DC, Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles and Phoenix. GrandView Aviation is a FAA Part 135 certificated aircraft operator and carries the elite Wyvern Wingman safety rating. The company was recently acquired by Global Medical Response (GMR) and operates under AirMed International, part of the GMR family. For more information about GrandView Aviation, please visit www.flygv.com. For information about GMR, visit www.GlobalMedicalResponse.com. About Global Medical Response With more than 36,000 team members, Global Medical Response delivers compassionate, quality medical care, primarily in the areas of emergency and patient relocation services in the United States and around the world. GMR was formed by combining the industry leaders in air, ground, managed medical transportation, and community, industrial/specialty and wildland fire services. Each of our companies has a long history of proudly serving the communities where we live: American Medical Response (AMR), Rural Metro Fire, Air Evac Lifeteam, REACH Air Medical Services, Guardian Flight, Med-Trans Corporation and AirMed International. For additional information, visit us on LinkedIn or at www.GlobalMedicalResponse.com. About National Air Transportation Association (NATA) The National Air Transportation Association (NATA) has been the voice of aviation business for more than 80 years. Representing nearly 3,700 aviation businesses, NATA's member companies provide a broad range of services to general aviation, the airlines and the military and NATA serves as the public policy group representing the interests of aviation businesses before Congress and the federal agencies. For information about NATA visit www.nata.aero. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/grandview-aviation-president-jessie-naor-elected-to-nata-board-of-directors-301570621.html SOURCE GrandView Aviation The American Heart Association presented Highland Hospital with Get With The Guidelines and Mission: Lifeline awards for proven dedication to best practices and life-saving care. ALAMEDA, Calif., June 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Alameda Health System's Highland Hospital has received two American Heart Association achievement awards for delivering the latest, research-based treatments of heart disease and stroke, ultimately leading to more lives saved, shorter recovery times and fewer readmissions to the hospital. Every 40 seconds, someone in the U.S. has a stroke or heart attack, and heart disease and stroke are the number-one and number-five causes of death in the United States, respectively. Studies show patients can recover better when providers consistently follow treatment guidelines. Get With The Guidelines and Mission: Lifeline are programs that put the expertise of the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association to work for hospitals nationwide, helping ensure patient care is aligned with the latest evidence and research-based guidelines. As a participant in both programs, Highland Hospital qualified for the Get With The Guidelines and Mission: Lifeline awards by demonstrating how their organization has committed to improving quality care. "Highland Hospital is exemplary at adhering to the latest treatment guidelines and implementing smooth processes to ensure timely and proper care for heart attacks and strokes," said Felicia Tornabene, M.D., Chief Medical Officer of Alameda Health System. "The Mission: Lifeline and Get With The Guidelines programs make it easier for our team to use knowledge and evidence-based practices every day, which helps us save lives in the East Bay." This year, Highland Hospital received these achievement awards: o Mission:Lifeline STEMI Receiving Gold Pluso Mission:Lifeline NSTEMI Gold "We are pleased to recognize Highland Hospital for its commitment to caring for those in their community who need cardiovascular care," said John Warner, M.D., FAHA, past president of the American Heart Association and executive vice president for health system affairs at UT Southwestern Medical Center, in Dallas. "Hospitals that follow the American Heart Association's quality improvement protocols often see improved patient outcomes, fewer readmissions and lower mortality rates a win for health care systems, families and communities." ALAMEDA HEALTH SYSTEM (AHS) is a leading public health care provider dedicated to caring, healing, teaching and serving all. AHS is a haven for the most vulnerable among us and an advocate for equitable, compassionate and culturally sensitive care regardless of social and financial barriers. AHS is a vanguard of medical excellence, with a teaching hospital that draws the nation's best medical students. As one of Alameda County's 15 largest employers, AHS is a major economic power providing more than 5,100 jobs and contributing nearly $560 million annually in salaries, wages and benefits. AHS is also home to more than 1,100 physicians across the nine facilities within the health system. Since 1864, AHS has served the East Bay's health care needs. For more information, visit AlamedaHealthSystem.org. About Mission: Lifeline The American Heart Association's Mission: Lifeline program helps hospitals and emergency medical services develop systems of care that follow proven standards and procedures for STEMI patients. The program works by mobilizing teams across the continuum of care to implement American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology Foundation clinical treatment guidelines. For more information, visit heart.org. About Get With The Guidelines Get With The Guidelines is the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association's hospital-based quality improvement program that provides hospitals with the latest research-based guidelines. Developed with the goal of saving lives and hastening recovery, Get With The Guidelines has touched the lives of more than 12 million patients since 2001. For more information, visit heart.org. CONTACT:Eleanor AjalaManager of Media & CommunicationsAlameda Health System(510) 421-9222 [email protected] View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/highland-hospital-is-nationally-recognized-for-its-commitment-to-providing-high-quality-cardiovascular-care-301570627.html SOURCE Alameda Health System The Luxury Retailer Models Its Health Benefits on a "One Size Fits One" Philosophy, Allowing Associates including Fathers the Opportunity to Prioritize their Family DALLAS, June 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- In honor of Father's Day on June 19, Neiman Marcus Group ("NMG" or the "Company") is highlighting associate testimonials and stories of "Fathers of All Kinds," from new fathers to father figures, to associates celebrating fathers in their lives. The Company is also spotlighting recent benefit enhancements that support new fathers and promote a healthy work-life balance. Focused on cultivating a culture of Belonging and supporting associates in all stages of life, NMG is proud to offer 16 weeks of Paid Parental Leave (PPL) as of January 1, 2022, to all associates welcoming a new child including fathers. This policy is not just applicable to birthing parents, but also covers those welcoming a child by adoption, surrogacy, or foster care. Further supporting fathers' journeys into parenthood, NMG provides eligible full-time and part-time associates, who have been with the Company for at least a year, with up to $3,000 per year for the process of adoption. The funds can be used towards agency and placement fees, legal expenses, medical expenses, and multiple other related costs. In addition, NMG also recently announced a new Paid Family Leave program, which will provide two weeks of paid leave for situations requiring an associate to take time off to care for a child, spouse, partner, parent, or other family member, as defined by the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), effective August 1, 2022. "At NMG, we believe 'one size fits one' when it comes to family, and we offer a variety of medical plans and work schedules that are tailored to the needs of each individual associate and the needs of their family," said Eric Severson, Chief People & Belonging Officer, NMG. "Our Power of One people strategy empowers associates to prioritize themselves and their families in order to make their lives extraordinary." NMG leads with love through its NMG|Way culture. One of the five components of the luxury retailer's culture is NMG|Way of Working (NMG|WOW) which encourages associates to integrate life and work to accommodate their professional and personal commitments in a way that prioritizes the health and well-being of their families and themselves. About The Neiman Marcus Group, LLC Neiman Marcus Group is a relationship business that leads with love in everything we do for our customers, associates, brand partners, and communities. Our legacy of innovating and our culture of Belonging guide our roadmap for Revolutionizing Luxury Experiences. As one of the largest multi-brand luxury retailers in the U.S., with the world's most desirable brand partners, we're delivering exceptional products and intelligent services, enabled by our investments in data and technology. Through the expertise of our 9,000+ associates, we deliver and scale a personalized luxury experience across our three channels of in-store, eCommerce, and remote selling. Our NMG|Way culture, powered by our people, combines individual talents into a collective strength to make life extraordinary. Our flagship brands include Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman. For more information, visit www.neimanmarcusgroup.com. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/neiman-marcus-group-celebrates-fathers-day-with-enhanced-benefits-for-fathers-of-all-kinds-301570387.html SOURCE Neiman Marcus Holding Company, Inc. From Optical Systems Utilizing Linear Polarizers to Tactile Sensations in VR, SIGGRAPH Previews Content Highlights to be Featured in Vancouver CHICAGO, June 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- SIGGRAPH 2022 raises the stakes with 26 selected research projects out of more than 100 submissions from 27 countries as part of both its Emerging Technologies and Immersive Pavilion programs this summer. The chosen projects cover breakthroughs in the evolution of technology across many subfields of computer graphics and interactive techniques. The 49th annual conference will run 811 August in person, with on-demand talks from researchers available virtually 25 July31 October 2022. The breakthroughs in the evolution of technology cross many subfields of computer graphics and interactive techniques. "I'm thrilled to share the 2022 program, which showcases the latest innovations in computer graphics and interactive techniques across some really interesting use case scenarios," shared SIGGRAPH 2022 Emerging Technologies Chair Mk Haley. "This year, the installations will take attendees through experiences that celebrate sensations, accessibility, virtual displays, and even electrical muscle stimulation, just to name a few. The SIGGRAPH Emerging Technologies program continues to discover the next generation of contributors from around the world." Highlights from Emerging Technologies program to be showcased in Vancouver include: Waving Blanket: Dynamic Liquid Distribution for Multiple Tactile Feedback using Rewireable Piping System Contributors: Ping-Hsuan Han, Yu-Yen Chen, Wu-Ting Pan, Hui-Wen Hsu, Jin-Rong Jiang, Wen-Jun Wu, National Taipei University of Technology Perceiving multiple tactile sensations in VR is one of the keys to enabling a compelling, immersive experience. This paper presents Waving Blanket, which is a result of their goal to provide several stimulations in one technique to reduce the effort to integrate haptic devices. ReQTable: Square Tabletop Display That Provides Dual-Sided Mid-Air Images to Each of Four Users Contributors: Mizuki Takenawa, Tomoyo Kikuchi, Yuchi Yahagi, Shogo Fukushima, Takeshi Naemura, The University of Tokyo This paper proposed an optical system displaying dual-sided mid-air images to each of our fours users. In this study, they proposed methods to suppress unwanted light (stray light) by using linear polarizer and VCFs. Demonstrating Electrical Head Actuation: Enabling Interactive Systems to Directly Manipulate Head Orientation Contributors: Yudai Tanaka, Shan-Yuan Teng, Jun Nishida, Pedro Lopes, University of Chicago This research demonstrates a novel interface concept where interactive systems directly manipulate the user's head orientation through two applications: finding visual targets in mixed reality while the system guides their point-of-view; a VR rollercoaster where the user's head nods up as the ride accelerates. Sense of Embodiment Inducement for People with Reduced Lower-body Mobility and Sensations with Partial-Visuomotor Stimulation Contributors: Hyuckjin Jang, Taehei Kim, Seoyoung Oh, Jeongmi Lee, Sunghee Lee, Sang Ho Yoon, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) During this research, they demonstrate an upper-body, motion tracking based, partial-visuomotor technique to induce sense of embodiment (SoE) for people with reduced lower-body mobility and sensation (PRLMS) patients. As a result of the methods, they found the potential positive effect of partial-visuomotor on SoE in the asynchronous VR experience of PRLMS. "For 2022, the Immersive Pavilion will highlight research that shows exciting and novel use cases for working in the metaverse, immersive gameplay, live VR performances, and exploratory use cases of augmented hardware by covering several aspects of VR, AR, and mixed reality," said SIGGRAPH 2022 Immersive Pavilion Chair Derek Ham. "It's exciting to see how technologies push the boundaries to help advance the way we communicate, create, and learn." Highlights from the 2022 Immersive Pavilion include: Journal of My Journey: Seamless Interaction in Virtuality and Reality With Digital Fabrication and Sensory Feedback Contributors: Miguel Ying Jie Then, Ching Lui, Yvone Tsai Chen, Zin Yin Lim, Ping Hsuan Han, National Taipei University of Technology This research explores the possibilities of integrating seamless interactions in virtuality and reality. They let the choices that the users make in the virtual world be output to the real world, thus enhancing the connection between the reality and the virtual world. Mixed Reality Collaboration for Complementary Working Styles Contributors: Keru Wang, Zhu Wang, Karl Rosenberg, Zhenyi He, Dong Woo Yoo, Un Joo Christopher, Ken Perlin, NYU Future Reality Lab / Courant Institute This project combines immersive VR, multitouch AR, real-time volumetric capture, robotically actuated tangible interfaces at multiple scales, spatial audio, and live coding in service of a human-centric way of collaborating. Bring your own unique talents and preferences to tackle these complex problems together in a shared, mixed-reality world. Delirious Departures Contributors: Isjtar Vandebroeck, Eric Joris, CREW This nomadic untethered VR experience combines socially intelligent avatars, a live actor, and awe-inspiring environments to diffuse technology developed within the PRESENT EU Horizon 2020 research project. This one-on-one performance builds on animation and crowd simulation technology developed by Inria and Cubic Motion (Epic Games). In Search of the Plastic Image: a Media Archaeology of Scan Processing Living with Smell Dysfunction: A Multi-sensory VR Experience Contributors: Yuting Wang, Ziqing Li, BroadAR This project is an immersive multi-sensory VR experience that explores the everyday struggles of those with invisible disabilities, such as smell dysfunction. Using novel techniques of movement capture, real-time scent mapping, animations, and 360 videos, "Living with smell dysfunction" puts the audience into the shoes of an everyday life of a person with a smell disorder. Madrid Noir Contributors: James Castillo, Luke Gibbard, Jack Shaw, No Ghost; Antoine Cayrol, Atlas V Join Lola, a disenchanted young women who arrives in Madrid to empty her estranged uncle's apartment after he is declared dead, to immerse yourself in an interactive VR experience inspired by film noir. This 45-minute mystery adventures unfolds across two acts in this VR film Made in Brooklyn Games Contributors: Hessvacio Hassan, Alicia Marisal, Made in Brooklyn Games; Manny Marquez, JustChop Animation; Niko Korolog, Niko Korolog Music; Olga Andreyeva, Xantara The Museum Multiverse experience encompasses an abandoned and sealed off museum, a microcosm of society's diminished view of minority artists, and history's selective amnesia toward contributions of people of color during this immersive experience. The hope is to rectify the injustice of the under-representation these artists receive in mainstream popular culture and to give a voice to the unheard and the forgotten. Access to SIGGRAPH 2022 Emerging Technologies and Immersive Pavilion programming is available at varying registration levels. Learn more and register for the conference at s2022.SIGGRAPH.org/register. About ACM, ACM SIGGRAPH, and SIGGRAPH 2022 ACM, the Association for Computing Machinery, is the world's largest educational and scientific computing society, uniting educators, researchers, and professionals to inspire dialogue, share resources, and address the field's challenges. ACM SIGGRAPH is a special interest group within ACM that serves as an interdisciplinary community for members in research, technology, and applications in computer graphics and interactive techniques. The SIGGRAPH conference is the world's leading annual interdisciplinary educational experience showcasing the latest in computer graphics and interactive techniques. SIGGRAPH 2022, the 49th annual conference hosted by ACM SIGGRAPH, will take place as a hybrid event, with live events 811 August at the Vancouver Contention Centre and virtual content available starting 25 July through 31 October. Click here for news from the conference and its partners. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/siggraph-2022-reveals-unique-and-experiential-innovations-in-the-emerging-technologies-and-immersive-pavilion-programs-301570584.html SOURCE SIGGRAPH JenCare encourages Richmond to turn out and hear Grammy-winning artist Bishop Hezekiah Walker + nine more top gospel acts at Virginia Union University between 3:00 and 7:00 PM RICHMOND, Va., June 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- JenCare Senior Medical Center, a senior-focused primary care practice providing best-in-class care for thousands of underserved seniors in Richmond and Tidewater Virginia, as well as in Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky and Louisiana is a proud sponsor of this Saturday's Sounds of Freedom: Juneteenth Gospel Concert and Health Fair at Virginia Union University (1500 North Lombardy Street, Richmond, VA 23220). "I pray that there is a JenCare center in every city and state. We need what you guys are giving out." Hezekiah Walker More than 2,000 Richmond residents already have confirmed plans to attend the free event at the Hezekiah Walker Center for Gospel Music at VUU by registering online, about doubling the prior year's free Juneteenth concert attendance. Happily, the VUU campus has beautiful outdoor areas where large monitors and speakers could provide on the grass seating for up to 3,000 more gospel music enthusiasts. During an interview this week, the Grammy-winning artist, Bishop Hezekiah Walker, explained, "I am so excited about this year, because we partnered with JenCare. And when we met with JenCare they were very passionate about the older people. We wanted to do this concert to celebrate our seniors. And I said, 'yes, let's do it.'" Bishop Walker added, "It's 100 percent free. So, we need everybody to come and support it. Let's pack our Virginia Union campus ground. Let's make our voice be heard. I pray that there is a JenCare center in every city and state. We need what you guys are giving out. You know, I'm going to be pushing for New York, for Pennsylvania, where I have another church. Our seniors need to experience that all over the world. So, I tip my hat to you. So, we are going to make sure that everyone coming knows we need JenCare in our area." "We are regular folks, helping regular folks like they are members of our family," said Lisa Price Stevens, M.D., MPH, MBA, FACP, regional chief medical officer for all JenCare centers in Virginia. "We deliver affordable VIP care that includes patients having their primary care doctor's cell phone number, and being able to see their doctor same day, either by telehealth or a safe in-person appointment." "Please join us this Saturday at VUU, the beautiful campus founded in 1865 to give newly emancipated freedmen an opportunity for education of the mind in an ethical, religious environment," added Dr. Stevens. "You are going to love seeing and hearing four hours of truly amazing performances by Bishop Hezekiah Walker, Dorinda Clark Cole, Anthony Brown & group therAPy, Patrick Riddick & D'vyne Worship, Donte McCutchen & Levitical Priest, Earl Bynum, The Legendary Ingramettes, Peggy Brit & Latter Reign, JR Nelson, Virginia Union Gospel Choir, and more." Doors open at 2:00 PM and lawn chairs and blankets are recommended. There is no parking on campus. The Why The free Sounds of Freedom: Juneteenth Gospel Concert and Health Fair, is a special celebration of Richmond seniors, especially those living in underserved neighborhoods, where lack of access to high quality primary care and other social determinants of health have, for many years, negatively impacted longevity. These barriers have shortened average life spans by as much as 20 years when compared to older adults living in nearby more affluent zip codes. JenCare centers, including the four serving Richmond, operate exclusively in underserved neighborhoods. As they work diligently to transform care, they help address what Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. heralded more than 50 years ago: "Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health is the most shocking and inhuman." In Virginia, more than 72 percent of JenCare patients are African American seniors living with multiple and major chronic diseases. About Hezekiah Walker Bishop Hezekiah Walker is a Grammy Award-winning gospel music artist and Founder of the new Hezekiah Walker Center for Gospel Music at Virginia Union University in Richmond, Virginia. Bishop Walker, known for his chart-topping gospel anthems "Souled Out," "Every Praise" and Grammy-nominated "Better," is the Founder and Senior Pastor of Love Fellowship Tabernacle located in Brooklyn, New York and Bensalem, Pennsylvania. He is known as the "Hip-Hop Pastor" due to the celebrity status of some who attend his church. With a heart for seeing people saved, Bishop Walker has seen Love Fellowship grow from 8 people to now, thousands and counting. A second-year student of VUU's Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology, Bishop Walker founded the Center for Gospel Music as an extension of his mantra: "And because God is the greatest power, we will not be defeated." About JenCare / ChenMed JenCare is part of ChenMed, which operates nearly 100 centers in 12 states. The company employs outstanding primary care physicians and specialist doctors who are empowered to do whatever it takes to deliver VIP service; to detect and effectively manage high-risk diseases; and to reduce hospital sick days for Medicare-eligible seniors, many of whom are living with multiple and major chronic conditions. ChenMed, headquartered in Miami, is a privately owned medical, management and technology company that delivers the high-touch and personalized primary care Medicare-eligible seniors need to enjoy better health. The company currently operates nearly 100 senior medical centers in 12 states. Named a Fortune 2020 "Change the World" company, ChenMed nurtures a corporate culture where shared values of love, accountability and passion are celebrated; and where community service is a hallmark. Bringing concierge-style medicine and better health outcomes to the neediest populations, ChenMed was named a "Most Loved Workplace" by Newsweek Magazine, and a certified Best Place to Work by the Best Place to Work Institute. ChenMed brands include Chen Senior Medical Center, Dedicated Senior Medical Center and JenCare Senior Medical Center. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sounds-of-freedom-free-juneteenth-gospel-concert-saturday-june-18-2022-301570396.html SOURCE ChenMed TAMPA, Fla., June 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- This week, 17-year-old Lizzy from the Tampa Bay area joined nearly 50 pediatric patients from across the nation in meeting with their members of Congress as part of the Children's Hospital Association's annual Family Advocacy Week. Lizzy is a BayCare Kids patient at Winter Haven Hospital's Center for Behavioral Health Center, and together with her parents and leaders from BayCare, is advocating for improved access to mental health services for children and families. Lizzy began exhibiting issues with impulse control and oppositional behaviors at 7 years old, which led to a diagnosis of ADHD, anxiety and depression. After several physical altercations in school initiated by Lizzy and demonstrating unintentional dangerous behavior, she began treatment that included medication and counseling. "The incidents at school really opened our eyes to things Lizzy had probably been experiencing for some time," said Andrea, Lizzy's mother. "It was actually a blessing because we were able to identify the diagnosis while she was still young and begin medical treatment that would help her." As Lizzy got older, she began experiencing more intense episodes of depression and after feeling extremely fragile during one incident she was briefly admitted to an in-patient treatment center. While it was a traumatic experience for Lizzy and her parents, her mother notes that it did help Lizzy find a counselor that she really connects with. "She's non-judgmental and I feel like she really listens to me," Lizzy said. "It's great to have someone I can talk to about difficult things. She's helped me so much during the past five years." Lizzy and her parents, Joe and Andrea, were joined by BayCare Behavioral Health Services Vice President Gail Ryder, Winter Haven Hospital Center for Behavioral Health Clinical Director Jeff Ware and BayCare Federal Government Relations Manager Lorena Hardwick during the virtual meetings with U.S. Representatives Gus Bilirakis, Kathy Castor and Darren Soto. They also met with staff from the offices of Reps. Vern Buchanan and Scott Franklin and U.S. Senator Rick Scott, and will meet with Sen. Marco Rubio and staff from Rep. Charlie Crist's office next week. "Children with mental health challenges need specialized care and early intervention to make meaningful progress as adults," said Gail. "Meeting with our members of Congress is an important way we can share these vital patient stories and educate those who can make a difference our lawmakers." During the meetings, Andrea shared that while medication has helped, the support Lizzy receives through her counselor from BayCare's Center for Behavioral Health at Winter Haven Hospital has been crucial in helping her understand and manage her ADHD and depression and move forward. "Mental health parity is essential to health care," said Lorena. "Together, Lizzy's family and BayCare are asking Congress to enforce parity laws to remove the barriers to mental health care and create access to affordable services." The family also hopes that sharing their story highlights the benefit of telehealth services for mental health care. Having access to her counselor during the pandemic was vital for Lizzy, and her family is grateful she could continue her sessions from home through BayCare's telehealth visits. "Maintaining permanent telehealth flexibility is essential for families with complex health care needs," Lorena adds. About BayCare BayCare is a leading not-for-profit health care system that connects individuals and families to a wide range of services at 15 hospitals and hundreds of other convenient locations throughout the Tampa Bay and west central Florida regions. Inpatient and outpatient services include acute care, primary care, imaging, laboratory, behavioral health, home care, and wellness. Our mission is to improve the health of all we serve through community-owned health care services that set the standard for high-quality, compassionate care. For more information, visit www.BayCare.org. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/teen-patient-joins-baycare-in-advocating-for-improved-access-to-mental-health-services-301570680.html SOURCE BayCare Kids FILE PHOTO: A logo of Ant Group is pictured at the headquarters of Ant Group, an affiliate of Alibaba, in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, China October 29, 2020. REUTERS/Aly Song By Julie Zhu and Xie Yu HONG KONG (Reuters) - China's central bank has accepted Ant Group's application to set up a financial holding company, three people with knowledge of the matter said, a key step in finishing a year-long revamp of Jack Ma's fintech business and reviving its stock market debut. The People's Bank of China's (PBOC) expected approval of the plan is the latest sign that Ant, a tech giant with financial businesses stretching from payments to wealth management, is poised to emerge from a regulatory crackdown. The PBOC this month accepted Ant's application, the sources told Reuters, amid investor hopes that Chinese regulators are easing a crackdown on private enterprises that started in late 2020, as growth slows in the world's second-largest economy due to COVID-19 curbs. Ant and the PBOC did not respond to Reuters requests for comment on Friday. New York-listed shares of Alibaba Group Holding Ltd, the Chinese e-commerce behemoth of which Ant is an affiliate, were up 4% in early trading on Friday. Although Ant has been working with financial regulators for months on a broad revamp, the central bank's agreeing to review the application signals the company could get its long-awaited license soon, said the sources, who asked not to be named due to confidentiality constraints. Chinese authorities abruptly pulled the plug on Ant's IPO, set to raise $37 billion in the world's biggest listing, in November 2020, soon after tech billionaire founder Ma gave a speech accusing financial watchdogs of stifling innovation. Cracking down on Ma's business empire, the authorities put Ant, whose businesses span payment processing, consumer lending to insurance products distribution, under the revamp. As part of that overhaul, the PBOC in December 2020 told Reuters in a statement that Ant was drafting a plan to set up a financial holding firm and that Ant should ensure that all its financial operations were placed under regulatory supervision. Ant had been valued as a tech firm for its IPO, but the forced change to a financial holding company will make it subject to capital requirements and regulations similar to those for banks. CREDIT-SCORING LICENSE Reuters reported last week that China's central leadership had given Ant a tentative green light to revive its IPO in Shanghai and Hong Kong. Aiming to file a preliminary prospectus for the share offering as early as next month, Ant is awaiting final feedback from financial regulators, especially the PBOC, on the set-up of the financial holding firm, one source said. To formally revive its mega-listing, Ant has to secure the key financial holding license and complete its restructuring, the sources said. The scuttled IPO marked the start of the crackdown that hit China's technology giants and was quickly extended to other sectors, including property and private education, wiping billions off market values and triggering layoffs at some firms. Beijing, however, has softened its stance in the last few months. Vice-Premier Liu He told tech executives last month the government supported the development of the sector. Apart from the financial holding company license, Ant's personal credit-scoring joint venture has applied for a permit, as part of the fintech major's business revamp. The central bank has mostly finished vetting the credit scoring license, said another source with direct knowledge of the matter, after having accepted the application for the unit in November. Ant has agreed to establish the JV with partners including three state-owned companies under a plan allowing state-backed investors to take a combined 48% stake in its key asset - a data treasure trove of over 1 billion users. Ant will own 35% of the venture, and the only non-state-backed shareholder, Transfar Group, will hold 7%, while Hangzhou Xishu will get the remaining 10%, the PBOC said in November. Hangzhou Xishu is an entity that operates employee stock ownership plans, another source has told Reuters. But recently, regulators have suggested further tweaks of the shareholding structure to increase the holdings of state investors, with license approval expected after the adjustment is made, said the fourth source. Ant, via super-app Alipay, collects data from over 1 billion users, many of whom are young, internet-savvy people without credit cards or sufficient bank credit records, as well as 80 million merchants, according to analysts and its IPO prospectus. U.S.-listed shares of Chinese companies Pinduoduo, Bilibili, Baidu, NIO, JD.COM and Tencent Music were up between 1.6% and 6.2% on Friday. (Reporting by Julie Zhu and Xie Yu; Ediitng by Sumeet Chatterjee and William Mallard) (d) In order to give effect to the right for any Dissenting Shareholder to exercise its entitlement to dissent from the Merger as set out in this Section 3.06 and to seek a fair value appraisal for its Dissenting Shares under Section 238(1) of the Companies Act (the Dissent Right ): (i) the Company shall cause a copy of the Plan of Merger to be delivered to each registered shareholder, which delivery of a copy of the Plan of Merger not later than twenty (20) calendar days prior to the Closing Date shall be deemed to be written notice of the authorization of the Merger for the purposes of Section 238(4) of the Companies Act; (ii) the Plan of Merger shall state that any shareholder that wishes to exercise its Dissent Right may only do so by delivering written notice (each a Dissent Notice ) to the Company as contemplated by Section 238(5) of the Companies Act, save and except that the twenty (20) day period referred to in Section 238(5) shall, for the purposes thereof, be deemed to commence on the date on which the Plan of Merger is delivered to the shareholders (the Delivery Date ), to the intent and effect that any such shareholder that wishes to exercise its Dissent Right must deliver its Dissent Notice to the Company within twenty (20) calendar days immediately following the Delivery Date (the Dissent Deadline ), setting out (A) the Dissenting Shareholders name and address, (B) the number and classes of its Dissenting Shares (which must be all of the shares in the Company of which the Dissenting Shareholder is the registered holder), and (C) a demand for payment of the fair value of such Dissenting Shares; and, if validly served as set out in this sub-paragraph (ii), such Dissent Notice shall be deemed to be written notice of an election to dissent with regard to the relevant Dissenting Shares for the purposes of Section 238(5) of the Companies Act; and (iii) the provisions of Section 238(6) to 238(16) of the Companies Act shall apply to the treatment of each Dissenting Share in relation to which a valid Dissent Notice has been served, it being noted and agreed that, as no shareholder vote is required under the Companies Act in order to effect the Merger, the requirement for initial written objection and demand for payment by a Dissenting Shareholder under Sections 238(2) and 238(3) of the Companies Act shall be disregarded by the Company for these purposes. Article IV. Representations and Warranties of the Company The following representations and warranties by the Company are qualified in their entirety by (a) reference to the disclosures in the SEC Documents filed or furnished prior to the date hereof but excluding statements in any Risk Factors section or similar cautionary, predictive or forward-looking disclosure; and (b) any matters with respect to which any Founder has actual knowledge of, or after reasonable inquiry and investigation would reasonably be expected to have actual knowledge of. Subject to the foregoing, the Company represents and warrants to Parent and Merger Sub that: Section 4.01 Organization and Qualification; Subsidiaries . Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries (i) is an entity duly incorporated or organized, as applicable, validly existing and in good standing (with respect to jurisdictions which recognize such concept) under the Laws of the jurisdiction of its organization; and (ii) has the requisite corporate or similar power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and assets and to conduct its business as now being conducted, except to the extent the failure of any of the foregoing has not had or would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries is duly qualified or licensed to do business in each jurisdiction in which the nature of its business or the ownership, leasing or operation of its properties makes such qualification or licensing necessary, except for those jurisdictions where the failure to be so qualified or licensed, individually or in the aggregate, has not had (and would not reasonably be expected to have) a Material Adverse Effect. The Company is in material compliance with the terms of the Company Governing Documents. Section 4.02 Capitalization . (a) The authorized share capital of the Company is US$250,000 divided into 250,000,000 shares comprising (i) 200,000,000 Class A Ordinary Shares, (ii) 25,000,000 Class B Ordinary Shares, and (iii) 25,000,000 shares of a par value of US$0.001 each of such class or classes (however designated) as the Company Board may determine in accordance with the Company Governing Documents. As of the date hereof, 30,439,951 Class A Ordinary Shares and 19,675,674 Class B Ordinary Shares are issued and outstanding. All of the issued and outstanding Shares have been duly authorized and are validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable. Except for Company Options to acquire 1,801,139 Class A Ordinary Shares outstanding under the Company Equity Plans, the transactions contemplated by the Rollover Agreements and the Transactions (including the Merger) and except for the contractual arrangements in relation to VIEs, there are no (x) options, warrants, calls, pre-emptive rights, subscriptions or other rights, agreements, arrangements or commitments of any kind, including any shareholder rights plan, relating to the issued or unissued capital shares of the Company, obligating the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to issue, transfer or sell or cause to be issued, transferred or sold any shares of (or other equity interest in) the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or securities convertible into or exchangeable for such shares or equity interests, or obligating the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to grant, extend or enter into any such option, warrant, call, subscription or other similar right, agreement, arrangement or commitment (collectively, Company Equity Interests ); or (y) outstanding obligations of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to repurchase, redeem or otherwise acquire any Shares or any shares of (or other Company Equity Interests in) the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or to provide funds to make any investment (in the form of a loan, capital contribution or otherwise) in the Company or any of its Subsidiaries. Annex A sets forth information with respect to each outstanding Company Option, including the number of Class A Ordinary Shares subject to such awards, the vesting schedule applicable to each such award that is not fully vested as of the date hereof, and the Exercise Price thereof to the extent applicable. The Company has delivered to Parent, prior to the execution of this Agreement, true and complete copies of forms of award agreements with respect to Company Options. Each Company Option was granted in all material respects in accordance with the terms and conditions of the relevant Company Equity Plan and in compliance with the rules and regulations of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) or the OTC Pink Limited Information (the OTC Market ), as applicable. All Shares to be issued in connection with the Company Options, upon issuance on the terms and conditions specified in the instruments pursuant to which they are issuable, will be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable. 11 As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 17, 2022 Registration No. 333- UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 FORM S-8 REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter) Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited (Translation of registrants name into English) Republic of China Not Applicable (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) No. 8, Li-Hsin Road 6 Hsinchu Science Park Hsinchu, Taiwan Republic of China Not Applicable (Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code) Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited Global Employee Stock Purchase Plan (Full title of the plan) TSMC North America 2851 Junction Avenue San Jose, CA 95134, USA (Name and address of agent for service) (408) 382-8000 (Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service) Copies to: Wendell Huang Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited No. 8, Li-Hsin Road 6 Hsinchu Science Park Hsinchu, Taiwan Republic of China Tel: +886-3-5055901 Ching-Yang Lin, Esq. Sullivan & Cromwell (Hong Kong) LLP 20th Floor, Alexandra House 18 Chater Road, Central Hong Kong +852-2826-8688 Laura McDaniels Scott Levi White & Case LLP 3000 El Camino Real 2 Palo Alto Square, Suite 900 Palo Alto, California Tel: (650) 213-0300 Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of large accelerated filer, accelerated filer, smaller reporting comp any and emerging growth company in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. Large accelerated filer Accelerated filer Non-accelerated filer Smaller reporting company Emerging growth company If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. EXPLANATORY NOTE Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited (the Company or the Registrant) has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the Commission) this registration statement on Form S-8 (this Registration Statement) to register under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act) 25,000,000 common shares, par value NT$10.00 each (the Common Shares), of the Company, which are represented by 5,000,000 American Depositary Shares (ADSs) (each ADS represents five Common Shares) that may be purchased pursuant to the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited Global Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the ESPP). The ESPP provides that ADSs will be purchased by the administrator of the ESPP for the accounts of the participants on the open market. The ESPP does not provide for such shares to be issued by the Company out of its authorized and unissued Common Shares. 1 PART I INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS Item 1. Plan Information.* Item 2. Registrant Information and Employee Plan Annual Information.* * As permitted by Rule 428 under the Securities Act and the Note to Part I of Form S-8 , this Registration Statement omits the information specified in Part I of Form S-8. The documents containing the information specified in Part I of this Registration Statement will be sent or given to each participant in the ESPP as may be required by Rule 428(b). Such documents are not required to be and are not being filed with the Commission, either as part of this Registration Statement or as prospectuses or prospectus supplements pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act. These documents and the documents incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement pursuant to Item 3 of Part II of this Registration Statement, taken together, constitute a prospectus that meets the requirements of Section 10(a) of the Securities Act. 2 PART II INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT Item 3. Incorporation of Documents by Reference. The Company hereby incorporates by reference in this Registration Statement the following: The Companys Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2021, filed with the Commission on April 14, 2022 (the 2021 Annual Report); and The description of the Companys Common Shares contained in Exhibit 2a.1 to the 2021 Annual Report, and any other amendment or report filed for the purpose of updating such description. All documents subsequently filed by the Company pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the Exchange Act) prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities offered hereby have been sold or which deregisters all securities then remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement and to be a part hereof from the date of filing of such documents. Any statement contained herein or in a document, all or a portion of which is incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein, shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this Registration Statement to the extent that a statement contained herein or in any other subsequently filed document which also is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference herein modifies or supersedes such statement. Any such statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this Registration Statement. Item 4. Description of Securities. Not applicable. Item 5. Interests of Named Experts and Counsel. Not applicable. Because no original issuance Common Shares are to be registered hereunder, no opinion of counsel regarding the legality of the Common Shares being registered hereunder is required. Item 6. Indemnification of Directors and Officers. The relationship between the Company and its directors and officers is governed by the R.O.C. Civil Code, R.O.C. Company Law and the Companys Articles of Incorporation. The Company has entered into indemnification agreements with each of its directors. Under these agreements, the Company agreed to indemnify directors against any liabilities and expenses actually and reasonably incurred in connection with any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, instituted by any third party, arising out of their service as a director, to the fullest extent permitted by law, unless the Company establishes that the director did not act in good faith and, with respect to any criminal proceeding, that the director had reasonable cause to believe that his or her conduct was unlawful. In addition, the Company has obtained directors and officers liability insurance. Item 7. Exemption from Registration Claimed. Not applicable. 3 Item 8. Exhibits. Item 9. Undertakings. (a) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes: (1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement: (i) To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act; (ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of this Registration Statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in this Registration Statement; and (iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in this Registration Statement or any material change to such information in this Registration Statement; provided, however, that paragraphs (1)(i) and (1)(ii) do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the Registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement; (2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof; and (3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering. (b) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the Registrants annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plans annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. (c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue. 4 SIGNATURES Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Hsinchu, Taiwan, Republic of China, on the 17th day of June, 2022. TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY LIMITED By: /s/ Wendell Huang Name: Wendell Huang Title: Vice President and Chief Financial Officer POWER OF ATTORNEY KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints Wendell Huang as his or her true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him or her and in his or her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this Registration Statement, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorney-in-fact and agent, or his 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 set forth below on June 17, 2022. Signature Title of Capacities /s/ Mark Liu Chairman Name: Mark Liu /s/ C.C. Wei Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Name: C.C. Wei (principal executive officer) /s/ Ming-Hsin Kung Director Name: Ming-Hsin Kung /s/ F.C. Tseng Director Name: F.C. Tseng /s/ Sir Peter L. Bonfield Independent Director Name: Sir Peter L. Bonfield /s/ Kok-Choo Chen Independent Director Name: Kok-Choo Chen /s/ Michael R. Splinter Independent Director Name: Michael R. Splinter /s/ Moshe N. Gavrielov Independent Director Name: Moshe N. Gavrielov /s/ Yancey Hai Independent Director Name: Yancey Hai /s/ L. Rafael Reif Independent Director Name: L. Rafael Reif /s/ Wendell Huang Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Name: Wendell Huang (principal financial officer) /s/ Mingli Weng Controller Name: Mingli Weng AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the undersigned, the duly authorized representative in the United States of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited, has signed this registration statement on June 17, 2022. TSMC NORTH AMERICA By: /s/ Steven Schulman Name: Steven Schulman Title: Senior Director Exhibit 4.1 ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION OF TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY LIMITED Section I - General Provisions Article 1 The Corporation shall be incorporated, as a company limited by shares, under the Company Law of the Republic of China, and its name shall be in the Chinese language, and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited in the English language. Article 2 The scope of business of the Corporation shall be as follows: 1. Manufacturing and sales of integrated circuits and assembly of other semiconductor devices in wafer form at the order of and pursuant to product design specifications provided by customers. Provision of packaging and testing services related to the above services. Providing computer assisted design services and technology for integrated circuits. Providing mask making and mask design services. (CC01080 Electronic Parts and Components Manufacturing) 2. Researching, developing, designing, manufacturing and selling LED lighting devices and related applications products and systems. (CC01080 Electronic Parts and Components Manufacturing) (CC01040 Electric Wires and Cables Manufacturing) 3. Researching, developing, designing, manufacturing and selling renewable energy and efficiency related technologies and products, including solar cells, solar photovoltaic modules and their related systems and applications. (CC01080 Electronic Parts and Components Manufacturing) (IG03010 Energy Technical Services) (CC01090 Batteries Manufacturing) 4. Selling recycled and processed chemical, metal, plastic and other industrial products, and fertilizer derived from the Corporations operating activities. (C801990 Other Chemical Materials Manufacturing) (C802990 Other Chemical Products Manufacturing) (CA02990 Other Fabricated Metal Products Manufacturing) (C805990 Other Plastic Products Manufacturing) (C801110 Fertilizer Manufacturing) (CZ99990 Manufacture of Other Industrial Products Not Elsewhere Classified) - 1 - Article 3 The Corporation shall have its head office in Hsinchu Science Park, Taiwan, Republic of China, and shall be free, upon approval of government authorities in charge, to set up representative and branch offices at various locations within and without the territory of the Republic of China, wherever and whenever the Corporation deems it necessary or advisable to carry out any or all of its activities. Article 4 Public announcements of the Corporation shall be made in accordance with the Company Law and other relevant rules and regulations of the Republic of China. Article 5 The Corporation may provide endorsement and guarantee and act as a guarantor. Article 6 The total amount of the Corporations reinvestment shall not be subject to the restriction of not more than forty percent of the Corporations paid-up capital as provided in Article 13 of the Company Law. Any matters regarding the reinvestment shall be resolved in accordance with the resolutions of the Board of Directors. Section II - Capital Stock Article 7 The total capital stock of the Corporation shall be in the amount of 280,500,000,000 New Taiwan Dollars, divided into 28,050,000,000 shares, at ten New Taiwan Dollars each, and may be paid-up in installments. - 2 - The Corporation may issue employee stock options from time to time. A total of 500,000,000 shares among the above total capital stock should be reserved for issuing employee stock options. Where the Corporation issues employee restricted shares, qualified employees of its subsidiaries may be eligible for the granting of such shares. Article 8 The Corporation may issue shares without printing share certificate(s). If the Corporation decides to print share certificates for shares issued, the Corporation shall comply with relevant provisions of the Company Law and relevant rules and regulations of the Republic of China. Article 9 The share certificates of the Corporation shall all be name-bearing share certificates, and issued in accordance with the Company Law and relevant rules and regulations of the Republic of China. Article 10 All transfer of stocks, pledge of rights, loss, succession, gift, loss of seal, amendment of seal, change of address or similar stock transaction conducted by shareholders of the Corporation shall follow the Guidelines for Stock Operations for Public Companies unless specified otherwise by law and securities regulations. Article 11 Registration for transfer of shares shall be suspended sixty (60) days immediately before the date of regular meeting of shareholders, and thirty (30) days immediately before the date of any special meeting of shareholders, or within five (5) days before the day on which dividend, bonus, or any other benefit is scheduled to be paid by the Corporation. - 3 - Article 12 Shareholders meetings of the Corporation are of two types, namely: (1) regular meetings and (2) special meetings. Regular meetings shall be convened, by the Board of Directors, within six (6) months after the close of each fiscal year. Special meetings shall be convened in accordance with the relevant laws, rules and regulations of the Republic of China. Shareholders meetings of the Corporation may be held through remote video conferencing, or in other forms as and to the extent permitted by relevant government authorities in charge. Article 13 All shareholders shall receive notice for the convening of shareholders meetings, at least thirty (30) days in advance, in case of regular meetings; and at least fifteen (15) days in advance, in case of special meetings. The purpose(s) for convening any such meeting shall be clearly stated in the notices given to the shareholders. Notices shall be in Chinese, and English when necessary. Article 14 Except as provided in the Company Law of the Republic of China, shareholders meetings may be held if attended by shareholders in person or by proxy representing more than one half of the total issued and outstanding capital stock of the Corporation, and resolutions shall be adopted at the meeting with the concurrence of a majority of the votes held by shareholders present at the meeting. According to regulatory requirements, shareholders may also vote via an electronic voting system, and those who do shall be deemed as attending the shareholders meeting in person; electronic voting shall be conducted in accordance with the relevant laws and regulations. Article 15 Each share of stock shall be entitled to one vote. - 4 - Article 16 If a shareholder is unable to attend a meeting, he/she may appoint a representative to attend it, and to exercise, on his/her behalf, all rights at the meeting, in accordance with Article 177 of the Company Law and other relevant laws, rules and regulations. Unless otherwise stipulated by applicable laws or regulations, a representative does not need to be a shareholder of the Corporation. Article 17 The shareholders meeting shall be presided over by the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Corporation. In his absence, either the Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors, or one of the Directors shall preside in accordance with Article 208 of the Company Law. Article 18 The resolutions of the shareholders meeting shall be recorded in the minutes, and such minutes shall be signed by or sealed with the chop of the chairman of the meeting. Such minutes, together with the attendance list and proxies, shall be filed and kept at the head office of the Corporation. The minutes shall be drafted in both the Chinese language and the English language. Section III - Directors Article 19 The Corporation shall have seven to ten Directors. The Board of Directors is authorized to determine the number of Directors. The aforesaid Board of Directors must have at least three independent directors. - 5 - Article 19-1 For the election of Directors, each share has the same voting rights equal to the number of Directors to be elected, and a shareholder may cast all his/her voting rights to one candidate or among several candidates; those candidates receiving more voting rights shall be elected as Directors. Directors shall be elected by adopting candidates nomination system as specified in Article 192-1 of the Company Law. The nomination of directors and related announcement shall comply with the relevant regulations of the Company Law and the Securities and Exchange Law. The election of independent directors and non-independent directors shall be held together; provided, however, the number of independent directors and non-independent directors elected shall be calculated separately. Article 19-2 In compliance with Articles 14-4 of the Securities and Exchange Law, the Corporation shall establish an Audit Committee, which shall consist of all independent directors. The Audit Committee or the members of Audit Committee shall be responsible for those responsibilities of Supervisors specified under the Company Law, the Securities and Exchange Law and other relevant regulations. Article 20 The term of office for Directors shall be three (3) years, and all Directors shall be eligible for re-election. Article 21 Except as otherwise provided in the Company Law of the Republic of China, a meeting of the Board of Directors may be held if attended by a majority of total Directors and resolutions shall be adopted with the concurrence of the majority of the Directors present at the meeting. - 6 - Article 22 The Directors shall elect from among themselves a Chairman of the Board of Directors, and may elect a Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors, by a majority in a meeting attended by over two-thirds of the Directors. The Chairman shall not have a second or casting vote at any meeting of the Board of Directors. The Chairman of the Board of Directors shall have the authority to represent the Corporation. Article 23 Except the first Board meeting of every term of the newly elected Board of Directors, which shall be convened by the Director who has received the largest number of votes after such new election, meetings of the Board of Directors shall be convened by the Chairman of the Board of Directors, upon written notice mailed to all the other Directors, at least fourteen days, unless in case of urgent circumstances, prior to the date of the meeting, specifying the date and place of the meeting and its agenda. The meeting of the Board of Directors shall be held at least once every quarter. Such prescribed notices may be waived in writing by any Director, either before or after the meeting. The meetings of the Board of Directors may be convened, at any time, without such prescribed notice in case of urgent circumstances. Notices shall be written in both the Chinese language and the English language. Personal attendance at a meeting will represent a waiver of the notice. Any Director attending the meeting via video conference shall be deemed attending the meeting in person. Article 24 The Chairman of the Board of Directors shall preside over all meetings of the Board of Directors. In addition, the Chairman shall have the right to execute documents in accordance with the resolutions of the Board of Directors in the name and on behalf of the Corporation as well as acting on behalf of the Board pursuant to Board resolutions and the Corporations objectives when the Board is not in session. In his absence, the Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors, or any one of the Directors shall be acting for him according to Article 208 of the Company Law. - 7 - Article 25 A Director may, by written authorization, appoint another Director to attend on his behalf any meeting of the Board of Directors, and to vote for him on all matters presented at such meeting, but no Director may act as proxy for more than one other Director. Article 26 The Directors shall exercise their functions by resolutions adopted at meetings of Shareholders and the Board of Directors. Article 27 In the case that vacancies on the Board of Directors exceed, for any reason, one third of the total number of the Directors, then the Board of Directors shall convene a shareholders meeting to elect new Directors to fill such vacancies in accordance with relevant laws, rules and regulations. Except for the election of new Directors across the board, the new Directors shall serve the remaining term of the predecessors. Article 28 The Board of Directors is authorized to determine the salary for the Chairman,Vice Chairman and Directors, taking into account the extent and value of the services provided for the management of the Corporation and the standards of the industry within the R.O.C. and overseas. Section IV - Management of the Corporation Article 29 The Corporation may, by resolution of the Board of Directors, appoint one or more Chief Executive Officer, President(s), Vice President(s) or such other officers to meet the Corporations operational or managerial needs. - 8 - The Chief Executive Officer shall cause to be prepared and furnished to the Board of Directors of the Corporation a balance sheet of the Corporation and related statements of income and loss, as of the end of each calendar month, quarter and year. Quarterly statements shall be furnished no more than forty-five (45) days after the end of each quarter, and year-end statements shall be furnished no more than ninety (90) days after the end of each year. Such financial statements shall be prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles applied in the Republic of China on a consistent basis. Such statements shall be accompanied by a certification of the Corporation that such statements have been so prepared. Subject to the policies of the Corporation, the officers as stated in the previous paragraph shall be responsible for the overall control of allocated business and operation of the Corporation and shall make reports to the Board of Directors, and shall also supervise and control day-to-day business and operation of the Corporation in accordance with the policies of the Board of Directors headed by the Chairman. The Vice President-Finance shall have special responsibility for the financial affairs and accounting of the Corporation. Article 30 The Chief Executive Officer reports to the Board of Directors. The President(s), Vice President(s) and other officers shall perform such duties as designated by the Chief Executive Officer or the Board of Directors. Article 31 Subject to the provisions of the Company Law of the Republic of China and these Articles of Incorporation, all actions of the Corporations employees shall be in conformance with, and in furtherance of, the directions of the Board of Directors. Section V - Financial Reports Article 32 The fiscal year for the Corporation shall be from January 1 of each year to December 31 of the same year. After the close of each fiscal year, the following reports shall be prepared by the Board of Directors, and submitted to the regular shareholders meeting for acceptance: 1. Business Report; 2. Financial Statements; 3. Proposal Concerning the Distribution of Earnings or Covering of Losses. - 9 - Article 33 The distribution of earnings or the covering of losses may be made on a quarterly basis after the close of each quarter. When the earnings are to be distributed in cash, the distribution shall be approved by the Board of Directors in accordance with Article 228-1 and Paragraph V of Article 240 of the Company Law and reported to the shareholders meeting, instead of being submitted to the shareholders meeting for acceptance. The Corporation shall not pay dividends or bonuses to shareholders when there are no earnings. When allocating the earnings, the Corporation shall first estimate and reserve the taxes to be paid, offset its losses, set aside a legal capital reserve at 10% of the remaining earnings provided that the amount of accumulated legal capital reserve has not reached the amount of the paid-in capital of the Corporation, then set aside a special capital reserve in accordance with relevant laws or regulations or as requested by the authorities in charge. Before paying dividends or bonuses to shareholders, the Corporation shall set aside not more than 0.3% of its profits of the period for which the Corporation distributes the earnings as compensation to its directors and not less than 1% as profit sharing bonuses to its employees; provided, however, that the Corporation shall have reserved a sufficient amount to offset its accumulated losses. Directors compensation is governed by the rules set by the Board of Directors; directors who also serve as executive officers of the Corporation are not entitled to receive compensation to directors. Employees profit sharing bonuses are resolved by a majority vote at a Board of Directors meeting attended by at least two-thirds of the total number of directors and shall be reported to the shareholders meeting. The Corporation may issue profit sharing bonuses to employees of an affiliated company meeting the conditions set by the Board of Directors or, by the person duly authorized by the Board of Directors. - 10 - After the Corporation has set aside the capital reserves pursuant to the second Paragraph of this Article, the balance left over shall be allocated according to the applicable laws and regulations, the relevant rules set forth herein, and the following principles: Earnings may be distributed in total after taking into consideration financial, business and operational factors. Earnings of the Corporation may be distributed by way of cash dividend and/or stock dividend. Since the Corporation is in a capital-intensive industry at the steady growth stage of its business, distribution of earnings shall be made preferably by way of cash dividend. Distribution of earnings may also be made by way of stock dividend, provided however, the ratio for stock dividend shall not exceed 50% of total distribution. In case there are no earnings for distribution, or the earnings are far less than the earnings actually distributed by the Corporation previously, or considering the financial, business or operational factors of the Corporation, the Corporation may allocate a portion or all of its reserves for distribution in accordance with relevant laws or regulations or the orders of the authorities in charge. When the reserves are to be distributed in cash, the distribution may be approved by the Board of Directors in accordance with Article 241 of the Company Law and reported to the shareholders meeting, instead of being submitted to the shareholders meeting for acceptance. Section VI - Supplementary Provisions Article 34 The internal organization of the Corporation and the detailed procedures of business operation shall be determined by the Board of Directors. Article 35 In regard to all matters not provided for in these Articles of Incorporation, the Company Law of the Republic of China shall govern. - 11 - Article 36 These Articles of Incorporation are agreed to and signed on December 10, 1986 by all the promoters of the Corporation, and the first Amendment was approved by the shareholders meeting on April 28, 1987, the second Amendment on November 27, 1989, the third Amendment on May 28, 1991, the fourth Amendment on May 18, 1993, the fifth Amendment on January 28, 1994, the sixth Amendment on May 12, 1995, the seventh Amendment on April 8, 1996, the eighth Amendment on May 13, 1997, the ninth Amendment on May 12, 1998, the tenth Amendment on May 11, 1999, the eleventh Amendment on April 14, 2000, the twelfth Amendment on September 5, 2000, the thirteenth Amendment on May 15, 2001, the fourteenth Amendment on May 7, 2002, the fifteenth Amendment on June 3, 2003, the sixteenth Amendment on December 21, 2004, the seventeenth Amendment on May 10, 2005, the eighteenth Amendment on May 16, 2006, the nineteenth Amendment on May 7, 2007, the twentieth Amendment on June 15, 2010, the twenty-first Amendment on June 12, 2012, the twenty-second Amendment on June 7, 2016, the twenty-third Amendment on June 8, 2017, the twenty-fourth Amendment on June 5, 2018, the twenty-fifth Amendment on June 5, 2019, and the twenty-sixth Amendment on June 8, 2022. - 12 - Exhibit 10.1 Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited Global Employee Stock Purchase Plan 1. General 1.1 Purpose . The Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited Global Stock Purchase Plan (referred to as the Plan or the ESPP ) has been established in order to offer an incentive for Participants (as defined below) to provide an opportunity for the employees of designated subsidiaries of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited (the Company or TSMC ) to purchase the Companys NYSE-listed American Depositary Shares at a discount through voluntary automatic payroll deductions, in order to contribute to a real and sustainable culture of employees as shareholders. 1.2 Effective Date . May 10, 2022. 2. Definitions 2.1 Administrator : A third party appointed by the Committee to provide administrative services for the Plan. 2.2 ADS : An American Depositary Share representing common shares that are traded on the NYSE. 2.3 Affiliate : Present or future subsidiary of the Company, where the Company owns directly or indirectly 100% of the subsidiary. 2.4 Board : The Board of Directors of the Company. 2.5 Code : Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. 2.6 Committee : The Chairman of the Company and/or his designee(s). 2.7 Contribution Account : The account for crediting Employee Contribution and Employer Contribution for each Participant. 2.8 Earnings : A Participants regular salary or wages. The Committee shall have the authority to determine and approve all forms of pay to be included in the definition of Earnings and may change the definition on a prospective basis, or adopt different definitions that apply to different Participating Employers. Regular salary and wages include hourly rate or monthly base salary and shift differential premiums. Any amounts paid to a Participant as compensation for services will not fail to be treated as Earnings under the Plan merely because the compensation is not includible in the Participants gross income for tax purposes. 2.9 Eli g ible Employee : Each regular salaried or hourly Employee who is employed by a Participating Employer and with respect to whom salary deductions can be administered, other than an Excluded Employee. For purposes of this Plan, the term employee includes only persons treated as such on the Participating Employers payroll and personnel records at the time such determination is made. Persons treated by the Participating Employer as contingent workers (including independent contractors, third-party payroll workers, employees of consulting firms and temporary help agencies, even if leased employees within the meaning of Section 414(n)(2) of the Code) at the time of the determination of the persons status are specifically excluded. Eligibility status at the time of a determination of a persons employment status shall not be changed as a result of the retroactive re-classification of the persons employment status. Therefore, notwithstanding anything else herein to the contrary, any person treated as a contingent worker on the payroll and personnel records of the Participating Employer at the time the determination is made shall in no event be retroactively eligible for participation in the plan during the period covered by such determination. 2.10 Employee Contribution : The amount contributed by a Participant to a Participants Contribution Account pursuant to this Plan. 2.11 Employer Contribution : The amount contributed by a Participating Employer to a Participants Contribution Account pursuant to this Plan. 2.12 Exchan g e Act : The U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and all rules and regulations thereunder. 2.13 Excluded Employee : Those employees of any Participating Employer who shall, from time to time, be ineligible to participate in the Plan, as determined by the Committee in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Plan and as specified herein. 2.14 Fractional Share : A fraction of an ADS. 2.15 NYSE : New York Stock Exchange. 2.16 Participant : An Eligible Employee who has enrolled in the Plan pursuant to procedures set out in the Plan. 2 2.17 Participating Employer : Participating Employer includes any Affiliate that is designated by the Board or the Committee from time to time. Participation of a Participating Employer shall terminate automatically if, at any time, the Participating Employer fails to qualify as an Affiliate. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Board may terminate the participation of any Participating Employer under this Plan at any time, without notice. 2.18 Plan : This Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited Global Stock Purchase Plan. 2.19 Purchase Date(s) : The date (or dates) on which purchases on the open market for the purposes of the Plan are settled, as provided in Section 6.5. 2.20 Purchase Price : The average price of the ADSs purchased on the Purchase Date(s), as determined in accordance with Section 6.6. 2.21 R.O.C. : Republic of China, or Taiwan. 2.22 Securities Act : The U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and all rules and regulations thereunder. 2.23 Share Account : A Participants accumulated ADSs purchased under the Plan, held by the Administrator. 2.24 Share Purchase Ri g ht : A Participants right to apply the cash balance in his or her Contribution Account to the purchase of ADSs in accordance with the terms of the Plan. 2.25 Trading Date : Each date on which ADSs are traded on the NYSE. 3. Participation 3.1 Eligibility . Subject to the other terms and conditions of the Plan, each Eligible Employee may enroll as a Participant upon attaining eligibility as soon as administratively possible. 3.2 Enrollment . Only during the enrollment period(s) defined by the Committee can Eligible Employees enroll in the Plan. As part of enrollment, each Eligible Employee shall authorize payroll deduction from Earnings, and the payroll deduction will start as soon as administratively possible after the enrollment. Enrollment and payroll deductions shall remain in effect unless changed by the Eligible Employee or otherwise limited under the terms of the Plan. 3 3.3 Changes to Contribution Rate . Once a Participant has enrolled in the Plan, the Participant may make changes to increase or decrease his or her payroll deduction percentage or amount once per calendar year only during the adjustment period(s) defined by the Committee, unless approved by the Committee. Such changes will take effect as soon as administratively possible. 3.4 Re-hire . A person who returns to active employment with a Participating Employer as an Eligible Employee following termination of employment or Retirement may re-enroll in the Plan as soon as administratively possible following re-hire. 4. Termination of Participation 4.1 Voluntary Discontinuance . (a) Participants may discontinue payroll deductions by making a request to stop their payroll deductions. This discontinuance in payroll deductions will take effect as soon as administratively possible. Following such discontinuance any balance in the Participants Contribution Account shall be used to purchase ADSs at the next Purchase Date. (b) If a Participant discontinues payroll deductions, he or she will be treated has having withdrawn from the Plan. Following such withdrawal, an Eligible Employee may re-enroll in the Plan only during the re-enrollment period(s) defined by the Committee. 4.2 Employment Termination, Transfer to a Nonparticipating Affiliate or Death . Payroll deductions cease upon employment termination, transfer to the Company or a nonparticipating Affiliate or death of a Participant. Any balance in the Participants Contribution Account at that time shall be used to purchase ADSs at the next Purchase Date following such termination. 4.3 Unpaid Leave of Absence . Payroll deductions cease when the Participant begins an unpaid leave of absence. The balance credited to the Participants Contribution Account shall be used to purchase ADSs on the next Purchase Date following such leave of absence. If an Eligible Employee returns from an unpaid leave of absence, such Eligible Employee may re-enroll in the Plan and payroll deductions will take effect at the Participants prior contribution rate as soon as administratively possible, unless otherwise limited under the terms of the Plan. 4.4 Vesting . ADSs purchased under the Plan are fully vested on the Purchase Date, unless otherwise approved by the Committee. 4 4.5 Dissolution, Merger, and Consolidation . Upon dissolution or liquidation of the Company or a Participating Employer, or upon a merger or consolidation of the Company or a Participating Employer in which the Company or the relevant Participating Employer is not the surviving corporation, any balance in an affected Participants Contribution Account at that time shall be refunded without interest to the Participant as soon as administratively practicable after the effective date of such dissolution, liquidation, merger or consolidation occurs, unless the Committee in its sole discretion determines otherwise. 5. Available Shares 5.1 Available Shares . ADSs available for purchase by Participants under the Plan will be authorized and issued ADSs acquired by the Administrator on behalf of Participants. The acquisition of ADSs shall comply with applicable laws and regulations, including Rule 10b-18 of the Exchange Act, and NYSE rules. 5.2 Fractional Share . Administrator could allocate and post fractional shares to each Participants Share Account. 6. Purchasing Shares 6.1 Contribution Accounts . Payroll deductions authorized by the Participant shall be credited to the Participants Contribution Account, without interest. Amounts credited to a Participants Contribution Account as of a Purchase Date(s) shall be used to purchase ADSs for the Participant on the Purchase Date(s) at the Purchase Price. 6.2 Dividends . The Committee is entitled, in its sole discretion, to determine the manner in which any dividend on any ADSs acquired by a Participant pursuant to this Plan is paid to such Participant. Any dividend to be paid to such Participant in cash shall be reinvested upon their distribution into the Participants Contribution Account with the net amount (after withholding tax) used to purchase additional ADSs for a Participant at the prevailing market price. For greater certainty, no Employer Contribution shall be made in respect of purchases of ADSs by a Participant using dividends. 6.3 Employee Contributions . Participants may contribute any whole percentage or amount less than or equal to 15 percent of their Earnings (or such other maximum contribution rate as determined by the Committee). The Committee may set a maximum amount that Participants may contribute to their Contribution Accounts during any calendar year. 6.4 Employer Contributions . Each Participating Employer shall contribute to a Participants Contribution Account in each calendar month such amount so that 15 percent of the Purchase Price for each ADS purchased under the Plan for a Participant is funded by the Employer Contribution. The Committee may, with thirty (30) days notice to Eligible Employees, change such percentage for the Employer Contribution. 5 6.5 Purchase Date(s) . Amounts in a Participants Contribution Account will be applied by the Administrator to purchase ADSs on the tenth Trading Day of each calendar month, unless otherwise determined by the Committee and Administrator to fit local administrative processes. 6.6 Purchase Price . The price at which ADSs are acquired for a Participant under the Plan will be the price at which the ADSs are purchased on the relevant exchange, or if ADSs are acquired at more than one purchase price, the average of these prices. 7. Transfer and Sale of ADSs 7.1 Transfer of Shares . Participant may transfer to a private securities account some or all of their ADSs in their Share Account at any time in the manner as prescribed and facilitated by the Administrator from time to time. 7.2 Sale of ADSs . Unless otherwise approved by the Committee, a Participant may sell any ADSs purchased under the Plan at any time without restriction, other than as may be restricted by insider trading laws and regulations or internal insider trading rules of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company or of the Participating Employer. 8. Amendment and Termination 8.1 Amendment . The Board or the Committee may amend the Plan, at any time. Participants will receive timely notice of any amendments to the Plan. No amendment shall be made that adversely affects Participants entitlements under this Plan with respect to employee contributions which have been made prior to the date of such amendment. 8.2 Termination . The Board may suspend or terminate the Plan at any time. If the Plan is suspended or terminated, the Committee shall give notice to affected Participants, terminate all payroll deductions and, at its discretion, apply any balances remaining in Participants Contribution Accounts to the purchase of ADSs or pay Participants any balances (without interest) remaining in their Contribution Accounts as soon as practicable following the termination of the Plan. 6 9. General Provisions 9.1 Administration . The Committee or his or her designees shall be responsible for the administration of the Plan. The Committee shall have full authority to administer the Plan including authority to: (a) establish rules and procedures for Plan administration deemed practically necessary but not inconsistent with the terms of the Plan document (including, but not limited to, rules and procedures pursuant to participation in the Plan by each Participating Employer, which the Company may withhold or debit ADSs held in a Participants Share Account in an amount (based on the fair market value of such ADSs as of the date such ADSs are withheld or debited) sufficient to cover all expenses incurred in connection with administration of such account, notwithstanding that thereby the balance of ADSs in a Participants Share Account may be reduced to zero and the Participants Share Account terminated); (b) interpret terms and provisions of the Plan; (c) determine all questions arising under the Plan, including correction of any defect, omission or inconsistency of the Plan; (d) amend the Plan, including amending the Plan to reflect changes in applicable law; and (e) delegate administrative responsibilities under the Plan, including the responsibility to keep records of individual benefits, but not its power to amend the Plan. 9.2 Ri g hts not Transferable . Participants may not transfer Share Purchase Rights granted under the Plan. No Share Purchase Right shall be subject to execution, attachment, or similar process. Any attempt to assign, transfer, attach, or otherwise dispose of any Share Purchase Right shall be null and void and may be treated, at the discretion of the Committee, as notice of voluntary discontinuance under Section 4.1. Share Purchase Rights may be exercised only by the Participant during the Participants lifetime. 9.3 No Contract of Employment . Nothing in the Plan shall be deemed to give any Eligible Employee the right to be retained in the service of the Company or any Participating Employer, or to interfere in any way with the right of the Company or any Participating Employer or to discharge or retire any Eligible Employee at any time. 9.4 No Entitlements . Participation in the Plan (including a Participants right to receive an Employer Contribution) does not affect a Participants rights under any benefit plan (including any pension scheme) which relates to their employment and in particular (but without limitation) the benefits provided to or in respect of the Participant under the pension scheme are not to be increased as a result of the Participants participation in the Plan. 9.5 Investment Risk . By electing to participate in the Plan, a Participant acknowledges that the purchase of ADSs is associated with risks including but not limited to the risk that the value of the ADSs may decline and that some or all of the capital invested by a Participant may be lost. 7 9.6 Exchange Rate . Neither the Company, the Participating Employer nor any other Affiliate shall be liable for any foreign exchange rate fluctuation between a Participants local currency and the United States dollar that may affect the value of the ADSs or any amounts due pursuant to the purchase of the ADSs or the subsequent sale of any ADSs purchased under the Plan. 9.7 Tax Withholdin g. Taxable income attributable to the Employer Contribution will be subject to income tax, social insurance liabilities and other applicable withholding and such amounts will be deducted from the Participants next available paycheck following the purchase of ADSs. Alternative withholding arrangements may be made in unusual circumstances. 9.8 Applicable Law . The purchase and delivery of ADSs shall be subject to all applicable laws, regulations, rules and approvals, including, but not limited to, effectiveness of a registration statement under the Securities Act or other applicable laws and regulations, if deemed necessary or appropriate by the Company. The Company and each Participant shall also be subject to any applicable regulations or Company policies on insider dealing, including the Insider Trading Rules of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company. This Plan is intended to comply with the requirements of Rule 10b5-1(c) of the Exchange Act, and this Plan shall be interpreted to comply with such requirements. 9.9 Governing Law and Venue . Questions relating to the validity, construction, and administration of the Plan shall be determined under the laws of the California, without regard to principals of conflicts of laws. Any controversies or legal problems arising out of the Plan and any action involving the enforcement or interpretation of any rights hereunder shall be submitted to the jurisdiction of the Federal and State courts of Santa Clara County, California. 9.10 Severability . If a provision of the Plan is deemed illegal or invalid, the illegality or invalidity shall not affect the remaining parts of the Plan. The Plan shall be construed and enforced as if the illegal or invalid provision had not been included in the Plan. 9.11 Languages . In the event that the Plan is translated into other languages, the English version of the Plan will prevail. 9.12 Notices . Any notice or other communication in connection with the Plan may be delivered personally or sent by electronic means or post, in the case of a company to its registered office (for the attention of the company secretary), and in the case of an individual to their last known address, or, where the individual is an employee of a Participating Employer, either to their last known address or to the address of the place of business at which the employee performs the whole or substantially the whole of their duties. Where a notice or other communication is given by post, it will be deemed to have been received 72 hours after it was put into the post properly addressed and stamped, and if by electronic means, when the sender receives electronic confirmation of delivery or if not available, 24 hours after sending the notice. 8 9.13 Data Privacy . As a condition to participating in the Plan, each Participant explicitly and unambiguously consents to the collection, use and transfer, in electronic or other form, of personal data as described in this Section by and among the Company and its Affiliates exclusively for implementing, administering and managing the Participants participation in the Plan. The Company and its Affiliates may hold certain personal information about a Participant, including the Participants name, address and telephone number; birthdate; social security, insurance number or other identification number; salary; nationality; job title(s); any ADSs held; and participation details, to implement, manage and administer the Plan and Share Purchase Rights (the Data ). The Company and its Affiliates may transfer the Data amongst themselves as necessary to implement, administer and manage a Participants participation in the Plan, and the Company and its Affiliates may transfer the Data to the Administrator and other third parties assisting the Company with Plan implementation, administration and management. These recipients may be located in the Participants country, or elsewhere, and the Participants country may have different data privacy laws and protections than the recipients country. By participating in the Plan, each Participant authorizes the recipients to receive, possess, use, retain and transfer the Data, in electronic or other form, to implement, administer and manage the Participants participation in the Plan, including any required Data transfer to a broker or other third party with whom the Company or the Participant may elect to deposit any ADSs. The Data related to a Participant will be held only as long as necessary to implement, administer, and manage the Participants participation in the Plan. A Participant may, at any time, view the Data that the Company holds regarding the Participant, request additional information about the storage and processing of the Data regarding the Participant, recommend any necessary corrections to the Data regarding the Participant or refuse or withdraw the consents in this Section in writing, without cost, by contacting the local human resources representative. The Company may cancel Participants ability to participate in the Plan and, in the Companys discretion, the Participant may forfeit his or her rights to participate in the Plan if the Participant refuses or withdraws the consents in this Section. 9 Exhibit 23.1 CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM We consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement on Form S-8 of our reports dated April 14, 2022 relating to the consolidated financial statements of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited and subsidiaries (the Company) and the effectiveness of the Company's internal control over financial reporting, appearing in the Annual Report on Form 20-F of the Company for the year ended December 31, 2021. /s/ Deloitte & Touche Deloitte & Touche Taipei, Taiwan Republic of China June 17, 2022 Exhibit 107 Calculation of Filing Fee Tables Form S-8 (Form Type) (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter) Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited (Translation of registrants name into English) Table 1 Newly Registered Securities Security Type Security Class Title(1) Fee Calculation Rule Amount Registered(2) Proposed Maximum Offering Price per Unit(3) Maximum Aggregate Offering Price Fee Rate Amount of Registration Fee Equity Common Shares, par value NT$10.00 each Other (3) 25,000,000 $16.99 $424,750,000 $92.70 per $1,000,000 $39,374.33 Total Offering Amounts $424,750,000 $92.70 per $1,000,000 $39,374.33 Total Fee Offsets $0.00 Net Fee Due $39,374.33 (1) These shares shall be represented by the Registrants American Depositary Shares (ADSs), each representing five (5) of the Registrants common shares, par value $NT10.00 each (the Common Shares). (2) Pursuant to Rule 416(a) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act), this registration statement shall also cover an indeterminate number of Common Shares that may be offered or sold under the terms of the Registrants Global Employee Stock Purchase Plan by reason of any share split, share dividend, recapitalization or other similar transaction which results in an increase in the number of outstanding Common Shares. UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 SCHEDULE 13G Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (Amendment No. )* FIRST TRUST/ABERDEEN EMERGING OPPORTUNITY FUND (Name of Issuer) Common Stock, $0.01 par value (Title of Class of Securities) 33731K102 (CUSIP Number) June 7, 2022 (Date of Event which Requires Filing of this Statement) Check the appropriate box to designate the rule pursuant to which this Schedule is filed: [_] Rule 13d-1(b) [X] Rule 13d-1(c) [_] Rule 13d-1(d) *The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting person's initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of securities, and for any subsequent amendment containing information which would alter the disclosures provided in a prior cover page. The information required in the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 ("Act") or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see the Notes). SCHEDULE 13G CUSIP No. 33731K102 1 Names of Reporting Persons Saba Capital Management, L.P. 2 Check the appropriate box if a member of a Group (see instructions) (a) [ ] (b) [ ] 3 Sec Use Only 4 Citizenship or Place of Organization Delaware Number of Shares Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person With: 5 Sole Voting Power -0- 6 Shared Voting Power 325,978 7 Sole Dispositive Power -0- 8 Shared Dispositive Power 325,978 9 Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person 325,978 10 Check box if the aggregate amount in row (9) excludes certain shares (See Instructions) [ ] 11 Percent of class represented by amount in row (9) 6.5% 12 Type of Reporting Person (See Instructions) PN; IA The percentages used herein are calculated based upon 4,991,802 shares of common stock outstanding as of 12/31/21, as disclosed in the company's N-CSR filed 3/11/22 SCHEDULE 13G CUSIP No. 33731K102 1 Names of Reporting Persons Boaz R. Weinstein 2 Check the appropriate box if a member of a Group (see instructions) (a) [ ] (b) [ ] 3 Sec Use Only 4 Citizenship or Place of Organization United States Number of Shares Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person With: 5 Sole Voting Power -0- 6 Shared Voting Power 325,978 7 Sole Dispositive Power -0- 8 Shared Dispositive Power 325,978 9 Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person 325,978 10 Check box if the aggregate amount in row (9) excludes certain shares (See Instructions) [ ] 11 Percent of class represented by amount in row (9) 6.5% 12 Type of Reporting Person (See Instructions) IN The percentages used herein are calculated based upon 4,991,802 shares of common stock outstanding as of 12/31/21, as disclosed in the company's N-CSR filed 3/11/22 CUSIP No. 33731K102 1 Names of Reporting Persons Saba Capital Management GP, LLC 2 Check the appropriate box if a member of a Group (see instructions) (a) [ ] (b) [ ] 3 Sec Use Only 4 Citizenship or Place of Organization Delaware Number of Shares Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person With: 5 Sole Voting Power -0- 6 Shared Voting Power 325,978 7 Sole Dispositive Power -0- 8 Shared Dispositive Power 325,978 9 Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person 325,978 10 Check box if the aggregate amount in row (9) excludes certain shares (See Instructions) [ ] 11 Percent of class represented by amount in row (9) 6.5% 12 Type of Reporting Person (See Instructions) OO The percentages used herein are calculated based upon 4,991,802 shares of common stock outstanding as of 12/31/21, as disclosed in the company's N-CSR filed 3/11/22 Item 1. (a) Name of Issuer: FIRST TRUST/ABERDEEN EMERGING OPPORTUNITY FUND (b) Address of Issuer's Principal Executive Offices: 120 EAST LIBERTY DRIVE, SUITE 400, WHEATON, IL, 60187 Item 2. (a) Name of Person Filing: Saba Capital Management, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership ("Saba Capital"), Saba Capital Management GP, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company ("Saba GP"), and Mr. Boaz R. Weinstein (together, the "Reporting Persons"). The Reporting Persons have entered into a Joint Filing Agreement, dated June 17, 2022, pursuant to which the Reporting Persons have agreed to file this statement and any subsequent amendments hereto jointly in accordance with the provisions of Rule 13d-1(k)(1) under the Act. Any disclosures herein with respect to persons other than the Reporting Persons are made on information and belief after making inquiry to the appropriate party. The filing of this statement should not be construed as an admission that any of the forgoing persons or the Reporting Persons is, for the purposes of Section 13 of the Act, the beneficial owner of the Common Stock reported herein. (b) Address of Principal Business Office or, if None, Residence: The address of the business office of each of the Reporting Persons is 405 Lexington Avenue, 58th Floor, New York, New York 10174. (c) Citizenship: Saba Capital is organized as a limited partnership under the laws of the State of Delaware. Saba GP is organized as a limited liability company under the laws of the State of Delaware. Mr. Weinstein is a citizen of the United States. (d) Title and Class of Securities: Common stock, $0.01 Par Value (the "Common Stock"). (e) CUSIP No.: 33731K102 Item 3. If this statement is filed pursuant to 240.13d-1(b) or 240.13d-2(b) or (c), check whether the person filing is a: (a) [_] Broker or dealer registered under Section 15 of the Act; (b) [_] Bank as defined in Section 3(a)(6) of the Act; (c) [_] Insurance company as defined in Section 3(a)(19) of the Act; (d) [_] Investment company registered under Section 8 of the Investment Company Act of 1940; (e) [_] An investment adviser in accordance with Rule 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(E); (f) [_] An employee benefit plan or endowment fund in accordance with Rule 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(F); (g) [_] A parent holding company or control person in accordance with Rule 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(G); (h) [_] A savings associations as defined in Section 3(b) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1813); (i) [_] A church plan that is excluded from the definition of an investment company under section 3(c)(14) of the Investment Company Act of 1940; (j) [_] A non-U.S. institution in accordance with Rule 240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(J); (k) [_] Group, in accordance with Rule 240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(K). If filing as a non-U.S. institution in accordance with Rule 240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(J), please specify the type of institution: ____ Item 4. Ownership (a) Amount Beneficially Owned: The information required by Items 4(a) - (c) is set forth in Rows (5) - (11) of the cover page for each Reporting Person hereto and is incorporated herein by reference for each such Reporting Person. Item 5. Ownership of Five Percent or Less of a Class. N/A Item 6. Ownership of more than Five Percent on Behalf of Another Person. The funds and accounts advised by Saba Capital have the right to receive the dividends from and proceeds of sales from the Common Stock. Item 7. Identification and classification of the subsidiary which acquired the security being reported on by the parent holding company or control person. N/A Item 8. Identification and classification of members of the group. N/A Item 9. Notice of Dissolution of Group. N/A Item 10. Certifications. By signing below each Reporting Person certifies that, to the best of his or its knowledge and belief, the securities referred to above were not acquired and are not held for the purpose of or with the effect of changing or influencing the control of the issuer of the securities and were not acquired and are not held in connection with or as a participant in any transaction having that purpose or effect. SIGNATURE After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and correct. Dated: June 17, 2022 /s/ Signature Michael D'Angelo Name: Michael D'Angelo Title: Chief Compliance Officer Boaz R. Weinstein By: Michael D'Angelo Title: Attorney-in-fact*** *** Pursuant to a Power of Attorney dated as of November 16, 2015 EXHIBIT 1 JOINT FILING AGREEMENT PURSUANT TO RULE 13d-1(k) The undersigned acknowledge and agree that the foregoing statement on Schedule 13G is filed on behalf of each of the undersigned and that all subsequent amendments to this statement on Schedule 13G shall be filed on behalf of each of the undersigned without the necessity of filing additional joint filing agreements. The undersigned acknowledge that each shall be responsible for the timely filing of such amendments, and for the completeness and accuracy of the information concerning him or it contained herein and therein, but shall not be responsible for the completeness and accuracy of the information concerning the others, except to the extent that he or it knows or has reason to believe that such information is inaccurate. DATED: June 17, 2022 YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan Passengers waiting for flights at this airlift hub in western Tokyo have a new panoramic view of warplanes on the flight line thanks to a $27.5 million terminal renovation. The Yokota Passenger Terminal, which reopened June 13 after a year-long refurbishment, includes a wall of windows facing a runway where C-130J Super Hercules airlifters, CV-22 Osprey tiltrotors, F-16 Fighting Falcons and various other aircraft take off and land daily. The coolest things are the windows up here in front where there used to just be a wall, 730th Air Mobility Squadron logistics and readiness officer Capt. Cody Byford said during a tour of the facility Thursday. Now we have that perspective for our customers to be able to look out at the flight line. The windows fill the terminal with natural light that falls on interior walls decorated with pink sakura, or cherry blossoms, red autumn leaves and an illustration of nearby Mount Fuji. Passengers moving to and from aircraft walk through one of two massive red steel torii symbolic gates in Japans Shinto religion on the runway side of the terminal. The renovation tripled the terminals seating capacity to 1,500 passengers and doubled the number of check-in counters from three to six. A new conveyor belt moves bags that before the renovation were handled solely by airmen, Byford said. Folding glass doors allow staff to adjust the size of the area where passengers wait after security checks, said Byford, 27, of Round Rock, Texas. More than 100 workers and 11 subcontracting companies completed the renovation in 186,977 man-hours, the Air Force said in a news release Thursday. The new terminal will also feature an Army and Air Force Exchange Service cafe, Byford said. The terminal, in operation since 1969, caters to passengers and handles luggage on the Patriot Express, which flies Boeing 767 jets between air bases in Japan, South Korea and the Seattle. However, it can handle passengers from any type of aircraft that arrives or departs from Yokota, and its a way station for passengers going to destinations in the Indo-Pacific region such as Singapore or Diego Garcia. On any given day the terminal might be filled with troops in uniform, family members or veterans flying on a space availability, or Space A, status. During the height of the coronavirus pandemic, Patriot Express missions increased by 300%, with an additional 70,000 Patriot Express passengers traveling through the terminal in 2021 when compared to the previous year, according to the Air Force news release. During the renovation passengers arriving or leaving Yokota were moved through a prefabricated buildings beside the old terminal. CAMP ZAMA, Japan The commander of U.S. Army Japan has authorized his soldiers to wear a new patch symbolizing their alliance with Americas Far East ally. Hundreds of troops at the home of U.S. Army Japan in Kanagawa prefecture put on the rectangular patches depicting combined U.S. and Japanese flags during a formation Friday. Five thousand U.S. soldiers spread across 17 bases in Japan are authorized to wear the patches, U.S. Army Japan commander Maj. Gen. Joel Vowell said Friday after attaching patches with fabric fasteners on several troops during the formation. Soldiers in Japan work in a variety of fields doing everything from special operations to military intelligence, but all are focused on building relationships with their Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force counterparts, Vowell said. Its a recognition that everybody belongs to that mission, he said of the new patch. About 200 Japanese soldiers assigned to Camp Zama are also authorized to wear the patch, he said. One of those sporting the new emblem on his shoulder was Staff Sgt. Christopher Williams, 31, of Olympia, Wash., a bass player in the U.S. Army Japan band. The new patch is as special to Williams as the Screaming Eagle badge he wears to signify his service in the 101st Airborne Division, his first unit, he said. Soldiers assigned to U.S. Army Japan continue to wear the patch that features a depiction of Mount Fuji. 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. MIAMI Dr. Lisa Gwynn can order a COVID-19 vaccine for a Florida 7-year-old, but she can't for a immunocompromised toddler. Gwynn, a pediatrician with the University of Miami Health System and president of the Florida Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, is outraged over Gov. Ron DeSantis' decision not to preorder COVID-19 vaccines for children under 5, the only state in the country that has not done so. His decision leaves Florida pediatricians, hospitals and healthcare centers scrambling to obtain the supply on their own, potentially delaying vaccines for tens of thousands of children across the state. "We are devastated," Gwynn said in an interview with the Herald Thursday. "You know, this goes against all scientific recommendations. We've waited for a long time for the data to be made available. And now we know that the vaccine is safe and effective for children under 5.. And to have this happen, without any warning, it's just unbelievable." The Herald reported Wednesday that Florida was the only state in the country that had not preordered the vaccines from the federal government. A Food and Drug Administration committee voted unanimously Wednesday to recommend the FDA authorize emergency use of the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccines for all children under age 5 a group that numbers about 19 million in the United States. In Florida, there are approximately 1 million children under 5, according to 2021 Census estimates. It was the last group to be authorized for the vaccines. DeSantis: Vaccine not 'appropriate' for small children On Thursday, DeSantis defended his decision, saying parents who want to vaccinate their children under 5 can do so without the state's help. The Florida Department of Health has said the risk of vaccination outweighs the benefits for children in this age group. DeSantis, speaking Thursday at a press conference in the Everglades, said the state doesn't think the vaccine is "appropriate. So, that's not where we're going to be utilizing our resources in that regard." He said doctors and hospitals can get the vaccine, but that is not exactly the case, Gwynn said. The federal government sends the coronavirus vaccines to each state. With previous coronavirus vaccines, the Florida Department of Health distributed them through the Vaccine For Children Program, an electronic system for pediatricians to order the vaccines. Florida hospitals have also ordered their coronavirus vaccines from the state throughout the pandemic. Since Florida did not preorder the vaccines, the state's distribution channel has been cut off. "At this point in time, pediatricians cannot order the COVID vaccine directly from manufacturers so we're left to not be able to immunize our most vulnerable patient populations, the youngest children who need the vaccine the most," she said. In Florida, the health department has confirmed 386,196 COVID-19 cases among children aged 5 to 11 since the pandemic began. At least 45 children under 16 have died from the virus in Florida. 'Let the parents choose' Pediatricians across the state told Gwynn they were unable to preorder the shots. "Let's focus on getting vaccines into arms, and let the parents choose make sure that the vaccine is available to parents and to children, and let the parents decide whether or not they want to have their child vaccinated," she said. "Isn't that what this is all about?" If they want to get their child under 5 vaccinated, parents would have to rely on retail pharmacies, like CVS and Walgreens. The pharmacies are enrolled in the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program for COVID-19 vaccines and get their allocations directly from the federal government. In Florida, 11 retail pharmacies are enrolled in the program: CVS Health, Walgreens, Publix, Southeastern Grocers (Winn-Dixie, Fresco y Mas, Harveys Supermarket), Walmart (including Sam's Club), Costco and Kroger. Concern about impact on Black children Gwynn was not the only physician upset with DeSantis and Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo, who earlier this year went against the recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which recommended giving the vaccine to healthy children. "It is very difficult to understand how any person can ethically or morally put political considerations ahead of proven science," said Dr.. Reed Tuckson, co-founder of the Black Coalition Against COVID. "How could anyone jeopardize the safety and health of children in the middle of this pandemic, which continues to rage forward, for political posturing. This is almost unconscionable behavior." Tuckson believes the state's decision could endanger children and their families, potentially harming Black and brown children the most. Florida's Black residents have lagged behind Florida's white residents in vaccination rates. Since the pandemic began in March 2020, 59 percent of whites ages 5 and over have been vaccinated in Florida, compared with 43 percent of Blacks, according to the state's June 2 weekly COVID report. "You just have to wonder what these people are thinking," Tuckson said. "This will only make things worse and it will have long-term implications not only for COVID, but can you imagine the decisions they're going to be making about other health issues that may come down the road?" Mary Jo Trepka, an infectious disease epidemiologist and professor at Florida International University, reiterated the risk COVID-19 posed to children. "Young children can benefit from the vaccine because it will prevent them from getting a severe illness, long COVID and a very rare, but extremely serious condition called multi-system inflammatory syndrome," she said, noting how Florida is amid another COVID surge. And with school out and young children attending camps, "their risk is potentially quite great of being exposed," Trepka said. Miami-Dade school district spokeswoman Jackie Calzadilla said the coronavirus vaccines aren't mandatory for school entry, so students "should not be impacted." However, MDCPS will continue to offer COVID-19 vaccinations through its partnership with the UHealth Pediatric Mobile Clinic, she added. Gwynn oversees that program. "We reached out to the local health department to verify and we were told that moving forward, medical providers wishing to offer the COVID-19 vaccine will need to request them from Tallahassee," Calzadilla said. Keyla Concepcion, a Broward County Public Schools spokeswoman, deferred questions to the Broward County Health Department, part of the Florida Department of Health. "The vaccines are coordinated through the Department of Health-Broward," she said. "You'll have to reach out to them to address the question." Miami Herald staff writer Jimena Tavel contributed to this report. 2022 Miami Herald. Visit at miamiherald.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. A pair of sailors at Misawa Air Base, Japan, were recognized recently for rescuing a local motorist in danger of suffocating in April. Petty Officer 1st Class Andre Griffith, 29, and Petty Officer 2nd Class Ryan Sorrem, 26, received letters of appreciation and recognition June 9 from the Hachinohe Fire Department for their actions on April 17. The two sailors rescued a Japanese driver who had crashed into a light pole that day in Oirase Town, about 8 miles south of the air base in northeastern Japan. Griffith, a Navy electronics technician originally from Sunrise, Fla., heard what sounded like an explosion from the second-story window of his house in town and saw a fireball near his backyard, he told Stars and Stripes in a Facebook message Thursday. Griffith has since relocated to another duty station. My first thought was that whoever was in that car would need my help, Griffith said. Sorrem, a gunners mate from Wyoming, Minn., who works with the Naval security forces at the base, said he heard the explosion, too, as he grabbed a soda from a vending machine outside his off-base home, he told Stars and Stripes in an email Wednesday. He said he was the first on the scene. Griffith was not far behind. It was pretty scary to see first-hand, Griffith said. But I rushed down and saw [Sorrem] there who was the only one doing anything, so I knew I had to help, as well. The driver, who was not wearing a seatbelt, was left unconscious after the impact, with a minor laceration to his head from hitting the windshield, Griffith said. The drivers foot was still on the gas pedal, Sorrem said. They both saw the door was locked and the car was filling with black smoke. My immediate reaction was not so much on the fire but from removing the individual from the car as the interior was filling with smoke and unknown fluids were leaking from the vehicle, Sorrem said. The driver regained consciousness and unlocked the door, allowing Sorrem to cut the engine, Griffith said. Not knowing the extent of the drivers injuries, the two sailors cautiously removed him from the vehicle, they said. They immediately got him a safe distance from the car, administered first aid and stabilized him until the paramedics arrived. Some local Japanese assisted and called the police. Another grabbed a fire extinguisher to attempt to put out some of the fire, Sorrem said. He said he felt that his training as a first responder helped him recognize the situation and act. I feel honored that the local fire department thanked me, he said. Griffith said they took the right action but sees no need to boast about it. I dont think [Sorrem] and I did anything special to be honest, he said. Id like to think that anyone else that was in that situation would have done the same. TOKYO A petition seeking the release of a U.S. Navy officer convicted of killing two people in a 2021 vehicular accident near Mount Fuji alleges he was mistreated by Japanese police and denied a fair trial. The petition, started on Change.org by a family friend, claims that police interrogated Lt. Ridge Alkonis, 34, several times per day for 26 days without legal counsel present and deprived him of sleep. A spokesman for Alkonis family, Jonathan Franks, also alleged Wednesday that Japanese authorities ignored the status of forces agreement, which allows the release to U.S. custody of service members accused of crimes in Japan. SOFA outlines the rights and responsibilities of individuals in Japan with the U.S. military. Lt. Alkonis detention was in violation of SOFA, and the conduct of his interrogation was indefensible - so much so that interrogators didnt video tape it as required by Japanese law, Franks said in a text message to Stars and Stripes. Franks also alleged that Alkonis was pressured into signing statements in Japanese that should have been translated into English. Aspects of Alkonis treatment, however, appear to be the norm in Japan. Suspects in criminal cases may be held up to 23 days, without an opportunity to post a release bond until theyre formally charged, according to information from the Japan Federation of Bar Associations. Police may question a suspect in a closed interrogation room for a long time over many sessions without an attorney present, according to the bar associations. Video or audio recordings are required only under specific circumstances. Martins petition also claims police kept Alkonis in a cell under bright lights that kept him from sleeping. Lt. Alkonis has not received a fair trial and has endured numerous injustices, according to the petition. A spokesman at the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo referred questions Tuesday to the Defense Department, the lead agency for cases involving American citizens covered by SOFA. The Department of State has no higher priority than the safety and security of U.S. citizens overseas, including those arrested or detained, embassy spokesman Kurt Aufderheide said. The Defense Department and the Navy Chief of Information referred questions this week to Naval Forces Japan, whose spokeswoman Cmdr. Katie Cerezo in an email Friday said she had no new comment to make on Alkonis case. A spokesman for U.S. Forces Japan did not respond by Friday to requests for comment on Wednesday from Stars and Stripes. Alkonis is free on bail while the Tokyo High Court considers his appeal of a three-year prison sentence stemming from the deaths of a woman and her son-in-law when the Alkonis family car veered into a restaurant parking lot in Fujinomiya on May 29, 2021. The petition, begun June 6 by Kristin Martin, a Navy spouse and friend of the Alkonises, alleges Alkonis was falsely convicted in October in the Shizuoka District Court. By Wednesday, 30,082 people had signed the petition, which calls on the U.S. government to do whatever is necessary to return Alkonis to the U.S. Martin, of Newport, R.I., started the petition to create public support for the lieutenants situation and prompt government and military authorities to act, she told Stars and Stripes by phone Tuesday. She referred questions about the specific allegations to Franks. Military families just need to know that the U.S. will give full support by advocating for their safety and wellbeing of our service members overseas, Martin said. We send our families over there and we want to know that, even when tragedies happen, that our government is still going to be there to ensure that we get fair treatment. A Fujinomiya police spokesman declined comment on the petition but told Stars and Stripes by phone Tuesday that the investigation was conducted lawfully. The prosecutors office also declined to comment, citing the pending appeal. The high court is scheduled to rule on Alkonis appeal on July 13. In October, Shizuoka District Judge Kumiko Maesawa rejected as unlikely Alkonis defense at trial that he fell unconscious behind the wheel due to altitude sickness. Alkonis, his wife and their three children had walked partway up Mount Fuji prior to the accident. In court Alkonis said a general practitioner and a neurologist had afterward diagnosed him with acute mountain sickness. Alkonis car plowed into pedestrians and parked cars outside a soba restaurant in the city about two hours from Yokosuka Naval Base, where Alkonis was stationed as a weapons officer aboard the destroyer USS Benfold. A woman, 85, died that day; her son-in-law, 54, died June 11, 2021. A second woman, 53, the daughter and wife of the other victims, was injured. Alkonis has expressed remorse in and out of court and according to his defense attorney paid $1.6 million in compensation to the victims families. The Alkonises are very grateful for the outpouring of support they have received since going public last month, Franks said Wednesday. Id also invite those praying for the Alkonis family to join us in praying for the families of the two Japanese civilians who lost their lives that day and healing for all involved. CAMP KISARAZU, Japan Scores of military officials representing 19 countries, including Taiwan, concluded a four-day conference on Thursday intended to build partnerships among nations concerned with an increasingly aggressive climate in the Indo-Pacific. The Pacific Amphibious Leaders Symposium 22 kicked off on Monday, hosted by the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force and the U.S. Marine Corps. Throughout the week, the participants discussed the state of affairs in the region, amphibious strategies and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, among other topics. Along with armed forces representatives from Thailand, South Korea, Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom and France, a discreet contingent of Taiwanese representatives were also present as unofficial observers. A Japan Ground Self-Defense Force officer confirmed the Taiwanese representatives were present but declined to identify them by name. The amphibious leader symposium, now in its eighth year, may not rank as a marquee event compared to headline international summits but it remains relevant, according to James Brown, an international affairs expert at Temple Universitys Japan campus. The Taiwanese have attended previous amphibious symposiums but their presence this year renders it all the more significant, Brown said Friday by email to Stars and Stripes. [This] puts PALS in the category of forums where the United States, Japan and others can engage productively with the Taiwanese side in a quasi-official way, he said. The symposium convened just after the Shangri-La Dialogue, an annual Asian defense summit over the weekend in Singapore, where increasing tension around Taiwan was a cardinal topic. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on June 11 warned of growing coercion by China, including a steady increase in provocative and destabilizing military activity near Taiwan. The following day, Chinas Minister of National Defense Wei Fenghe said Beijing would fight to prevent self-governed Taiwan from going its own way. We will fight at all costs. And we will fight to the very end. This is the only choice for China, he said. The U.S. One China policy officially acknowledges Beijings view that it has sovereignty over Taiwan, but also considers Taiwans status as unsettled. China considers Taiwan a breakaway province that must be politically reunited with the mainland, by force if necessary. While almost every participant at the amphibious leaders conference wore their nations uniform, the Taiwanese delegates dressed as civilians. A spokesperson for the Marine Corps did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the Taiwan delegations presence. However, the Taipei Times newspaper identified Rear Admiral Chang Shih-hsing, commander of the Taiwan navys 151st Amphibious Fleet, as a delegate, along with unidentified officers from Taiwans navy and marines, according to a report Wednesday. Brown said the attendance by British and French representatives was also worth noting. This fits with Japans ambition to encourage European countries to play a more prominent role in upholding security in East Asia, he said. Lt. Gen. Steven Rudder, commander of U.S. Marine Corps Forces Pacific, and Gen. Yoshihide Yoshida, chief of staff for Japans Ground Self-Defense Force, at a news conference Thursday said the symposiums primary goals are to build partnerships and uphold a rules-based order in the region. The security environment is rapidly changing; this is why youll hear Gen. Yoshida and all the participants we had here this week say that the relationships and the interoperability with allies and partners is oh-so-critical, Rudder said. We continue to advocate as a group for a free and open Indo-Pacific, international law and all the things that go into a rule-based relationship. The United States is planning to establish a cooperation framework next week with Japan, Australia and other countries to strengthen ties with Pacific nations, U.S. National Security Council (NSC) Indo-Pacific Affairs Coordinator Kurt Campbell revealed during a virtual conference. The move apparently is intended to form multilateral cooperation to present a united front in deterring Chinas attempts to expand its military footholds in the South Pacific. The framework, intended to support island nations in the South Pacific, is to be led by the United States. Campbell said the Pacific region is an area of enormous strategic importance during the Center for a New American Securitys National Security Conference on Thursday. We will be launching next week an initiative to work with a variety of like-minded countries on an open, very detailed set of engagements, in which we share our views ... to make clear our desire to keep a Pacific environment that is open, thats healthy, thats productive and thats free from coercion, he said. The like-minded countries Campbell cited include Japan, Australia, Britain, France, New Zealand and the United States. Campbell cited the issues of suspicious boats, illegal fishing and climate change as areas of cooperation. According to sources, the countries involved are expected to discuss specific measures once the framework is established. Economic assistance such as infrastructure development will be included in the area of cooperation as well. China has deepened its influence in the South Pacific through massive loans to island nations for infrastructure development. Kiribati is in the process of developing runways and ports with Chinese assistance. In April, China signed a security agreement with the Solomon Islands, which increased concerns among Japan, the United States and other countries that the islands could give China a military footing in the South Pacific. There used to be six South Pacific countries that had diplomatic relations with Taiwan, but Kiribati and the Solomon Islands severed those ties and established relations with China in 2019. The United States has been stepping up its involvement in the South Pacific, such as by announcing the reestablishment of its embassy in the Solomon Islands. However, the United States apparently deemed it difficult to increase its influence in the area single-handedly. The United States hopes to cooperate with other countries, including Japan, which historically has had strong influence in such fields as development assistance, and France, which has territories in the South Pacific such as New Caledonia. Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said Friday at a news conference that the South Pacific is a key region for realizing a free and open Indo-Pacific, where we have been cooperating with the United States, Australia and New Zealand. He added, Taking advantage of Japans strengths, we will reinforce cooperation with relevant countries, while taking into account the needs of the Pacific Island countries. TOKYO The head of the U.S. Marine Corps in the Pacific said Friday that his forces are committed to defending southwestern Japanese islands as the allies try to bolster their defenses amid growing threats from China and Russia. Lt. Gen. Steven Rudder said at the beginning of talks with Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi that the U.S. Marine presence is focused on the so-called first island chain in the western Pacific the string of islands stretching from Japan's East China Sea islands through the Philippines that has traditionally defined a boundary of China's sphere of influence, which Beijing now appears to be pushing eastward. "With our forces west of the international dateline, we will continue to live, train, and work in the first island chain primarily with the assistance and support of our Japanese host," Rudder said. The United States and Japan are looking to develop capabilities and tactics to ensure readiness in the region, he said. His comments follow increased naval activity by China and Russia around Japan. The Defense Ministry said it spotted a fleet of seven Russian warships Thursday off the southern coast of Chiba heading southwest. The ministry also found several Chinese intelligence ships near the Tsugaru Strait in northern Japan, just days after they were seen in waters off southern Japan. The III Marine Expeditionary Force is working closely with Japanese troops to advance their amphibious capabilities in defending remote islands in southwestern Japan, Kishi said. After a decade of steady increases in military spending, Japan has pledged to further bolster its military readiness over the next five years and is working on a revision of its security strategy in the face of threats from China, North Korea and Russia. This story corrects that Rudder is commander of U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific, not of the overall U.S. Marine Corps, and that the name of Japan's defense minister is Nobuo Kishi, not Nibuo Kishi. Associated Press writer Mari Yamaguchi contributed to this report. Former Marine Corps officer Grady Kurpasi is the third American to go missing in Ukraine, his wife, Heeson Kim, told The Washington Post on Thursday evening. Two other American veterans who have recently lost contact with family are also feared to have been captured by Russian forces. Kurpasi, who volunteered to join Ukraine's fight against Russia's invasion, left the United States in early March and arrived in Kyiv on March 21, said George Heath, a representative for his family. The 49-year-old was last heard from on April 26, when he was tasked with holding an observation post in the Kherson region so civilians there could evacuate, Heath added. The veteran last spoke to family and friends in the United States a few days before the assignment. The State Department said earlier Thursday that a third American had gone missing several weeks ago but did not name him. CNN first confirmed Kurpasi's identity. Heath said that Kurpasi's cellphone signal was recently traced to the vicinity of a large shopping mall in the Kherson and Mykolaiv regions. He did not provide more detail. The Washington Post could not independently verify that claim. Kurpasi lived in New York City during the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and joined the Marines shortly after, Heath said. He called Kurpasi, who was his platoon commander between 2012 and 2014, a "great man" who has always "led from the front and led by example." During his 20 years of military service, Kurpasi took part in three combat tours in Iraq and was awarded a Purple Heart, according to his service record provided to The Post. The linguistics graduate from the University of California at Los Angeles received a scholarship from the Pat Tillman Foundation, which provides education grants to promising leaders with a military background, in 2009. While many foreigners volunteered to fight Russia alongside the Ukrainian military, Heath said Kurpasi had originally intended to help civilians. He "fell into" a combat role, Heath said. "He did end up . . . serving and getting some fights. But that wasn't his priority." A 22-year-old Marine Corps veteran, Willy Joseph Cancel, is believed to be the first American fighter killed in the war. Earlier this month, Alexander Drueke, 39, and Andy Tai Huynh, 27, went missing near the northeastern border city of Kharkiv. An unverified photo of the two men circulated on social media Thursday. Their families said that they did not have confirmation of the image's authenticity, but they were in close contact with the State Department. The Washington Post's Dan Lamothe, Timothy Bella and Abigail Hauslohner contributed to this report. President Joe Biden Friday said the U.S. does not know what has happened to at least two Americans who have gone missing while fighting in Ukraine. The commander-in-chief repeated warnings against Americans volunteering to fight on the side of the Ukraine government, regardless of how strongly they support Kyiv's cause. "We don't know where they are," Biden told reporters as he headed home to Delaware for the weekend. "I want to reiterate, Americans should not be going to Ukraine now." "I'll say it again: 'Americans should not be going to Ukraine,'" he added. Two U.S. veterans who were fighting in Ukraine, identified as Alabama residents Alex Drueke and Andy Tai Ngoc Huynh, have not been heard from since last week, their families say. Relatives are worried about whether they may have been killed, wounded or captured in the raging conflict with Russian invaders. The State Department said Thursday that there were reports of a third American citizen possibly missing while fighting in the country, but it did not release a name. U.S. officials have been in touch with the Ukrainian government as well as other nongovernmental organizations in the region as they monitor the situation, State Department spokesman Ned Price said. Alex Drueke's mother told CNN that "they are presumed to be prisoners of war, but that has not been confirmed." Price said there has been no intelligence that the missing Americans are in Russian custody. An unknown number of American citizens, mostly with military backgrounds, have traveled to Ukraine to join the country's foreign legion and fight alongside Ukrainian soldiers there. Some are of Ukrainian heritage but many have been inspired by Ukraine's fight for democratic values and self-determination. 2022 New York Daily News. Visit at nydailynews.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. LYSYCHANSK, Ukraine (Tribune News Service) The first shell was the worst, mostly because it came as a surprise. But then the soldiers thought it was OK to get up, dust themselves off. That's when the second one landed, and it was the worst. The third one is when they understood they were being hunted and somehow that shelling was now the worst. Their commander, a breezily confident 31-year-old named Levan, gathered his squad and waited for the bang of outgoing artillery. He made a dash around the corner to the next block, taking cover beneath the trees before sprinting in body armor across a square to an abandoned, brutalist-style apartment building. The Russian barrage was relentless, shells chasing Levan and his men almost to the door. This is the conflict in Ukraine now: a pitiless artillery war, the kind perhaps not seen since the days of endless trenches and gouged terrain that marked World War I. Less strategy than slugfest, both sides lob barrage and counter-barrage over a see-sawing front line and hope to still be standing when they pulverize the other side into either submission, or at least a crushing withdrawal. The most ferocious battle is for Severodonetsk and Lysychansk, its sister city across the Seversky Donets River. Russian forces have battered their way to almost full control of the former and prepare for an encirclement of the latter. All three bridges linking the two cities were struck and cannot bear vehicles, in effect trapping 12,000 people in Severodonetsk's residential areas. At least 500 civilians and hundreds of fighters are bunkered in the city's Azot chemical plant, authorities say, setting the stage for a rerun of the Azovstal, the industrial complex in the embattled city of Mariupol, where Moscow's troops maintained a crushing siege on Ukrainian defenders. In many ways, Severodonetsk's importance is more symbolic than strategic, unlike Lysychansk, which is on higher ground and would afford those who occupy it a good defensible position. Instead, it represents the last major bastion of the Ukrainian government's presence in Luhansk, one of the two eastern provinces that are the target of Moscow's military campaign. But the battle typifies the fight playing out across the mining towns and fecund plains of the country's eastern Donbas region: The sheer size of Russia's arsenal favors it in outlasting the Ukrainians, who have so far clung to territory until it's arguably too late to escape entrapment. Pockets of street fighting erupt, but there are few close engagements between opposing troops near the cities. Most of the casualties are the result of barrages: In the last three months of the war, 80% to 90% were due to artillery, with the rest caused by bullets, said Oleg Vrolov, a physical training instructor turned army ambulance driver who joined a few days after Russians invaded his hometown of Kherson in February. He has seen the effects of heavy shelling on the soldiers he evacuates near the front lines: Shrapnel slicing up legs so badly that there was no option but to amputate. Shrapnel in tiny pieces boring through a man's body. Shrapnel cracking bone. "It's my job. I wanted somewhere active," he said. Yet he acknowledged that his response belied the fear he felt when he went to evacuate soldiers from sites near what he called "the zero line." "The battles were so crazy that my legs were shaking," he said. "I want to stay alive, that's it, but I have to go these places." Over his three months of service the battle lines have swung to and fro, but it was still two steps forward one step back in favor of the Russians. Now, they were raining Grad fusillades and 152-millimeter barrages on a checkpoint not three miles from the presumably safe position where Vrolov delivered casualties for emergency care. A visit to that checkpoint a handful of policemen and soldiers who challenged motorists passing by before scurrying underground at the shriek of artillery showed the precariousness of the Ukrainians' positions. "Every day. Twice a day, four times a day. Then also at night," said Yevhen, one of the policemen there, adding that the barrage could last one to two hours, sometimes longer. Sitting beside him in the bunker was Serhei, a 40-year-old policeman: "It got worse in the last week. It's like Disneyland here," he joked, a tired smile on his face. Some of the heaviest fighting was farther down the P66 highway, where Ukrainian forces continue to mount a defense of Lysychansk's southeastern flank at a terrible cost. "The corpses, the smell of rotting flesh, it's everywhere. There's shelling and shooting from all sides, and the Russians they're advancing a little more every day," said Ahmad Akhmedov, a Dagestani commander deployed alongside Ukrainian troops near the village of Toshkivka, roughly 12 miles southeast of Lysychansk. He looked exhausted, his face made older by fatigue and perhaps the loss of too many comrades as many as 30 a day, he said. Ukrainian officials estimate anywhere from 100 to 200 soldiers are killed every day. That could amount to as many as 6,000 per month, with multiples of that wounded. Analysts estimate Russia has lost 10,000 troops since the beginning of the war. Ukrainians who survive the charnel house are withered, their morale sapped by the constant explosions. Reinforcements aren't arriving often enough and, in any case, they often appear with little training. "Our soldiers are fighting all the time, but they're tired. They haven't left the trenches for months," Akhmedov said. Nevertheless, many of the fighters and officials interviewed in Lysychansk and its environs bristled at the notion of ceding territory. They suggested that despite pledges, Western nations have been reluctant to hand over weapons even as they urge Kyiv to consider ceding territory to bring about a cease-fire. The men here weren't too concerned with the larger politics at play, but they were unanimous in calling for additional weapons, especially long-range multiple-launch rocket systems (or MLRS) and Western artillery systems that could knock out targets at 300 miles away "We don't need 4 HIMARS. We need a thousand," Serhei said, referring to the high mobility artillery rocket systems, which the U.S. recently provided to Ukrainian troops. Washington this week pledged an additional $1 billion in military assistance to Ukraine, including more rounds for the HIMARS. But Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark A. Milley warned that the HIMARS weren't a "silver bullet." "No weapon system singular weapon system ever 'turns the balance,' " he said at a news conference in Brussels on Wednesday. Still, he lauded the Ukrainians for inflicting what he said was a 20% to 30% loss on Russia's armored force. Open-source experts say Russia has lost about 1,000 tanks. Milley pushed back on the notion of an inevitable Russian takeover of the Donbas, pointing to Severodonetsk as a place where the Ukrainians are fighting the Russians "street by street, house by house, and it's not a done deal." "There are no inevitabilities in war," he said. But he acknowledged that the "numbers clearly favor the Russians.... In terms of artillery, they do outnumber, they outgun and outrange." Yet it seemed clear all over Lysychansk that the Ukrainians were suffering major losses. Strewn around its neighborhoods, or nestled among its hiking trails, are the burnt-out carcasses of armored vehicles, antitank guns and at least one pontoon-bridging truck, all knocked out of commission by Russian artillery fire, residents said. Buildings where Ukrainian troops had bunkered were perforated by shrapnel from Grad rockets, their fuselage and fins still sticking out of the asphalt. From the screen of a drone flown by a Ukrainian soldier tasked with giving targeting coordinates over Severodonetsk, the effect of the artillery duel appeared like a cancer, bashing whatever is in its path into a pixelated version of what it was. Up close, everything seems scorched and ground down to a palette of black, dark gray and gray. The only splashes of color comes from the occasional children's toy or fluorescent police vest still pristine among the ruins. That cancer is slowly spreading to Donetsk province as the footprint of the war gets larger. The main highway from Lysychansk to Bakhmut, a city in Donetsk province about 30 miles to the southwest, was already a Russian free-fire zone a month ago, forcing residents and resupply convoys to take a back-country path to the area. But the signs of the ferocious fight taking place all around it have begun to appear there too. Roads are increasingly cratered. A short drive from Bakhmut on Tuesday was the still-smoking wreckage of three mud-and-brick houses, all felled by the explosive power of one strike. The next day, a few miles before, hulking Kozak light-armored vehicles, Kamaz military trucks, ambulances and Soviet-era clunkers navigated past the shell of a Ukrainian armored personnel carrier: It blew up sometime overnight, spilling oil, chunks of metal and tattered belongings over the two-lane road. At one point, what looked like a Ukrainian Mi-17 helicopter flew low, hugging a line of poplar trees to avoid detection; a trick of perspective made it look like a fat bee flying by a green field of wheat. Even as the fight to encircle Severodonetsk raged on, it appeared that Lysychansk was on borrowed time. Soldiers flagged cars driving down the P66 highway, warning motorists of heavy shelling near the main checkpoint out of the city. "When the shelling stops, you have three minutes before it starts again," one of them said. Behind him was a percussive beat of a battle about 10 miles into the forests south of the city, punctuated by the sustained bursts of machine guns from helicopter gunships. "Now you can go," said another. The driver didn't hesitate, the engine straining as the van barreled down the highway. He stared ahead, silent, waiting for the sound that meant his luck had run out. ___ 2022 Los Angeles Times. Visit at latimes.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. BRUSSELS The European Union's executive arm on Friday recommended making Ukraine a candidate for EU membership, a morale booster and a first step on what is expected to be a long road for the war-torn country to join the 27-nation bloc. If Ukrainians were under any illusion that the European Commission's positive assessment would mean fast-track EU membership, their hopes of quickly joining the club were dashed. "Starting accession negotiations is further down the line," said Oliver Varhelyi, the EU Commissioner for the bloc's enlargement. "Once conditions are met, then we will have to come back and reflect on it ... This is not for today." The European Commission delivered its proposal to award Ukraine candidate status after an analysis of answers to a detailed questionnaire. The Ukrainian government applied for EU membership days after Russia invaded the country on Feb. 24. "Ukrainians are ready to die for the European perspective," commission President Ursula von der Leyen said wearing clothes in the yellow and blue of the Ukrainian flag. "We want them to live, with us, the European dream." The leaders of the bloc's existing members are scheduled to discuss the recommendation during a summit next week in Brussels. The European Commission's endorsement, while a strong sign of solidarity with Ukraine, is likely to take years or even decades to materialize into EU membership. It's even possible that the candidate status will eventually be revoked if the reforms requested by the bloc to align with EU standards are not put in place. Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, who had been skeptical about Ukraine's membership bid, embraced the proposal. "I think the commission has found a good compromise. There is a lot more homework in the field of the economy, but also in the field of the rule of law, in the field of tackling corruption." Rutte said. "So this is the first step of many. But the Netherlands has decided with full conviction to follow the commission's advice." Along with Ukraine, the European Commission also recommended giving neighboring Moldova EU candidate status. The commission also reviewed Georgia's application but said the Caucasus nation first needs to fulfill a number of conditions. Adding new members requires unanimous approval from all EU member nations. They have expressed differing views on how quickly to add Ukraine to their ranks. Ukraine's bid received a boost when the leaders of France, Germany, Italy and Romania visited the country Thursday and vowed to back its candidacy. To be admitted, potential newcomers need to demonstrate that they meet standards on democratic principles and they must absorb about 80,000 pages of rules covering everything from trade and immigration to fertilizers and the rule of law. Before Russia's invasion, the Commission repeatedly expressed concern in recent years about corruption in Ukraine and the need for deep political and economic reforms. "Yes, Ukraine deserves a European perspective. It should be welcomed as a candidate country, on the understanding that important work remains to be done," von der Leyen said Friday. "The entire process is merits-based. It goes by the book and therefore, progress depends entirely on Ukraine." Ukraine currently has an association agreement with the EU, aimed at opening Ukraine's markets and bringing it closer to Europe. It includes a far-reaching free trade pact. Von der Leyen said that due to the 2016 agreement, "Ukraine has already implemented roughly 70% of the EU rules, norms and standards." "It is taking part in many important EU programs," she continued. "Ukraine is a robust parliamentary democracy. It has a well-functioning public administration that has kept the country running even during this war." Von der Leyen said Kyiv should continue to make progress in the fields of rule of law and fighting corruption. She also cited the need to speed up the selection of high court judges. Expediting Ukraine's application by declaring it an official candidate would challenge the EU's normal playbook for adding members. The degree to which Ukraine's request for a fast-track accession represents a change in the EU's standard operating procedure is evident from the experiences of other aspiring members. Turkey, for example, applied for membership in 1987, received candidate status in 1999, and had to wait until 2005 to start talks for actual entry. Six Western Balkan countries Serbia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Albania, Bosnia and Kosovo have been in the EU waiting line for years. At their June 23-24 summit, EU heads of state and government therefore face a delicate balancing act: signaling to Ukraine that the door is ajar while reassuring other aspiring members and some of the bloc's own citizens that they aren't showing favoritism to Kyiv. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Friday he was grateful to the Commission's recommendation to put his country and Moldova on the membership path. He called it "the first step on the EU membership path that'll certainly bring our victory closer." Zelenskyy added that he "expected a positive result" from the EU summit in Brussels. Dusan Stojanovic contributed from Belgrade. LONDON The British government on Friday ordered the extradition of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to the United States to face spying charges, a milestone but not the end of a decade-long legal saga sparked by his website's publication of classified U.S. documents. WikiLeaks said it would challenge the order, and Assange's lawyers have 14 days to lodge an appeal. "We're not at the end of the road here," said Assange's wife, Stella Assange. "We're going to fight this." Julian Assange has battled in British courts for years to avoid being sent to the U.S., where he faces 17 charges of espionage and one charge of computer misuse. American prosecutors say the Australian citizen helped U.S. Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning steal classified diplomatic cables and military files that WikiLeaks later published, putting lives at risk. To his supporters, Assange, 50, is a secrecy-busting journalist who exposed U.S. military wrongdoing in Iraq and Afghanistan. A British court ruled in April that Assange could be sent to face trial in the U.S., sending the case to the U.K. government for a decision. Britain's interior minister, Home Secretary Priti Patel, signed an order on Friday authorizing Assange's extradition. The Home Office said in a statement that the government had to approve his move to the U.S. because "the U.K. courts have not found that it would be oppressive, unjust or an abuse of process to extradite Mr. Assange." Barry Pollack, Assange's U.S. lawyer, said it was "disappointing news that should concern anyone who cares about the First Amendment and the right to publish." Assange's lawyers said they would mount a new legal challenge, and legal experts say the case could take months or even years more to conclude. "We will appeal this all the way, if necessary to the European Court of Human Rights," Assange attorney Jennifer Robinson said. Robinson asked U.S. President Joe Biden to drop the charges brought against Assange during Donald Trump's presidency, arguing they posed a "grave threat" to free speech. Assange's supporters and lawyers maintain he was acting as a journalist and is entitled to First Amendment protections of freedom of speech. They argue that the case is politically motivated, that he would face inhumane treatment and be unable to get a fair trial in the U.S. Silkie Carlo, director of civil liberties group Big Brother Watch, said the British government's "complicity in the political persecution of a journalist simply for revealing uncomfortable truths to the public is appalling, wrong and shames our country." Stella Assange, a lawyer who married her husband in a prison ceremony in March, said the U.K. decision marked "a dark day for press freedom and for British democracy." "Julian did nothing wrong," she said. "He has committed no crime and is not a criminal. He is a journalist and a publisher, and he is being punished for doing his job." Friday's decision came after a legal battle that went all the way to the U.K. Supreme Court. A British district court judge initially rejected the extradition request on the grounds that Assange was likely to kill himself if held under harsh U.S. prison conditions. U.S. authorities later provided assurances that the WikiLeaks founder wouldn't face the severe treatment that his lawyers said would put his physical and mental health at risk. Those assurances led Britain's High Court and Supreme Court to overturn the lower court's ruling. Journalism organizations and human rights groups had called on Britain to refuse the extradition request. Assange's lawyers say he could face up to 175 years in jail if he is convicted in the U.S., though American authorities have said any sentence is likely to be much lower than that. Amnesty International Secretary General Agnes Callamard said Friday that extraditing Assange "would put him at great risk and sends a chilling message to journalists the world over." Assange remains in London's high-security Belmarsh Prison, where he has been since he was arrested in 2019 for skipping bail during a separate legal battle. Before that, he spent seven years inside the Ecuadorian Embassy in London to avoid extradition to Sweden to face allegations of rape and sexual assault. Sweden dropped the sex crimes investigations in November 2019 because so much time had elapsed, but British judges have kept Assange in prison pending the outcome of the extradition case. Assange's supporters say his physical and mental health are both under strain. Stella Assange told a news conference that her husband's condition was "deteriorating by the day." "I spoke to him last night as well and he had a lot of anxiety. He couldn't sleep," she said. "But Julian is a fighter." ___ Associated Press writer Eric Tucker in Washington contributed. KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany Russias monthslong war in Ukraine appears to be swaying Germans stance on storage of U.S. nuclear weapons after decades of staunch advocacy for removal of NATOs most powerful deterrent. For the first time, a majority of respondents in a recent survey supported maintaining U.S. nuclear weapons in Germany, with some favoring the modernization and expansion of those munitions, German national and international news service Tagesschau reported earlier this month. Panorama, a TV magazine of German public broadcaster ARD, surveyed 1,337 eligible voters from May 30 to June 1, asking what they would like to see done with the nuclear weapons still believed to be stored in Germanys Eifel region. In a 2019 NATO parliamentary assembly report, the alliance accidentally published the locations of U.S. nuclear weapons in Europe, which included a site at Buechel Air Base. Although the report was later redacted, the location of the weapons had long been considered an open secret. Just over half of poll respondents, 52%, expressed support for keeping the weapons in Germany. And of those, 40% said the status quo should remain, while 12% said the munitions should be modernized and augmented, according to the survey. Meanwhile, 39% said the weapons should be withdrawn. Its believed that about 20 U.S. nuclear warheads are stored at Buechel Air Base, a German installation near the city of Cochem, about 43 miles from the U.S.-operated Spangdahlem Air Base. Neither NATO nor the U.S. and German governments will disclose precise numbers and locations for security reasons. But NATO has said the U.S. has deployed a limited number of B-61 nuclear weapons to locations in Europe. Germany recently chose Buechel to be the future home of 35 American-made F-35 aircraft. They will fill the role of the aging Tornado jets, which Germany has relied on for decades. The move is seen as strengthening Germanys role with regard to NATOs nuclear deterrence policy. The U.S. Air Forces 702nd Munitions Support Squadron, which falls under Spangdahlems 52nd Fighter Wing, operates from Buechel, overseeing reserve munitions in support of the German air force and directly supporting NATO operations, according to an Air Force fact sheet. The ARD poll results contrast sharply with surveys taken as recently as two years ago. A 2020 public opinion poll taken for the Munich Security Conference found that 66% of Germans believed that Germany should completely abandon deterrence with nuclear weapons, according to an excerpt of the October 2020 Munich Security Report. Of the 31% of respondents who at the time supported Germanys continued reliance on nuclear deterrence, a majority said the country should rely on France and the United Kingdom for such measures rather than the U.S., according to the report. Germans move away from pacifist tendencies as a result of Russias unprovoked invasion has been mirrored in the government. Chancellor Olaf Scholz steered $107 billion to modernize the military and put it on a better footing among NATO counterparts. However, Scholzs government has come under intense criticism for failing to deliver promised weapons to Ukraine in a timely manner. The war in Ukraine has reignited fears in Europe and the U.S. of nuclear war. Russian President Vladimir Putin has at times threatened to use nuclear weapons to express objections to U.S. and NATO military assistance provided to Ukraine. Under a nuclear sharing arrangement with allies, if NATO conducted a nuclear mission in a conflict, the weapons would be carried by allied aircraft and supported by conventional forces across the alliance, according to NATO. The U.S.-led NATO alliance will adopt a plan in a matter of weeks to send more weaponry and combat units to its eastern flank, but the strategy appears to fall short of fulfilling some allies wishes for new installations filled with permanently based troops. At the conclusion of a defense ministers meeting in Brussels on Thursday, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg outlined some of the moves he expects to be approved when heads of state meet in Madrid later this month. The new force model builds on the troop deployment concepts implemented in recent years to guard against Russian aggression. But its still unclear how much of NATOs expanded mission in the east will be filled by American ground forces. Germany and the United Kingdom, among others, have said they intend to increase deployments to the eastern reaches of NATO. We heard several allies indicating that they will provide new national announcements to contribute to the new force model, Stoltenberg said. Im certain that they will make the announcements well ahead of the NATO summit in two weeks time. Citing three NATO diplomats, Reuters reported Thursday that many members, including Britain and the United States, do not favor permanent new bases in the Baltics. The reason: they would cost billions of dollars and be hard to sustain. The new force model also consists of many different elements, but when it comes to the land component, and especially in the eastern part of the alliance, we speak about mainly three pillars, Stoltenberg said. The first pillar is a larger forward-based presence with more combat-ready formations and command-and-control capabilities. The second is more pre-positioned equipment, such as armor and ammunition. And the third involves troops who are assigned to train in and defend specific territory, Stoltenberg said. However, he did not mention construction of permanent bases with allied forces assigned to them. Eastern allies such as Poland and the Baltic states have made repeated calls for a more robust NATO military presence in their countries. Even before Russias full-fledged invasion of Ukraine in February, NATO had multinational battlegroups operating in the Baltics and Poland to shore up defenses. And in the aftermath of Russias invasion, allies have doubled the number of battlegroups, with units now operating in eight countries. The concept of preassigned forces means that units from specific allied countries will focus on specific areas. Some will be deployed forward, while others will remain in their home country but (be) ready to move quickly if needed, Stoltenberg said. Before the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, there were 80,000 U.S. troops in Europe, about 65,000 of whom are permanently based on the Continent. The number of American troops in Europe now stands at just over 100,000 because of additional rotations. Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley has said he favors a rotational model going forward rather than the addition of large numbers of new, permanently based troops in Europe. A Russian military tugboat carrying a surface-to-air missile launcher to Snake Island in the Black Sea sank after two Ukrainian missiles struck it, Kyiv announced Friday. The Russian Black Sea Fleet tugboat Spasatel Vasily Bekh was part of an effort in recent weeks to resupply the contested, strategic island about 70 miles south of Odesa with personnel, weapons and ammunition, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry said in a separate Friday morning tweet. Open source intelligence analysts said the sinking would be significant because of the boats value in resupplying Snake Island. H.I. Sutton, a military open source intelligence analyst, said the pedestrian label of tugboats belied their importance as valid military targets. In many respects they are a higher value target than the warships, Sutton said Friday on his Twitter account, @CovertShores. It wasnt clear when the reported sinking of the Vasily Bekh happened, but the Ukrainian navy tweeted about it Friday morning. The Russian government hadnt commented on the reports as of Friday afternoon. If the loss of the tugboat is confirmed, it would raise the reported total of Russian vessels sunk or damaged by Ukraine in the war to 14. About nine of those vessels, including four landing ships, three patrol boats and the Black Sea Fleet flagship Moskva, have been sunk or damaged by Ukrainian missiles or drone attacks since March 21. Analysts have characterized those operations as purposeful strikes aimed at breaking Russias Black Sea blockade, which has crippled the Ukrainian economy. Russia has occupied Snake Island since the early days of the war, which began Feb. 24. The Russian takeover followed Ukrainian border guards defiance of surrender demands with an expletive-laden response that has since become legendary, evoking comparisons to other famous last stands. Russia is eager to hold the tiny outcropping as a way of advancing its goals to control access to the northwestern Black Sea, protect Crimea and potentially undermine confidence in commercial shipping to and from Romania and Bulgaria, analysts have said. BUENOS AIRES Israel praised Argentina on Thursday for holding a Venezuelan plane that included Iranian crew, saying the flight shows Tehran is trying to expand its influence in South America. Washington also made clear it is keeping close tabs on the investigation into the Boeing 747, which was loaded with automotive parts and raised questions because its 19 crewmembers is an unusually large number for a cargo plane. In a statement, the Israeli Embassy commended the fast action by Argentine authorities who identified in real time the potential threat posed by the aircraft, which has been grounded at Argentina's main airport outside Buenos Aires since June 8. Israel is particularly worried about Iranian airlines that are dedicated to arms trafficking and the transfer of people and equipment for the Quds Force, which are under sanctions by the United States for being involved in terrorist activities, the embassy said. The recent events provide evidence of the repeated attempts by the Islamic Republic of Iran, through the Revolutionary Guard and the Quds Force, to continue consolidating its influence throughout the world, including South America, as a base for terrorist acctions in the continent, the embassy added. The top U.S. diplomat in Argentina also commented on the case. We are following with great interest the judicial and law enforcement investigations into the crew and the plane and thank the investigative efforts of Argentine authorities to clear up the situation, U.S Ambassador Marc Stanley said in a statement shared with local media. Argentine authorities have seized the passports of the five Iranians and 14 Venezuelan crewmembers on the plane, which is operated by Venezuelas state-owned Emtrasur line, a subsidiary of Conviasa, which is under U.S. sanctions. Expanding the international reverberations in the case, Venezuela on Thursday evening harshly criticized Uruguay for failing to allow the plane to land in Montevideo to refuel. The plane's crew sought to fly to Montevideo on June 8 but had to return to Buenos Aires after Uruguayan authorities refused entry into its airspace, according to a report by Argentina's Transportation Ministry. It was then that the plane was grounded by Argentine authorities. Uruguay's regretable action could have caused a tragedy, human lives and damage to both nations, Venezuela said in a statement, adding that it demands explanations about this terrible event from the Uruguayan government. Before it was sold to Emtrasur a year ago, the plane was owned by Mahan Air of Iran, which the U.S. government has sanctioned for allegedly aiding the Quds Force and terrorist activities. Law enforcement offices on Tuesday searched the hotel where the crewmembers were staying under orders of Federal Judge Federico Villena, who is investigating the crew. Argentine authorities say they have not found any irregularities in the crew. The plane reportedly loaded automotive parts in Mexico and stopped in Venezuela before arriving in Argentina. The large crew had earlier raised suspicions in Paraguay, where the plane landed last month in Ciudad del Este, close to the Argentina and Brazil borders, Paraguays interior minister, Federico Gonzalez, told a local radio station Tuesday. He said the plane was there May 13-16, Gonzalez said Paraguay alerted intelligence agencies in the region about the plane and its crew. Argentina suffered two terrorist attacks in its capital that judicial investigators have blamed on Iran a 1992 explosion at the Israeli Embassy and a deadly bombing at a Jewish organization in 1994. Iran has denied any involvement. ___ This story has been corrected to show that the plane was grounded on June 8, rather than June 6. (Tribune News Service) A once-aspiring Proud Boy from Camden County was sentenced Friday to two weeks' incarceration for his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot. Lawrence Earl Stackhouse III, 33, of Blackwood, had texted a friend the week before the riot asking for an application to join the group. He was wearing a Proud Boys hoodie as he followed the mob past the smashed windows of the Capitol building and through the kicked-in door of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office. "I ruined my life with my dumb decisions," he told U.S. District Judge Beryl A. Howell during a court hearing in Washington. "I regret getting involved in politics at all. I regret allowing it to fry my brain." But Howell showed little sympathy. She balked at Stackhouse's explanation that he had no real interest in the Proud Boys and had only been wearing the organization's regalia because the colors matched the beanie he was wearing that day. That "sounds like a bit of a made-up, after-the-fact explanation," she said. "Wearing a Proud Boys logo was a choice." The sentence she imposed which also included a three-year term of probation, three months' house arrest and $500 in restitution was less than half the 45-day jail term that prosecutors had originally sought. Stackhouse, a former sheet metal worker who lost jobs with government contractors like Boeing and Lockheed Martin after his arrest last year, pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor count of illegally parading or demonstrating on Capitol grounds. He is the second of 26 New Jersey defendants to face sentencing for participating in the attack, which threatened the peaceful transition of power, injured scores of officers, caused millions in damage and has led to more than 820 arrests. And the Proud Boys, a militant, far-right organization, whose top leaders including the former president of its Philadelphia chapter, Zachary Rehl have been charged with sedition for what prosecutors have described as the pivotal role they played that day in riling up the crowd of Trump supporters. Despite the interest he'd expressed in joining the group, Stackhouse maintains he never followed through on becoming a member and has no interest in joining now. Still, prosecutors pointed to a chain of text messages eight days before the riot between a man they've described as a Proud Boys prospect Michael Gianos, 33, of Marlton as they made plans to travel to Washington on Jan. 6. Stackhouse and Gianos had previously participated in protests together over New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy's pandemic shutdown orders at the Atilis Gym in Bellmawr. "We're going to be going after Antifa," Gianos wrote in anticipation of Jan. 6, according to text exchanges quoted in court filings. Stackhouse replied: "Full force Jan. 6 is going to be awesome." In texts with another charged rioter Rachel Myers, 33, of Port Richmond and an employee of Delilah's Gentlemen's Club & Steakhouse in South Philadelphia he offered to bring a knife when she said she looked forward to fighting with counterprotesters. "Love it!" she said. "Love me some PBs." Assistant U.S. Attorney April Ayers-Perez cited those texts as evidence that Stackhouse came to Washington prepared for violence. And as the mob breached police barriers and fought their way into the Capitol building, Stackhouse passed rioters brawling with officers, people smashing windows and doors on his way inside. Surveillance footage from the Capitol shows Stackhouse, Gianos, and Myers among the throngs of people pushing their way through the Senate wing doors. With Stackhouse in his Proud Boys hoodie and Myers carrying a Delilah's backpack, they milled about the Rotunda briefly. They followed a man who kicked in the door to the offices of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, while her terrified staff cowered under desks inside. Afterward, text messages show the trio veering between reveling in their participation in the attack and fretting over whether the FBI would soon show up at their doors. At points, they suggested among each other that the riot they'd just participated in had been started by antifa. "Don't regret one thing," Stackhouse texted a friend the day after the attack. "F the government." When photos later surfaced online of Myers on Capitol grounds with her Delilah's backpack, he reached out to allay her concerns. "We are legit PIC (partners in crime,)" he wrote. "There's a Delilah's in AC (Atlantic City) too soooo that helps." But it was Stackhouse's coworkers who first brought him to the attention of authorities. He'd previously been reprimanded at work for expressing support for an unspecified "hate group," according to an FBI affidavit filed in his case. Agents said Stackhouse had boasted to coworkers about his participation in the riot. But as investigators interviewed him upon his arrest last year, Stackhouse maintained that he and the other rioters had been let into the building by police waving them past barricades and that he had no idea that the mob had forcefully smashed their way inside minutes before he arrived a claim later disproved by video from the scene. "He created this picture of a rosy, peaceful protest and overzealous police officers, and that couldn't be further from the truth," Ayers-Perez said in court Friday. "I don't believe (he has) remorse. I don't believe (he's) accepting responsibility." Stackhouse's attorney, Ubong E. Akpan, maintained that her client had been misled, that he traveled to Washington genuinely believing that Vice President Mike Pence could overturn the results of the 2020 election, and that public pressure in the form of the crowds streaming into the Capitol building was part of that process. She noted that since his arrest, he's voluntarily sat for interviews with the FBI and the congressional committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack and added that he's been unable to find steady work since his role in the riot became known and now supports himself driving for Uber. "Mr. Stackhouse is not a villain," she said. "He's a young man who has a family who loves him, who cares deeply for him. It's important to know he's not a lone wolf waiting in the wings in the bushes to attack any members of Congress." Investigators charged Gianos and Myers separately in November after learning of their presence at the Capitol through a search of Stackhouse's phone. Both have entered not guilty pleas and are awaiting trial. As the judge announced his sentence Friday, Stackhouse said he's ready to put the experience behind him. "I never fully understood what I was getting myself into," he told Howell. "I didn't know the vice president couldn't overturn an election. I went along with the flow, and it screwed me." ___ 2022 The Philadelphia Inquirer, LLC. Visit at inquirer.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Last year, President Joe Biden held two hopeful meetings with leaders of the worlds biggest emitters of greenhouse gases but on Friday he returned to a virtual summit with little to show in the way of new U.S. incentives for renewable energy. Battered politically by high gasoline prices and pressed to increase oil and gas production, Biden nonetheless attempted to convince countries to keep pursuing policies aimed at combating climate change. We cannot, we cannot afford to let the critical goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius to slip out of our reach, the president said to leaders at the Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate. The science tells us the window for action is rapidly narrowing. Senior Biden administration officials said the president was laser focused on driving forward an agenda and actions that would strengthen U.S. energy security and bring together a broad coalition about taking action that meets the urgency of this moment. But the $550 billion package of tax incentives and other measures in the presidents Build Back Better proposal has stalled in Congress. And the Russian invasion of Ukraine has added pressure to increase U.S. output of natural gas for export and boost global crude oil supplies. Biden highlighted several areas for action, such as the construction of hydrogen hubs in the United States; a green shipping contest sponsored by Norway and the United States to decarbonize fuels by 2050; and a renewed call for world leaders to match the U.S. goal of zero emissions for 50% of new autos. He said that if ocean shipping were a country, it would be the worlds eighth largest emitter of methane. The president noted that the United States in its infrastructure bill would provide $21.5 billion of the $90 billion that the International Energy Agency said would be needed for hydrogen demonstration projects this decade. Hydrogen can be used as an energy storage device. Biden also called on countries to clamp down on the flaring of methane, a particularly potent greenhouse gas. We flare enough gas to offset nearly all of the E.U.s gas imports from Russia, he said. But the Environmental Defense Fund said in a new report that oil company commitments to reduce flaring have not translated into a decrease in total flared gas. Instead, natural gas flaring was up slightly in 2021 over the previous year. The group said that the flared gas could fetch about $40 billion at market prices. Wasting this valuable product is harmful, particularly at a time when countries are grappling with an energy crisis, EDF said. The EDF report also warned that the oil and gas industry is not on schedule to meet a widespread target of achieving zero routine flaring by 2030. The report said that flaring volumes would have to tumble 19% a year through 2030 to achieve zero routine flaring from all global oil production. The worlds biggest emitter of methane is China, accounting for about 30% of all emissions. Senior administration officials said that White House special climate adviser John Kerry had spoken to Chinese negotiator Xie Jianhua multiple times in the past month. U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres, who is attending the meeting, said that fossil fuel companies had exploited precisely the same scandalous tactics as Big Tobacco decades before. Like tobacco interests, fossil fuel interests and their financial accomplices must not escape responsibility. WASHINGTON Democratic and Republican senators were at odds Thursday over how to keep firearms from dangerous people as bargainers struggled to finalize details of a gun violence compromise in time for their self-imposed deadline of holding votes in Congress next week. Lawmakers said they remained divided over how to define abusive dating partners who would be legally barred from purchasing firearms. Disagreements were also unresolved over proposals to send money to states that have red flag" laws that let authorities temporarily confiscate guns from people deemed dangerous by courts, and to other states for their own violence prevention programs. The election-year talks have seemed headed toward agreement, with both parties fearing punishment by voters if Congress doesn't react to the carnage of last months mass shootings. A total of 31 people were slain at a grocery store in Buffalo, New York, and an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas. An outline of a deal has been endorsed by President Joe Biden, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, a lead GOP bargainer, seemed visibly unhappy as he left Thursday's closed-door session after nearly two hours, saying he was flying home. This is the hardest part because at some point, you just got to make a decision. And when people dont want to make a decision, you cant accomplish the result. And thats kind of where we are right now," Cornyn said. I'm not frustrated, I'm done," he added, though he said he was open to continued discussions. Lawmakers have said a deal must be completed and written into legislative language by week's end if Congress is to vote by next week. It begins a July 4 recess after that. Leaders want votes by then because Washington has a long record of talking about reacting to mass shootings, only to see lawmakers' and voters' interest fade quickly over time. Other bargainers seemed more optimistic, saying much of the overall package has been agreed to and aides were drafting bill language. A deal like this is difficult," Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., said when the meeting ended. It comes with a lot of emotions, it comes with political risk to both sides. But were close enough that we should be able to get there." The measure would impose just small-scale curbs on firearms. It lacks proposals by Biden and Democrats to prohibit assault-style weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines like the ones used in Buffalo and Uvalde, or to raise the legal age for purchasing assault rifles from 18 to 21. Even so, it would be Congress most robust move against gun violence since 1993. A ban lawmakers enacted that year on assault weapons took effect in 1994 and expired after a decade. Scores of high-profile mass shootings since have yielded little from Washington but partisan deadlock, chiefly due to Republicans blocking virtually any new restrictions. Federal law bars people convicted of domestic violence against a spouse from acquiring guns, but leaves a loophole for other romantic relationships. Everytown for Gun Safety, which advocates firearms curbs, says 31 states bar convicted domestic abusers from buying firearms, including 19 that cover violent dating partners. Senators have disagreed over how to define such relationships, with Republicans working against a broad provision. Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, the other lead GOP negotiator, said bargainers would use some state statutes as their guide, though their laws vary. You need to make sure that youre capturing everyone that actually beat" up their girlfriends, said Murphy, a Democrat. In addition, 19 states and the District of Columbia have red flag laws. Cornyn and the other lead bargainer, Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., represent states that do not, and it is unclear how money in the bill would be divided among them. Senators have not said what the measure's overall price tag will be, though people following the talks have said they expect it to range around $15 billion or $20 billion. Lawmakers are looking for budget cuts to pay for those costs. Twenty senators, 10 from each party, agreed to the outlines of a compromise measure last weekend. Top bargainers have labored ever since to translate it into details. The framework includes access to the juvenile records of gun buyers age 18 to 20. Both shooters in Buffalo and Uvalde were 18, and both used AR-15 style rifles, which can load high-capacity magazines. The plan also includes added spending for mental health and school safety programs, tougher penalties for gun trafficking and requirements that slightly more gun dealers obtain federal firearms licenses. DETROIT, Mich. (Tribune News Service) The Michigan Supreme Court on Friday rejected hearing an appeal from serial sex offender Larry Nassar, concluding that the case presented a "close question" regarding the conduct of Ingham County Circuit Judge Rosemarie Aquilina during his sentencing. "We are not persuaded that the questions presented should be reviewed by this court," according to the high court's opinion. The justices added that the "additional trauma where the questions at hand present nothing more than an academic exercise." Rachael Denhollander, the woman whose first publicly sexual assault accusation of Nassar brought out hundreds of other accusers, tweeted that the ordeal was behind the victims. "It's over," Denhollander tweeted. "Almost six years after I filed the police report, it's finally over." Nassar's court-appointed lawyer could not immediately be reached for comment. Nassar is the former Michigan State University doctor accused of sexually assaulting hundreds of young women, teenage and prepubescent girls under the guise of medical treatment over more than two decades. He pleaded guilty to 10 counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct involving nine victims and for collecting 37,000 images and videos of child pornography on his computer and is now incarcerated for life. After Nassar was sentenced in three courts, he launched and lost several appeals aiming to reduce his prison time. He appealed his 2017 sentence of 40-175 years issued by Ingham County Circuit Judge Rosemarie Aquilina. It amounted to an effective life sentence in prison for Nassar, who is now 58 years old. Though Nassar admitted guilt, he argued his Ingham County sentence was invalid due to Aquilina's bias based on comments she made during his sentencing. He claimed that even before the sentencing hearing began, Aquilina had already decided to impose the maximum allowed by the sentence agreement. But the Supreme Court noted in its order that the range of concurrent 40 to 175 years "were within the range agreed upon in the parties' plea and sentencing agreement." In December, the Michigan Court of Appeals in a split 2-1 decision denied an appeal from Nassar. The majority criticized Aquilina but said Nassar admitted guilt, received a fair sentence and Aquilina did not show bias. Nassar's court-appointed attorney appealed the decision to the state Supreme Court. The high court said the case presented a "a close question" about Nassar's motion for resentencing. "We share the concerns of both the Court of Appeals majority and dissent about the conduct of the sentencing judge in this case, and seriously question whether the majority committed error by affirming the trial court's denial of defendant's motion for disqualification and motion for resentencing," according to the court's order. But the court said Nassar's claims "suffer from preservation problems, and to prove that judicial disqualification is warranted requires defendant to shoulder a heavy burden." "Second, we conclude that the jurisprudential significance of any holding from this Court would be seriously limited, as the question of this judge's impartiality or bias arises in markedly fact-specific circumstances, involving an unusually high-profile and highly scrutinized case, and a unique sentencing procedure," the opinion said. The court concluded it wouldn't spend any "additional judicial resources and further subject the victims in this case to additional trauma where the questions at hand present nothing more than an academic exercise." ___ 2022 www.detroitnews.com. Visit at detroitnews.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. WASHINGTON House lawmakers urged Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Friday to expand abortion access for service members and their families as the Supreme Court looks to overturn a landmark law preventing states from outlawing the procedure. Reps. Jackie Speier, D-Calif., and Jason Crow, D-Colo., asked Austin and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to extend Army and Air Force leave policies accommodating abortion care across all the service branches, strengthen privacy protections and provide financial support for service members who need to travel to obtain access to an abortion. We are gravely concerned about service members reproductive privacy and health care rights, especially given the unique challenges that service members face, including for those who are stationed in states that are poised to ban or restrict abortion and potentially other reproductive care if the [Supreme Court] dismantles Roe v. Wade, the lawmakers wrote in a letter signed by 79 other House members. Twenty-six states are likely to move quickly to ban abortion if Roe v. Wade is allowed to fall, 13 of them Arkansas, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming have trigger laws in place that would immediately end abortion upon a Supreme Court ruling, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a pro-choice research organization that was once a part of Planned Parenthood. Each of these states is home to military installations, with the largest concentration in Texas. Lawmakers said service members are particularly vulnerable to restrictions on abortion rights because they already face hurdles when seeking out the procedure. Challenges include needing to request approval from their commander to take leave, traveling long distances when they are stationed in places where abortion is unavailable and lacking the funds to travel off base for care, they said. Service members who have an abortion can also face retaliation from their commander or other troops if others find out they have had the procedure, lawmakers wrote. TRICARE, the militarys health insurance, only covers abortion when the mother's life is in danger or if pregnancy is the result of rape or incest. In a post-Roe world, service members stationed in states where abortion is banned or severely restricted will need additional leave, resources and financial support to facilitate travel to states where abortion is accessible, lawmakers wrote. The consequence of delays and challenges in accessing care across multiple states could mean that the service member is forced to carry a pregnancy against their will. Democratic members of the House Appropriations Committee moved this week to codify access to leave for abortion care into law, advancing a 2023 budget bill for the Pentagon that would prohibit the Defense Department from denying service members and civilian employees time off to obtain an abortion. The provision would also allow leave for their spouses or partners. House lawmakers have pushed to shore up abortion rights for troops after a draft of the Supreme Courts impending decision leaked last month. Speier and 81 other Democrats introduced a bill this month that would allow military medical treatment facilities to provide abortion services to service members. The issue is also at the forefront in the Senate, where Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, made an impassioned plea for safeguarding womens reproductive rights last week. Hirono co-sponsored legislation that mirrors the House bill. Service members have the right to control their own bodies no matter where they are stationed, Hirono said during a meeting of the Senate Armed Services Committee. Its important to protect service members bodily autonomy. Who gets to decide what to do with her body, the woman or a bunch of politicians? Speier and Crow said the military must standardize leave policies set by the Army and Air Force, which enable service members to request leave for abortion without obtaining pre-approval from their commander or detailing the nature of the health care service that they plan to receive. The lawmakers also want the Defense Department to offer subsidies and reimbursement for the cost of traveling off base, or to a different state, to obtain an abortion. Everyone, including members of our military and their families, should be free to make decisions about their futures and families, including the decision to have an abortion, they wrote. Limiting access to these services will negatively impact the morale, retention, overall health of the joint force and deeply harm the overall readiness of the armed forces. Two members of the House Armed Services Committee introduced a bill Thursday aimed at tackling one of the largest issues the National Guard and military reserves face in ensuring their troops are medically cleared to deploy their dental health. The Dental Care for Our Troops Act, introduced by Reps. Andy Kim, D-N.J., and Trent Kelly, R-Miss., would provide cost-free access to dental care for members of the National Guard and the Army, Navy, Marine and Air Force reserves, according to a summary of the bill. The legislation is an extension of the Healthcare for Our Troops Act that Kim and Kelly introduced in the House last year. That bill seeks to provide Guard and Reserve troops free medical insurance akin to what active-duty troops receive. When I speak with National Guard members, reservists, and military support organizations, they tell me that access to affordable dental care is a concern for them, and that dental issues are a top reason reservists are found unfit to deploy, Kim said in a statement issued Friday. With this bill, were making sure that all National Guard and reservists have access to premium-free TRICARE for dental. Under current law, Guard and Reserve troops typically only receive military-issued medical and dental coverage while on active-duty orders for 30 days or more. Kim and Kelly have spent more than a year attempting to expand free coverage through TRICARE the militarys health insurance provider to all National Guard and Reserve troops regardless of their duty status. Their initial bill, introduced in May 2021, was meant to address the roughly 130,000 U.S. troops serving part-time roles in the National Guard and reserves who lack private medical coverage, typically issued through their civilian employers. Not all Guard members have full-time civilian work that provides health insurance. Staff members for Kim and Kelly said the lawmakers hope the Healthcare for Our Troops and Dental Care for Our Troops acts will be tacked onto the forthcoming fiscal 2023 National Defense Authorization Act, the annual bill that establishes Congress spending and policy priorities for the Pentagon. The lawmakers said expanding free health and dental care to Guard and Reserve troops were among their top priorities as the House takes up the critical legislation next week. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., said last week that she plans to introduce similar legislation in the Senate to provide Reserve component troops free TRICARE coverage. Our men and women in the Reserve and National Guard component stand at the ready to defend America at home and across the world, said Kelly, a major general in the Mississippi Army National Guard who has served 36 years. It is our duty as members of Congress to ensure they have access to preventative and continuous dental care just as we do for active-duty military personnel. Pentagon leaders have long identified dental health as one of the top culprits that keeps troops from being able to deploy. The military requires service members to receive annual dental screenings to be certified deployable. While National Guard members and Reserve troops can receive a voucher to pay for their annual exams via the Reserve Health Readiness Program, those troops must pay for any other dental care out of their pocket. Since the war in Afghanistan was launched in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, some 20% of Guard and Reserve troops have been marked nondeployable at some point during their service for dental issues, according to a summary of the new bill. Another 15% have been separated from the military for dental problems, the summary said. Kim and Kelly said their dental bill was backed by the National Guard Association of the United States, the Reserve Organization of America, and the Military Officers Association of America. Without affordable dental coverage, National Guard and Reserve members face barriers to maintaining comprehensive health which is a prerequisite to readiness, retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Dana Atkins, the president and CEO of MOAA, said in a statement Friday. MOAA thanks [Reps.] Andy Kim and Trent Kelly for introducing this bill that would bring the Reserve component dental benefit on par with active duty and facilitate access to care. Our nation counts on Reserve component members to respond when our nation needs them we must support them with affordable dental care to ensure their readiness. A new event showcasing live outdoors jazz in all its glory at Mount Maunganui with a line-up of groove-meister musicians will make every body want to move this Matariki Friday, June 24. The day-long free event Jazz at the Mount has been added to this months 59th Port of Tauranga National Jazz Festival courtesy of Mount Mainstreet. Mount Mainstreets Claudia West says the business association is excited about their new partnership with the Jazz Society, to bring some of the iconic flavour of the National Jazz Festival over to the Mount. We think it will be awesome to bring part of that jazz vibe to the Mount so our businesses, locals and visitors can enjoy it here too. Claudia says if June 24 is fine the Mount will deliver a stunning backdrop to enjoy Matariki and the music. We hope people will relish the jazz, stay longer and enjoy all the Mount has to offer. Obviously theres always risk holding an outdoor event in June but we have a back-up plan to disperse the music into local hospitality venues if need be. From 9.30am-5pm musicians will take over Te Papa O Nga Manu Porotakataka, playing music for everyone to enjoy. In the thick of it will be Japanese-born Kiwi jazz artist Miho Wada performing with her band Mihos Jazz Orchestra. Miho an upbeat, lively, colourful presence onstage that masterfully delivers delicious, twist-turning instrumental jazz that you get caught up in without realising it is ready to jam. I love it its probably my favourite jazz festival, says Miho, whose MJO is a five-time returning National Jazz Festival band. Its so nice that people can walk past, hear music and be drawn into it the whole festival has such a good vibe. MJO revels in playing feel-good jazz, offering grooving, surprising, playful, sophisticated, cheeky music full of style, skill, instrumental prowess with an addictive characteristic. I write all the music, says Miho, who plays flute and saxophone. I like to go back to the roots of how jazz started. It was popular tunes that everyone can sing tobut back then all the songs were so short, so they made instrumental versions so people could dance. Well play mostly instrumental songs, we have a few songs with vocals but mostly music people can move their whole bodies to. Its about feeling good, moving and putting smiles on faces. MJO will also play at the Hurricane Party at Totara Street that night, June 24. Doors open 8pm. This years party is back in full swing with quality groove-meisters to get everyone dancing! Also performing is six-piece upbeat jazz-funk band, Spiral Collective, original music-telling stories and uplifting messages. Big Tasty at the Hurricane Party at Totara Street on June 24. Photo: Supplied. And funky, never fail to get people dancing Big Tasty led by diminutive powerhouse frontwoman Manuela Ovalle Herrera backed by a full horn section. Whether you want to move to the groove during the day or night hit the Mount to devour the jazz this Matariki, Friday June 24. You wont regret it! The by-election candidates have had a busy final day campaigning for the votes of Tauranga's people. Election day begins tomorrow, June 18, and candidates are out making sure that the concerns from the Tauranga public are being acknowledged. One prominent discussion among the candidates in the final days of campaigning is the burning and suspected arson of the Rainbow Youth Centre earlier this week. National candidate Sam Uffindell, joined by senior MPs Mark Mitchell, Louise Upston and Simeon Brown discussed the topic at a media stand up on Thursday, July 16. National candidate Sam Uffindell joined by senior National MPs Louise Upston (left), Mark Mitchell and Simeon Brown. Photo: Taylor Rice/SunLive. My sympathies are with them. I was shocked when I heard the news, says Uffindell. Uffindell adds he spent his morning following the event donating blood, so he had not had a chance to comment on the matter prior to the gathering with the MPs. SunLive approached Labour candidate Jan Tinetti for a comment on the matter, with no response. Labour candidate Jan Tinetti. Photo: File/SunLive. Tinetti shared her thoughts on the suspected arson in an Instagram post. I am deeply saddened by what has happened to the rainbow centre, says Tinetti. This has been a place of safety, inclusion and support for our rainbow community in Tauranga - a place where we can celebrate the diversity of our city. Ive visited the site today to stand in solidarity with our rainbow community. I will be advocating for a full investigation into the cause of the fire. ACT candidate Cameron Luxton is being joined by party leader David Seymour today to send off his campaigning prior to the election. ACT candidate Cameron Luxton and party leader David Seymour. Photo: Taylor Rice/SunLive. Luxton says that although the issue is under investigation by police, he hopes it gets dealt with if the cause is found to be malicious. "It is absolutely horrendous what has happened. Our hearts go out to the LGBT community of Tauranga," says Luxton. "From my understaning the police are doing an investigation, and if it is found to be a targetted attack then that is awful." Luxton adds that he supports people's freedom of expression, and he would not want to see people harmed because of their viewpoint. NZ Outdoors and Freedoms Candidate Sue Grey. Supplied Photo. NZ Outdoors and Freedoms candidate Sue Grey says that she was very sad to hear about the burning of the Rainbow Hub building at Taurangas Historic Village. We held a democracy meeting at the Historic Village last Saturday afternoon. It is a beautiful venue, says Grey. Its devastating that our community has become so divided. It seems that some feel so angry they have lost perspective and respect for both community and property. A focus of my campaign has been to try to engage with those who feel discriminated against or isolated, and provide a voice for different perspectives. We all live be here and all our voices are important. It's so important that we find ways to overcome the discrimination and division created by the current regime. We need leadership that listens and inspires ways to rebuild trust and hope. My vision is that we reclaim New Zealand for all our people so we can celebrate both unity and diversity. New Conservative candidate Helen Houghton says that activists are "targetting children with harmful ideologies." New Conservative candidate Helen Houghton. "They're indoctrinating kids with anti-biology teaching on gender and are now attacking religious schools like Bethlehem College for their beliefs. This has to stop," says Houghton, who is also the New Conservative Co-leader and Education Spokeswoman. Houghton also calls for a "complete ban" on "harmful, unscientific gender theory education in all schools, and a complete ban on sex-ed for primary school children." Houghton adds there needs to be "more independence" for religious schools so they can "have confidence taht their beliefs and funding are securing against campaigns and attacks by anti-religious activists." SunLive has reached out to the other by-election candidates for comment, and will provide an update as soon as possible. Its going to be a relentless year. Oropi School principal Andrew King is talking about the constant challenges he is facing with unprecedented amounts of staff illness. King reached out to Local Democracy Reporting to share his concerns about the overspending schools are experiencing because of staff illness. The principal canvassed Bay of Plenty Schools and says primary, kura and intermediate schools have growing concerns that their budgets for sick leave cover are already overspent. Of the 30 schools that responded 64 per cent of them had already spent more than half of their relievers budget and there is only 43 per cent of the school year gone. King says at Oropi School he budgeted $15,000 for sick leave cover for the year but had already spent $25,000. Each of his 21 teachers have had seven to 14 days off because of illness and this week nine teachers have been off sick. It's going to be a worse year than we've ever seen before, says King. Its not just Covid-19 that was causing staff absence, he says. We are definitely starting to see those winter illnesses much more than last year, because we're not in isolation. Schools are having to make compromises to counteract the overspending, says King. Some principals aren't running over budget, but they're already making compromises because there's no word from the Ministry [of Education] or government as to what support they might offer, so that we don't have to be compromising teaching and learning programmes. At Oropi School, the Maori and Chinese Mandarin language programmes couldnt take place in all classrooms every week and reading and writing support programmes have been affected. The school was also having to split classes and have one teacher, teaching two classes. The consistency of programmes of learning is a big issue, says King. It's limiting us getting back to normal pre-Covid. Other schools King surveyed are having similar issues with splitting classes, some were asking students to learn from home and others had the principal covering teachers. I don't think the ministry are fully aware of how bad it is, says King. The principal acknowledged that the Ministry of Education is offering additional relief teacher funding and it was available to schools after a teacher was off sick for more than four days. Previously it was after eight days but the ministry changed this in term one. According to the survey King did, 68 per cent of the schools did not expect their sick leave budget to get back on track even with the additional support from the ministry. King says the ministry needs to work with schools on a solution, so they dont have to compromise childrens learning. Schools are having to use one teacher for two classes because relief staff arent available. Photo: RNZ. Ministry of Education operations and integration hautu (leader) Sean Teddy says: We are aware of pressure being placed on schools operating budgets due to the need for higher-than-normal levels of relief teaching. Where a school or kura is experiencing high levels of staff absences due to Covid, or other illness, they can claim additional relief teacher funding. While there is pressure on their current years budget, a school may have other entitlements or historical financial reserves to call upon to manage their relief costs, says Teddy. Where schools and kura are experiencing financial difficulty, we encourage them to make contact with their School Finance Adviser to provide assistance and guidance. King says another issue is the availability of relief teachers. Because there's unprecedented amounts of cover, that we historically havent had to cover sick leave for, some schools just can't get a reliever in and that's happening more than normal. This meant more teachers taking two classes at once, having teacher aides help with cover and using specialist teaching staff as relievers, according to those King surveyed. It's a shambles, you just can't continue a nice normal teaching and learning programme when you're staffing like that, says King. Teddy says the ministry is aware schools and kura are dealing with high levels of sickness and absence. Relief teachers are in high demand and sickness is no doubt also affecting their availability, he says. Teddy says options for schools that were unable to find relief teachers included extending the redeployment of qualified teachers who are not currently serving in classroom-leading roles, such as learning support coordinators. Another was considering the use of limited authority to teach staff, he says. There is no one solution that will work for all schools and kura, but there are a number of short- and longer-term options that they can explore. Staff in our regional offices are working with principals every day to help them find solutions to their specific staffing needs, says Teddy. King says: It's a really urgent problem because at the end of the day, kids are missing out on teaching and learning programs that we've normally got in place, simply because of unprecedented amounts of staff illness. Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air. 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. Smoke from the Midnight Fire obscures the setting sun in this June 10 photo taken in El Prado. Tesla increased the price of its electric vehicles (EVs) in the United States, including the Tesla Model 3, Model S, and the Model X. The giant EV maker of no less than Elon Musk now retails its lineup for a significantly heftier price tag, going as high as a staggering markup of $6,000. (Photo : PATRICK PLEUL/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) Tesla CEO Elon Musk is pictured as he attends the start of the production at Tesla's "Gigafactory" on March 22, 2022 in Gruenheide, southeast of Berlin. - US electric car pioneer Tesla received the go-ahead for its "gigafactory" in Germany on March 4, 2022. Tesla EV Price Increase As per a news story by Electrek, Tesla also had a couple of price increases in 2021, no thanks to the raging supply shortage mess. But in 2022, the giant automaker had a bit of a slowdown with its price increase. Instead of doing it on a monthly basis like in 2021, the massive price changes skipped a few months this year. (Photo : SUZANNE CORDEIRO/AFP via Getty Images) CEO of Tesla Motors Elon Musk speaks at the Tesla Giga Texas manufacturing "Cyber Rodeo" grand opening party on April 7, 2022 in Austin, Texas. Electrek was more specific about it. The news outlet says that the last significant price increase that the EV maker had was still in March 2022. While Tesla also updated some of the prices of its long-range vehicles, it was merely a minor change. And in May, the prices of its EV lineup in the US remained untouched. Read Also: NHTSA Says Tesla Autopilot Has the Most Crashes! New ADS Data Explains Why Tesla's New Prices in June But as we hit the mid-year mark this June, Tesla is introducing new pricing for its EVs, giving it a staggering increase this time around. According to a recent report by Tesla North, the prices of Tesla vehicles have been updated to a more expensive tag starting June 15. The Tesla Model Y is part of the massive price changes. The Performance model of the all-electric mid-size SUV gets a $2,000 increase. The EV maker now retails the top-of-the-line Model Y for $69,990, up from its previous cost of $67,990.On the other hand, its Long Range variant now costs $65,990 due to its $3,000 markup. (Photo : Brendon Thorne/Getty Images) A Tesla Model Y charges at a EV charge station in Lane Cove on January 19, 2021 in Sydney, Australia. The price of the Model 3 sedan also inflated, but Tesla spares its Performance model from the increase. The Long Range version now sells for $57,990. It used to cost only $55,990, but it is now up by $2,000. On top of that, the Model S Long Range received a whopping $5,000 price increase. So, it now carries a price tag of $104,990, up from $99,990. The Model X Long Range got the highest price increase to the tune of $6,000. On the flip side, its Plaid option did not update its pricing. Related Article: Tesla's Worth Depends on Self-Driving, Says Elon Musk; Here's What Will Happen If FSD is Not Perfected This article is owned by Tech Times Written by Teejay Boris 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Japan's anti-cyberbullying effort has been enhanced, increasing its online insult fine by up to $2,200. Of course, many individuals will feel like this is too much for online trash talks. (Photo : Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images) A computer game enthusiast plays a computer game during a computer gaming summit May 3, 2003 in Osnabrueck, Germany. About 900 computer gamers from across Germany came to play games such as "Counter Strike," "Black Hawk Down," "WarCraft" and "Medal of Honour" in teams across a LAN network for two days. Many gamers are part of clans, groups of 10-30 people. But, Japan is a country known for taking cyberbullying seriously. In 2020, Japan made the headlines after increasing its punishment for online harassment and other similar actions to protect its netizens. As of writing, the Asian country's punishments for cyberbullying can put a person up to 30 days in prison. They will also be required to pay $75 to settle their case. Japan Increase Cyberbullying Fine To $2,200! According to PC Mag's latest report, Japan's existing online insult penalties are expected to change with the new legislation. (Photo : Photo by FADEL SENNA/AFP via Getty Images) Loubna, a 27-year-old Moroccan victim of cyberbullying, uses her phone in the coastal city of Casablanca on March 9, 2020. - In Morocco, more than one in two women (54%) say they have been victims of some form of violence and in 13.4% of cases of violence linked to new technologies, according to official statistics published by Mobilising for Rights Associates in May 2019. Also Read: Is Internet Explorer Not Completely Dead? Here's Why Other Microsoft Users Can Still Use This Browser Specifically, the new law will increase the fine up to $2,200 and expand the imprisonment to one year, as reported by NBC News. Japan's Ministry of Justice explained that cyberbullying is degrading people's social standing without any specific facts. For the Asian country, this is a serious offense. The severity of online harassment was seen in March 2020 after the well-known professional Japanese wrestler, Hana Kinura, decided to take her own life. She shared the hate comments she received from the public, as well as images showing her self-harming activities caused by cyberbullying. Japan's Anti-Cyberbullying Effort is Flawed? Japan's efforts to prevent cyberbullying may look efficient. However, experts stated that the penalties could also negatively affect the country's residents. Seiho Cho, a Japan-based criminal lawyer, explained that online insults don't really have a specific definition. This means that other people can consider any statement you make as an insult. This can put anyone in prison because other individuals don't like their remarks. On the other hand, Cho also stated that the actions of Japan against online harassment could affect the freedom of speech on various social media platforms. Meanwhile, Elon Musk's harmful Twitter behavior was criticized by SpaceX employees. Recently, the EU's disinformation code has been enhanced to address Ukraine-Russia fake news. For more news updates about cyberbullying and other related online topics, keep your tabs open here at TechTimes. Related Article: Firearms Sale on Facebook, Instagram Still Active Despite Meta's Ban; Are Tech Firm's Efforts Not Enough? This article is owned by TechTimes Written by: Griffin Davis 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. (Photo : Unsplash/ELLA DON) Discord Discord has struggled with the inappropriate behavior of its users for years. The platform received 235,000 reports in 2020 alone, with 65% spam and 13% harassment issues. Now, the instant messaging social media platform has come up with a solution: the AutoMod tool. Discord Launches AutoMod On June 16, Discord rolled out a tool called AutoMod to its admins and moderators so they can detect and block any harmful messages before they are posted on the platform. According to The Verge, the tool can be found under the Server Settings menu. Once accessed, admins and moderators can create a list of words and phrases they want the system to look for and block. They can add up to three custom filter lists depending on the community they're moderating. There will also be repercussions for those who use the banned words or phrases. Admins and moderators will have the option to get notified if someone writes something offensive. Also Read; Discord Rolls Out New Policy That Tackles Health Misinformation How Discord Handles Harassment Discord has been in hot water ever since it was discovered that the platform had played a role in the Buffalo shooting incident wherein the suspect used the server as a personal diary. Despite typing in disturbing keywords, the platform was not able to detect nor access the suspect's server, according to TechCrunch. Now, the platform is looking for ways to prevent the same thing from happening again. In an interview with Kotaku, Discord explained how it handles the threatening behavior of its users, the harassment on the site, and other issues like doxxing and bullying. Discord would release a Transparency Report that shows the online behavior of its users. Since it currently has 250 million users, it takes time before the report gets submitted. Once the statistics are out, the company's trust and safety team will investigate the report, look for evidence and gather as much information as possible about the case. Initially, the team focuses on reported messages, but they sometimes expand to servers, depending on the severity of the report. If there is any proven violation of the platform's rules and guidelines, the team takes action. They either remove the message in question or shut down the server entirely. Other Features and Premium Membership Aside from AutoMod, Discord also launched two additional features for admins and moderators. The first feature is a hub with articles written by the community builders. Discord describes the hub as a place where admins and moderators can learn how to properly engage, build and grow their servers by reading the articles posted there, according to Gizmodo. The other feature is a dedicated admin community server where moderators and admins can chat and learn from one another. The platform also plans to run educational events through the space. Also, Discord announced it is expanding its premium membership which was launched in 2021. It will allow the community creators and owners to put their servers behind a paid subscription. Since more influencers are using the platform to talk to their fans, and cryptocurrency enthusiasts are using the community to connect to fellow crypto investors, Discord has decided to help the creators monetize their respective servers. Related Article: Discord Acquires Company Known for Anti-Harassment Artificial Intelligence Software This article is owned by Tech Times Written by Sophie Webster 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. China's Chang'e 5 lunar, the fifth lunar exploration of the Asian country, made a huge discovery on the moon after it successfully received its lunar rock samples. (Photo : Photo by -/China National Space Administrat/AFP via Getty Images) This picture taken on December 2, 2020 and released on December 3, 2020 by the China National Space Administration (CNSA) via CNS shows the Chang'e-5 lunar probe gathering samples on the moon. These rocks were then studied by researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences. They discovered that the lunar samples actually contain native water, which is a big deal since water is essential for humans if they want to stay on Earth's natural satellite. Their new study titled "Evidence of water on the lunar surface from Chang'E-5 in-situ spectra and returned samples" was then published in the Nature Communications journal. China Chang'e 5 New Moon Water Discovery According to Space.Com's latest report, Chang'e 5 was launched in 2020, allowing China to study the moon's surface further. (Photo : Photo credit should read LAURENT EMMANUEL/AFP via Getty Images) A photo taken on May 13, 2019 shows a view of the moon in Cannes, southern France. Also Read: China's Space-Based Solar Power System Test is a Success! Comparable To NASA's SPS-ALPHA? Now, involved researchers revealed that the lunar lander's spectral scan shows that the natural satellite has its water. "For the first time in the world, the results of laboratory analysis of lunar return samples and spectral data from in-situ lunar surface surveys were used jointly to examine the presence, form, and amount of 'water' in lunar samples," said Li Chunlai, a planetary expert at NAOC (National Astronomical Observatories of the Chinese Academy of Sciences). However, China clarified that their latest discovery doesn't prove that the moon has vast reservoirs. Instead, their new space study revealed that the lunar surface contains around 30 hydroxyl parts per million. Involved researchers also explained that the water source they identified is mainly indigenous to the moon apatite, a crystalline mineral, is the one containing H2O. How Can Chang'e 5 Moon Water Discovery Help Astronauts If humans want a permanent presence on the Earth's natural satellite, they need water and oxygen to survive on the moon's surface. Experts said that China's new lunar discovery could be used to create technologies that can efficiently extract the water molecules from the lunar rocks. If such space innovations really become a reality, astronauts and other space experts can have an unlimited supply of oxygen as well. Meanwhile, China's exoplanet-hunting space mission suggestion was recently announced. On the other hand, China's Shenzhou 14 mission sent three astronauts to the Tiangong Space Station. For more news updates about China and its upcoming space activities, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes. Related Article: China's Sky Eye Telescope Could Have Potentially Detected Suspicious Signals This article is owned by TechTimes Written by: Griffin Davis 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Elon Musk finally met Twitter's employees after he successfully conducted the virtual town hall meeting on Thursday, June 16. (Photo : Scott Olson/Getty Images) Tweets by Elon Musk are shown on a computer April 25, 2022 in Chicago, Illinois. It was announced today that Twitter has accepted a $44 billion bid from Musk to acquire the company. This conference is a much-needed one since the social media platform's staff were wanting to clarify things with the billionaire since he wants to complete acquire Twitter. During the virtual meeting, Musk shared his plans with employees who are excellent at their work on the platform. Now, here are other things he shared during the virtual town hall conference. Elon Musk Says Excellent Twitter Staff Work From Home According to The Verge's latest report, Musk said that if a Twitter employee is doing his/her job excellently, then they can still work remotely. (Photo : Win McNamee/Getty Images) Elon Musk, founder and chief engineer of SpaceX speaks at the 2020 Satellite Conference and Exhibition March 9, 2020 in Washington, DC. Also Read: Elon Musk, Tesla, SpaceX Hit with $258B Suit for Allegedly Being Embroiled in Dogecoin Racketeering "If someone can only work remotely, and they're exceptional, it wouldn't make sense to fire them. Definitely not in favor of things that are mad," said the billionaire. Employees were recently asking Musk about his stance regarding WFH scenarios since he is laying off Tesla employees. Previously, the tech CEO sent an email to his Tesla executive staff, saying that remote work is no longer acceptable. He added that Tesla workers need to spend a minimum of 40 hours a week in physical Tesla offices. Because of this, Twitter staff became worried since they believe that Elon can also do it with the social media company. But, Musk has already clarified this issue. If you are an excellent Twitter employee, then you can still work from home without being laid off. Musk Wants Extreme Tweets To Be Allowed Aside from clarifying the WFH status of Twitter employees, Bloomberg reported that Musk also wants the social media platform to be more open when it comes to the actual tweets. He said that "outrageous" statements on the platform should be allowed. The billionaire further explained that Twitter must provide more space for users so that they can say whatever they want. But, he clarified that these posts should still not violate the law. If you want to see further details about the insights of Musk when it comes to tweets, you can visit this link. Previously, SpaceX employees criticized Elon Musk's harmful behavior on Twitter. Meanwhile, Elon Musk claims that Twitter's daily feed can actually fit on a common USB stick. For more news updates about Elon Musk and his Twitter acquisition, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes. Related Article: Elon Musk To Meet Twitter Employees in Virtual Town Hall Meeting; Schedule, Discussions, and Other Details This article is owned by TechTimes Written by: Griffin Davis 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Elon Musk got leaked with his recent statement with #TwitterAllHands, where the tech CEO addressed employees regarding the company's future and what he wants to happen in the coming times. The Tesla executive said privately that he wants to have "free speech" on the platform, presenting multiple opinions online. Elon Musk: Project Veritas Leaks #TwitterAllHands (Photo : Britta Pedersen-Pool/Getty Images) BERLIN, GERMANY DECEMBER 01: SpaceX owner and Tesla CEO Elon Musk poses on the red carpet of the Axel Springer Award 2020 on December 01, 2020 in Berlin, Germany. A tweet by a user named Lydia Letterman contained the video from "Project Veritas" that has a copy of Musk's statement regarding free speech on Twitter, an idea that he aims to instill in the future. The video leak from Project Veritas captured the #TwitterAllHands event where Musk addresses the employees in a town hall meeting. There are many comments and opinions regarding what Musk said in the town hall meeting with existing Twitter employees, and it addressed a massive question, especially for its future. One Twitter user said they appreciate what Musk is doing, saying the same things in private, like what he preaches in public via his platform. Read Also: Elon Musk said that Twitter's Daily Raw Feed is Only 50GB, Fits in a 'USB Stick' Exactly Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 16, 2022 Musk Talks About Free Speech in Private Address The tech CEO affirmed what he said at the town hall meeting by replying to the leaked video using his official Twitter account. Here, he shows that what he said there is what he wants the public to know. Musk did not mind that a part of his interview via the town hall meeting got leaked by an online entity despite the meeting being exclusive to Twitter employees. Elon Musk and Twitter's Free Speech Coming Free speech is the focus of the upcoming Twitter platform that would be better than before, especially as it is still a public company available in the market for investors and board members. The new direction will focus on upholding rules and regulations in the platform but would still focus on freedom of speech, and its censorship will only base itself on the law. The social media platform's new age is coming, with Elon Musk taking the company private after almost a decade since its public outing and listing in the market. Making it personal would ensure that its owner has complete control of the platform, which Musk aims to turn into a freely-usable social media for all that focus on voicing out all sides on the internet. Different people have multiple opinions on a specific subject, and Musk plans to allow it online to generate talks and discourses regarding it. Now that Musk has addressed the Twitter employees via a town hall-like meeting, the CEO said in private that the company should be a free speech platform that will allow all sides to bring their takes on a subject. It would not lean on one side alone, or protect and condemn a particular aspect or community on Twitter, being the modern free speech platform for all. Related Article: Elon Musk To Meet Twitter Employees in Virtual Town Hall Meeting; Schedule, Discussions, and Other Details This article is owned by TechTimes Written by Isaiah Richard 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Apple Pay and Google Pay are among the top choices of users when it comes to digital/mobile payment systems. Both of these services offer features that can definitely benefit consumers. But, what is the best one for you? To help you further, here's a detailed comparison of Apple Pay and Google Pay. Apple Pay Vs. Google Pay According to CNET's report, Apple Pay and Google Pay are both exclusive to their companies' own mobile software models. This means that if you want to use Apple Pay, then your device should be an iPhone. On the other hand, Google Pay is exclusive to Android devices. If you want to see further details, you can check their actual comparison below: Google Pay (Photo : LEON NEAL/AFP via Getty Images) The logo for US technology company and search engine Google is displayed on screens in London on February 11, 2016. Also Read: Apple Pay Mother's Day Promo: Get HUGE Discounts, Allowances on Flowers, Gift, and MORE Google Pay is available in around 29 countries. Google Pay is only compatible with Android devices with NFC and HCE support running KitKat 4.4 and other newer Android system versions. Can be used for gift cards, loyalty cards, as well as debit and credit cards. Google Pay is compatible with PayPal. Apple Pay (Photo : Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) The Apple Pay logo is displayed in a mobile kiosk sponsored by Visa and Wells Fargo to demonstrate the new Apple Pay mobile payment system on October 20, 2014 in San Francisco City. Apple Pay is already available in 41 countries. Apple Pay is compatible with iPhone SE and other newer models. You can also use it on MacBook Pro, iPad 5th gen, as well as Apple Watch. You can use Apple Pay for loyalty cards, as well as debit and credit cards. Apple Pay is not yet compatible with PayPal. Which One is Better? Based on the details above, it seems like Apple Pay and Google Pay are both identical. However, Investopedia reported that Google Pay offers more features than its competitor. For example, this mobile payment service is compatible with PayPal while Apple Pay is not. On the other hand, Google works with more bank cards compared to Apple Pay. However, it still stores your personal data on its servers. Meanwhile, Apple Pay promises that your sensitive information is not tracked on their servers. Instead, they prefer working with your banks to know if you are really the one accessing your Apple Pay account. Previously, Google Pay cards plans to store crypto by partnering with BitPay and Coinbase. In April, the Apple Pay shutdown disappointed a Russian law firm, leading to a lawsuit against the iPhone maker. For more news updates about Apple Pay, Google Pay, and other mobile payment services, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes. Related Article: How to Use Apple Pay Digital Wallet For Contactless Payment [2022] This article is owned by TechTimes Written by: Griffin Davis 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. According to The New York Times, SpaceX has fired employees who took part in authoring and disseminating an open letter denouncing Elon Musk. The letter, which was first disclosed Thursday, June 16, labeled Musk's social media conduct "a frequent source of distraction and embarrassment" and begged SpaceX to censure him. SpaceX dismissed some of the letter's organizers, according to three anonymous employees and an email from SpaceX president and COO Gwynne Shotwell, which the NYT viewed. However, the sources did not reveal the number of employees who were fired. Read also: SpaceX Render of Starship, Super Heavy Rocket 'Launch, Land, Repeat' is the Same as the Actual, Says Elon Musk "Overreaching Activism" Shotwell wrote in the email that the space company has the employees involved in the letter, claiming that it "made employees feel uncomfortable, intimidated and bullied, and/or angry." She noted that the letter forced other workers to sign onto something that is against their values. Engadget reported that Shotwell stated in the email that SpaceX has a lot of "critical work" to accomplish and that there is no room for "overreaching activism." SpaceX Employees' Open Letter The employees' open letter alluded to recent allegations of sexual misbehavior against Musk, which apparently resulted in a $250,000 settlement. Musk denied the allegations and struck a joke on Twitter about some of the details. Shotwell supported Musk, stating she that the allegations were incorrect. Distractions caused by Musk's Twitter use were also discussed in the letter. Musk was recently investigated for alleged insider trading by the Securities and Exchange Commission in February, and a court recently decided that Tesla's lawyers must continue to approve his tweets. The billionaire has already filed an appeal against the court verdict this week. He also told SpaceX staff before the letter that they are required to work at least 40 hours a week or run the risk of being fired. Shotwell also stated in her email that sending unsolicited emails to thousands of employees across the company, urging them to sign letters, and participating in unauthorized surveys during working hours is not permissible. She urged the employees to remain focused and spend their time wisely on SpaceX's goal of traveling to Mars. OSHA's whistleblower provisions shield employees from retribution, but they only apply to matters like "safety, fraud, environmental issues, and health insurance." The letter, which was posted on Wednesday, June 15, in an internal SpaceX Microsoft Teams channel with over 2,600 employees, claims that SpaceX is not following its well-publicized zero-tolerance sexual harassment policy and "No Asshole" policy. Related Article: Elon Musk, Tesla, SpaceX Hit with $258B Suit for Allegedly Being Embroiled in Dogecoin Racketeering This article is owned by Tech Times Written by Joaquin Victor Tacla 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The controversial WikiLeaks founder, Julian Assange, is now expected to face a U.S. extradition after the U.K. government said it is reasonable. (Photo : Photo Illustration by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) The homepage of the WikiLeaks.org website is seen on a computer after leaked classified military documents were posted to it July 26, 2010 in Miami, Florida. WikiLeaks, an organization based in Sweden which publishes anonymous submissions of sensitive documents from governments and other organizations. Of course, WikiLeaks, an international non-profit organization that publishes classified media and news leaks, was unhappy with the decision. "A dark day for Press freedom and for British democracyThe decision will be appealed," said the publishing agency via its official Twitter post. BREAKING: UK Home Secretary approves extradition of WikiLeaks publisher Julian Assange to the US where he would face a 175 year sentence - A dark day for Press freedom and for British democracy The decision will be appealedhttps://t.co/m1bX8STSr8 pic.twitter.com/5nWlxnWqO7 WikiLeaks (@wikileaks) June 17, 2022 WikiLeaks Founder Julian Assange US Extradition To Happen! According to Mashable's latest report, Priti Patel, the home secretary of the U.K., was the one who approved the decision on Friday, June 17. (Photo : Photo by Carl Court/Getty Images) Wikileaks founder Julian Assange squints in the sunlight as he prepares to speak from the balcony of the Ecuadorian embassy where he continues to seek asylum following an extradition request from Sweden in 2012, on February 5, 2016 in London, England. The United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention has insisted that Mr Assange's detention should be brought to an end. Also Read: US Soldier Chelsea Manning Released After Serving 7 Out Of 35 Years In Prison For Feeding Info To WikiLeaks The U.K. Home Office said that the U.S. extradition against Assange is not oppressive, abusive, or unjust. Officials added that handing the WikiLeaks founder to the United States is not against his human rights. However, the U.S. government still needs to treat him properly. This means that the United States must ensure that his health will not be affected by the extradition. The issue of Assange started after WikiLeaks published some classified government files back in 2010 and 2011. Because of this, the publication agency faced espionage charges in the United States. Now, Assange only has 14 days to appeal the U.K. government's decision. What WikiLeaks is Doing To Address the Issue To respond to Priti's U.S. extradition approval, WikiLeaks said that it would appeal her decision. Stella Moris, the wife of Julian Assange, defended him against the accusation. She said that her husband did nothing wrong and had committed no crime at all. The woman explained that Assange is a publisher and journalist who is being punished for doing his job. If you want to see further details about the issue of Julian Assange, you can visit this link. In 2017, WikiLeaks exposed CIA tools, claiming that the Central Intelligence Agency was targeting iPhones and MacBooks. Previously, WikiLeaks accused the CIA of hacking cars, which can kill people. For more news updates about WikiLeaks and other controversial publishing platforms, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes. Related Article: WikiLeaks Exposes CIA Spying Tools: Smartphones, Computers, Even Internet-Connected TVs Compromised This article is owned by TechTimes Written by: Griffin Davis 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. (Photo : Unsplash/ Kevin Bhagat) iphone On Thursday, June 16, a consumer rights advocate in the United Kingdom filed a claim accusing Apple of deliberately slowing down older iPhone models to force users to purchase a new ones. The iPhone maker is now facing a 750 million or $918 million lawsuit. Apple Faces Lawsuit in the UK According to Mashable, consumer rights campaigner Justin Gutmann said that Apple "throttled" the performance of older iPhone devices after the tech giant advised the users to download upgrades. Apple assured the consumers that downloading the upgrades would boost their iPhones' performance, but the exact opposite happened. Gutmann added that the upgrade slowed down the iPhones because it was created specifically for newer models. However, Apple did not inform its consumers that the battery of older iPhone models can't meet the demands of newer operating systems. Also Read: Confirmed: Apple Throttles iPhone Performance, But Not For The Reason You Think Now, 25 million iPhone users are complaining about their devices and how the tech giant misled them. Gutmann is suing the Competition Appeal Tribunal for $918 million on behalf of the consumers. The controversial upgrade was launched in 2017, the same year the French regulators fined Apple $26 million for not telling its consumers that the updates may cause older models to slow down. The owners of the following models are now seeking compensation: iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6S, iPhone 6S Plus, iPhone SE, iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X. According to Newsable, Gutmann believes that the tech giant did not warn its consumers on purpose about the effects of the upgrade. The tech giant also never offered a free replacement, repair service, or compensation to consumers who were affected by the upgraded software. Gutmann said that by not disclosing the effects of the software upgrades, the iPhones of affected consumers got delayed 58%, thus reducing their performance. Apple Responds Immediately after the lawsuit was filed, Apple released a statement denying the allegations. An Apple spokesperson said the company "would never do anything to purposefully reduce the life of any Apple device." But in 2017, Apple was forced to apologize to the French authorities for the same issue. At the time, the tech giant offered to replace batteries at a lower cost and allow its consumers to disable the power management feature manually so that the upgrade won't go through. The software upgrade issue that allegedly slowed down iPhones, also known as the "Batterygate," has followed Apple since 2017. According to NPR, the company was sued in other countries for the same issue for years. In 2020, Apple was ordered to pay $500 million to owners of older iPhones in the United States. The tech giant was hit with several fraud lawsuits in more than 30 states in the country, including California, Tennessee, Arizona, and Pennsylvania. The settlement called for the iPhone maker to pay its consumers $25 per iPhone, though some had already spent hundreds of dollars on new devices. Related Article: iPhone 'batterygate' Settlement: Apple Pays $113M for Slowing Down Devices with Battery Health-Arizona Gets $5M Alone! This article is owned by Tech Times Written by Sophie Webster 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. After a 100-minute phone call with the Minister of Public Administration and Security, the Commissioner General of the National Police Agency resigned the content of the conversation Purchases made via links on our site may earn us an affiliate commission Louisiana State Police Maj. Doug Cain, left, Michael Edmonson, Jr., and LSP Lt. J.B. Slaton listen to Louisiana State Police Supt. Col. Mike Edmonson, as he gives one of several media interviews Wednesday, March 15, 2017 at LSP headquarters. Col. Edmonson submitted a letter to Gov. John Bel Edwards on Wednesday, saying his final day will be March 24, but insisted that despite recent controversies, he has been considering retiring for as long as six to 10 months. Tatum Hehir first saw signs of Melbournes recovery in March when regulars started coming back to the popular little takeaway vegan jaffle shop she co-runs in a bustling city laneway. We stayed open during COVID. Weve seen all the highs and lows. It got very quiet in the city, Hehir said. [But] since March theres been a big change. Theres lots of activity in the city again, its vibrant and nice. Tatum Hehir outside the Union Kiosk in Howey Place. Credit:Justin McManus Recently Hehir, like many others, moved her business Union Kiosk to a slightly bigger space in Howey Place, taking advantage of falling rents. Its been really great. Were at 80 to 90 per cent of pre-COVID levels, she said. Were seeing tenants wanting to commit to longer-term leases after assessing their requirements during COVID and smaller offices are conducive to a smaller capital outlay at a time when not all staff are expected to be in the office at all times, he said. Suburban office Meanwhile, a suburban office project in Bundoora, left on the market after it was completed last year, has nearly sold out in eight weeks. Eight offices in Uni Hill have sold in the past two months for a total $8.2 million. Credit: Built by the Agosta familys BAMFA and Rossi Constructions, the 10-unit office in the Uni Hill precinct adjoins one of the childcare centres which comprises the groups core business. Eight offices have sold in the past two months for a total $8.2 million with average rates or more than $5000 a sq m. Stonebridge Property Groups Dylan Kilner and Max Warren, along with Jones Real Estates Sam Guest and Luke Peric, are handling the sales, under instruction from Advise Transacts Mark Wizel. Given the 20-30 per cent rise in construction costs, buyers say they are paying below replacement cost, Kilner said. The offices were originally pitched as an off-the-plan deal but the pandemic got in the way. Three of the units have been sold to investors, with the remainder to owner-occupiers. The Uni Hill office vacancy rates sits at 3 per cent and investors expect to lease them up quickly, Guest said. Local buyers, sick of public transport or driving in heavy traffic to office precincts further afield, are stoking the market. Its a bit of a parochial buyer market out this way, Kilner said. Uni Hill, originally developed by MAB Corporation, is north of the Ring Road, opposite RMIT University and includes a shopping centre and a residential precinct. Medical suites Its the end of an era for a Lennox Street property in Richmond built for Epworth Healthcare in the mid-1990s. The four-storey building at 173 Lennox Street, opposite the Epworth Hospital, has a gross floor area of 2265 sq m with 20 consulting suites and a childcare centre on the top floor. The hospitals lease on the Epworth Medical Centre expires later this year as the Epworth has built a new high-rise specialist centre. It was developed and built in 1996 by the Shalit family. CBRE agents Sandro Peluso, Jimmy Tat, Patrick Saccardo and Josh Jennings are handling enquiries, with Wizel from Advise Transact managing the process. Peluso said the rent would depend on its continued usage as consulting rooms, or its potential to be a day hospital or a city fringe office. Day hospital returns range from $25,000-$30,000 a bed, whereas current fringe office rents in the area are between $500-$600 a sq m. The location, just off Bridge Road, is a little way from the Cremorne fringe market but could be attractive to investors or occupiers happy to pay for a refurbished rather than new office. Elsewhere in Richmond, Australia Post has committed to 480 Swan Street. Dentsu and Monash IVF are going to 510 Church Street and HUB Australia has fresh space at 459 Church Street. Toorak village The former bank building housing Toorak Villages Rokk Ebony Salon has come to market as the Toorak Road strip undergoes huge changes. The listing comes weeks after the neighbouring Mercedes dealership sold to residential developer Orchard Piper paid $67 million. The developer is planning a $400 million-plus mixed use precinct for the off-Toorak Road site. Last year, however, Orchard Piper also bought the 1000 sq m site down the road at 424-426 Toorak Road on the corner of Mathoura Road. When Viclands $600 million development at 489-505 Toorak Road is added, thats $1 billion worth of development in the blue-blood village. The former Commonwealth Bank on the corner of Carters Avenue at 442 Toorak Road was built in 1934 and last changed hands in 1999 for $3.5 million. CBRE agents David Minty, Nathan Mufale, Alex Brierley and JJ Heng are handling the expressions of interest campaign along with vendor advisor David Marks from Killen Thomas. Theyre expecting more than $9 million for the site. Rokk Ebony and other tenants pay $320,000 a year in rent for the 526 sq m building which is on a 540 sq m parcel of land. Ocean views The Great Ocean Road is hot now not the mid-winter temperatures of course, but the investment market. Its nearly 30 years since 106-112A Mountjoy Parade last changed hands. Credit: Fresh from last weeks sale of the Wye Beach Hotel and Justin Hemmes purchase last year of the Lorne Hotel, another piece of prime beachfront property is on the market. Its nearly 30 years since 106-112A Mountjoy Parade last changed hands. The Lorne Beach apartments have five shops on the ground floor and six two-bedroom apartments upstairs. The property is on a 1341 sq m site and returns $354,678 a year. JLL agents Josh Rutman, Nick MacFie and MinXuan Li are handling expressions of interest. The property is expected to fetch more than $6 million. While the Great Ocean Road has long been an international tourist attraction, its largely been run by locals and anchored by holiday-makers from Melbourne. The Australian Energy Market Operator, with the support of the states and federal energy minister, suspended the National Electricity Market in all five regions this week. While suspended, decisions on generation dispatch and prices will be determined by engineers at AEMO, rather than from the outcome of five-minute auctions. For consumers and policymakers, this is a huge relief: there can now be some confidence that the lights will stay on. AGL has brought forward the expected closure date for its coal power plants. Credit:Rob Homer In every other respect, this is a spectacular failure. Never before in its 24-year history has the market failed so much that it is has had to be suspended. Why has this happened? A definitive account will be years in the making. Immediate factors include: scarcity in coal and gas markets; the way competing generators have responded to that scarcity; the poor reliability of ageing coal generators; the impact of recent floods on coal production; the way the market arrives at prices; and possible responses by suppliers to extract rents at the publics expense. The perfect winter Friday night looks like this for me right now: an original beef burger and prosecco piccolo at the Piping Hot Chicken Shop in Ocean Grove, then a dash home to put on the uggies and the Doggies. I dont barrack for the Western Bulldogs (theyre my second team probably yours too) but seeing them play is a grand kick-off to any weekend. Mostly because of Bailey Smith. Yes, I could write a haiku about his supernatural eyes, but its really about the way he plays. Fast, powerful, brutal, entertaining. Bailey Smith: Fast, powerful, brutal, entertaining. Credit:Getty Images I love Bailey in the way suburban matrons love bright tops made from thin material and everyone loves a golden retriever puppy. You dont question it. Its just there. This week, Im also loving the way his club, supporters and the media have gotten around the 21-year-old since he admitted a descent into an illicit substance after last years grand final. Julian Assange likely to appeal after UK government approves extradition to US Were sorry, this feature is currently unavailable. Were working to restore it. Please try again later. Dismiss Aaron Stephens is bad news for the rascally rabbits of Phillip Island. The Bass Coast Landcare invasive species project officer is using digital maps for the first time to locate warrens across the landscape, targeting the sites where the prolific breeders live. A rabbit scampering into a golf course at Phillip Island. Credit:Eddie Jim Having mapped more than 760 hectares, Stephens and his team will then cover up the rabbit holes and pump in phosphine gas to euthanise the introduced creatures. Stephens said the three-year project is all about minimising the damage that European rabbits do to the environment and even to residents homes. Several Coalition MPs have declared they do not support the Victorian governments plan for a treaty authority to negotiate an agreement with the states Indigenous peoples, highlighting internal divisions in the opposition over the path to reconciliation. Four opposition MPs told The Age on Friday that they had concerns about the proposal, despite senior opposition sources, speaking to The Age on the condition of anonymity, saying they expected shadow cabinet would reach a compromise and ultimately support the bill. Marcus Stewart and Geraldine Atkinson, co-chairs of the First Peoples Assembly. Credit:Jason South The divisions emerged as Nationals leader Peter Walsh, the opposition spokesperson for Indigenous affairs, was preparing to present his recommendation to the Coalition late on Friday, ahead of a meeting of the shadow cabinet on Monday. Debate on the proposal to set up the Treaty Authority, which would mediate disputes between the government and Aboriginal Victorians during the treaty process, is scheduled to begin in parliament on Wednesday. The vibrant paintings on the ceilings of the 163-year-old building in central Victoria belie its history as a humble pasta factory. The artworks are among the features partners Jennie Wilmoth and Jenni Draper The Jens fell in love with when they first inspected the rustic, heritage-listed Italianate building in Hepburn Springs, near Daylesford, about a 90-minute drive north-west of Melbourne. The property was built by Italian political refugee brothers Pietro and Giacomo Lucini in 1859 to house their fledgling pasta-making business. The two-storey building, which became known as the Macaroni Factory, was where the brothers made their fortune in pasta. They later profited from mining. Gazing at history: the new owners of the Old Macaroni Factory Jenni Draper, left, and Jennie Wilmoth in the former drying room, now the lounge, with ceiling art by Giacomo Lucini. Credit:Jason South The Old Macaroni Factory has now passed out of the Lucini descendants hands for the first time. Dreams of a revitalised and booming eastern edge of Perth appear dashed after developer Lendlease announced it was exiting the Waterbank project on the site overlooked by the Causeway Bridge. Lendlease was first announced by the Barnett government as the successful contractor for the Waterbank project in 2011 to build hotels, apartments and office buildings on the site. The original vision for Waterbank included hotels, offices and apartments. However, it has remained a sandpit for years as the company attempted to prepare the geotechnically tricky site for development. On Friday Lendlease confirmed it was exiting the $1 billion project, leaving state-owned development agency DevelopmentWA to decide on its future. A 27-year-old man has faced court over his alleged involvement in a home burglary during which a woman was severely bashed in her Atwell home, leaving her hospitalised with serious injuries. Heath Thomas Wynne, from East Victoria Park, was allegedly among a group of men who broke into the womans home on Halcyon Way at 9am on Tuesday morning before she was attacked. WA Police Detective First Class Constable Alastair McDonald said the assault was incredibly severe. Credit:Nine News Perth The victim, aged in her 30s, was home alone after her husband had left for work. Police said the group of men, allegedly including Wynne, entered through a locked door to commit a burglary. One of the men, not alleged to be Wynne, then began punching the woman. Wynne has not been charged with assault. Nick Clark and husband Brett Hadlow love a good glass of wine and entertaining so much that they toyed with the idea of opening a wine bar near where they used to live in Sydneys inner west. But after some research, they decided on growing and making their own wine instead. Late last year, they bought a home and 15.7 hectares in Glen Aplin in Queenslands fertile granite belt which was once a tomato farm. Nick Clark, right, and husband Brett Hadlow stand in the field they are planning to plant vines in. For what we wanted, we found it would be easier to build a winery ourselves rather than start a wine bar, Clark said. The overall budget for this is more than the wine bar, but I feel the risk is less. We have the luxury of doing it in our own time, and were not burning our own money by paying rent for a bar. St Petersburg: President Vladimir Putin has declared that Russias economy will overcome reckless and insane sanctions, while condemning the US for acting like Gods own messengers on planet Earth, at the countrys showpiece investment conference. On Friday (Russia time), Putin began his address to the St Petersburg International Economic Forum with a lengthy denunciation of countries that he contends want to weaken Russia, including the US. Russian President Vladimir Putin gestures as he addresses a plenary session of the St Petersburg International Economic Forum. Credit:AP He said the US declared victory in the Cold War and later came to think of themselves as Gods own messengers on planet Earth. Russia came under a wide array of sanctions after sending troops into Ukraine in February. Hundreds of foreign companies also suspended operations in Russia or pulled out of the country entirely. London: Men at Royal Ascot have been allowed to remove their ties for the first time in the events history, after the dress code was relaxed ahead of this years hottest day. The organisers have announced that the dress code, as much a fixture of the prestigious meeting as its runners and riders, would be relaxed for only the second time in its history. The move comes as weather forecasters predicted 31 degrees for the fifth and final day of the royal meeting in Berkshire. In addition, spectators in all enclosures will be allowed to bring in water and soft drinks for the first time to allow everyone to remain safe and comfortable. Traditional Royal Ascot racewear for gentlemen includes tie, wasitcoast and top hat. Credit:AP Male attendees usually required to wear morning suits, including top hats, waistcoats and ties. Ladies are expected to wear hats or headpieces and dresses and skirts of modest length. However, as temperatures are expected to be in the high twenties and low thirties for most of this afternoon, organisers said men would be able to remove their jackets and ties throughout the day. However, they still need to be wearing the appropriate dress code to enter the racecourse and will need to remain in full formal attire until the royal procession has taken place at 2pm. One of the just-pre-pandemic off-Broadway hits was Mark Saltzman's Romeo & Bernadette: A Musical Tale of Verona and Brooklyn, a Brooklynese, comedic retelling of the Shakespearean tragedy using classic Italian melodies. It's a personal piece for Saltzman, a seven-time Emmy-winning Sesame Street writer who, for that show, created indelible characters like Placido Flamingo, penned lyrics for tunes like "I've Got a New Way to Walk," and, reportedly, used his relationship with late partner Arnold Glassman as the inspiration for his Bert and Ernie scenes. Glassman had just passed away when Romeo and Bernadette first took the stage in 2003, and returning to it two decades later has been raw but satisfying. Here, he tells us about the new off-Broadway production, running at Theatre 555 through June 26, and gives us an origin story on one of his other classic projects, the 1990s TV movie Mrs. Santa Claus, starring Angela Lansbury and featuring a Jerry Herman score. Mark Saltzman ( Tricia Baron) How did you come to say "I want to write a Godfather-style Romeo and Juliet?" Pretend to be at the end of the last century. I've always loved the Godfather movies. I'm addicted to The Offer right now. So I was thinking of a Romeo and Juliet with mafia families. There were Five Families, what if two of those families [were the Montagues and Capulets]? This is a full-on comedy. People shouldn't go in expecting the original ending, should they? One of the things often said about Romeo and Juliet is that it's an early tragedy that starts as a comedy. The set up is a comedy: Boy and Girl meet and their families don't want them to marry. Mercutio is a comic figure, constantly making dirty jokes. It's when Mercutio dies that it takes the path to tragedy. But what if Mercutio didn't die? What if he was just scratched? Then it becomes a comedy, because they get married in the end. That was really it just uniting those two things: Shakespeare comedy and The Godfather. So it was at Paper Mill in 2003. I say that coming from New Jersey to New York even at rush hour doesn't take this long. It went to sleep for a while. I met Justin Ross here in L.A., and he looked over my work and said "Well, I'm from Brooklyn," so I think I would ike R&B. I was happy to go back to it, butdo you know about thee whole thing with my late partner, Arnold Glassman? No. He was my Brooklyn guy. When I first wrote this, it was for him. And he died of cancer just before the Paper Mill opening night. We had played the Coconut Grove in Miami, so he did get to see it. One of the oddest days of my life was his funeral and the opening at Paper Mill being the same day. There I was, trying to write letters to the cast and a eulogy, and wondering if it was ethical to use the same jokes in both. After that, I folded it up and put it in the drawer, because it was hard. And then Justin Ross [the current director] came along and wanted to give it a try. It had some raw memories, but we took it to the Wyoming Theatre Festival and we gave it a shot. Then we did a workshop in New York with Eric Krebs producing, and then the plague struck. Nikita Burshteyn and Anna Kostakis in Romeo & Bernadette. ( Russ Rowland) Why did you choose to use classical Italian melodies instead of writing a new score? I love this music so much, and, you know, if I wrote the music, or really any composer, it would just be a knockoff. Most of these songs are easy to get the rights to, or are in the public domain. Also, in the early 60s, when this is set, there was this minor trend in pop music, these Italian songs with new lyrics became American pop hits. Elvis sang "It's Now or Never," which was really "O Sole Mio." I thought it would be great to listen to this music all day long in rehearsal, and it was great to listen to Enrico Caruso sing all these songs. It was from the love of this music in its original form, and the idea of sharing it. I want to ask you a question about Mrs. Santa Claus, which is a movie I was raised on, and didn't know you wrote it until I started working on this piece. I've always wondered how that project came to be, and whether it was you or Jerry Herman or Angela Lansbury that instigated it. Jerry initiated it by letting it be known that he wanted to write a TV musical in the order of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella. But Angela also had an incredible situation at CBS at the time, including deals for TV movies. She wasn't involved from the first, though. I was basically set up on a date with Jerry at a deli. Where else do these Christmas specials happen for Jews? Exactly. These Christmas specials happen over corned beef. Knowing his association with Angela, I said I'd love to do Mrs. Santa Claus with Angela Lansbury and he loved it instantly and got her on the phone the following day. One thing was, we wanted it to be current, which means it's set in the past. If you think of Jerry's stuff, a lot of it is set in the past, but he hadn't done the Edwardian era. To my amazement, what I wanted to do about women's suffrage and unionism, the network liked! I didn't think I'd get away with it because it was too progressive. But one of the things that was hammered into us at Sesame Street was that you always have to teach something. There always has to be an educational goal. So maybe when you first watched it, you didn't know about women's suffrage, but it was a good way to find out. It always surprised me that it was never well not never, because I don't know as fact that it never became a stage show?. I can't reveal too much, but let me say that you may yet see that. It's been a slow, slow process. There's a lot of corporate entities. It's much easier to just sit down and write a show. But I've been encouraging it and saying "Yes," because why is it always A Christmas Carol? The ballet is entrancing full of bends, twirls, and surprise jumps choreographed with precision and executed to perfection. I'm not talking about the dancing abilities of Mikhail Baryshnikov, but his robot co-stars in The Orchard, the new adaptation of Anton Chekhov's The Cherry Orchard (translated by Carol Rocamora), now appearing live at Baryshnikov Arts Center and streaming to an audience worldwide. There are two robots: A KUKA arm occupies center stage, playing several parts while also providing closeup shots for the at-home audience. A Unitree Go1 prances around the stage as the family dog (robotics design by Tom Sepe). It's certainly the most impressive display of robotics I've ever witnessed onstage and I would have never dreamed I would be seeing this kind of machinery in a 118-year-old Chekhov play. But time spins mercilessly forward, as the play shows us. Baryshnikov performs double-duty as the elderly servant Firs and Chekov himself but you wouldn't know the latter unless you bought a ticket to the interactive online portion. Conceived and directed by Igor Golyak for Arlekin Players Theatre's (zero-G) Lab, The Orchard seems to be the next step in that company's mission to pioneer virtual theater (a form that blends elements of cinema, videogames, and good old-fashioned live performance) following last year's ChekhovOS. This complicated hybrid stage-streaming show is produced in association with the Cherry Orchard Festival Foundation, Groundswell Theatricals, Inc., and ShowOne Productions. Robots, projections, live video, an online auction, and a live chat: It's impressive to see how many plates Golyak and company keep spinning, even if it isn't always clear why they're spinning in the first place. Nael Nacer, Jessica Hecht, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Darya Denisova, and Mark Nelson appear in The Orchard at Baryshnikov Arts Center. ( Maria Baranova) At the center of this hurricane of experimentation is a well-known story about a family of Russian aristocrats led by Lyubov Ranevskaya (Jessica Hecht) and her brother, Leonid Gaev (Mark Nelson). Deep in debt, their ancestral cherry orchard is about to be auctioned off. Yermolai Lopakhin (Nael Nacer), a middle-class descendant of the very serfs who once worked the orchard, has a plan to save the estate: Parcel it up into dachas. But none of them will consider it seriously, with Ranevskaya hoping an older business plan will save the family: marriage. Her daughters, Varya (Elise Kibler) and Anya (Juliet Brett), both have their prospects, or so they think. But how much can they really control the shifting sands beneath their feet? I wondered if the choices presented in the interactive version of The Orchard were just an illusion as well. Designed by Alexander Huh, it invites online viewers to rush up the stairs and poke behind the doors of the Baryshnikov Arts Center, like Lara Croft if she raided off-Broadway theaters instead of tombs. My time in this Chekhovian videogame wasn't long enough to explore behind every door, and once I had chosen one, the others became off-limits (a somewhat apt metaphor for life). Within 10 minutes, I was virtually ushered into the theater to watch the same show the in-person audience sees, but with closer camera angles (excellent photography direction by Leanna Keyes). Occasionally, we are given the choice between two cameras, and it was fun to toggle between them during key scenes, especially when we are given access to the robot cam. If the high-tech form of The Orchard doesn't necessarily spring from the content, it at least gives us new ways to look at an old tale. Juliet Brett plays Anya, and John McGinty plays Trofimov in The Orchard at Baryshnikov Arts Center. ( Pavel Antonov) Golyak has made other choices to transport The Cherry Orchard out of its expected setting: The show is performed on what appears to be a park outside of Chernobyl which is experiencing a toxic winter (scenic design by Anna Fedorova, lights by Yuki Nakase Link). Oana Botez costumes the actors in pleated fabric, creating silhouettes that suggest the turn of the last century as well as that of the next. Alex Basco Koch projects live and recorded video onto the scrim separating the stage from the audience, creating a membrane of memory that echoes through Tei Blow's sound design. Bluntly, Golyak (a native of Ukraine) has transformed the stranger of Act 2 into a soldier (unnervingly aggressive performance by Ilia Volok). Drunk as a skunk and slurring in Russian, he attempts to get the group to join in a song as they huddle, terrified, around the robot arm (the home audience can watch this moment from the soldier's helmet cam). It's a clear response to the imperialist notion of "Russkiy Mir": Fuck off. Mikhail Baryshnikov plays Firs in The Orchard at Baryshnikov Arts Center. ( Maria Baranova) Golyak's vision is supported by strong performances. Deaf actor John McGinty plays the "eternal student" Trofimov, delivering a maddening depiction of a failure to communicate: As he signs to Anya about the estate's foundation in slavery, she assumes he can think only of love. Hecht makes a sentimental (and surprisingly calculating) Ranevskaya, using one of her off-stage breaks to answer questions about the property to online bidders, like a celebrity doing an Instagram Q&A. Nacer's Lopakhin is driven by a fascinating blend of affection and resentment, making his final victory feel both justified and pyrrhic. A tense scene between Nacer and McGinty seems to portend the major conflict to come now that the old aristocrats have been completely sidelined. And then there's poor Firs, left behind with the robots to gather dust like a first-generation BlackBerry in a kitchen drawer. With a performance that is both comic and relatable, Baryshnikov makes this moment unspeakably sad, even as it is inevitable. We're all slaves to the assumptions of our time, until time marches on without us. Even when their experiments don't always work, I'm glad this company is making such an effort to take the next step in live theater. Batavia, NY (14020) Today Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 51F. Winds W at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 51F. Winds W at 10 to 20 mph. It's pretty uncomfortable to see one of Hollywood's most gentle and beloved stars absolutely lose it - a bit like watching Santa Claus step someone out. Of course, we can't blame Tom at all for wanting to defend his wife, and unlike Will Smith, he had the good sense to take a deep breath and not let things get violent. "Quite frankly it's the coolest thing I've ever seen him do," one Twitter user wrote of the incident, which of course has blown up on social media. Kiwi comedian Urzila Carlson isn't sure she'll do any more Netflix comedy specials following the backlash over Ricky Gervais and Dave Chapelle both "punching down" on the transgender community. Urzila's 'Overqualified Loser' special hit Netflix in 2020, earning rave reviews - but it turns out it could be a one-off. Speaking to Sean on The Edge Night Show, Urzila said the last two "massive" Netflix comedy specials - Chapelle's 'The Closer' and Gervais' 'SuperNature' included gags that were "not cool" because they attacked transgender people. 121 Australians Sanctioned for Russophobic Agenda Russia Sanctions 121 Australian Leaders, Media Personalities and Experts Amidst Russian-Ukrainian War Moscow has accused Australians of supporting a Russophobic agenda, sanctioning 121 Australians including a state leader, media personalities, and academics who have reported or spoke in support of the Ukrainian war effort. In response to the growing sanctions of the Australian government, which apply to an increasing number of Russian citizensboth officials and their families, as well as representatives of the business community and the mediaan additional 121 Australians from among the leaders of security forces are added to the Russian stop list, according to a statement from the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on June 16. The Russian government said the businessmen, experts, and journalists on the list were engaged in a Russophobic agenda and they were barred from entering Russia indefinitely. Australia has been at the forefront of supporting the Ukrainian government in their defence of the country with the government providing $26.7 million (US$19.1 million) worth of military assistance, including six M777 lightweight towed howitzers along with ammunition, to bolster the countrys resistance to the Russian invasion. Among those blocked was South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas who responded to the news saying he was very grateful that the Russian President Vladimir Putin had noticed the role his state was playing in its support of Ukraine. My government has sought to do a number of things to send a very clear message that the people of South Australia stand firmly with Ukraine, as does every state and territory, and I am just grateful for the fact that Vladimir Putin took notice, Malinauskas said. Premier of South Australia Peter Malinauskas listens to Labor Leader Anthony Albanese speak at a press conference during a visit to Cabra Dominican College in Adelaide, Australia on May 20, 2022. (Photo by Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images) Malinauskas, whose family is Lithuanian, also noted that his family knew all too well the tragedy that can happen from Russian territorial aggression. My heritage, Malinauskas is a Lithuanian last name, my family knows all too well the human tragedy that can occur in the face of unacceptable Russian aggression and I am very proud of the fact that my government has played a leadership role and I look forward to doing that in the future. In a post written on the social media platform Twitter, Malinauskas also said his government would not be bullied, Vladimir Putin, I wont be bullied, the State Government wont be bullied and I will continue to stand up for democracy. Vladimir Putin, I wont be bullied, the State Government wont be bullied and I will continue to stand up for democracy. Peter Malinauskas (@PMalinauskasMP) June 16, 2022 Other Australians singled out included the national broadcasters chair Ita Buttrose, News Corp co-chairman Lachlan Murdoch, Australian Defence Force Chief General Angus Campbell, as well as mining magnates Andrew Forrest and Gina Rhinehart. Also in the mix were academics John Blaxland and Matthew Sussex from the Australian National University; journalists Stan Grant, Andrew Bolt, and Liz Hayes; as well as Atlassian co-founders Mike Cannon-Brookes and Scott Farquhar. ABC Chairwoman Ita Buttrose addresses the National Press Club in Canberra, Australia, on May 5, 2021. (AAP Image/Lukas Coch) Russia has also warned more names could be added if Australia did not abandon its anti-Russian course and continues to produce new sanctions. The Australian government has sanctioned 827 individuals and 62 entities associated with the Russian and Belarussian authorities. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has invited Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to Kyiv during the prime ministers next visit to Europe to attend the NATO meeting in Spain at the end of June. The Australian prime minister has remained tight-lipped about whether he would take up the invitation saying that he would seek advice about the security issues involved in the visit. Obviously, there are security issues as well in terms of such a visit, Albanese said noting that he appreciated the spirit in which the invitation had been offered. One of the reasons why Australia has been invited to NATO is that Australia is the largest non-NATO contributor to give support to Ukraine in its defence of its national sovereignty against Russias illegal, immoral invasion and we will continue to stand with the people of Ukraine. SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - APRIL 20: A surfer rides a wave at Maroubra beach on April 20, 2020 in Sydney, Australia. Coogee, Maroubra and Clovelly beaches in Randwick council reopened today for exercise only. Several beaches in Sydney's Eastern suburbs were closed March 28, after large crowds were seen gathering at Bondi Beach despite social distancing orders in place to slow the spread of COVID-19. (Photo by Brook Mitchell/Getty Images) $180M for NSW Marine Management The New South Wales (NSW) government will commit $180 million to marine management, which will see funding of projects for multiple coastal communities overcoming recent natural disasters. The funding is for the final six years of the governments decade-long Marine Estate Management Strategy and will be handed down as part of the NSW budget next Tuesday. Since its launch, the strategy has rehabilitated more than 130km of riverbank vegetation, reduced litter volume 13 per cent and built nine threatened seahorse hotels in Sydney Harbour. It has also trained 80 vets in marine wildlife to improve survival rates and allowed more than 130 commercial fishers to complete best-practice preservation training. The project also trained more than 80 rescuers in how to safely disentangle whales from nets and created a nationally certified training course in disentangling whales. The funding adds to the $105 million committed to the strategy across the previous four years. Agriculture Minister Dugald Saunders told AAP in a statement NSW was the only state addressing threats to its coasts by bringing together fishers, farmers, environmentalists and scientists. You cant grow oysters in polluted estuaries, explore our coastline if beaches are closed or improve our farming systems without repairing riverbanks and waterways, Mr Saunders said. Our marine estate is struggling but we can turn the tide to make sure our coastal landscapes bounce back. We have a fully funded 10 year strategy to make sure we are producing more productive paddocks and pristine landscapes. Whether it is training fishers in whale disentanglement, building new riverbanks or cleaning our coastal catchments, we are making moves now to improve our coastal estate for generations. NSW Treasurer Matt Kean said the funding reaffirmed the governments commitment to investing in the resilience of one of the states most significant natural resources. The value of the marine estate to the NSW economy is significant, contributing over $15 billion per annum and 2.5 per cent of all employment in NSW, the treasurer said. A healthy and productive marine estate is critical to the wellbeing and prosperity of NSW, which is why the NSW government has invested a record amount in the strategy. Mr Kean said the first four years of the strategy delivered strong outcomes, receiving acclaim at the state, national and international levels. Some 85 per cent of people in NSW live on the coast, Mr Saunders noted, saying protecting the marine environment was vital for the economy. Future projects included reef restoration, river stabilisation, researching fertilisers and reducing sediment runoff from farming, and reviewing jetty designs, which target the main threats to the NSW coastline, he said. The projects aim to improve water quality by reducing pollution, protecting habitats from the effects of climate change and increasing the role of Indigenous people in protecting cultural values and managing Sea Country. Improving water quality would also improve fish breeding, and Mr Saunders said this will boost the states $3.4 billion recreational fishing industry. U.S. citizen Alexander Drueke poses for a picture before leaving for Ukraine, in Tuscaloosa, Ala., on March 28, 2022. (Lois Drueke/Handout via Reuters) 3rd American Reported Missing After Traveling to Ukraine WASHINGTONThe United States said on Thursday it was aware of reports that a third U.S. citizen is missing after traveling to Ukraine and it had not yet asked Russia about two Americans reportedly captured after going to the country to fight Russian forces. As of today, we have not raised this yet with the Russian Federation (We) havent seen anything from the Russians indicating that two such individuals are in their custody, U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters, describing reports about the two men as unconfirmed. Alexander Drueke, 39, of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and Andy Huynh, 27, of Hartselle, Alabama, went to Ukraine as volunteer fighters against Russian forces, have been missing for a week, and are feared captured, family members have said. The U.S. military said the two men had served in the U.S. armed forces in the pastHuynh for the Marine Corps and Drueke in the Army Reservesbut provided no information about their current whereabouts. The U.S. military has repeatedly denied U.S. troops are deployed to Ukraine and told veterans there are better ways to help Ukraine than answering calls from Kyiv to fight there. Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, saying it was engaged in a special military operation to disarm and denazify its neighbor. Ukraine and its allies say Moscow has launched an unprovoked war of aggression, killing thousands of civilians. Reports that the two had been taken as prisoners of war by Russia are unconfirmed, the families and U.S. officials have said. Earlier, the White House said it was working very hard to learn more about the two. There are reports of one additional American whose whereabouts are unknown Our understanding was that this individual had traveled to Ukraine to take up arms, Price added, saying the third American was identified as missing in recent weeks. By Costas Pitas, Daphne Psaledaki, and Phil Stewart Police barricade off the area after a shooting at the Saint Stevens Episcopal Church in Vestavia, Ala., on June 16, 2022. (Butch Dill/AP Photo) Alabama Church Shooting Kills 2, Wounds 1; Suspect Detained VESTAVIA HILLS, Ala.A gunman opened fire inside a suburban Alabama church, killing two people and wounding a third at a small group meeting before being taken into custody Thursday, authorities said. The attack occurred at Saint Stephens Episcopal Church in the Birmingham suburb of Vestavia Hills, said Police Capt. Shane Ware. He said emergency dispatchers got a call at around 6:20 p.m. reporting an active shooter at the church. A suspect was detained and the wounded victim was being treated at a hospital, Ware said at a press conference late Thursday. Police declined to identify the suspect or the victims, or provide further details on the attack, and said another briefing was planned Friday. At an earlier news conference, Ware had said one person was killed and two others hospitalized. The churchs website listed a Boomers Potluck for Thursday night. There will be no program, simply eat and have time for fellowship, the flyer read. Thursdays shooting took place just over a month after one person was killed and five injured when a man opened fire on Taiwanese parishioners at a church in Southern California. In Vestavia Hills, investigators remained at the scene hours past nightfall, with yellow police tape cordoning off the church complex and emergency police and fire vehicles with flashing lights blocking the route to the church. The FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco, and Explosives dispatched agents to the scene. Nearby, people huddled and prayed. Church members gather for a prayer circle after a shooting at the Saint Stevens Episcopal Church in Vestavia, Ala., on June 16, 2022. (Butch Dill/AP Photo) The Rev. Kelley Hudlow, an Episcopal priest in the Diocese of Alabama, told broadcast outlet WBRC the shooting stunned the church and the community at large. It is shocking. Saint Stephens is a community built on love and prayers and grace and they are going to come together, she said in a live interview with the station. People of all faiths are coming together to pray to hope for healing. She said supportive messages were coming in from all over the U.S. and the world. We need everybody out there. Pray, think, meditate and send love to this community because we are going to need all of it, she said. There have been several high-profile shootings in May and June, starting with an attack on May 14 that killed 10 people at a supermarket in Buffalo, New York. The following week, a gunman massacred 19 children and two adults at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey issued a statement late Thursday lamenting what she called the shocking and tragic loss of life at the church. Although she said she was glad to hear the suspect was in custody, she wrote: This should never happenin a church, in a store, in the city or anywhere. Vestavia Hills is a residential community just southeast of Birmingham, one of Alabamas two most populous cities. Angel Stadium Sale May Face New Hurdles With Proposed Legislation ANAHEIM, Calif.New legislation filed by California State Sen. Tom Umberg (D-Santa Ana) could create another hurdle for Anaheims sale of Angel Stadium. Senate Bill (SB) 361 would prohibit the sale of a parcel of land if it is not in compliance with the states Surplus Land Act, a law that requires all public land sales and leases to prioritize low-income housing. Recent events in Anaheim have shed light on unforeseen consequences within the Surplus Land Act, according to information released by Umbergs office. Californias Department of Housing and Community Development claimed Anaheim officials broke the law by only offering the stadium to Angels team owner Arte Morenos development company SRB Management. Under the law, the agency selling the land must notify affordable housing developers and engage in good-faith negotiations with anyone who expresses interest in developing affordable housing on the land, according to the states Attorney Generals Office. The state department issued a violation in December 2021 to the City of Anaheim following the $320 million sale agreement. The states Attorney Generals Office settled the Surplus Land Act violation with Anaheim in April. Umberga critic of the stadium saleintroduced the legislation in February 2021 but as a different bill. The text in the original bill was replaced earlier this month and new information was added to address the emergent issue, his spokeswoman Jackie Koenig told The Epoch Times. The bill is making its way through the legislature. It passed the state Senate April 29 and is now being considered in the Housing and Community Development Committee in the Assembly. Anaheim is waiting for the legislative process to unfold before making any comments, a city spokesman told The Epoch Times. We are aware of the proposed legislation, Anaheim spokesman Mike Lyster said. But at this point, we dont have anything to add as we want to respect the legislative process for the proposal. In response to the state violation, Anaheim claimed the law did not apply to the stadium deal, but later agreed to fund nearly $123 million in affordable housing as part of a stipulated settlement with the state. Of that, the city agreed to pay $96 million into a local housing trust fund for the construction of new affordable housing. An additional $27 million was committed to paying for the construction of up to 466 rental units on-site. Anaheims decision to pay the $96 million into an affordable housing fund negated the intended effects of the Surplus Land Act, according to Umberg. In May, the stadium sale was abandoned by Anaheim City Council after an FBI probe revealed alleged corruption by former Mayor Harry Sidhu in relation to the stadium sale. Sidhu has since resigned. The proposed new law would prohibit any future public agency from selling or disposing of land until the states housing department has determined that the agency is not violating the Surplus Land Act. The bill would also require any public agency to provide at least a 14-day notice before holding any public meeting to discuss land sales. SB 361 would end Jan. 1, 2030. Archbishop of Canterbury Apologises Over Church of England Funds Link to Slave Trade Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby apologised on June 16 after research (pdf) found links to the 18th-century transatlantic slave trade in a Church of England predecessor fund. Welby said hes deeply sorry for the links, calling it a source of shame. Research commissioned by the Church Commissioners for England found that significant amounts of the Queen Annes Bounty, a fund set up in 1704 to augment the salaries of the poor clergy, were put into the South Sea Company, which traded in enslaved people, the charity said on June 16. It also said the fund has received numerous benefactions, many of which are likely to have come from individuals linked to, or who profited from, transatlantic chattel slavery or the plantation economy. The South Sea Bubble, a Scene in Change Alley in 1720, 1847. By Edward Matthew Ward (1816-1879). Wards famous oil painting of 1847 shows the speculation mania in early 18th century England which ended in the financial ruin of many of its investors. (Alamy/PA Media) Founded in 1711 to refinance Englands national debt, the South Sea Company was awarded the monopoly on Britains trade of enslaved people to the Spanish Americas. The churchs recently published report estimated that the South Sea Company transported a little over 34,000 slaves in crowded, unsanitary, unsafe, and inhumane conditions during its 30 years of operation. By the time the South Sea Company ceased its slaving activities in 1739, Queen Annes Bounty had accumulated investments in annuities with a value of around 204,000 (equivalent to about 443 million today). This income helped Queen Annes Bounty fulfill its purpose of supplementing the income of poorer clergy, and was likely reinvested, contributing to the overall accumulation of Queen Annes Bountys wealth, the research paper explained. The Old South Sea House, on the corner of Bishopsgate Street and Threadneedle Street in London was the headquarters of the South Sea Company and was burned down in 1826. (Alamy/PA Media) Welby, who also chairs the Church Commissioners, said hes deeply sorry for the funds links with transatlantic chattel slavery. This abominable trade took men, women, and children created in Gods image and stripped them of their dignity and freedom. The fact that some within the Church actively supported and profited from it is a source of shame, he added. Calling it a moment for lament, repentance, and restorative action, Welby said he prays for those affected by this news and hope to work together to discern a new way forward. Bishop of Birmingham David Urquhart, a Church Commissioners board member and chair of the group that had oversight of the research, also apologised over the findings, and said the charity will use this knowledge to ensure we are at the forefront of responsible investment globally. He also said the commissioners continue to lobby for change in the companies in which we invest today and call for those companies to champion human rights within their supply chains. Through our policy of advocating respect for people, we aim to create a fairer world today in which all of Gods children can flourish, he said. The Church Commissioners was formed in 1948 by merging two bodies, Queen Annes Bounty and the Ecclesiastical Commissioners. Following decades of anti-slavery campaigns by the Quaker abolitionists and some other Christian evangelical groups, the British Empire made trading slaves illegal in 1807, before eventually abolishing slavery by compensated emancipation. PA Media contributed to this report. This happens to the tune of about 40,000 events every single day, with approximately 250,000 lives lost each year (about 1 in 10 patients), making it the third leading cause of death in the US. Worse, you dont even need to be sick or do anything wrong to become a victim of this astonishing trend. In 2019, RaDonda Vaught, a registered nurse, was indicted for reckless homicide for administering the wrong drug to an elderly patient who died. She was found guilty and in May 2022, was sentenced to three years probation. Its the first time a medical professional has been charged over a medical mistake that did not involve fraud or intentional malice. Many now worry this may prevent openness and transparency about unintentional medical mistakes In 2016, Dr. Marty Makary published a report showing an estimated 250,000 Americans die from medical mistakes each year about 1 in 10 patients making it the third leading cause of death, right after cancer and heart disease According to a 2011 Health Grades report, the incidence rate of medical harm occurring in the U.S. is estimated to be over 40,000 harmful and/or lethal errors daily In July of 2000 I was still receiving a print subscription to JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association) and I was shocked that they actually published an article1 from Barbara Starfield, who had an MPH (master of public health) from Johns Hopkins. Why was I shocked? Because I looked at the data in the article (see below) that physician mistakes were the third leading cause of death in the United States. My article on it went viral and that meme became very popular in 2000, but I was rarely acknowledged as the person who was responsible for it. Deaths Per Year (From 2000) 12,000 unnecessary surgery 7,000 medication errors in hospitals 20,000 other errors in hospitals 80,000 infections in hospitals 106,000 non-error, negative effects of drugs These total to 225,000 deaths per year from physician or health care mistakes and are only surpassed by heart disease and cancer. Starfields Ironic Tragedy A Victim to What She Chronicled Ironically, Starfield became a statistic to her own research. She died suddenly in June 2011, a death her husband attributed to the adverse effects of the blood thinner Plavix taken in combination with aspirin. However, her death certificate makes no mention of this possibility. In the August 2012 issue of Archives for Internal Medicine2 her husband, Dr. Neil A. Holtzman, writes, in part: Writing in sorrow and anger, I express up front my potential conflict of interest in interpreting the facts surrounding the death of my wife, Dr. Barbara Starfield Because she died while swimming alone, an autopsy was required. The immediate cause of death was pool drowning, but the underlying condition, cerebral hemorrhage, stunned me Barbara started taking low-dose aspirin after coronary insufficiency had been diagnosed three years before her death, and clopidogrel bisulfate (Plavix) after her right main coronary artery had been stented six months after the diagnosis. She reported to the cardiologist that she bruised more easily while taking clopidogrel and bled longer following minor cuts. She had no personal or family history of bleeding tendency or hypertension. The autopsy findings and the official lack of feedback prompted me to call attention to deficiencies in medical care and clinical research in the United States reified by Barbaras death and how the deficiencies can be rectified. Ironically, Barbara had written about all of them. 2022 Updated Medical Mistakes Stats The video above features an interview between Dr. Peter Attia and Dr. Marty Makary, a professor of surgery at Johns Hopkins, in which they discuss the prevalence of medical mistakes in conventional medicine and advancements in in patient safety. Makary is also a public health researcher, a member of the National Academy of Medicine, the editor-in-chief of MedPage Today (the second-largest trade publication in medicine), and the author of two best-selling books. As a busy surgeon, Makary has worked in many of the best hospitals in the country and can testify to the power of modern medicine. But hes also witnessed a medical culture that leaves surgical sponges inside patients, amputates the wrong limb, overdoses patients because of sloppy handwriting or enters prescriptions into the wrong patient chart. Medical Mistakes Are Commonplace According to a 2011 Health Grades report,3 the incidence rate of medical harm occurring in the U.S. was estimated to be over 40,000 harmful and/or lethal errors daily. Makary cites a 2014 Mayo Clinic survey of 6,500 American doctors, 10.5% of whom admitted theyd made a major medical mistake in the last three months. He also cites a 2015 study by researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital that showed about half of all operations involved some kind of medication error. That study and corresponding press release have since been removed and are no longer available online, Makary says. Possibly because the hospital was embarrassed by the results. In 2016, Makary and his research team published a report showing an estimated 250,000 Americans die from medical mistakes each year4 about 1 in 10 patients which (at that time) made it the third leading cause of death, right after cancer and heart disease. According to Makary, that number may be higher, because the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention does not collect vital statistics on medical errors. A death cannot be recorded as a medical error as theres no code for it. Of course, since they didnt do autopsies on every death, that number could also be lower, so the final estimate they came up with was between 125,000 and 350,000 deaths per year. Another widely-cited study5 published in 2013 had estimated the annual death toll for medical mistakes in the U.S. at 400,000 a year,6 Makary says. But whatever the true number, and whether its the third cause of death or the ninth, medical mistakes are clearly a serious and too-frequent problem. An estimated 30% of all medical procedures, tests and medications may also be completely unnecessary,7 and each of these unnecessary interventions opens the door for a medical mistake that didnt need to happen. Many doctors have long been concerned about the frequency of medical mistakes, unnecessary testing and overtreatment, but the culture was such that it dissuaded open discussion and transparency. Its really only in the past decade or so that doctors and hospital administrators have started being more honest about these problems. Now, a case (discussed below) in which a nurse was charged and found guilty of negligent homicide after accidentally administering the wrong medication threatens to undo much of that progress. Milestones in Patient Safety In medical jargon, a near miss refers to a medical mistake that could have resulted in patient harm, but didnt, and preventable adverse event refers to a medical mistake that does result in harm to the patient. A never event is one that should never happen, regardless of circumstance. One example of a never event would be leaving a surgical instrument or sponge inside the patient. In 2008, Medicare decided it would no longer pay for never events, in an effort to deincentivize sloppiness. Shortly thereafter, private insurance companies followed suit. The following year, in 2009, the World Health Organization organized a committee to address patient safety, as, worldwide, it was becoming apparent that many patients were dying from the care and not just from disease. At the time, Makary had just published a surgery checklist for Johns Hopkins, and the WHO invited him to present it to the newly formed committee on patient safety. This checklist eventually became known as the WHO Surgical Safety Checklist.8 To this day, it hangs on operating room walls across the world. Later investigations have revealed this pre-op checklist does in fact reduce adverse event rates and save lives. If a loved one is in the hospital, print it out, bring it with you and confirm that each of the 19 items has been done. This can help you protect your family member or friend from preventable errors in care. Its available in several languages, including Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, Spanish, Portuguese, Farsi, German, Italian, Norwegian and Swedish. Opioid Overdose Is a Leading Death Among Young Adults As of 2017, opioid overdoses have been the leading cause of death among Americans under the age of 50.9 The most common drugs involved in prescription opioid overdose deaths are methadone, oxycodone (such as OxyContin) and hydrocodone (such as Vicodin).10 Lawsuits that have made their way through the judicial system in recent years have shown opioid makers such as Purdue Pharma, owned by the Sackler family, knew they were lying when they claimed opioids which are chemically very similar to heroin have an exceptionally low addiction rate when taken by people with pain. As a result of their lies, doctors handed out opioids for pain as if they were candy. Even Makary admits to being fooled by the fraudulent PR. That is a form of medical mistake, he says, adding Im guilty of it myself. I gave opioids out like candy, and I feel terrible about it. In recent years, the medical industry has cracked down on prescription opioids, making them harder to obtain, but many patients still struggle with addiction, and fentanyl-laced products obtained illegally are still causing many unnecessary deaths. The RaDonda Vaught Case In this interview, Makary also reviews the RaDonda Vaught case which, as mentioned earlier might reverse much of the progress achieved with regard to openness and transparency about medical mistakes. Vaught was hired as a nurse at Vanderbilt hospital in 2015. Two years later, on Christmas eve in 2017, she was taking care of a patient named Charlene Murphy, a 75-year-old woman admitted for a subdural hematoma (a brain bleed). Murphy made a rapid recovery and after two days she was ready to go home. The doctor ordered one last scan while she was in the hospital, so Vaught brought her to the scanner and ordered Versed (midazolam), a sedative commonly used to help the patient lay still. The hospital had installed an automated drug dispensary system, the alerts of which often had to be overridden due to poor coordination between the electronic health records and the pharmacy. On this fateful day, Vaught typed ve into the system to pull up Versed, but by default, the system populated the search with vecuronium, a potent paralyzing agent. Vaught didnt realize the mistake, and overrode the alert. Now, vecuronium is a powder, and most experienced nurses would know that Versed is a liquid. Vaught, however, didnt catch the discrepancy and suspended the powder with saline as indicated and gave it to Murphy, who subsequently died inside the scanner. The nurse [Vaught] immediately feels horrible; says exactly what she did, recognized her mistake as the patient was deteriorating, and felt I may have caused this, Makary says. [She] admitted [and] reported this whole thing; was 100% honest. I mean, [she] even said, subsequently, that her life will never be the same, that she feels that a piece of her has died. In 2019, Vaught was indicted for reckless homicide.11,12 She was found guilty and in May 2022, was sentenced to three years probation with judicial diversion,13 which means her criminal record can be expunged if she serves her probationary period with good behavior. Her nursing license was also revoked. Back in the 1970s, orthodontists were seeing that some of their patients who were wearing braces had very poor oral hygiene and thus had periodontal (gum) issuesthe gums were swollen and inflamed. To help with this condition, the orthodontists would apply low doses of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in its known capacity as a wound cleansing and healing agent. When used for some time, as an unexpected consequence, the teeth would actually appear somewhat whiter. Oral surgeons, who were also using peroxide after surgery, also noticed a similar effect. Companies took note and developed products specifically for tooth whitening. Hydrogen peroxide (HP) naturally occurs in the human body as it is an essential component in the immune system. This may be the reason that studies undertaken have never shown any adverse effects in HP use for whitening teeth in the human body. However, higher concentrations can readily burn the gingiva (gums), and these concentrations should be avoided. Oxygen is released within seconds of contact with enamel. Our teeth collect stains throughout life. For the majority, they are extrinsic stains, such as stains on the outsides of the teeth (enamel). We already know the staining properties of many of the things we eat as we have to deal with the results of spilling or getting them onto clothing or tablewear. These strongly colored foods are considered to be highly chromogenic. A chromophore is that part of a molecule responsible for its color. Chromophores are responsible for the absorption of light waves of various wavelengths, and as these molecules grow, the more chromophores there are, the more light is absorbed, and these groups appear darker, which results in the adverse discoloration of both dentin and enamel. Protein Inside Plaque Feeds the Issue Chromophores have a high affinity to protein inside plaque in the acquired biofilm or calculus that grows on the tooth surface. Organic chromophores are small organic molecules like tannins, such as from coffee, tea, red wine, or fruits. Inorganic chromophores are colored metal ions like copper, iron, and magnesium. Organic and inorganic chromophores may also be present in combination: in hemoglobin where the organic component is combined with a colored iron (inorganic) ion. Oral care products such as stannous fluoride and chlorhexidine can cause stain. Chlorhexidine is often used after oral surgery in the mouth, much as for the purpose of the original peroxides. But instead of whitening, they tend to stain the teeth over time. The enamel of the teeth is somewhat porous, so once chromophores enter into the microscopic pores (grooves and imperfections in the structure of the enamel), they become very difficult to remove with normal brushing. But conversely, this enamel porosity also makes it possible to whiten (bleach) the teeth. Intrinsic stains form below the surface of the enamel and into the dentin, resulting from tetracycline absorption or fluorosis, as well as trauma-induced bleeding in the teeth. The dentin under the outside enamel of the tooth is darker and dentin will darken with age. If you lose enamel, you will show more dentin. Tooth discoloration is caused by a combination of intrinsic and extrinsic chromophores, sometimes in addition to aging effects. As with eye, hair and skin color, there is a wide variety of inherited tooth color. Office Tooth Whitening This is normally done with moderate to high concentrations of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). In Europe, however, the maximum concentration of H2O2 can only be 6%, yet the systems and methods of application allow for a successful whitening to be achieved in those countries. There is a direct relationship between the concentration of H2O2 (HP) used and the length of time required for the whitening, but there is a similar correlation between the sensitivity generated with the higher concentrations. As mentioned, hydrogen peroxide (HP) in high concentrations will burn the gums. So, with in-office bleaching, a liquid dam is applied to all the gingival (gums) surfaces surrounding the teeth. This is a soft gel covering that is set using a curing light, and it protects the gingiva from the peroxide, which can then be painted onto the outer surface of the enamel. Vitamin E oil is sometimes applied to the lips. In-office whitening will not be provided for pregnant women or children under 18 years. An activating light is then pointed at the area. There have been many versions of these over the years and the current generation is usually LED based. Blue light irradiation enhances the whitening process. The light speeds up the breakdown of the peroxide to the components of molecular oxygen, oxygen ions, hydrogen ions, and free radicals. Oxygenation, ions, and free radicals cause physical and chemical breakdown of molecules that cause coloring, and it is needed to physically remove these molecules from the structure of the tooth by diffusion. These reactive molecules attack the long-chained, dark-colored chromophore molecules in the dentin, breaking down the conjugated double carbon bonds: breaking them into smaller, less colored, and more diffusible molecules. To summarize, the chromophores are broken into smaller single bonds which reflect light, and the tooth appears lighter. Sensitivity can occur with tooth whitening, and this is due to dehydration of the teeth. In fact, when the teeth are necessarily kept dry during office procedures, they will also appear somewhat whiter, and this is why the shade (color) of the teeth is generally recorded at the beginning of procedures to assess the true shade of the teeth. For sensitivity, a dentist may recommend amorphous calcium phosphate products that block the dental tubules, preventing fluid flow. Over-the-counter painkillers can also help. HP has a relatively short duration of action with this process, and so for Home Whitening products, carbamide peroxide (CP) is used. With carbamide, the maximum effect is at two hours, but it will continue longer overnight. Carbamide peroxide breaks down into oxygen and urea. Urea has a high PH value and helps to kill bacteria. Carbopol and glycerin may be used with the CP to stabilize or thicken the solution, making it more suitable for storage. Any whitening agent should be taken out of a fridge for at least an hour before use. Impressions are taken of the upper and lower teeth, and special trays are made from the models. In the past, reservoirs were included to allow greater amounts of the CP to be held, but it became evident that this was unnecessary and could lead to greater sensitivity and gingival irritation. Small amounts of CP are inserted from a syringe into each tooth indentation in the trays, which can be kept in the mouth for hours at a time, or overnight. One can choose to just apply the CP to the six front teeth or to the entire arch. Often in-office whitening is used as a jump start, and one then continues the process at home. For tetracycline staining, four to six months may be required. Sensitivity of the teeth is also common with home applications of CP, especially if the concentration used is high. In this case, one simply skips a day or so before continuing with the regimen. The frequency is thus self-determined. Naturally, if there is gum recession or actual cavities in the teeth, this will also result in sensitivity. A purchased 10% carbamide peroxide product used for tooth whitening generally would yield a maximum of 3.6% hydrogen peroxide, while the commonly used products containing 16% carbamide peroxide would normally be releasing less than 6% hydrogen peroxide. A single discolored tooth can result from the death and necrosis of the pulp. Hemosiderin often forms after bleeding in the root canal. This is handled by opening the back of the tooth and inserting peroxide directly into the chamber and sealing it for a week or so. However, a coronal barrier seal is first required to prevent progress of bleaching agents and their derivatives travelling from the pulp chamber down the root-filled tooth. When the desired color is achieved, the cavity behind the tooth is resealed. There is a gradual relapse of all these whitening procedures over time, but that time could be numbered in many years. The majority of professional whitening procedures are very successful. One has the option of continuing with the home regime as a top-up at any time. However, after whitening there is a reduction in bond strengths of composite resin of between 25% and 50% for a period of two weeks, as the released oxygen will affect the ability to bond to teeth after whitening. So if a filling is required, whitening should be suspended for at least that period of time. Whitening will not change the color of existing composite fillings in the teeth or change the color of a crown, etc. These fillings will need to be changed later to match the new coloror temporary restorations placed until the desired shade is reached. Returning to the original use of HP for those wearing fixed orthodontic braces on the teeth, now rubber trays can be used to fit over the braces to do the same thing. For those using the Invisalign clear tray system for orthodontics, these trays can also be used to house the whitening agent overnight. Special formulas of whitening agents have been developed for this purpose with 10% CP. This will also make the gingiva healthier for someone who is not strict with oral hygiene. Whitening strips are available impregnated with HP that one can apply directly to the teeth, such as high adhesion 9.5% HP whitening strips, for two hours a day for 10 days. Whitening pens for direct application to the teeth are also available. It is no doubt wiser to choose the well-known companies from which to purchase products as hopefully they are more stringent on the ingredients that they contain. So, if whitening the teeth is the goal, there are now many avenues to achieve that goal, but avoid harsh abrasive toothpastes. Epoch Health articles are for informational purposes and are not a substitute for individualized medical advice. Please consult a trusted professional for personal medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment. Have a question? Email us at AskADoctor@epochtimes.nyc Jason Loftus, director of award-winning documentary "Eternal Spring" poses for photographs at the Southern California premiere of the film at Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, on June 15, 2022. (Alice Sun/The Epoch Times) Audience in Tears at Documentary Eternal Spring Premiere in Los Angeles LOS ANGELESThe award-winning documentary Eternal Spring premiered on June 15 at the Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, where audience members were moved to tears by a tale of unwavering, peaceful resistance to the Chinese Communist Partys (CCP) repression of freedom of speech, assembly, and belief. Screened at Dances with Films, an annual independent film festival in Los Angeles, the Canadian documentary uses a novel combination of animation and in-person interviews to reconstruct a 2002 incidentwhere a group of people hijacked a state television broadcast in Chinas northeastern city of Changchun to counter the CCPs hateful narrative about their meditation practice, Falun Gong, which centers on values of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance. A still from the film Eternal Spring. (Courtesy of Lofty Sky Pictures) Introduced to the public in 1992, Falun Gong was practiced by around 100 million people in China by the end of the decade. Feeling threatened by its popularity, the CCP launched a systematic elimination campaign in 1999, resulting in millions detained inside prisons, labor camps, and other facilities and hundreds of thousands tortured while incarcerated, according to the Falun Dafa Information Center. I understood that it was sensitive. I understood that there are risks, the films director Jason Loftus shared with the audience after the screening. When you face some difficulties, and you realize the pressure from China or the threats that you encounter, and then you share your story with festivals, and you see how people are responding to that. It just makes me feel this is all worthwhile. Jason Loftus, director of award-winning documentary Eternal Spring answers questions from the audience at the Southern California premiere of the film at Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, on June 15, 2022. (Alice Sun/The Epoch Times) Loftus said he learned about the story and the religious persecution from his colleague, Daxiong, a veteran Falun Gong practitioner from Changchunwhere the story startsand a comic-book illustrator known for his work on graphic novels including under the Justice League and Star Wars franchises. In the filmmaking process, Daxiong was able to retrace the event as the lead animation artist, bringing the surviving interviewees personal accounts to life. We saw his amazing illustration capability, and we have animation capabilities within our studio. We thought we could use automation to bring his drawings to life, Loftus told The Epoch Times. Artist Daxiong in a still of the Eternal Spring documentary, which tells the story of a group of Chinese expatriates who brought uncensored news to China and its aftermath. (Courtesy of Lofty Sky Pictures) (Courtesy of Lofty Sky Pictures) The documentary took Loftus six years to finish, not only because of the complexity of the animation-making process but also the CCPs interference. During that time, his wifes family in China was harassed by the Partys personnel, and his business partners in China were forced to cut ties with his company. Audience members on Wednesday evening said the film shared an important message about the human rights abuses in China. Matthew Martinez, a Los Angeles resident invited by his friend to the festival, said he knew nothing about the religious persecution in China, and the documentary took him to a whole new level of [understanding of] human rights, atrocities that are going on in the world. I loved it. I love the blend of animation and live-action, Martinez said. I not only felt lucky to be born here and to be living in a free country where I can say what I want, believe what I want. But I felt an immense sense of sadness for the people of China. Audience members wait before the start of the Southern California premiere of award-winning documentary Eternal Spring at Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, on June 15, 2022. (Alice Sun/The Epoch Times) Jeffrey Overbey, who learned about the premiere from The Epoch Times and NTD Television, said he enjoyed seeing the film very much, and he would recommend everyone to see the documentary. It was extremely inspirational in terms of understanding what the situation is going on in China. I think its a way to bring the message to everybody across the world, Overbey told The Epoch Times. Robert Liu, a Falun Gong practitioner for over 25 years, praised the documentary for perfectly restoring the entire incident and its aftermath. Liu told The Epoch Times he deeply resonated with the film not only because he came from Changchun but also because he was once detained in a jail with the mastermind behind the broadcast interruption, Zhenxing Liang, whom he described as a faithful man with great strength. A still from the film Eternal Spring, which tells the story of 18 Falun Gong practitioners who tapped into Changchun Citys state-controlled cable television to broadcast information to counter the Chinese communist regimes propaganda against the spiritual practice. (Courtesy of Lofty Sky Pictures) Liu said he was shocked when he learned about how another member of the TV hijacking team Chengjun Liu was persecuted to death in 2003, but that also strengthened his determination in telling people the truth. At that moment, I really wanted to let the world know what Falun Gong is. I told myself, What they didnt finish, we will finish. We will do our best to do what they didnt get to do, he said. Eternal Spring has won multiple awards at film festivals worldwide, including the Movies That Matter in the Netherlands, the Thessaloniki International Film Festival in Greece, and the Hot Docs Film Festival in Toronto. To learn more about future screening schedules, visit eternalspringfilm.com Australian and Papua New Guinean heart surgeons and specialists at work during a heart operation at Port Moresby General Hospital, Port Moresby, Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2007. (AAP Image/Rocky Roe) Australian Exports of Critical Heart Valve Replacements to US Impacted by Worker Shortage Australian companies that supply human heart valve replacements to the United States have been struggling to fulfil export orders due to the industrys worker shortage. Queensland-based Nolan Meats, one of several Australian businesses accredited to supply bovine tissue to U.S. medical companies for the heart valve replacementswhich are created from the delicate tissue around a cows hearthas been operating with only two-thirds of its full workforce, causing a reduced supply of the lifesaving product, reported the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). Cattle feeding from a trough on a drought-affected farm near Armidale in regional New South Wales on Aug. 26, 2019. (WILLIAM WEST/AFP/Getty Images) We fly that out every night, and it goes across to the U.S., and they make heart valves for transplant back into humans, so youre actually saving human lives by collecting that product, director of Nolan Meats Terry Nolan said. But some days you dont collect them, because you dont have the people to collect them. Made from pericardium tissue that is situated around a cows heart, the thin but durable tissue is an integral component of the Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI), which is used in the treatment of aortic stenosis. Aortic stenosis is a heart condition where the opening of the aortic valve narrows due to built-up calcium. Made from pericardium tissue-the sac that sits around a cows heart-the thin but durable tissue is a key part of the transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) that is used in the treatment of aortic stenosis. (Australian Trade and Investment Commission) Nolan said that his companys restricted supply had not yet affected the availability of artificial heart valves, as other models are made by American companies. For example, one U.S. company, Edwards Lifesciences, has imported more than 100,000 batches of the tissue on flights from Australia since early 2020 alone, according to the Australian Trade and Investment Commission. Nolan meats does not supply pericardium tissue to Edwards Lifesciences. Nevertheless, having operated with 500 to 550 workers prior to the pandemic to now only having 350 workers has been concerning for Nolan. Thats quite disheartening when you see valuable product just going to render because you dont have the people there to process it, Nolan said. Additionally, cowhide prices have dropped from approximately $78 to $8-10 due to worker shortages across the world. It doesnt take long to mount up all these things, and suddenly youre losing $120 a head [of cattle] because theres no one to harvest or pack that product, he said. We dont want to see beef prices get any dearer. Itd be our desire to try to make beef prices cheaper for the consumer, to promote more consumption. Australian Meat Industry Council (AMIC) chief executive Patrick Hutchinson told the ABC that worker shortages have impacted meat retailers, processors, and small goods manufacturers. If you look at our supply chain, from the moment the truck drives out of the sale yard, feedlot or farm, we are short approximately 10,000 peopleright through to red meat and pork processing, cold storage, logistics, wholesaling, value-adding, supermarket preparation, butchers and smallgood manufacturing, Hutchinson said. We waste absolutely nothing. Its not only meat but medical components, cosmetics, food ingredients, clothing and sustainable energy. Hutchinson added that the meat industry has been unable to process six million cattle a year, with cattle, sheep and goat numbers expected to rise up to 30 percent over the next few years. Its a vicious circle. It will all be for naught if we dont have the capacity to process it. We need people; if we could wave a magic wand, wed have 10,000 more people, he said, adding that having an international workforce program would assist in filling the job vacancy gap. The Australian Meat Industry Council has been approached for comment. Australia is currently experiencing the second most severe labour shortages in the developed world, according to the OECD, reported by the Australian Financial Review. Australian Prime Minister Admits No Quick Fix for Energy Crisis Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has said that the federal government will not be able to come up with a quick solution for the energy crisis plaguing the countrys east coast. The prime minister held his first national cabinet meeting on June 17 to discuss the crisis with state and territory governors. Its no good gilding the lily and pretending that that hasnt happened, and it cant just be fixed overnight, Albanese told the Seven Network. What were doing is taking immediate action to assist households and businesses through the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO), using the tools which are at its disposal. While Albanese said all states and territories had a role to play in the crisis, he confirmed that gas would continue to be an important means to ensure the security of Australias energy system. Meanwhile, the AEMO said that following the suspension of the spot price market on June 15, it was able to manage energy supply to satisfy demand more effectively. Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles said AEMOs intervention into the electricity market was necessary while blaming the crisis on the predecessor government. Were in this situation because of the failure of the former Liberal government to do anything in relation to energy policy and the wars which were going on inside their party room, he told the Nine Network. Well be working with the large energy companies, the larger users, to try and make sure that we can moderate the supply and demand in the market. Were working our way through this crisis. A general view of Coal Seam Gas wells in the Pilliga Forest in Narrabri, Australia, on Feb. 6, 2021. (Brook Mitchell/Getty Images) In the meantime, the AEMO said the risk of power shortages had gone for now. There have been significant improvements in AEMOs certainty of generator availability and limitations, it said on June 16. Despite this, challenges remain in the energy sector. Authorities have told Australian households to prepare for more power challenges in the upcoming weeks, with NSW energy consumers asked not to turn on heavy appliances between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. to conserve energy and relieve the pressure off the grid. Speaking of the energy crisis, Nationals leader David Littleproud said the issues impacting the energy sector were more recent and not a result of the previous coalition governments nine years in power. This is something thats only just emerged over the last 100 days when (Russian President) Vladimir Putin crossed the border into Ukraine, he told the Nine Network. Its been exacerbated by the fact that a number of power stations had to have repairs and annual maintenance. Its all come together at one juncture. Australian Universities Should Provide Top of the Line Education to Their Cash Cows Commentary Alex Chevrolle, director of external relations at education provider Study Group Australia, recently argued that the Labor government should develop a new funding strategy to ensure that universities do not have to depend on fluctuating and decreasing international student fees. It is well-known that international students pay higher enrolment fees than domestic students. The income generated by the fees paid by international students supports universities research and teaching projects. We have a chance to reset our reputation as a leading education destination, but it will require changing the way we view these studentsnot as economic commodities, but as individuals who make a significant contribution to Australian society, Chevrolle said on May 31. According to Study Group Australia, international student enrolments in Australia fell 13 percent in 2021 because of COVID-19 restrictions. Government figures indicate that, in 2019-20, total investment in research as a percentage of GDP (gross domestic product) fell to 1.79 percent, down from 2.1 percent in the previous decade and substantially below the OECD average of 3.3 percent of GDP in 2019. Yet, in a climate of declining international student enrolments, the University of Queensland, in its Annual Report for 2021, recorded a modest operational profit. The University of Sydney also announced a profit, despite the COVID-19 pandemic. This favourable outcome indicated that the decline in international student enrolments may not have caused much financial stress for the Australian university sector. International students, who otherwise would have attended in person, are now accessing zoomed lectures and completing their education online. Of course, online teaching adversely affects the quality of students education because it is difficult, if not impossible, to promote a robust exchange of ideas, but it has not substantially decreased the profitability of universities. Online distance education may even have favourably affected universities budgets because there is no need to provide lecture rooms and related facilities, thereby lowering universities overhead costs. A student walks around the University of New South Wales campus in Sydney, Australia, on Dec. 1, 2020. (AP Photo/Mark Baker) Chevrolles plea not to use international students as economic commodities is a timely reminder of the need to reset Australias reputation as an education provider of choice by re-affirming the traditional role of the university sector in the teaching of international students. Specifically, his concern that international students are valuable cash cows, should be addressed. To enhance the reputation of Australias university sector, international students should be offered an excellent educational experience that represents value for money and enhances the mission and function of universities, which is teaching and research. Teaching and research are inextricably intertwined because research is informed by teaching and teaching is enhanced by research. Although there is only fragmented and inconclusive evidence that the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way in which research is funded in Australian universities, the pandemic certainly has alerted the academic community to the importance of reaffirming the vital role played by research and the need to complement it with truly excellent teaching. This role was acknowledged by Alfred North Whitehead, a venerated professor of education at Harvard University, who argued that the imaginative acquisition and extension of knowledge, involving teaching and research, is the function of universities. In his classic book The Aims of Education and Other Essays, published in 1929, commenting upon the purpose for which universities have been founded, he stated: The primary reason for their existence is not to be found either in the mere knowledge conveyed to the students or in the mere opportunities for research afforded to the members of the faculty The justification for a university is that it preserves the connection between knowledge and the zest for life, by uniting the young and the old in the imaginative consideration of learning. The university imparts information, but it imparts it imaginatively. Students walk through The Quadrangle at the University of Sydney in Sydney, Australia, on May 8, 2013. (AAP Image/Paul Miller) Chevrolles exhortation to provide international students with a first-rate education, however, fails to consider what is the greatest danger to the reputation of universities, namely the contamination of research and teaching by the politically correct brigade. University academics, in extending knowledge by undertaking research and teaching imaginatively, seek to pursue truth, regardless of the consequences. However, the pursuit of truth has become a perilous undertaking because research and teaching neutrality, as opposed to objective truth, is often the preferred policy of the modern university. In this context, an education commentator, Salvatore DUrso, has argued as early as the 1970s and 1980s that there is a tendency in contemporary universities towards the morbidly exaggerated cult of neutrality, which impairs academic commitment to truth. The concept of neutrality refers to the expectation that researchers and teachers will refrain from violating the sensitivities of the wider university community or society. Thus, in Speech Codes, now adopted by universities worldwide, the concept of research and teaching neutrality may well prevail over the pursuit of truth and often masquerades as objectivity. But, in order to provide international studentsindeed all studentswith an excellent educational experience, a policy of neutrality should not be relied upon to abdicate a duty to research and teach responsibly and imaginatively. Chevrolles plea is thus a timely and strong message, which should be heeded by the university sector. As the COVID-19 emergency is winding down, Australian universities have indeed an opportunity to reset their reputation by conducting neutrality-free research and teaching and providing international students with outstanding and imaginative educational experiences. Only then will their fees be well spent. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. When your children have children, it can be difficult not to overstep your bounds. That said, your help is desperately needed. (Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock) Babysitting Grandkids Isnt Just a Godsend for Parents A new study comparing Asian and Western societies has found that strong grandparent-child relationships can bring reciprocal benefits for the whole family, helping not only parents but also keeping grandparents minds sharp and dementia-free. University of South Australias Emeritus Professor Marjory Ebbeck examined intergenerational relationships in her study spanning Australia, Singapore, and Hong Kong and found that in many Asian cultures, grandparents are very integrated into family life. Grandparents are often living with their children and playing an active role in their grandchildrens education and development, Ebbeck said. While this undoubtedly means potential childcareit also delivers significant value to grandparents by boosting their self-worth, social connections, and wellness. In return, children enjoy a close and respectful relationship with grandparents, with the opportunity to learn more about their family, culture, and stories, Ebbeck said. In Hong Kong and Singapore, there is still a strong Confucian tradition of filial piety and respect for the elderly. This can lead to grandparents having a stronger sense of identity and purpose. These increased intergenerational interactions also provide more social connections for grandparents, she said. In contrast, through necessity, many elderly Australians spend their later years away from their families, with many of them in aged care homes. As a result, theyre often lonely and less involved with the grandchildren, Ebbeck said. Babysitting your grandkids may improve your life expectancy and cognitive skills. (Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock) Ebbeck says close intergenerational ties could support both Australias oldest and youngest citizens. The grandparent-grandchild relationship isnt a new phenomenon, but an increase in women in the workforce, the high cost of childcare and a range of other factors have seen many grandparents become critical caregivers, Ebbeck said. In an ageing society, where more parents are working longer, we must find ways to create synergies across generations. An earlier study of postmenopausal women in Australia found that babysitting grandkids just once a week helped keep Alzheimers at bay as interacting with talkative toddlers fired up neurons in the regions of their brain responsible for symbolic, mathematical, and verbal abilities. A Berlin study of more than 500 participants aged 70 and above also found that babysitting grandparents were able to improve their life expectancy. The researchers found that the risk of dying over a 20-year period was one-third lower for grandparents who cared for their grandchildren than those who did not provide childcare. A few of Australias pioneering employers, such as Westpac, Investa, Pitcher Partners, and Australian National University, have introduced grandparental leave policies to offer greater financial support for new parents and new grandparents, recognising that it really does take a village to raise a child. They offer five days of paid leave or up to 12 months of unpaid leave to help care for a grandchild. The UK government U-turned on a plan to drop a ban on conversion therapy for gay and bisexual people. (Motortion Films/Shutterstock) Biden Issues Executive Order Seeking to Restrict LGBT Conversion Therapy President Joe Biden has signed an executive order that seeks to address conversion therapy, a practice that attempts to change an individuals sexual orientation from homosexual or bisexual to heterosexual or their gender identity from transgender to cisgender using either physical, psychological, or spiritual tactics. The order asks the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish an initiative to reduce the risk of youth exposure to so-called conversion therapy. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has been asked to determine whether conversion therapy is an unfair or deceptive act or practice as well as issue appropriate consumer warnings. Bidens executive order also includes a plan to use the global influence of the United States to address conversion therapy across the world. The Democrat attempt to ban conversion therapy has come under criticism from conservatives. The same people who want to ban #conversiontherapy because its dangerous are the same people who think its safe to inject 8 year old girls with male hormones, conservative political talk radio host Andrew Wilkow said in a June 16 tweet. The Epoch Times has reached out to The White House for comment. In May, Alabama began enforcing a ban on gender transition surgery and hormone blockers. In Florida, Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis has also indicated that he is in favor of implementing such policies in his state. When they say gender-affirming care, what they mean a lot of times is you are reallyyoure castrating a young boy, youre sterilizing a young girl, youre doing mastectomies for these very young girls, DeSantis said on The Truth With Lisa Boothe podcast, referring to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) report (pdf) that supported gender-affirming practices. 80 percent of the cases resolve themselves as they grow up, and so youre doing things that are permanently altering them, and then theyre not gonna be able to reverse that, and so I dont think its appropriate for kids at all. Conversion therapies can involve psychotherapy methods like aversion therapy that makes use of electric shocks; medical methods like steroid and hormone therapies; or spiritual methods performed by clergy or other religious advisors that involve prayers, according to WebMD. The debate around conversion therapies is happening amidst an increasing social trend of people identifying as transgender. The debate about conversion therapy is also heating up in the UK where the government has proposed legislation seeking to ban such activities. Some church leaders are concerned that the governments proposed ban could effectively end up criminalizing prayer. The government revised its plans earlier this year initially saying it would drop its plans to ban conversion therapy and then on March 31 it announced it would ban gay conversion therapy, but not transgender conversion therapy. The implication of the legislation will be that the government will be able to dictate what Christians can and cant pray for, Rev. Jamie Franklin, who presents the popular religious current affairs podcast Irreverand, said to The Epoch Times. This would be an egregious violation of religious liberty and is an example of pernicious state overreach, he added. According to Free Speech Union (FSU), the term conversion therapy is too vaguely defined. And without a clear definition, the government proposal would simply give the state the power to impose free speech restrictions, especially on parents who might have legitimate concerns about their childs sexual orientation. Owen Evans contributed to this report. Correction: This article was updated with a March 31 announcement from the UK government that it will not ban transgender conversion therapy. U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra attends a town hall meeting at the BeWell clinic in Orange, Calif., on March 9, 2022. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times) Biden Seeks $500 Million Earmark for Political Allies Pandemic Preparedness Group Four key House Republicans are questioning a $500 million earmark sought by President Joe Biden for an international group headquartered in Oslo, Norway, and led in the United States by political appointees of former President Barack Obama. The $500 million would go to the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness and Innovation (CEPI), a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), which was formed in 2017 by the governments of Norway and India, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Wellcome, and the World Economic Forum (WEF), according to the groups website. The website claims that CEPIs early coronavirus investments combined with its global focus, multi-sectoral partnerships, and ability to move quickly resulted in 20+ vaccines against COVID-19 and its variants. The website also quotes Microsoft founder Bill Gates as crediting CEPI with helping develop COVID-19 vaccines in less than a year. Its not clear how CEPI can claim credit for vaccines that were prompted and overseen by the Operation Warp Speed program initiated at the outset of the virus in the United States by then-President Donald Trump in 2020. Shortly after leaving the Obama administration, Dawn OConnell, former Counsel at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under Obama, became CEPIs Washington, D.C. Executive Director, according to the House GOPers in a June 16 letter. OConnell is now back at HHS as Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR), a position in which she could be helpful to CEPI. The signers are Rep. Rodney Davis (R-Ill.), the Ranking Member of the House Administration Committee, Rep. Jason Smith (R-Mo.), the Ranking Member of the House Budget Committee, Rep. Glenn Thompson (R-Pa.), and Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.), the Ranking Member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. All four of the GOP signers could become chairs of their respective committees if Republicans retake the House majority in the November congressional elections. Their letter was addressed to HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra, Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Shalanda Young, and Samantha Power, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Acting Administrator. President Bidens FY23 budget calls for a specific allocation to CEPI through no evident bidding process. In addition to the creation of a $4.5 billion Global Health Security and Pandemic Preparedness Fund to contract with international health organizations, the budget request includes a separate $500 million line item for CEPI, the GOP letter signers wrote. This $500 million request for CEPI is significantly larger than the federal governments previous five-year distribution of $20 million, making the United States the single largest contributor to CEPI, the letter continued. The lack of transparency and justification for this funding increase raises concerns. Furthermore, CEPIs close ties to the Obama-Biden and Biden-Harris Administrations, suggest a revolving door of politically-connected personnel where Administration friends are rewarded with federal dollars, the letter said. In addition to moving from HHS to CEPI and then back to HHS, OConnell, during her four years running the NGOs Washington office, lobbied the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in support of appropriations from USAID to CEPI [and an] Unsolicited Proposal Concept Note for possible cooperative agreement funding relationship, according to the letter, citing federal lobbying records. The letter further notes that OConnell has never registered as a foreign lobbyist and that CEPIs current Director of the U.S. office is Dr. Nicole Lurie, who served as ASPR under the Obama Administration. A spokesman for CEPI did not respond to The Epoch Times request for comment. A spokesman for OConnell did not reply after asking The Epoch Times for written questions and being given these queries: Why did she not register as a foreign agent during her tenure in CEPIs Washington, D.C. office as required by the Foreign Agent Registration Act (FARA) statute, given her employment and lobbying activities targeting USAID? Has she recused herself as ASPR from any decision-making process, both formally and informally, at HHS that potentially could result in federal dollars or other resources being directed to CEPI? With whom at OMB or elsewhere in the White House has she discussed the proposed $500 million grant to CEPI prior to today? The four GOP letter signers want to know how the Biden administration can justify a 2,400 percent increase in funding from the federal governments current $20 million annual contribution to CEPI. The signers also want to know if any other NGOs were invited to be considered as alternative grant recipients and which federal agencies, offices and individuals were consulted about CEPI during development of the $500 million grant proposal. In addition, the signers want to know why has no lobbyist for CEPI ever registered under [FARA], given the primary beneficiaries of such a large infusion of taxpayer dollars will be the foreign governments funding the groups operations? On its website, CEPI describes the CCP Virus that is also known as the COVID-19 as the main reason for its formation for the development and implementation of the NGOs proposal of a plan it claims can eliminate the prospect of any similar pandemics in the future. As COVID-19 has so amply demonstrated, emerging infectious diseases represent an existential threat to our way of life. It was not the first and, unless we take dramatic action, will not be the last pandemic of the 21st century, according to the CEPI website. But unlike some of the other big threats that humanity faces, we have the tools to substantially reduce and even to eliminate the risk of future pandemics. A decade ago such an ambition would have seemed utopian; now, having compressed a decade of technology development into less than 12 months, it is well within our graspif we take action, according to the site. The site claims that CEPI has secured financial support from Australia, Austria, Belgium, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Canada, Denmark, the European Commission, Ethiopia, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Singapore, Switzerland, The Republic of Korea, United Kingdom, USAID, and Wellcome. Boris Johnson Makes 2nd Surprise Visit to Kyiv Since Russian Invasion Began Prime Minister Boris Johnson has made a surprise visit to Kyiv to hold face-to-face talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the second such visit since the Russian invasion began in February. On Friday afternoon, Johnson posted a photograph of himself with Zelenskyy on Twitter, adding: Mr. President, Volodymyr, it is good to be in Kyiv again. A message on Zelenskyys Telegram account read: Many days of this war have proved that Great Britains support for Ukraine is firm and resolute. Glad to see our countrys great friend Boris Johnson in Kyiv again. According to Downing Street, the prime minister told Zelenskyy that the UK is prepared to launch a major operation to train up to 120,000 Ukrainian troops every 120 days. Number 10 said international partners would be invited to host the programme, if the offer is accepted by Ukraine. In a statement, Johnson said: My visit today, in the depths of this war, is to send a clear and simple message to the Ukrainian people: the UK is with you and we will be with you until you ultimately prevail. As Ukrainian soldiers fire UK missiles in defence of your nations sovereignty, they do so also in defence of the very freedoms we take for granted. That is why I have offered President Zelenskyy a major new military training programme that could change the equation of this warharnessing that most powerful of forces, the Ukrainian determination to win. Johnsons first war-time visit to Kyiv came in April, as Russian President Vladimir Putin shifted the focus of his campaign to the eastern Donbass region. Johnson said: Two months on from my last visit, the Ukrainian grit, determination, and resilience is stronger than ever, and I know that unbreakable resolve will long outlive the vain ambitions of President Putin. The visit came a day after Zelenskyy was visited by French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, who had been criticized in the past by Ukrainian officials for not providing enough support. The UK has become one of Ukraines most important allies in the countrys resistance against the Russian invasion, providing both advanced weaponry and humanitarian aid. Britain was the first European country to send lethal aid to Ukraine and has sent military aid worth more than 750 million ($924 million), including thousands of anti-tank missiles, air defence systems, and armoured vehicles, according to the government. On May 7, the UK government pledged 1.3 billion ($1.6 billion) worth of further military support to Ukraine. The UK recently announced it would gift M270 multiple-launch rocket systems (MLRS) to Ukrainian forces to help them defend themselves from Russian long-range artillery. PA Media contributed to this report. Supporters and bystanders are encouraged to watch quietly as pelicans are released after they had been nursed back to health, on a jetty at Corona Del Mar State Beach in Newport Beach, Calif., on June 17, 2022. (Julianne Foster/The Epoch Times) Brown Pelicans Released After Mass-Stranding Event in Southern California NEWPORT BEACH, Calif.Twelve brown pelicans were released at noon on June 17 by the Wetlands and Wildlife Care Center (WWCC) off a jetty at Corona Del Mar State Beach after they had been carefully nursed back to health since a tragic event in May. A mass-stranding eventalso seen in 2001, 2010, 2012, and 2018occurred in early May of 2022 after hundreds of sick and dying pelicans were seen along Southern California coastlines and inland lakes. The birds suffered from common issues including low body temperature, dehydration, malnutrition, and many parasites. The birds received help from a variety of care centers who gave them fluids, medication, and plenty of fish to restore their health. Jamie Heraver, founder of an educational foundation called Angel of the Animals was at the release hoping to see one of the pelicans she rescued flying away from the carriers. She told The Epoch Times she was walking in May for a morning Huntington Beach cleanup when she noticed a seemingly injured or sick brown pelican on the sand. With assistance from lifeguards, local animal control, and bystanders, she was able to get the bird to the security of the WWCC. A group of brown pelicans are released and fly away after they had been nursed back to health, on a jetty at Corona Del Mar State Beach in Newport Beach, Calif., on June 17, 2022. (Julianne Foster/The Epoch Times) After watching ten pelicans glide quickly from their enclosures and another two hesitantly take flight, Heraver said the event brought a tear to [her] eyes. Seeing the small crowd together to celebrate the success and see all their rescue efforts culminate into this release was really beautiful for her. The release was officially dedicated to the centers former co-founder, Greg Hickman, who recently died unexpectedly due to a heart attack. Greg Hickman was very influential in his community to start the center and raise awareness for wildlife needs. The WWCC began receiving birds on May 13 from eight surrounding animal control agencies, some arriving with oil on their bodies. These birds were in such low health, 20 died in the first two hours of admission. Finally, after support from the WWCC, 12 birds were finally ready to be reintroduced to the wild. A group of brown pelicans are released and fly away after they had been nursed back to health, on a jetty at Corona Del Mar State Beach in Newport Beach, Calif., on June 17, 2022. (Julianne Foster/The Epoch Times) Debbie McGuire, the Co-Founder and Executive Director of WWCC stated in a press release they had been looking forward to seeing the pelicans return to their original ecosystem in good health. She also attributed the success of the pelicans rehabilitation to their network of volunteers and generous donors. The nature of the stranding event is still a mystery, according to a press release. Some pelicans that came in for care also had secondary issues involving skeletal abnormalities from fishing gear injuries. The WWCC is a rehabilitation center that works to nurture wildlife and educate the public to be more aware of human impacts on the environment and wildlife. Community members can support their cause by donating to the center. Thousands of protesters gather during the Freedom Convoy demonstrations against COVID-19 vaccine mandates and other restrictions, on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Jan. 29, 2022. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press) By Invoking Emergencies Act, Trudeau Avoided the Conversation the Nation Desperately Needs The Freedom Convoy protest represented a national alarm system that we are being pulled away from the moorings that built this country Commentary Any good police officer will tell you that if they cannot find a law to restrict or prohibit the actions of a citizen, then those actions are most probably lawful. This logic is beautifully simple, highlighting the shoreline where the enforcement of the existing law ends and aspirational politics begin. The independence of the police has been a gift given to us by our forefathers; like ancient agricultural field drains, we dont recognize the compelling benefits of the hidden engineering until they are broken. The polices ability to act independently is just one of the questions that this recent matter of the use of the Emergencies Act raises. This is a weighty enough issue on its own, but a closer look at this shoreline between police enforcement and political policy reveals a desperate and surprisingly consistent inevitability in the actions of Justin Trudeau. The current parliamentary obsession with who called for the Emergencies Act to be invoked is nothing more than a fatal misdirection for Canadiansa deflection from the alarming issues that we should be thinking about right now given the real threats to our Charter of Rights and Freedoms, our way of life, and even the existence of our nation as we know it. Consider that even if the Ottawa Police Service or the RCMP did ask for the Emergencies Act to be invoked, it is still the sole responsibility of the government to assess whether the legal preconditions within the act and Section 1 of the Constitution Act were met to authorize and unleash this kind of power. Justice Minister David Lametti knows this very well and is, no doubt, content to allow the callow Marco Mendicino, the public safety minister, to hold this bucket and continue with this flimsy strategy of blaming the police. If Mr. Mendicino does not understand where this is leading him, he might speak with former finance minister Bill Morneau about the price tag of protecting a narcissist in the midst of a scandal. This is a prickly situation for Justin Trudeau. Let us not waste time talking about the procedural and technical questions of who asked for the Emergencies Act, for it is simply a misdirection and is essentially irrelevant when placed within the actual policy framework that Trudeau is working on for Canada. The crucial question here is, why was it so important to shatter this peaceful, charter-empowered protest by truckers, veterans, and farmersa.k.a. decent hard-working Canadianswith such a heavy hand? If we have the courage to ask this comparative cause and effect question, we will discover that the implicit plea of the convoy was that our constitutionally protected freedomsour rights to move, congregate, associate, peacefully protest, maintain the privacy of our medical information, and maintain the autonomy over our bodies so as not be coerced into medical treatmentswere all being egregiously violated by our own government. The people of Canada were highlighting a policy misalignment with Canadian values and asking Trudeau to justify the policy using our laws. The people of Canada need to understand that the Freedom Convoy for many Canadians represented a national alarm system that reminded us that we are being pulled away from the moorings that built this country; that something is radically wrong with the relationship between government and the governed. This was a good-faith question by earnest, hard-working people who stood up for their families, their communities, and their way of life. But it was an impossible question to answer for a re-setting post-nationalist globalist prime minister. This conversation would isolate and (God forbid) actually define the destructive revolutionary policies being deployed against Canadians and the national sovereignty of the Dominion of Canada. When examined in this light, Trudeaus actual response appears perfectly consistent with his strategically stated resetting and post-national aspirations. It was easy for him: just dont have the discussion, squish the small fringe minority, and continue with the actual reset agenda en route to post-nationhood and a shining future in global governance. Voila. So who cares who called for the utilization of the Emergencies Act! Trudeaus only choice was to deploy the act because it was the only way to escape the conversation the Freedom Convoy was begging him to have with the nation, and it was the only way to avoid the glaring revelation that defining Canada as the first post-national state actually means that his agenda is to seriously de-construct (destroy) the legal framework, the culture, and the way of life that we have known as a people. Justin Trudeau has no interest in Canadian law other than to use it as a tool to advance his revolutionary agenda and silence critics. The supremacy of the Constitution of Canada designed to enshrine and protect our rights is simply an annoying inconvenience for him that he must appear to pay lip service to while he completes his work. He and his cohort hope we wont notice. It is good for us to remember that, in the same circumstances, a good faith answer offered by a true Canadian statesman would have listened first and then used the charter as a framework for unifying the nation, restoring trust, and releasing the nation to its potential. The response we got from Justin Trudeaus government was at least consistent with his strategy for Canada. So it seems that Mr. Mendicino will have to resign (or whatever) and the Liberal-NDP minority government will deploy some obfuscating pseudo-accountable press release that inevitably implies a sense of responsible closure of the matter with the hope that this vitally necessary aforementioned conversation never happens. This experience with the Emergencies Act should reveal the truth that Canada cannot be grown as a strong independent nation and also be built into a post-national state at the same time, anymore than you can build a strong and proud schooner and a doghouse out of the same wood at the same time. The ugly cracks in this Liberal-NDP compact are now visible. The nation will have this necessary conversation, sooner or later. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. What are the president and Congress doing to lower costs for everyday Americans? Well take a look at their latest actions and why some House Republicans say Thursdays actions were a missed opportunity for more effective solutions. With the Supreme Court on the brink of releasing a landmark decision likely to overturn Roe v. Wade, the area surrounding the court on Capitol Hill is still being heavily guarded. Illinois Congresswoman Mary Miller joins us with her reaction. Putting former Vice President Mike Pence back in the spotlight, the Jan. 6 panel is accusing Donald Trump of launching a pressure campaign against Pence to overturn election results, as others say the panel is only showing edited clips and telling one side of the story. Arrests at the southern border reached a record high last month. According to the latest data released by the Biden administration, a majority of those apprehended were not expelled under Title 42. We sat down with Rep. Ken Buck (R-Colo.) to get his perspective on the humanitarian crisis at the southern border. Members of Congress discussed the high cost of insulin at a policy briefing hosted by the Diabetes Leadership Council. Although some members are optimistic that they can lower drug prices, it is uncertain whether insulin will become more accessible. * Click the Save button below the video to access it later on My List. Follow CapitolReport on social media: Twitter https://twitter.com/capitolreport Facebook https://www.facebook.com/CapitolReport/ Gettr https://gettr.com/user/capitolreport Follow EpochTV on social media: Twitter: https://twitter.com/EpochTVus Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/EpochTV Truth Social: https://truthsocial.com/@EpochTV Gettr: https://gettr.com/user/epochtv Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EpochTVus Gab: https://gab.com/EpochTV Telegram: https://t.me/EpochTV Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd speaks at a news conference in Polk County, Florida, on May 29, 2022. (Courtesy of Polk County Sheriffs Office) Child Predator Sting Nets Disney Driver, 11 Others in Polk County PUNTA GORDA, Fla.Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd announced on June 17 the arrest of 12 suspectsone a Disney employeeon charges of soliciting children online for grooming purposes. Judd identified them at a press conference, where he displayed their photos and gave a brief description of each suspect. One was a bus driver for the Walt Disney World Resort. He was doing this while he was on the clock for Disney, Judd said. So if your bus was running late at Disney, he was busy taking pictures of himself and talking trash to what he thought was a little girl. On June 2, the Polk County Sheriffs Office, along with two municipal police departments, began conducting Operation Child Protector II, in which detectives posed as children on social media platforms, popular apps, and online dating sites to investigate those who prey upon and travel to meet children for unlawful sexual activity. During the sting, the suspects communicated with and solicited people who they thought were children. Judd said the investigations are an ongoing process but that parents need to be aware. We never quit investigating these folks, he said. Parents have to understand the first line of defense is at home, so they need to be all up in their childs business. According to a written release, four suspects showed up at an undercover location in Polk County to meet people who they thought were children, with the intent to commit sexual battery. Detectives obtained warrants for eight other suspects who were subsequently arrested and booked into jails in their respective counties, the sheriff offices statement read. Additional suspects were charged via a warrant after transmitting pornographic images and/or grooming and soliciting children onlinethey are still at large in Florida and police are actively looking for them. The 12 suspects who were arrested are facing a total of 49 felony charges. Judd stated at the press conference that some of them flew under the radar with no criminal histories. What I want parents to understand is these arent traditional criminals, Judd said. Nine of the 12 dont have a criminal history. These are evil people lurking online and grooming children online to engage them in sexual conduct. The combined criminal histories of the others, Judd said, included 22 felonies and 31 misdemeanor charges. The youngest suspect is 20 years old and the oldest is 67. Most of the suspects had active warrants, and two men were from out of stateMichigan and Alabama. The latter is 66 years old and works as a Black Hawk helicopter mechanic at Fort Rucker, Judd said. He had chats with a 13-year-old while he was at work, Judd said. I hope he didnt get so carried away that he forgot to put all the parts back on the Black Hawk helicopters. That could be a real problem. Two of the men are married and told detectives they waited until their wives were asleep to go online to talk to children. Judd had a final message for those who wish to do harm to children: We are all the time looking for these deviants. So wherever you are in the world, if youve been talking nasty and sending nasty pictures to what you thought was a child, well be after you. China Is Going to Be More Aggressive After Newly Signed Military Order: Analyst China is likely to act on a new military order signed by Chinese leader Xi Jinping and become more hostile against its neighbors, according to Gordon Chang, author and senior fellow at the New York-based Gatestone Institute. The order, which went into effect on June 15, declares a set of trial outlines allowing Chinas military to have a legal basis to engage in military operations other than war. The order also prepares the Chinese military to safeguard Chinas sovereignty, security, development interests, and regional stability. This is a sign that China is going to be even more aggressive than it has been in the past, Chang told EpochTVs China Insider. What China is doing here is signaling that it is prepared to use its military offshore in ways which are going to irritate the international community and actually do more than that, to violate norms that we hold. Xis new order has sparked a new round of sovereignty concerns in Taiwan, a de facto independent state that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) seeks to take over. Theres speculation that Xi is legitimizing a possible future military action against the self-ruled island through the order, a move that would be similar to Russian leader Vladimir Putins invasion of Ukraine, which he called an act of self-defense and a special military operation. Political commentator and China analyst Gordon Chang speaks at the CPAC convention in National Harbor, Md., on Feb. 29, 2020. (Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times) For Chang, the new order hasnt changed how the Chinese regime thinks and operates. China is going to do what its going to do, law or no law. The Communist Party is not restrained by law. Its not restrained by treaties, he said. So, for instance, its signed, ratified, and now violates the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea. And it does it regularly. Beijing has adopted aggressive tactics to stake its claims in the South China Sea, even though The Hagues Permanent Court of Arbitration ruled in 2016 that Chinas territorial claims were inconsistent with the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea. As for the timeline of China invading Taiwan, Chang doesnt believe that the communist regime is ready for it. However, he said the world can be taken by surprise by such an invasion; thus, preparations must be made to defend the island and other areas. The new order isnt the only signal indicating a more aggressive China. According to Chang, the phone call between Xi and Putin on June 15 showed Beijings all-in support for Russias attack on Ukraine and the Kremlins notion of its sovereignty. Following their call, the two leaders agreed to deepen their strategic coordination. At the same time, Xi acknowledged the legitimacy of Russias actions in protecting its fundamental national interests in the face of security challenges created by external forces. This is another sign to us that China is starting a more provocative, even more belligerent, phase of its external policies, Chang said. This is a real indication that we have China prepared to invade Taiwan, India, Japan, or the Philippines. Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) and Chinese leader Xi Jinping pose for a photograph during their meeting in Beijing on Feb. 4, 2022. (Alexei Druzhinin/Sputnik/AFP via Getty Images) Before their latest announcement on coordination, Xi and Putin had already updated their bilateral relationship to a no limits partnership in February, three weeks before Russia invaded Ukraine. At that time, the two leaders also declared that there would be no forbidden areas of cooperation between the two neighbors. Chang said the CCP poses an alarming threat in the immediate future. This could very well be the most dangerous time in history, he said. This is a point where I think is far more dangerous than the Cuban Missile Crisis or Checkpoint Charlie Crisis of the preceding year. Chang said a potential crisis stems from the fact that the Chinese regime has never ruled out the use of nuclear weapons against its neighbors or the United States. So we are at one of these points where everything could go horribly wrong in an instant, he said. Frank Fang journalist Follow Frank Fang is a Taiwan-based journalist. He covers US, China, and Taiwan news. He holds a master's degree in materials science from Tsinghua University in Taiwan. This undated photo released on May 18, 2018 shows China's first domestically manufactured aircraft carrier, known as "Type 001A", during its first sea trial at sea. - China's first domestically manufactured aircraft carrier started sea trials on May 13, 2018 and returned to port in Dalian on May 18. (-/AFP via Getty Images) China Launches Third Aircraft Carrier, Names It After Province Near Taiwan China launched its third aircraft carrier on June 17, marking the latest step in the communist regimes march toward military modernization. Previously known as the Type 003, Chinese communist authorities dubbed the vessel the Fujian during an elaborate ceremony rife with champagne, colored smoke, and ribbons. The name Fujian references the province immediately opposite Taiwan across the Taiwan Strait, and serves as a reminder of the Chinese Communist Partys (CCP) ambition to unite the self-governed island with the mainland. In development since 2015, the Fujian was initially expected to be launched earlier this month with the onset of the Dragonboat Festival, but was delayed for unknown reasons. The vessel is Chinas first wholly modern aircraft carrier. It was preceded by the Liaoning, a retrofitted Soviet ship, and the Shandong, a domestically-built vessel that was designed and augmented off the plans for the Liaoning. Though the vessel will not be fully operational until 2024, it is far and away superior in size and technology to both which came before it. Fujian outweighs both the Liaoning and Shandong by an estimated 20,000 tons, according to a report by the International Institute for Strategic Studies. And it much more closely resembles U.S. carrier designs than Soviet or Russian ones. Unlike United States carriers, however, it is not nuclear-powered but instead relies on conventional power. Perhaps most importantly, the Fujian is equipped with electromagnetic launch catapults that will allow it to field more varieties of aircraft with heavier payloads and more fuel, and boasts a full-length flight deck. The feat means that communist China will join the United States and France as just the third nation in the world to deploy an aircraft carrier with such catapult systems. It also ensures that China will remain second only to the United States in terms of the number of operational aircraft carriers. The United States currently maintains 11 carriers. Of those 11, the USS Ronald Reagan is the only one to be stationed outside of the United States, in Japan. CCP General Secretary Xi Jinping has made massively expanding and modernizing Chinas military a core part of his rule, and the regimes growing fleet of aircraft carriers is a testament to that. The launch of the Fujian also comes at a time of international strife and a historic bottoming out of Sino-American relations. In June, CCP Defense Minister Wei Fenghe threatened U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin over the continued de facto independence of Taiwan. If anyone dares to split Taiwan from China, the Chinese army will definitely not hesitate to start a war no matter the cost, Wei said. The incident follows numerous warnings from top U.S. military officials that the CCP is not only preparing an invasion of Taiwan, but designing weapons systems with the explicit purpose of overcoming American forces and ejecting the United States from the Western Pacific. To that end, the CCPs navy now numbers more than 360 vessels, and could feasibly also organize the hundreds of additional ships that make up Chinas maritime militia. The U.S. Navy, meanwhile, has fewer than 300 vessels, with several slated to be decommissioned in the coming years. Last year, Dakota Wood, a senior fellow at the Heritage Foundation, said that officials often believed the U.S. Navy to be superior to Chinas because of the number of advanced warships it commands, such as its state-of-the-art carriers. According to Wood, however, that was a mistake, as only a small fraction of the United States global fleet would be capable of responding to crises in the Indo-Pacific. Oftentimes youll hear comparisons that the U.S. Navy has as many carriers as the next [so-many] countries combined, but only a percentage of that naval capability is available on any one day, and you have to take that and project that abroad, Wood said. Only about 60 U.S. warships, including one aircraft carrier, are ever deployed in the Indo-Pacific region at any given time. Chinese leader Xi Jinping shakes hands with Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan before a meeting at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, on April 28, 2019. (Madoka Ikegami/Getty Images) China Lobbies for Pakistan, a Terror State Beijing whitewashes Islamabads international money laundering and violence Commentary China is enabling Pakistani terrorism again, this time by lobbying against tough measures at international organizations that combat money laundering. An ongoing plenary of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) in Berlin, from June 12 to June 17, was reportedly the site of quiet lobbying by Beijing on behalf of Islamabad. The two long-time partners in crime are up to no good, from Afghanistan in the West, across the Himalayan mountains to Indias Arunachal Pradesh in the east. The iron brothers, as Xi Jinping calls the two terror states, have destroyed a fledgling democracy in Afghanistan with their support of Taliban terrorism. They are now trying to drive India from its northernmost territories through political violence. China and Pakistans Violence The conflict between India and Pakistan stems from the latters violation of the agreement at partition in 1947 that princely states could join whichever country they preferred. Hari Singh, the Maharaja of the larger Kashmir region, decided against Pakistan and for India. Islamabad has tried to reverse the decision with violence ever since, and Beijing opportunistically occupied parts of Kashmir with its own troops. China used stealth and violence to steal a massive region of Kashmir, called Aksai Chin, from India in 1962. Since then, the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) has pushed its boundary with India southwards and recently took another 15 to 23 square miles (0r 40 to 60 square kilometers). Beijing seeks to soften Indias boundaries by setting Pakistan against the Hindu country and sowing the chaos that will ultimately make the Chinese Communist Partys (CCP) territorial acquisition easier. This is gray zone aggression against India, a normally peaceful supporter of the status quo. It also weakens Pakistan, making it ever more dependent on Beijing. An Indian army convoy moves on the Srinagar-Ladakh highway at Gagangeer, northeast of Srinagar, in Indian-controlled Kashmir, India, on Sept. 9, 2020. (Dar Yasin/AP Photo) In addition to their regular military forces, China and Pakistan support terrorists to destabilize India. Pakistan supports militants in Kashmir, and China supports Nagaland militants in Indias east. The latter was sheltered in Chinas Kunming Province as recently as January, according to Indian media. Pakistan Terrorizes India Pakistans terror attacks against India are a form of bigotry, which is clear in the case of Kashmir. In the 1990s, Pakistani terrorism forced tens of thousands of Hindus to flee Kashmir in fear. Now Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is incentivizing them to return with jobs and other benefits. This provokes unrest among Muslim locals and provides fertile ground for the Pakistani government to support militants who, up to the present day, attempt to keep terrorism alive in the region. This puts pressure on New Delhi, which in 2019 was forced to respond with an end to Kashmirs autonomous status and tough law enforcement measures that, in some cases, approached martial law. While Pakistan complained at the time, many analysts said Pakistan has little credibility on the issue, according to The New York Times. Pakistan has a long history of covertly supporting militant groups in Kashmir, despite pressure from allies to stop. And Pakistani violence continues. Militants killed at least four Hindus over the past couple of months. A man was shot to death in his own bank in Kulgam, another was killed in a government office by Pakistani-sponsored terrorists, according to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president, and a constable was shot to death the day after. The BJP is the political party of the current prime minister of India, often portrayed unflatteringly by the Western media as Hindu nationalist. There is Hindu bigotry, overambition, and isolated cases of violence. Talk by some BJP supporters of a Greater Hindustan, which would include Pakistan and Bangladesh, should end. But what critics of the BJP elide is the China- and Pakistan-supported terrorism and militarized aggression that fuel Indias nationalism. In October, a prominent Hindu pharmacy owner was killed, provoking many Hindus to flee Kashmir again. In May, Indias Northern Army commander Lt. Gen. Upendra Dwivedi said that Pakistan created a facade of proxy tanzeems (outfits) to give an indigenous colour to the insurgency in the Valley after the country faced pressure internationally to stop sponsoring terror activities in Jammu and Kashmir, according to The Print. Jammu is a part of greater Kashmir. People march in a protest against the minority killings in Jammu, Kashmir, India, on June 2, 2022. (Channi Anand/AP Photo) As a result of the persistent state-supported terrorism in Kashmir, Hindus who move to the area are scared for their lives, with some staying home for weeks on end. Some Western media blame this violence on Modis government rather than on Pakistan. They are blaming the victim for political purposes. While the CCP lobbies for the removal of Pakistan from the FATF list of financial supporters of terrorism, Islamabad carries on with its use of political violence as a tool of statecraft. The FATF should not cave in. According to Indian media, an unpublished United Nations report in May found that Taliban-supported terrorists continue to operate training camps in the Afghanistan region, including those that are anti-India in orientation. Both China and Pakistan support the Taliban. Additional reporting by the Sunday Guardian in New Delhi found that the camps are run by officials of Pakistans intelligence agency, the Directorate of ISI, inside Pakistani territory, to the east of the Afghanistan province of Nangarhar. Beijings Support for Terrorism Joyeeta Basu, the editor of the Sunday Guardian, noted that Beijing wants Pakistan off the FATF list to free billions of dollars worth of Chinese investment in the country. That, she said, will be a major mistake, as Pakistan continues to be a terror state. Furthermore, she cites reports that the PLA is implicated in Pakistans own terrorism. Chinese soldiers during field exercises in the snow near the Kunjerab Pass bordering Pakistan in Taxkorgan in northwest Chinas Xinjiang Uyghur region on Jan. 6, 2021. (Chinatopix via AP) There have been credible reports of Chinese generals establishing contacts with terrorist groups that Pakistan uses against India, including attempting to revive an India-specific group known as Al Badr, which had gone defunct, Basu wrote on June 14. It was because of China that it took 10 yearsfrom 2009 to 2019for India to get the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad commander Masood Azhar listed as a global terrorist by the United Nations Security Council Sanctions Committee, and this in spite of India having the support of the other members of the UNSC [U.N. Security Council]. It is not surprising that India has trouble getting U.N. support against terrorism, as the acting executive director of the U.N. Counter-Terrorism Executive Directorate (CTED) is Chen Weixiong, a Chinese national supported by Beijing. To this authors knowledge, Chen has not publicly criticized Pakistans state-sponsored terrorism against India and Afghanistan, nor has he criticized Beijings use of terrorism as an excuse for its genocide in the Xinjiang region. Under Chen, the U.N. CTED is biased in its approach. While its website prominently displays a report against extreme right-wing terrorism (isnt all terrorism extreme?), it has no such report on extreme left-wing terrorism, of which the CCP is the most powerful example. As should be clear from its support of Pakistan, Beijing hypocritically uses terrorism as a tool of its own foreign policy. Teng Biao, a legal scholar at the University of Chicago, and Terri Marsh, a human rights lawyer in Washington, argue that the CCP is itself a terrorist organization because of its gray-zone tactics. That would be entirely consistent with its history of supporting underground Maoist organizations globally, as clearly argued by historian Julia Lovell in her book Maoism: A Global History (winner of the 2019 Cundill History Prize). The CCP has, for its entire history, not only engaged in its own terrorism but enabled other terror organizations and terror states around the world. China is believed to have paidor is payingprotection money to terror groups functioning in the Af-Pak [Afghanistan-Pakistan] area to secure its China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects, as these groups have stepped up attacks against Chinese interests, Basu wrote. If we look at Indias Northeast, China has been funding insurgencies there. Reports are that this has happened in Myanmar and Thailand as well. Stop the CCPs Terror The FATF has a blacklist and a gray watch list. It lists Pakistan on the latter, which is a slap on the wrist. Islamabads support for terrorism warrants its inclusion on the blacklist, along with two other rogue supporters of terrorism: Iran and North Korea. The FATF should also include China and Russia on its blacklist. Anything less would suggest that the FATF is too susceptible to CCP lobbying and so is part of the terrorist problem rather than its solution. It is time for the world to stop allowing the CCP, a terrorist organization that supports other forms of terror, to insinuate itself into global political and economic power bases from which it can lobby for soft-on-terror policies. The United States, European Union, Japan, India, and other legitimate governments that value democracy, human rights, and stability should deny the CCP the influence and mantle of legitimacy it finds in international organizations like the FATF. We should deny the CCP the chance to do real damage, from within, to the worlds peace and security. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Workers set up fences around a community under lockdown in Dandong city, in northeastern China's Liaoning province, on June 13, 2022. (DOUYIN@91244624 via AP) Chinese City Mayor Apologizes Over COVID-19 Lockdown Response BEIJINGThe mayor of a northeastern Chinese city on the North Korean border that has been under lockdown for more than 50 days has apologized for failures in his administrations work amid widespreadbut often disguiseddissatisfaction over the authorities heavy-handed approach to handling the pandemic. Dandong Mayor Hao Jianjun gave no specifics, but said the authorities work and basic services had been unsatisfactory, for which he offered his apologies, according to a statement issued by city leadership late Monday. It is highly unusual for a ranking Chinese Communist Party (CCP) official to publicly concede errors, particularly regarding the hardline zero-COVID policy that has been repeatedly endorsed by top officials under CCP leader Xi Jinping. Despite reporting only a handful of cases, Dandong has seen one of the strictest lockdowns in China. The actual number of COVID-19 cases may be much higher. Chinas COVID-19 data is difficult to verify, as the Chinese regime routinely suppresses or alters information. Residents chat through fences in a community under lockdown in Dandong city, in northeastern Chinas Liaoning province, on June 13, 2022, in a still from video. (DOUYIN@91244624 via AP) In his reported comments at a meeting with residents, Hao acknowledged the sacrifices made by the citys 2.4 million citizens, along with the complaining voices among them over the authorities work. Dandong would now be moving into a stage of pandemic control that would be more effective, Hao said. Unable to root out the source of new cases, Dandong officials took increasingly extreme measures, some of them of questionable scientific merit. That included recommending residents close their windows to prevent the virus from being blown in from North Korea, even though its ability to spread through the air is extremely limited. Authorities have also cracked down on smuggling across the Yalu River with North Korea, offering cash incentives for information on those involved. The Chinese regime has long held that the virus is spreading through packaging and other surfaces, despite little evidence showing that is a significant factor. Officials at one point also transported residents of an entire apartment block to quarantine in the city of Shenyang, about 250 kilometers (150 miles) north of Dandong. Upon their release, it was discovered the positive case sparking the move had been in a resident of a neighboring building, leading to an angry confrontation between the residents and authorities. A resident injured by fences that were blown over in Dandong city, in northeastern Chinas Liaoning province, on June 13, 2022, in a still from video. (DOUYIN@91244624 via AP) Residents have been permitted out to shop, but no word has yet been given on when normal work can resume, said Li Yueqing, the owner of a wood processing factory in Dandong reached by phone. Rules still demand that any building where a positive case is found will be sealed off, Li said. We understand the epidemic situation in the city is still unstable. We dont know when exactly we will be allowed to resume production, he said. A restaurant worker said the 50 days of closure is majorly affecting incomes. Up to now, we still havent received any instruction from the government on restarting business and our incomes have been affected by doing nothing, said the worker, who gave only her surname, Guo. A staffer at a maritime training academy who gave just his surname, Zheng, said they remained shuttered as a precautionary measure. The government feels it is better for us to remain closed longer, given the large number of trainees we have had. We have no idea when we will reopen, Zheng said. Lengthy lockdowns have become the norm in Chinas COVID-19 response, with Shanghais ongoing predicament gaining the most notoriety. Most of the 25 million residents of Chinas largest city and key financial hub were confined to their homes or immediate neighborhoods for two months or more and hundreds of thousands continue to remain under restrictions. A worker looks past a fence in a compound during a COVID-19 lockdown in the Jingan district of Shanghai on May 25, 2022. (Hector Retamal/AFP via Getty Images) The severity of the Shanghai lockdown and the apparent lack of preparation by authorities prompted confrontations at checkpoints between residents and officials, and a series of nightly sessions of banging pots and screaming from balconies. Criticisms of the authorities policy were posted online, often in formats designed to thwart censorship software. The relaxation of measures prompted an exodus from the city and foreign business leaders say confidence in its future as an international business hub remains in question. The response in the capital Beijing has been more nuanced, possibly for political reasons, although many students have been forced to attend class online and a major shopping and nightlife district has been shut down following the detection of 287 cases linked to a nightclub. Police said that two customers of the nightclub are under investigation after they allegedly ignored an order to isolate at home and went out using a ride-hailing service. They later tested positive, leading to more than 300 others being locked down. Residents line up for mass COVID-19 test in Beijing, on June 14, 2022. (Ng Han Guan/AP Photo) The seals of the U.S. Cyber Command, the National Security Agency, and the Central Security Service in Fort Meade, Maryland, on March 13, 2015. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Chinese State-Backed Hackers Targeting Major Telecom Companies: US Security Agencies U.S. security agencies have warned that hackers backed by the Chinese regime have been targeting major telecommunications companies and network service providers since 2020. In a June 7 cybersecurity advisory, they urged those affected to take immediate remedial action. The advisory, coauthored by the National Security Agency (NSA), the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), said the hackers continue to exploit publicly known vulnerabilities, using tactics to bypass defenses and keeping themselves undetected. The agencies pointed out that the hackers allegedly utilized open-source tools, such as RouterSploit and RouterScan, and known software flaws in networking devices such as routers. [T]hese devices are often overlooked by cyber defenders, who struggle to maintain and keep pace with routine software patching of Internet-facing services and endpoint devices, noted the agencies. The agencies did not identify the victim companies in the advisory, but they included a list of the common vulnerabilities and exposures (CVEs) most frequently exploited by the Chinese regimes hackers since 2020, together with vulnerability types and the major vendorsCisco, Citrix, D-Link, Fortinet, and Netgear. They urged potential victims to shore up their networks by applying immediate patches, updating infrastructure, and disabling unnecessary ports and protocols. The advisory is the latest of the U.S. governments series of warnings on Chinese malicious cyber activities, which date back to 2017. The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) lists all of its advisories, alerts, and malware analysis reports on Chinese malicious cyber activities from April 2017 onward. According to CISAs list, Chinese regime-linked hackers targeted and intruded on U.S. oil and natural gas companies from 2011 to 2013. Another Chinese regime-backed hacking activity the CISA said was conducted by the Chinese Communist Partys (CCP) Ministry of State Security (MSS) Hainan State Security Department. These hackers were identified as APT40 by the CISA and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in a joint advisory last year. Deputy Attorney General Jeffery Rosen speaks to the media about charges and arrests related to a computer intrusion campaign tied to the Chinese regime by a group called APT41 at the Department of Justice in Washington, on Sept. 16, 2020. (Tasos Katopodis/Pool/Getty Images) APT40 targeted governmental organizations, companies, and universities in a wide range of industriesincluding biomedical, robotics, and maritime researchacross the United States, Canada, Europe, the Middle East, and the South China Sea area, as well as industries included in Chinas Belt and Road Initiative, the advisory said. The United States charged four Chinese nationals working with the CCPs MSS Hainan state security department for the hacking activity. The following are a couple of cases, among the many, of cyberespionage campaigns conducted by CCP hackers. In March 2022, a hacker group backed by the Chinese regime reportedly exploited vulnerabilities in the online systems of at least six U.S. state governments in order to compromise and gain access to those networks. In March 2021, cybersecurity group FireEye reportedly found evidence that hackers linked to the Chinese regime exploited a flaw in a Microsoft email application to go after a number of American targets, including a university and local governments. Chinese Computing Hacking Contest China hosts its own computer hacking event, the Tianfu Cup international cybersecurity contest, where the best Chinese hackers demonstrate their skills. At last years contest, Kunlun Lab Team and Team Pangu both hacked the iPhone 13 Pro in record time, Forbes reported. Kunlun Lab did this live on stage, using a remote code execution exploit of the mobile Safari web browser. Team Pangu took away the top reward$300,000 cashfor remotely jailbreaking a fully patched iPhone 13 Pro running iOS 15, according to Forbes. Though the Tianfu Cup demonstrates a near-peer challenge to U.S. cyber power, wrote J.D. Work, a former U.S. intelligence professional, for War on the Rocks. Yet the Peoples Liberation Army Strategic Support Force, Ministry of State Security, and Public Security Bureaus development efforts remain out of public view. A member of the hacking group Red Hacker Alliance uses his computer at their office in Dongguan, Guangdong Province, China, on Aug. 4, 2020. (Nicolas Asfouri/AFP via Getty Images) Improving US Cybersecurity Responding to the June advisory from American security agencies, an article in MIT Technology Review stated that preventive actions are necessary to detect and guard against Chinese cyber espionage campaigns. [Chinese hackers] stole usernames and passwords, reconfigured routers, and successfully exfiltrated the targeted networks traffic and copied it to their own machines. With these tactics, they were able to spy on virtually everything going on inside the organizations, said the article by Patrick Howell ONeill. John Mac Ghlionn, a researcher and writer, wrote in a piece for The Epoch Times in February that the United States has never looked more vulnerable to cyber-attacks. At present, U.S. agencies suffer from poor cyber hygiene, meaning the practices and precautions used to keep sensitive data safe and secure from attackers are substandard, Mac Ghlionn wrote. This explains why CCP-backed hackers have stolen the data of at least 206 million Americans. Without adequate cybersecurity measures, protected health information (PHI), personal information, and intellectual property are at risk of being compromised. Mac Ghlionn added that according to a Senate report, seven out of eight federal agencies, are failing to protect critical data. Rob Joyce, director of cybersecurity at the NSA, tweeted: PRC sponsored actors are using access to telcos and ISPs to scale their targeting. To kick them out, we must understand the tradecraft and detect them beyond just initial access. PRC sponsored actors are using access to telcos and ISPs to scale their targeting. To kick them out, we must understand the tradecraft and detect them beyond just initial access. https://t.co/l4W4kHKd8B Rob Joyce (@NSA_CSDirector) June 7, 2022 The Epoch Times reached out to the Chinese embassy in Washington. An embassy spokesperson in a reply email denied the hacking allegations and claimed that the United States is groundlessly accusing China on cyber security issues. Convicted Former Florida Congresswoman Seeks Return to House JACKSONVILLE, Fla.A former Florida congresswoman convicted of a federal tax charge in a charity fraud case wants to return to the U.S. House. Ex-Rep. Corrine Brown filed papers Thursday to run in Floridas 10th District, which is an open seat because incumbent Democrat Val Demings is running against Republican U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio. Brown, a Democrat, served 12 terms in the House beginning in 1993 but was defeated for reelection after her 2016 indictment in the fraud case. She was initially convicted and served two years in prison but was released on humanitarian grounds due to the coronavirus pandemic. That conviction was subsequently overturned on appeal. Last month, to avoid a second trial, Brown pleaded guilty to a single tax charge and was put on probation. The Constitution does not outright bar convicted felons from serving, but its up to the House or Senate to decide whom to seat. Brown said shes optimistic about running in the 10th District, newly redrawn in the redistricting process following the 2020 census. Ive represented most of the people of the new 10th District during my 24 years in Congress and I always earned huge support in this region, Brown said in a statement on her website. Now I see our hard-won gains are being taken away from us. Minorities have lost opportunities to elect candidates of their choice because of the recent gerrymandering in the State of Florida. Brown, a former state legislator, faces a crowded field in the Aug. 23 Democratic primary for the new open House seat. In the criminal case, court documents accused Brown of siphoning money from her One Door for Education Foundation for personal use. Prosecutors said the fraud included using hundreds of thousands of dollars from the foundation to pay for lavish parties, trips, and shopping excursions. (L-R) Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms president John Carpay, Freedom Convoy organizer Tamara Lich, and Justice Centre chairman of the board Jonathan Allen, at the George Jonas Freedom Award ceremony in Toronto on June 16, 2022. (Ramona Diaconescu, Justice Centre photographer) Convoy Organizer Tamara Lich Receives Freedom Award Freedom Convoy organizer Tamara Lich was awarded the annual George Jonas Freedom Award by the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms at a ceremony in Toronto June 16. A sold-out audience paid $150 to $500 to attend the event, which included a reception, dinner, the award presentation, and a keynote address from columnist and former national radio host Rex Murphy. Ms. Lich inspired Canadians to exercise their Charter rights and freedoms by participating actively in the democratic process, and took the initiative to help organize a peaceful protest and serve as one of its leaders, the Justice Centre wrote in an online post regarding Lichs selection in April. The resulting peaceful protest in Ottawa awakened many Canadians to the injustice of Charter-violating lockdowns and mandatory vaccination policies. Ms. Lich has suffered for the cause of freedom by spending 18 days unjustly jailed, and exemplifies courage, determination and perseverance. Tamara Lich speaks at the at the George Jonas Freedom Award ceremony in Toronto on June 16, 2022. (Ramona Diaconescu, Justice Centre photographer) On February 17, 2022, Lich was charged with counselling to commit mischief and obstructing police, among other charges. Just one day prior, Ontario Superior Court Justice Hugh McLean said Lich and other defendants in a civil action to stop honking in downtown Ottawa were at liberty to engage in a peaceful, lawful and safe protest. Lich was released on bail after 18 days on condition she does not use social media or protest against vaccine mandates and lockdowns. Her conditions were appealed, and hearings were held on her bail May 19 and 20. Assistant Crown Attorney Moiz Karimjee argued that Lichs pending acceptance of the award amounted to a public expression of support for the convoy, and was therefore a breach of bail conditions. However, in a decision released May 25, Justice Kevin Phillips of the Ontario Superior Court ruled otherwise. I accept Ms. Lichs evidence that she saw no connection between her release terms and the acceptance of an award meant to celebrate her advocacy of constitutional freedoms as she and others understand them, he wrote. No court would ever seek to control the possession or manifestation of political views. The courts are not a thought police. We seek only to control conduct to the extent that certain behavior will violate or likely lead to violation of the law. Even so, Phillips reaffirmed Lichs ban from posting on social media. The award ceremony is named in honour of the late George Jonas, who died in 2016. Jonas was born in communist Hungary in 1935 but later became a renowned Canadian author, poet, and columnist who emphasized the importance of freedom. In 2021, the award was presented at an online ceremony to all Canadians resisting unconstitutional lockdowns, who the Justice Centre called Canadas Freedom Fighters. The Zoom event featured speeches by Dr. Jay Bhattacharya and Dr. Francis Christian. The Society for Academic Freedom and Scholarship won in 2020, journalist Christie Blatchford in 2019, and author Mark Steyn in 2018. Drew Barnes, MLA for Cypress-Medicine Hat in Alberta, congratulated Lich on Twitter, saying, Your courage, skill and principled stand for freedom, liberty and elected govt accountability made you the right choice! Similar Justice Centre ceremonies for Lich will be held in Vancouver on July 13 and Calgary on Aug. 11. A security guard is seen behind police tape near the Heaven Supermarket and other nightclubs that are at the center of the city's latest COVID-19 outbreak in Beijing. China's capital is working to control a fresh COVID-19 cluster after dozens of people linked to a local nightclub tested positive for the virus. June 13, 2022. (Kevin Frayer/Getty Images) COVID-19 Outbreak in Beijing Rapidly Spreads, Causing Shutdowns of Famous Business and Tourist Areas The outbreak of COVID-19 in a bar in Beijings commercial area has rapidly spread in the capital city, including to the district where the Chinese regimes central governmental departments are located, and has caused the lockdown of famous tourist areas in the city center. Since last week, the outbreak at Paradise Supermarket Bar in Chaoyang District has directly affected at least 14 of Beijings 16 districts. The Beijing Center for Disease Control and Prevention announced on June 15 that from June 9 to June 15, a total of 327 people were infected with COVID-19 due to the outbreak in the bar, including 7 bar employees, 226 people who had been in the bar, and 94 people who were infected by the other groups. Those under the age of 30 account for more than 85 percent of the infected. According to information released by Beijing Chaoyang district, the Paradise Supermarket Bar, epicenter of this new outbreak in the capital, is located in Sanlituna famous bar area in the city. Its also one of the most famous business districts in the city, where international businesses Beijing offices and foreign embassies are located. At present, 74 bars have been closed and more than 700 catering businesses have stopped dine-in service in the area. Authorities have required anyone who was at the Paradise Supermarket Bar from 8:00 pm on June 6 to 8:00 am on June 7 to report to the epidemic control officials immediately. Chairs are stacked on tables at a restaurant/bar which was closed to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in Beijing on June 19, 2020. (Greg Baker/AFP via Getty Images) The outbreak has also caused closure of the popular tourist areas in the city center. On June 15, a waitress at Huguo Temple Snack Bar told The Epoch Times that the entire Huguo Temple Snack Street was closed, because Paradise Supermarket Bars dormitory is located on the street, and is where the infected bartender lives. She said, This is the most famous snack street in Beijing. It happened here, the impact of it is great. Yu Ming (pseudonym), a hotel manager in Huguo Temple Street, told The Epoch Times that the area around Huguo Temple, a famous tourist site and one of the eight major temples in Beijing, has been locked down. Many checkpoints have been set up in the surrounding areas, everywhere is blocked. Six or seven confirmed cases have been found in the Huguo Temple area. Now all the people living in our hotel are epidemic prevention personnel, and many doctors and nurses have come in to do nucleic acid testing for the residents. Tesla vehicles are parked outside a building at the Zhongnanhai leadership compound, in Beijing on Jan. 9, 2019. (Mark Schiefelbein/Pool via Reuters) In the nearby famous scenic Shichahai area, including Houhai Lake area, which is next to Zhongnanhai where the regimes central government is located, local residents told The Epoch Times that more than ten buses came to take people away due to the outbreak related to the bar in Chaoyang. Li Zi (pseudonym), who lives in Houhai area, told The Epoch Times that there are many bars by the river and a customer tested positive for COVID, which caused the closure of all businesses in the Shichahai area and adjacent Beihai Park area. Li said: The epidemic caused by the bar in Chaoyang is severe. People who visited that bar go everywhere, not only have they been to Shichahai, but have traveled all over Beijing. The Epoch Times obtained a video showing the buses taking people away and the lockdown of the areas in Beijing. At present, the epidemic related to the bar is still spreading. Beijing has added three new medium-risk areas in Chaoyang District. One of the people who visited the bar and tested positive had flown to and from the mega city Guangzhou in south China on June 8. The person is a crew member of the airline, according to an epidemic notice issued by Shunyi District of Beijing. Under the Chinese communist leader Xi Jinpings zero-COVID policy and strict control measures, the outbreak in Beijing continues to rise. Hong Ning and Luo Ya contributed to the report. Cyprus Trial of UK Man: Was It Murder or Assisted Suicide? NICOSIA, CyprusThe trial of a British man charged with the premeditated murder of his sick wife got underway Thursday in Cyprus coastal resort town of Paphos, with defense lawyers arguing that David Hunter should instead be charged with assisting a suicide. State Prosecutor Andreas Hadjikyrou said the postponement was due to a court scheduling conflict and will resume on Sept. 19. Hunter, 74, will remain in custody until then. Justice Abroad, a group that defends Britons embroiled in legal difficulties in foreign countries, says the case against Hunter, 74, is likely the first euthanasia case to be tried on the east Mediterranean island nation. It comes as lawmakers debate whether to decriminalize euthanasia, amid strong opposition from conservative circles, including the influential Orthodox Church. Hunters wife Janice, 74, died in December 2021 at the couples retirement home in Paphos where many of the up to 60,000 British expatriates live. Justice Abroad spokesman Michael Polak said Janice was on heavy medication for a type of blood cancer. He said Cyprus Attorney General George Savvides rejected a defense request to reduce the charge to assisted suicide, which would likely keep Hunter out of jail, without providing any reasoning for his decision. No one believes Mr. Hunter should go to jail for this, Polak told The Associated Press. Speaking to the UK newspaper the Mirror, Hunters daughter Lesley said that her mother had begged him for a long time (to assist her death) and was very clear about what she wanted. But prosecutors say theres no tangible evidencelike a written noteto suggest that Hunters wife had ever asked him specifically to help her die. Prosecutors also disputed that there was a medical diagnosis proving that Janice Hunter suffered from leukemia or blood cancer. They also said defense attorneys turned down a deal to have Hunter plead guilty to a lesser charge of manslaughter that would have resulted in a prison sentence of only a few years. Polak countered that the burden remains on prosecutors to demonstrate a motive as to why Hunter would want to murder his wife. The Briton had been so distraught after his wifes death that he attempted suicide, according to Polak. A Delta Airlines customer checks in for a flight at San Francisco International Airport in San Francisco, California, on May 12, 2022. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) Delta Pilots Write Open Letter, Share Frustration of Passengers Over Flight Disruptions Delta Air Lines pilots have come forward to say they share the frustration of passengers over recent flight delays and disruptions, which they say are unacceptable. We are disheartened when we witness the impact of your disrupted travel plans, the pilots wrote in an open letter, in which they reminded passengers that pilots prioritize safety on every flight. We have been working on our days off, flying a record amount of overtime to help you get to your destination. At the current rate, by this fall, our pilots will have flown more overtime in 2022 than in the entirety of 2018 and 2019 combined, our busiest years to date. We empathize and share in your frustration over the delays, cancellations, and disrupted travel plans youve experienced. We agree; it is unacceptable. The pilots called on the airlines management to ensure the integrity of the airlines operations before the disruptions and delays cause them to lose confidence in the Delta brand. Delta cited irregular operations as a driving force behind weekend cancellations in May and announced on May 26 that it was decreasing the number of flights over the summer in a bid to reduce cancellations. The airline updated the release on June 16 with more recent operational data, acknowledging that rebuilding its operational capacity to meet the renewed demand for travel has been an enormous feat that they say has not been without challenges. This phase of our recovery has been the most difficult. Weve never had to bring the airline back at this speed before, said John Laughter, EVP and chief of operations. Through this challenge, we continue to make decisions that allow us to run a good, safe operation while restoring our network, and to take care of our people and customers. The airline noted that its weekend cancellations for June weekends month-to-date are down 35 percent from May. It also said its domestic mainline on-time arrival rate remained in first place among competitors for the fifth consecutive month through June 15. As pandemic restrictions ease around the country, and around the world, airlines and airports have cited staff shortages as being behind flight disruptions. Some airlines and airports have reportedly struggled to attract employees after many lost their jobs during the economic shutdowns and now hold fears over job security. But Capt. Joe DePete, the president of the international Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), said in a June 7 release that it is a fictitious claim that there arent enough available pilots. The United States is producing a record number of pilots, yet some are still trying to claim we need to weaken aviation safety rules to fix a problem that doesnt exist, he said. The ALPA said that nearly 8,000 newly certificated pilots have been produced in the last 12 months, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Instead of focusing on changes to fundamental issues associated with their profit-driven business models, they are suggesting that a solution would be to weaken the qualification and safety regulations that have led to the U.S. airline industrys current exemplary safety record, ALPAs release said. Department of Justice Criticizes Jan. 6 Committee for Not Turning Over Interview Transcripts Top Department of Justice (DOJ) officials have chastised the House of Representatives committee investigating the U.S. Capitol breach that took place on Jan. 6, 2021, for not handing over transcripts of interviews theyve conducted. It is now readily apparent that the interviews the Select Committee conducted are not just potentially relevant to our overall criminal investigations, but are likely relevant to specific prosecutions that have already commenced, Assistant Attorney Generals Kenneth Polite Jr. and Matthew Olsen wrote to the panel in a letter dated June 15 that was docketed in a federal court on Thursday. The Select Committees failure to grant the Department access to these transcripts complicates the Departments ability to investigate and prosecute those who engaged in criminal conduct in relation to the January 6 attack on the Capitol, they added later, urging the panel to reverse its position. Matthew Graves, the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, also signed the missive. The office of Graves submitted the letter in a case against members of the Proud Boys who are charged with crimes in relation to Jan. 6. Prosecutors said the DOJ has neither access to the transcripts, nor the ability to compel Congress, a co-equal branch of government, to provide copies of the transcripts. They also said they do not oppose pushing back the trial of the defendants due to the transcripts not being available. Members of Congress pose for photos before the House select committee tasked with investigating the breach at the Capitol on Jan. 6 holds a hearing on Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C., on June 13, 2022. (Jabin Botsford/Pool via Getty Images) We got the letter yesterday, we are reviewing it, we will respond to it, but we are in the midst of conducting our hearings, Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), the chairman of the House panel on Thursday. We have a program to get over, we have to get the facts and circumstances behind Jan. 6. We will work with them, but we have a report to do. We are not going to stop what we are doing to share the information that we have gotten so far with the Department of Justice. We have to do our work, he added. Thompson told reporters in May that he rebuffed a request from DOJ officials to turn over transcripts, describing them at the time as the committees work product. The transcripts would be shared after the panels work is done, Thompson added. Lawmakers on the panel cannot bring criminal charges, but they can make criminal referrals. Thompson said recently that the panel wouldnt make any referrals; some members said that decision has not been made yet. Attorney General Merrick Garland, head of the DOJ, told reporters this week that he is watching the hearings the panel is holding. And I can assure you that the January 6 prosecutors are watching all of the hearings as well, he said at an unrelated briefing in Washington. Garland said the DOJ is working to hold all perpetrators who are criminally responsible for Jan. 6 accountable, regardless of their level, their position, and regardless of whether they were present for the events of Jan. 6. The Jan. 6 House panel has interviewed over 1,000 people in its probe, including many who have not been charged with a crime. The list includes former President Donald Trumps daughter and adviser, Ivanka Trump; former Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani; and Bill Stepien, who managed Trumps 2020 campaign. The panel is holding hearings in June, with the third one of the month completed Thursday. Leaders have said they plan to issue a report by the end of the year. Dr. Simone Gold Sentenced to Two Months in Prison A California doctor has been sentenced to two months in prison for being involved in the Jan. 6 breach of the Capitol and stepping inside the restricted premises along with her co-defendant John Strand. Dr. Simone Melissa Gold was initially charged with entering a restricted building or grounds, violent entry, and disorderly conduct, and arrested on Jan. 18, 2021. She spent two days in custody. On March 3, 2022, she pleaded guilty to the misdemeanor charge of illegally entering the restricted building. Gold was sentenced June 16 to serve 60 days in jail, one year of supervised release, pay a $9,500 fine, and $500 restitution. Gold is the founder of Americas Frontline Doctors (AFLDS), a nonprofit that has spoken out against the emergency use authorization of COVID-19 vaccines and promoted the use of ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine during the initial days of the pandemic. While inside the building, Gold delivered a speech through a megaphone to a crowd gathered in Statuary Hall, where she stated her opposition to the COVID-19 vaccine mandates and government-imposed lockdowns. Gold expressed regret for entry into the Capitol building in a Jan. 12 interview with The Washington Post. During the same interview Strand stated that he was also inside the U.S. Capitol with Gold and was there to protect Gold, according to an official statement. I was misguided. I should not have entered, Gold said. Everything I did on January 6, misguided or not, was consistent with my effort to do my best for people. She sounded emotional when she told Cooper that she was shocked the prosecutors believed she was not remorseful and did not intend to take part in a situation that was so destructive to our nation. Strandthe communication director at AFLDS and Golds boyfriendhas been charged along with Gold. He has pleaded not guilty and rejected an offer for a plea agreement. Strands trial is scheduled for July 18. Regarding Golds sentencing, an AFLDS press release on Thursday said, Like most January 6 defendants, she is a victim of selective prosecutionthe defining feature of corrupted governments. The Epoch Times has reached out to AFLDS for comment. However, district Judge Christopher Cooper, a Barack Obama appointee, said that AFLDS was leaving people with the misimpression that this is a political prosecution or that its about free speech, as he delivered the sentence. January 6 was about a lot of things, but it wasnt about the First Amendment or COVID vaccinations the only reason you are here is where and when and how you chose to express your view, Cooper said. Gold had raised over $400,000 for her and the organizations legal issues. Cooper said that the funds were a disservice to the true victims that day. Golds attorney Dickson Young asked for a sentence of community medical service, stating that his client did not commit or incite violence. The loss of our countrys freedoms, said Gold in a tweet on Friday regarding the sentencing. Over 800 people have been charged with federal crimes over the breach on Jan. 6, with 300 pleading guilty and nearly 200 sentenced. Elon Musk, founder and chief engineer of SpaceX, speaks at the 2020 Satellite Conference and Exhibition in Washington on March 9, 2020. (Win McNamee/Getty Images) Elon Musk Hit With $258 Billion Lawsuit Over Alleged Dogecoin Pyramid Scheme A Dogecoin investor sued Elon Musk in a class-action lawsuit for $258 billion on June 17 for allegedly running a pyramid scheme to support the cryptocurrency. The plaintiff, Keith Johnson, accused the billionaire CEO of Tesla Inc and SpaceX in a complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Manhattan of using his pedestal as Worlds Richest man to operate and manipulate the Dogecoin Pyramid Scheme for profit, exposure, and amusement. The lawsuit filed on behalf of Johnson by an attorney at Even Johnson Law accuses Musk of committing racketeering fraud for over-promoting Dogecoin and then allowing the cryptocurrency to tumble after pumping up its price. Defendants were aware since 2019 that Dogecoin had no value yet promoted Dogecoin to profit from its trading, read the complaint, which said that the currency is an illegal wire fraud enterprise fueled by promotion and manipulation over Twitter. Johnson said he is representing other investors who have lost money in Dogecoin since April 2019 and is personally seeking $86 billion in damages, representing the decline in Dogecoins market value from May 2021 to June 2022, and is demanding another $172 billion in tripled damages and fees. The total damages sought are more than 34 times Dogecoins current market cap of $7.5 billion and nearly three times its all-time high market cap of $88.68 billion in May 2021. Dogecoins value has tumbled over the past year, dropping to its current value of $0.0565 per coin, from its peak of $0.74 in May 2021. The complaint noted that the selloff began after Musk appeared in May 2021 as a guest host on NBCs Saturday Night Live, when he played a fictitious financial expert on a Weekend Update segment who called Dogecoin a hustle. Defendant Musk is the self-appointed Dogefather, former CEO of Dogecoin, partner, developer, spokesperson, publicist, salesman, marketer, and promoter of Dogecoin, who assembled the Doge Army including his corporations and various billionaires, influencers, and celebrities to increase the price, market cap and trading volume of Dogecoin, said the filing. The Tesla CEO had been promoting Dogecoin since 2019 with a series of tweets that included DOGE and Tesla merch buyable with Dogecoin, which had increased the cryptos value. On Feb. 8, 2021, Tesla in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced it had bought $1.5 billion of Bitcoin, accepting it for a short time as payment for vehicles. Later that February, Musk seemed to be walking back on his support for Dogecoin when he said in a tweet, I will literally pay actual $ to people who void their Dogecoin accounts. The SEC immediately launched an investigation into Musk for that particular tweet regarding Dogecoin, and in response, the tech CEO posted on Twitter: Doge will live forever. Musk announced in January 2022 that Tesla would accept Dogecoin as payment for the companys merchandise and extended that offer in May 2022 for his space exploration company SpaceX. The complaint also seeks that the court prohibit Musk, his companies, and any other unlicensed professionals from further advertising, marketing, or promoting Dogecoin and to declare trading in the cryptocurrency as a form of gambling under federal and New York state law. Since Plaintiff and the class were not advised that the trading of Dogecoin was nothing more than a gambling enterprise, Plaintiff and the class demand the return of all wagers lost trading Dogecoin. The class-action lawsuit also credited comments from fellow billionaires, Warren Buffett and Bill Gates, among others who questioned the value of cryptocurrency. The case is Johnson v. Musk et al, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, No. 22-05037. Reuters contributed to this report. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen speaks as she attends a news conference after a meeting addressing its opinion on Ukraine's EU candidate status, in Brussels, Belgium, on June 17, 2022. (Yves Herman/Reuters) EU Backs Ukraines Membership Bid as War Brings Huge Shift BRUSSELS/KYIV, UkraineThe European Union gave its blessing on Friday to Ukraine to become an official candidate to join the bloc, along with its neighbor Moldova, a historic eastward shift in Europes outlook brought about by Russias invasion. Ukraine applied to join the EU just four days after Russian troops poured across its border in February. Four days later, so did Moldova and Georgia. Ukraine has clearly demonstrated the countrys aspiration and the countrys determination to live up to European values and standards, the EUs executive Commission head Ursula von der Leyen said in Brussels. Leaders of EU countries are expected to endorse the decision at a summit next week. The leaders of the three biggestGermany, France, and Italyhad signaled their solidarity on Thursday by visiting Kyiv, along with the president of Romania. Ukraine belongs to the European family, Germanys Olaf Scholz said after meeting President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The Commission recommended candidate status for Ukraine and Moldova, but held off for Georgia, which it said must meet more conditions first. Von der Leyen said Georgia has a strong application but had to come together politically. Ukraine and Moldova will still face a lengthy process to achieve the standards required for membership, and there are other candidates in the waiting room. Nor is membership guaranteedtalks have been stalled for years with Turkey, officially a candidate since 1999. But launching the candidacy process, a move that would have seemed unthinkable just months ago, amounts to a shift on par with the decision in the 1990s to welcome the ex-Communist countries of Eastern Europe. Ukraine has come close to the EU, closer than any time since independence, Zelenskyy said in his nightly video address, mentioning unspecified good news to come. If admitted, Ukraine would be the EUs largest country by area and its fifth most populous. All three hopefuls are far poorer than any existing EU members, with per capita output around half that of the poorest, Bulgaria. All have recent histories of volatile politics, domestic unrest, entrenched organized crime, and unresolved conflicts with Russian-backed separatists proclaiming sovereignty over territory protected by Moscows troops. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy greets French President Emmanuel Macron as German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi stand outside the Mariyinsky Palace in Kyiv, Ukraine, on June 16, 2022. (Valentyn Ogirenko??/Reuters) Port Blockade President Vladimir Putin ordered his special military operation officially to disarm and denazify Ukraine. One of his main objectives was to halt the expansion of Western institutions which he called a threat to Russia. Ukrainian officials said their troops were still holding out in Sievierodonetsk, site of the worst fighting of recent weeks, on the east bank of the Siverskyi Donets river. It was impossible to evacuate more than 500 civilians who are trapped inside a chemical plant, the regional governor claimed. In the surrounding Donbass region, Ukrainian forces are mainly defending the rivers opposite bank. In the south, Ukraine has mounted a counter-offensive, claiming to have made inroads into the biggest swath still held by Russia of the territory it seized in the invasion. There have been few reports from the frontline to confirm the situation in that area. Ukraine claimed its forces had struck a Russian tugboat bringing soldiers, weapons, and ammunition to Russian-controlled Snake Island, a strategic Black Sea outpost. Among the main concerns of world, leaders is Russias blockade of Ukraines Black Sea ports, preventing exports from one of the worlds biggest sources of grain and threatening to cause a global food crisis. French President Emmanuel Macron said he was skeptical that Moscow would agree to a United Nations proposal to open the ports. I already had talks a few weeks ago with President Putin, but he didnt want to accept a U.N. resolution on this subject, he said. Russia blames the food crisis on Western sanctions, which it says harm its own grain exports, and Ukraines ports cant be opened because of mines. By Robin Emmott and Max Hunder European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen speaks as she attends a news conference, with European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Oliver Varhelyi, after a meeting of the College of European Commissioners addressing its opinion on Ukraine's EU candidate status, in Brussels, Belgium, on June 17, 2022. (Yves Herman/Reuters) European Commission Back Ukraines EU Candidacy European Commission, the executive arm of the European Union (EU), said on Friday that they support the organization to consider war-ravaged Ukraine as a potential member. The Commission recommends that Ukraine be given the perspective to become a member of the European Union. It should be granted candidate status on the understanding that steps are taken in a number of areas, the commission wrote in an opinion. Ukraine has a strong macroeconomic record, demonstrates resilience with macroeconomic and financial stability, and has gradually approximated to criteria of the EU community, the executive body elaborated. However, the former Soviet Union country does need to continue ambitious structural economic reforms. The European Commission also recommended membership be considered for Moldova in the opinion. Ukrainians are ready to die for the European perspective. We want them to live with us the European dream, Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, said in a statement. In light of the commissions opinions, the applications for EU membership by the two countries will be discussed at the next European Council on June 23 and 24. The EU member states will have to decide unanimously on the next steps for the applications. Though only the start of a process that may take many years, it puts Kyiv on course to realize an aspiration that would have been beyond its reach just months ago. Ukraine applied to join the EU four days after Russian troops poured across its border in February. Its the first step on the EU membership path thatll certainly bring our victory closer, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote in a social media post. Precisely because of the bravery of the Ukrainians, Europe can create a new history of freedom, and finally remove the grey zone in Eastern Europe between the EU and Russia. Leaders of EU countries are expected to endorse the decision at a summit next week. The leaders of the three biggestGermany, France, and Italyconveyed their solidarity on Thursday by visiting Kyiv, along with the president of Romania. Reuters contributed to the report. Former Trump White House Advisor Peter Navarro speaks to reporters in Washington on June 17, 2022. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Ex-Trump Adviser Peter Navarro Pleads Not Guilty to Contempt of Congress Charges Peter Navarro, a White House adviser during the Trump administration, pleaded not guilty on June 17 to contempt of Congress charges. Navarro was hit with the misdemeanor charges earlier in June, after declining to cooperate with the House of Representatives panel investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol, citing executive privilege due to his former position at the White House. Navarro had been representing himself before the issue turned into a criminal one. Obviously being put in leg irons and having people want to put me in prison have changed matters, Navarro told reporters outside the federal courthouse in Washington. Navarro has also said he was denied a call to a lawyer after being arrested, which prosecutors have denied. During Fridays hearing, Navarros attorneys asked for the trial to take place in 2023 so that constitutional questions surrounding the privilege invocation could be resolved, WUSA-TV reported. They also said Navarro plans to go on a tour beginning in September promoting his new book, Taking Back Trumps America: Why We Lost the White House and How Well Win it Back. Prosecutors said the government was ready to start the trial sooner. U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta set the start of the trial for Nov. 17, but indicated that might not be the final trial date. Navarro is the second former Trump adviser charged for refusing to cooperate with the House Jan. 6 panel. Steve Bannon, who has also cited privilege, was the first. Bannons motion to dismiss the charges was rejected by U.S. District Court Judge Carl Nichols, a Trump appointee, this week. Bannons attempts to subpoena House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.)who appointed every member of the paneland members of the panel, have not yet been ruled upon. Two other former Trump aides who have resisted working with the panel have not been charged. The Department of Justice reportedly made the decision not to prosecute the former White House employees, Dan Scavino and Mark Meadows, despite exhortations from the panel that the men be prosecuted. Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), chairman of the panel, and Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.), chairwoman of the panel, said in a recent joint statement that they were puzzled by the move. Thompson has said that Navarros testimony was being sought, as well as records he possessed, because he appeared to have information directly relevant to the Select Committees investigation into the causes of the January 6th attack on the Capitol. Dr. Anthony Fauci, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases testifies during a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, on May 17, 2022. (Anna Rose Layden-Pool/Getty Images) Fauci Wont Commit to Stop Funding Chinese Research With US Tax Dollars China is the drug he just cant quit: GOP senator slams NIAID heads remarks Dr. Anthony Fauci said hes unable to commit to stopping federal funding from going to Chinese scientific research, even as the U.S. intelligence community assesses the Chinese regime as Americas top adversary. Fauci, the head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), made the remarks on June 16 during an exchange with Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) while appearing virtually at a Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Committee hearing. The NIH [National Institutes of Health] is still funding research in China, at least $8 million since 2020, Marshall said during the hearing. In the Intelligence Communitys 2022 Annual Threat Assessment, the Chinese Communist Party is presented as one of the top threats to the United States, along with Russia, Iran, Syria, and North Korea. To my knowledge, only China is receiving U.S. research dollars. Since 2020, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has awarded a total of $8.3 million in grants to the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention and its National Center for AIDS/STD Control and Prevention division, along with five top public universities in mainland China and Hong Kong, according to the NIH website. The NIAID is a component institute of NIH. That amount doesnt capture dollars later funneled to a Chinese institution through a U.S.-based organization, such as New York-based EcoHealth Alliance, which had partnered with the Wuhan Institute of Virology to perform coronavirus-related experiments that some experts said fit the definition of gain-of-function research, that is, experiments that increase the pathogenicity or transmissibility of a virus. Marshall asked Fauci, When will you as director of NIAID stop funding research in China? In response, Fauci said that U.S. federal agencies had very productive peer-reviewed highly regarded research projects with our Chinese colleagues that have led to some major advances in biomedical research. So I dont think Id be able to tell you that we are going to stop funding the Chinese, he said. We obviously need to be careful and make sure that when we do fund them we have the proper peer review and we go through all the established guidelines, he added, saying that grants that go to foreign countries, including China, have State Department clearance. Dr. Faucis remarks prove that China is the drug he just cant quit, Marshall told The Epoch Times about the NIAID heads response. Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) questions Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, at a Senate committee hearing on June 16, 2022. (The Epoch Times via the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee) Dr. Fauci told the truth for once, after years of repeated dishonesty that has eroded Americans trust in our public health institutions. In the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic, our government should know its dangerous and wrong to continue funding research projects supported by the Chinese Communist Party. Marshall followed up by asking Fauci if he agrees that the U.S. public lacks records and studies from EcoHealth Alliances research. Faucis answer was evasive. We have access to an extraordinary amount of information that has gone there, he said, arguing that the publicly available information in the scientific journals is sufficient. Obviously none of us know everything thats going on in China, but if the question at hand is the rather small peer-reviewed high-priority grant that was given from Eco[Health] to China in a sub-award, we have a lot of good information thats in the publishing. The NIH gave a total of $3.1 million in grants to EcoHealth over the five years from 2014 to 2019. Almost a fifth of that, $599,000, went to the Wuhan lab, in part for identifying and altering bat coronaviruses deemed likely to infect humans, documents obtained by The Intercept show. Fauci last week tested positive for COVID-19 and joined the June 16 Senate hearing remotely. His response to Marshall omitted any reference to EcoHealths lack of disclosure over some of its research activities, which would have prompted an NIH review over biosafety measures. In this image from video, Dr. Anthony Fauci testifies remotely to a Senate panel on June 16, 2022. (The Epoch Times via the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee) In one experiment at the Wuhan facility, funded by NIH via EcoHealth, mice infected with a modified version of the original bat coronavirus became sicker than those infected with the original version, an unexpected result that was not something that the researchers set out to do, Lawrence Tabak, then-principal deputy director at the NIH, told lawmakers last October. He said EcoHealth had violated grant terms by failing to promptly notify the NIH about the finding. Fauci, at the June 16 hearing, also told Sen. Mike Braun (R-Ind.) that he believes the outbreak of the virus is very, very likely a jump in species from an animal host, and less likely to be the result of a lab leak. I believe its essential to have cooperation and collaboration with the Chinese, he said when Braun asked him whether he thinks Beijing will cooperate with him to get to the thorough bottom of the origins of COVID-19. FBI Director Christopher Wray speaks to members of Congress in Washington on May 25, 2022. (Bonnie Cash/Pool/AFP via Getty Images) FBI Probing Attacks Against Pregnancy Clinics, Faith-Based Organizations The FBI says it is investigating the over two dozen attacks against pregnancy clinics and groups linked to the pro-life movement. The FBI is investigating a series of attacks and threats targeting pregnancy resource centers and faith-based organizations across the country, a bureau spokesperson told The Epoch Times in an email. The FBI takes all threats seriously and we continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners and will remain vigilant to protect our communities, it added. After a leaked draft Supreme Court opinion was published online on May 2the court later condemned the leak while confirming the document was legitimatepro-abortion radicals have vandalized and set fire to an assortment of facilities, including the HOPE Pregnancy Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and His Nesting Place Home for Mothers & Children in Long Beach, California. A militant collection of groups referring to itself as Janes Revenge has taken credit for many of the incidents and said in a recent threat that it was open season on any pro-life facilities that do not shut down. The Department of Justice (DOJ) and Department of Homeland Security had not commented on the attacks, despite growing calls from lawmakers to address them. The FBI is part of the DOJ. We would like to remind members of the public that if they observe anything suspicious or have information about potential threats to report it to law enforcement immediately, call their local FBI field office, or submit a tip to tips.fbi.gov, the FBI spokesperson said. The DOJ has also not heeded calls to prosecute people who have been protesting at the homes of six Supreme Court justices, all appointed by Republican presidents, who may sign onto the finalized opinion that strikes down Roe v. Wade. Federal law bars protesting outside the homes of any judge with the intent of influencing or intimidating that judge, but Attorney General Merrick Garland, a Biden appointee, has said he cannot comment on whether there are any investigations into the protesters and the DOJ has not charged any with wrongdoing. State law in Virginia also bars such protests, but Attorney General Jason Miyares, a Republican, has said that local officials must enforce that law, and local officials have thus far declined to do so. Three justices live in Virginia; the other three who are being harassed live in Maryland, where authorities have made no arrests besides taking into custody a man with a gun near the home of Justice Brett Kavanaugh. Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin and Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, both Republicans, are among those who have urged federal authorities to act, but to no avail. Youngkin this week proposed an amendment to the law that would enable state authorities to make the prosecutions, and make the crime a felony instead of a misdemeanor. The Mattel logo is seen on a toy in the Kidding Around toy store Manhattan, New York, on Nov.23, 2021. (Andrew Kelly/Reuters) Safety Watchdog Warns Parents After 13 Infants Die in Fisher-Price Seats The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has issued a warning to parents of infants that Fisher-Prices rockers are unfit for sleeping and have been associated with 13 infant deaths over the past 12 years. On Tuesday, the CPSC released a warning concerning two Fisher-Price products, the companys Newborn-to-Toddler Rocker and Infant-to-Toddler Rocker, claiming that these rockers with their inclined surfaces are a liability to the safety of infants. The commission referred to at least 13 reported infant deaths in these products between 2009 and 2021. The CPSC also warned about a Minnie Mouse-themed Kids 2 rocker, which the commission associated with one infant death. On a flat, horizontal surface, infants are unable to roll over to a prone position, as they lack the strength to do so. However, infants can potentially roll over on an inclined surface such as the aforementioned products, opening the possibility for the child to suffocate. Furthermore, it has been alleged that the angle of these rockers could potentially obstruct the infants airways, allowing for suffocation even in the correct position. Parents and caregivers should never use inclined products, such as rockers, gliders, soothers, and swings, for infant sleep and should not leave infants in these products unsupervised, unrestrained, or with bedding material, due to the risk of suffocation, the CPSC said in its statement. In 2019, Fisher-Price recalled 4.7 million of its Rock n Play Sleepers under pressure from a group of pediatricians after the product was linked to 10 infant deaths. The company insisted that the product was safe when used correctly, but assented to the recall due to reported incidents in which the product was used contrary to the safety warnings and instructions. Congress banned inclined sleepers for infants last May with the passage of the Safe Sleep for Babies Act, but it is unclear whether the above-mentioned Fisher-Price rockers fall under the law. The products have yet to be recalled, and the company insists that its rockers are safe for supervised, waking activity, though the company noted that the rockers were unfit for sleep. The findings of the CPSC were delayed by two months under the provisions, preventing the commission from publicly disclosing the findings of ongoing safety investigations without taking certain steps to ensure the accuracy and fairness of such suggestions. Mattel, the parent company of Fisher-Price, did not respond to a request for comment. Unaccompanied minors hold hands as they await transport after crossing the Rio Grande river into the United States from Mexico on a raft in Penitas, Texas, on March 12, 2021. (Adrees Latif/Reuters) Florida to Go After Parents Who Pay Cartels to Smuggle Their Children Into US Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis wants to investigate and prosecute parents who pay transnational criminal organizations to smuggle their children illegally across the U.S. southern border. DeSantis filed a petition with the Florida Supreme Court on June 17 requesting that a statewide grand jury be impaneled for the initial duration of a year. The purpose of the grand jury will be to investigate individuals and organizations that are actively working with foreign nationals, drug cartels, coyotes, to illegally smuggle minorssome as young as 2 years oldacross the border and into Florida, DeSantis said during a press briefing on June 17. This is just wrong what theyre doing and we are going to go after it. The grand jury also will investigate the methods smugglers use to transport unaccompanied minors across the southern border and the smuggling or trafficking of other illegal aliens. DeSantis also announced that the Florida Highway Patrol is expanding its enforcement in smuggling and trafficking corridors into the state. Since January 2021, the states Highway Patrol officers have made more than 40 arrests for human smuggling involving 150 illegal alien passengers and confiscated 115 pounds of cocaine, 20 pounds of heroin, 250 pounds of meth, and 272 weapons, according to Florida Highway Patrol Director Col. Gene Spaulding. And I cant emphasize enough that it is just scratching the surface, Spaulding said. The grand jury also will investigate local governments that are aiding this smuggling scheme by intentionally violating our state law against sanctuary jurisdictions, DeSantis said, referring to cities and counties, such as MiamiDade, that fail to turn over criminal illegal aliens to federal immigration authorities. According to reports from federal law enforcement, however, MiamiDade County is refusing to honor federal requests to take custody of criminal aliens in MiamiDades detention facilities, including aliens arrested for attempted murder, domestic violence by strangulation, assault with a deadly weapon, and lewd and lascivious behavior on a minor, the petition states. Unaccompanied Minors During fiscal year 2021, Border Patrol agents apprehended almost 108,000 children under 18 who had crossed the border illegally without a parent or guardian, according to Customs and Border Protection data. Once apprehended, unaccompanied children are processed by Border Patrol and transferred to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), usually within 72 hours. HHS then places the child with a sponsor in the United States, pending their immigration court proceedings. In 91 percent of cases, the childs sponsor is a family member already living in the United States, often illegally. Florida absorbed the second-highest numbermore than 11,000of unaccompanied alien children in fiscal 2021, behind Texas. A further 6,659 children have been placed in Florida during fiscal year 2022. Family members pay thousands of dollars to smuggling organizations to get their children into the United States. In a 2013 case, Patricia Elizabeth Salmeron Santos, who was living illegally in the United States, solicited human smugglers to bring her 10-year-old daughter to Virginia from El Salvador. Santos agreed to pay $8,500. Almost all unaccompanied minors are being smuggled up from Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, or El Salvador, according to Customs and Border Protection data. A significant portion of the children, especially young girls, are sexually assaulted on the journey, according to court documents and reports by Doctors Without Borders. Smugglers often use unsafe vehicles, stay in squalid conditions in stash houses, cross rugged terrain, and expose the children to other harsh environmental conditions, the petition states. A general surgery room at Wuhan Union Hospital where a teacher received a heart transplant only four days after being placed on the donor waitlist. The hospital is suspected of participating in the regime's crime of forced organ harvesting. (STR/AFP via Getty Images) Four Days to Find a Donor; Concerns of Forced Organ Harvesting at Wuhan Hospital A teacher at Lanzhou University in China recently received a heart transplant four days after being placed on the donor waitlist. The waiting period for a heart transplant in the United States is 180 days to years. The short wait period in China has aroused suspicions of forced organ harvesting. On April 8, Mu Jiangang, a teacher at Lanzhou University, suffered a myocardial infarction and was rushed to the hospital to have the blood clot dissolved and a heart stent, to keep the blood vessel open, inserted. On April 28 he was rushed back to the hospital and put on an ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) machine. He was diagnosed with a large heart infarction and required a heart transplant. On May 6, Mu was transferred to Chinas top organ transplant hospital, the Wuhan Union Hospital, which is affiliated with the Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology. He was placed on the waitlist for a donor heart. Only four days after entering the hospital a suitable donor heart was obtained and the transplant was completed. After his surgery, Mu was transferred to the intensive care unit. A suitable donor organ was found for Mu quickly. In the United States, where medical technology is more developed and the organ donor system is highly efficient, the wait time usually exceeds 180 days, and many patients have died before a suitable donor heart is found. The source of donated organs is strictly regulated in the United States, and the transplant waitlist can be viewed online. But in China, the source of donated organs and transplant wait lists are kept secret. Mus fast heart transplant was not a matter of luck or coincidence. In China, there is a growing body of evidence to suggest the Communist regime keeps in reserve healthy individuals for use as organ donors. Consider the story of Sun Lingling, a 24-year-old woman who became the subject of media reports in mainland China for her rapid heart transplant. Suns story begins in June 2020. After becoming ill while working in Japan and being on an ECMO for nine months, she was flown back to China and admitted to the Wuhan Union Hospital on June 12. Within thirteen days, the hospital had already found four hearts for her. The first donated heart arrived at the hospital on June 16, but the surgeons rejected it claiming the coronary arteries were not in good condition. The second heart arrived on the 19th and was also rejected since Sun had a fever and her health condition was not suitable for a heart transplant. On the 25th, Suns condition had noticeably improved just as the final two donor hearts arrived. The third heart, from a local female, was also rejected. The heart finally chosen was from a 33-year-old male who lived hundreds of kilometers away. Within just 13 days, Sun had four hearts available for her surgery. She would live on, while the four donors did not. On April 4, 2021, the World Organization to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong (WOIPFG) released an investigative report stating there are suspicions that the hospital is participating in the crime of harvesting the organs of living Falun Gong practitioners and other prisoners persecuted by the CCP. In a previous interview with The Epoch Times, Dr. Torsten Trey, executive director of the medical ethics advocacy group Doctors Against Forced Organ Harvesting (DAFOH), said Sun Linglings unprecedented short wait for four donor hearts should be a cause for international alarm. He calls Suns case beyond explanation. It rather follows an on-demand system. Australian Opposition Leader Peter Dutton speaks to the media during a press conference at the Commonwealth Parliament Offices in Brisbane, Australia on June 5, 2022. (AAP Image/Russell Freeman) Full Reliance on Renewables Not a Scientific Reality: Australian Opposition Australian opposition leader Peter Dutton says total reliance on renewable energy to fulfil the nations electricity needs is unfeasible. His comments come as the current Energy Minister Chris Bowen calls on the private sector to bolster investment in renewables amid soaring electricity and gas costs in Australia. Dutton told the Nine Network that the energy grid would always need coal or gas to underpin it. Thats the scientific reality. The talk of a battery and storage which [Prime Minister] Anthony Albanese is talking about is not a scientific reality in 2022, he said. The reality is were dealing with these issues every day; Ukraine hasnt just gone to war, theyve been at war for months. There hasnt been a problem with energy supply since Labor [came into power]. Australians face rising energy bills as the grid comes under pressure from multiple fronts. The Ukraine War has driven up the demand for gas globally, encouraging local producers to shift supply overseas as prices go up. At the same time, a cold snap has swept the east coast of Australia, increasing demand locally. Yet, due to long-term public support for climate change, many ageing coal-fired power stations have not been maintained, which has led to breakdowns and an inability to produce more electricity on demand. The energy regulator has attempted to dampen the emerging crisis by intervening in the market directly and asserting more control over energy producers, a move supported by the Labor government. At the same time, Prime Minister Albanese and Energy Minister Bowen have continued to push ahead with renewable energy and more ambitious emissions reduction targetssigning off on a new emissions target of 43 percent by 2030 instead of 26-28 percent. On June 17, Bowen told the Climate Change Investment and Finance Summit that the government would give businesses the framework, the certainty, and the partnership to increase investment in green energy. As we get on with unleashing investment, we will show that the worlds climate emergency is indeed Australias jobs opportunity, he told the summit. The event is hosted by the Investor Group on Climate Change (IGCC), comprised of major fund management firms from across Australia and New Zealand, including the Australian Council of Superannuation Investors, AustralianSuper, BlackRock, Cbus, and Vanguard, among others. Fund managers have been a major force in encouraging investment in renewables or pushing public companies to adopt policies on climate change. We need groups like the IGCC to continue making the case to all Australians that good climate policy is good for investment and good for jobs, Bowen said. Read More Not Enough Renewables: Minister Blames Australian Electricity Shortage on Lack of Green Energy British Airways aircraft are parked at the South Terminal at Gatwick Airport, in Crawley, Britain, on Aug. 25, 2021. (Peter Nicholls /Reuters) Gatwick Airport to Cut Summer Flights as Staff Shortages Hit UK Travel Industry Londons Gatwick Airport is reducing the number of daily flights during its busy summer period to avoid a repeat of the serious travel chaos earlier this month caused by staff shortages. Travel disruptions have lasted for months in the UK, but the situation worsened in early June due to the rise in demand sparked by the half-term school holiday and the four-day Platinum Jubilee weekend, with more than 150 flights being cancelled across the UK on the eve of the Jubilee. To avoid more disruptions, Gatwick said it is planning to limit its number of daily flights to 825 in July and 850 in August compared to a reported 900 daily flights during the same time period in previous years. Gatwick Chief Executive Stewart Wingate said: It is clear that during the Jubilee week a number of companies operating at the airport struggled in particular, because of staff shortages. By taking decisive action now, we aim to help the ground handlersand also our airlinesto better match their flying programmes with their available resources. He said the move will ensure that passengers can expect a more reliable and better standard of service. The aviation industry is suffering from severe staff shortages. Airlines and airports made thousands of employees redundant during the pandemic, but are now struggling to recruit new workers and have their security checks processed. A review conducted by Gatwick found that a number of companies based at the airport are continuing to operate with a severe lack of staff resources over the summer holiday period. The airport warned that if the issue was not addressed, passengers could experience queues, delays, and cancellations. Downing Street welcomed Gatwicks plan to reduce flights. A Number 10 spokesman said: We want everybody to be able to travel freely and easily, which is why we continue to encourage industry to step up their recruitment so they can put enough flights for families who are looking forward to well-deserved holidays after the pandemic. Weve asked the industry to develop schedules so they can realistically deliver over the summer so we obviously welcome this move and it will provide passengers certainty ahead of planned getaways later this year. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has previously blamed the chaos over the Jubilee weekend on travel firms, accusing them of having seriously oversold flights and holidays relative to their capacity to deliver despite government warnings. But industry leaders claim that businesses have suffered from uncertainties over the governments COVID-19 travel restrictions, which were completely lifted only on March 18. PA Media contributed to this report. German Finance Minister Christian Lindner speaks during a budget session, in the plenary hall of the lower house of the German parliament, the Bundestag, in Berlin, Germany, on March 22, 2022. (Michele Tantussi/Reuters) Germany Cracking Down on Cash Transactions for Real Estate to Combat Money Laundering Germany is preparing to crack down on money laundering efforts with new legislation prohibiting cash transactions in the real estate market, according to officials. The legislation is aimed at curbing both money laundering and other financial crimes, Bloomberg reports. Our national risk assessment shows that we need to do more in the real-estate sector, Finance Minister Christian Lindner said Thursday at a meeting of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) in Berlin. The FATF, also known by its French name, Groupe daction financiere, is a global money laundering and terrorist financing watchdog headquartered in Paris, France. The policymaking body establishes international standards and develops and promotes policies that aim to curb illegal activities such as money laundering and the financing of terrorism. Germanys Marcus Pleyer, who is deputy director-general in the countrys Federal Ministry of Finance, has served as president of the FATF since July 1, 2020, having succeeded Xiangmin Liu from China. The upcoming legislation comes after the European Union last year announced the creation of an EU authority, the Anti-Money Laundering Agency (AMLA), in a bid to tackle large amounts of money being laundered into the mainstream economy every year. According to officials, the ALMA will strengthen the supervision of anti-money laundering and countering financing of terrorism in all EU countries. Financial crime generates billions of euros in dirty money every year. At any one time, we know that criminals are filtering at least some of their proceeds through the EU financial system vice president of the European Commission, Valdis Dombrovskis, said at a press conference in July last year. Our AML laws are now among the toughest in the world, but still not enforced equally across the board. And there are still loopholes in our financial system that we need to close, Dombrovskis added. The ALMA, Dombrovskis said, will not replace national authorities but coordinate them to make sure that EU rules are enforced correctly and consistently while supervising some of the riskiest financial institutions that operate across multiple countries in the EU as well as those that need action to deal with immediate threats. The Commission also proposed a cap of 10,000 on large cash transactions. Pointing to experts, Dombrovskis said that an estimated 1 percent of the EUs annual GDP is linked to suspect financial activity which translates to billions of euros every year. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) estimates that between 715 billion and 1.87 trillion euros are laundered each year, which amounts to between 2 and 5 percent of global GDP. Last year, German financial regulator BaFin ordered online bank N26 to pay 4.25 million euros ($4.98 million) for delayed submissions of suspicious activity reports in 2019 and 2020 in the area of anti-money laundering, N26 takes its responsibility in the fight against the growing threat of global financial crime, and in the prevention of money laundering, very seriously, the group said in a statement at the time. In March of this year, German prosecutors charged the former CEO of payments company Wirecard and two other ex-managers with fraud and false accounting in connection with the firms collapse in 2020. Wirecard collapsed after a multi-year fraud that prosecutors said cost banks 3.1 billion euros ($3.4 billion) in loans and writedowns. Reuters contributed to this report. People wait in line to check in at Pearson International Airport in Toronto on May 12, 2022. (The Canadian Press/Nathan Denette) Government Misrepresenting ArriveCan App Usage Rate: Customs Officers Union Numbers provided by the government to demonstrate how easily travellers have adopted the ArriveCan application to enter Canada are absolutely false, according to a border guard union representative. The representative, along with government officials and industry stakeholders, was testifying before the Standing Committee on International Trade on June 15, in a study on the impacts of ArriveCan on certain sectors. Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) vice-president Denis Vinette said the app had a very high usage rate. Weve had a successful traveller usage rate. As of May 2, [2022], over 99 percent of travellers in the air mode used ArriveCan and 94 percent used it in the land mode, Vinette told the committee. The use of ArriveCan, which is mandatory, expedites processing, and helps protect the health and safety of travellers and our own CBSA employees, he added. Mark Weber, national president of the Customs and Immigration Union, which represents CBSA employees, disagrees. He said these figures are absolutely false. Those numbers are the percentages completed after we help [travellers] complete the app, he said in the committee hearing. Weber said that the average rate of travellers who complete the app successfully is closer to 75 to 80 percent but said in some areas like the Eastern Townships of Quebec, the completion rate is closer to 60 percent. To complete [the app], essentially our officers now largely work as IT consultantsyou have land borders that have essentially become parking lots for us to help people complete the app, he said. The last few months have shown that ArriveCan neither facilitates cross-border travel nor does it improve operational efficiency. In fact, it does exactly the opposite, he added. Every border officer working on the front line will tell you that the implementation of the ArriveCan application has seen processing time skyrocket. Weber says ArriveCan is doubling the time to process cars at land crossings. The Epoch Times contacted CBSA to obtain comment on Webers remarks regarding a discrepancy in figures. In response, spokesperson CBSA Judith Gadbois-St-Cyr provided the same numbers as Vinette. Border Services Officers are taking every opportunity to help educate travellers so they meet the requirements now and for future entries to Canada, she said. Industry stakeholders testifying also called for ArriveCan to be scrapped or reoriented. David MacLachlan, executive director of tourism organization Destination Northern Ontario, said his sector has seen $100 million worth of cancellations in May, with the main reason being border restrictions. Most of the tourists visiting Northern Ontario come from the U.S. by land, MacLachlan said. Simply said, our sector would like to see a suspension of the use of the ArriveCan app at our land border as soon as possible, and a cessation of all other border restrictions, especially as financial supports for the tourism sector have been withdrawn, he said. Mark Agnew, senior vice-president of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, did not call for scrapping the app but rather reorienting it to focus on streamlining customs procedures. Ultimately, the app is in large measure a reflection of our countrys border policies, he said, mentioning how the unvaccinated can now fly out of the country but need to be subjected to measures when coming back, which creates pain points of delay. The ArriveCan app was introduced in April 2020. Every traveller entering Canada must input their personal information in the app within 72 hours of arrival, such as proof of vaccination or a quarantine plan. The Liberal government has been under increased pressure in recent weeks to address bottlenecks at airports. The government announced this week that unvaccinated Canadians would now be permitted to travel by plane, train, and marine vessels. Before that, it suspended random testing at airports. Random testing will be re-instated in July, but moved off-site. Another app used by the government in relation to COVID-19 was decommissioned on June 17. Health Canada said it scrapped the tracing app COVID Alert following a thorough review. A pharmacist prepares a dose behind a counter lined with vials of COVID-19 vaccines, in Toronto on June 18, 2021. (The Canadian Press/Nathan Denette) Heartbreaking Stories: Expert Panel to Hold Hearing for Canadians Adversely Impacted by COVID-19 Policies Canadians who have been adversely affected by government COVID-19 policies will have a platform to share their stories at a hearing to be held by a team of politicians, doctors, and auditors in Toronto on June 2224. A Citizens Hearing is intended to start the process of giving voice to those who have yet to be heard and who have been impacted the most, said David Ross, president of Canadian COVID Care Alliance (CCCA), co-sponsor of the event that will be livestreamed nationwide, in a statement on June 16. Event co-organizer Sonya Anderson, chair of the CCCAs government relations committee, told The Epoch Times that my email inbox is overflowing [and] the stories that Im hearing are heartbreaking. Every single person has said thank you so much for doing this, because nobody is listening to us, she noted. They have family members that have turned on them. They have doctors that dont listen to them. Even within families, partners dont always agree. Employers. These people feel desperate to have their voice and their story heard. The hearing came about in response to a growing demand for an independent national inquiry into the management of the COVID crisis in Canada, says the CCCA. The organizations website explains that it is a group of independent scientists, doctors, and other professionals committed to providing balanced and evidence-based information to the public about COVID-19. Many of us are questioning the actions taken over the past two years in the name of science that have resulted in social and economic losses, unanticipated health effects, lack of informed consent, and disregard for individual rights and freedoms, said the CCCA on its website. Some of the questions Canadians are asking include whether the measures taken by the different levels of governments were appropriate to the threat posed by the virus, whether they were based on sufficient clinical and statistical evidence, and whether conflicts of interest were at play, the alliance noted. Personal Stories, Expert Witnesses Anderson says an expert panel will listen to the testimonies of people negatively impacted by the pandemic policies, including those who suffered permanent injury and disability from the COVID-19 vaccines. One individual will speak to the fact that his mother was in a long-term care home and he was prevented from being able to visit her, and he has witnessed her very rapid deterioration in cognitive health, she said. And we will be hearing from students who were three credits away from graduating and forced to take vaccines or else not be able to continue on with their schooling, and then as a result of taking a vaccine, suffered an injury. Others who will testify include those whose employment or livelihood was impacted, Anderson said. They include small-business owners who were forced to close down their businesses due to pandemic restrictions, and health care workers, for instance, that lost not just their jobs but their entire career, when they were let go with cause. The expert panel will consist of former Calgary MP and official Opposition leader Preston Manning, retired Ontario paediatrician Dr. Susan Natsheh, and CCCA president Ross, a chartered professional accountant (CPA) with a fellowship designation. The panel will be moderated by veteran CBC journalist Trish Wood. Our panellists will be probing further with some questions, maybe clarifying or trying to draw out a little bit more information from [those sharing their personal testimonies], Anderson said. In addition, the panel will hear testimony from expert witnesses from the scientific, medical, and legal fields on approaches to tackling the pandemic that might have been pursued but were either ignored or banned by the governments. Cross-Partisan Lawmakers Roundtable Anderson says the hearing will include a cross-partisan roundtable discussion on the third day with lawmakers from different levels of government. Her committee has sent out invitations to two MPs from each of the four main federal partiesthe Liberals, NDP, Bloc, and Conservativesalong with two senators, two provincial [parliament] members, and two municipal councillors so that we can get a really broad overview. She said the roundtable will centre on three specific questions, asking the politicians what impacts of COVID theyve seen in their local constituency, what theyve done to help their constituents through this COVID period, and what they feel are things that can be done to help their constituents through future types of crises. She added that the hearing aims to serve as a springboard for more Canadians to come forward to share their stories, which will be continually accepted and uploaded on the events website even after the event is over. We want to be able to offer the opportunity for them to still be able to contribute via sending in a video or sending in a written testimonial. The hearing will lead to a report that will include recommendations and a roadmap for the future, and a task force will be created to make effort to engage with Canadas federal and regional governments, Anderson said. It is certainly our hope that these recommendations will help guide government[s] for future policy-making. The event is co-sponsored by the Frontier Centre for Public Policy think tank, advocacy groups including the United Healthcare Workers of Ontario and Fearless Canada, as well as the Canadian Adverse Event Reporting System (CAERS), a volunteer-based system for reporting adverse events resulting from COVID-19 vaccines thats independent from government. Weeks after his leg was amputated as part of an ongoing cancer battle, a keen-eyed dog rescued an otter pup from a river near his familys home. His family doesnt know for sure how the baby otter got stranded, but they know their brave poochs actions saved its life. Retiree Cleo Young of St. Marys Point, Minnesota, saw the aftermath of her dog Guss rescue mission on Easter Sunday, April 17. Our whole family was here, and my son was putting up a new rope on the flagpole. Everybody was watching him and helping, Young told The Epoch Times. All of a sudden, our dog Gus, a 6-year-old goldendoodle, was in the river. (Courtesy of Cleo Young) Gus had had his right hind leg amputated mere weeks before, on Feb. 3. The temperature was in the high 20s or low 30s, Young estimated, and it was the first time Gus had been in the St. Croix River since the ice melted, yet he swam out about 50 feet. When he returned, he had something in his mouth. He brought it to the shore, dropped it, and our granddaughters ran over. It was alive. It was about a week-old river otter, said Young. The family rushed the baby otter inside and washed it clean of sand under warm, running water. They then drove to the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Minnesota (WRC) in Roseville with the wriggling pup wrapped in a towel. Youngs granddaughters, Ella and Lucy Hammerstrand, shot photos and videos along the way. A center volunteer first thought the pup must be a squirrel. They were quite surprised that it really was an otter, said Young. They put him into an incubator and warmed him up, and kept him there a few days until they knew that he had stabilized. The pup had not aspirated water and didnt have pneumonia, as medics had feared. He was later sent to another rehabilitation site with pools and a pond to make a full recovery; baby otters are typically cared for by their mothers for the first year of their lives. Young was amazed at Guss rescue effort, since he doesnt really swim a lot except for chasing the occasional duck in summer. She guessed that the St. Croix River had risen due to snowmelt and that Gus had spotted the pup stranded on the water from the shore. It was very windy maybe this nest got washed out into the river and he was floating out there, said Young. (Courtesy of Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Minnesota) The WRC staffers shared the orphaned otter pups story on social media, explaining, The otter is much too young to be in the water; it should still be in the den with its mom. Having no idea where the den is, how far the little guy traveled, the otter has been admitted for rehabilitation. Local news stations ran stories on the rescue, visiting Young and her family at home, and Gus was hailed a hero. But his brave days are not over yet; Gus is still undergoing chemotherapy for the unusual tumor removed from his leg, and his family hopes for the best. Young said Guss cancer journey began at the start of 2021 with a small skin tumor under his ribcage, found by his groomer. It was removed, but a biopsy diagnosed trichoepithelioma, a benign skin lesion. The University of Minnesota followed Guss progress for a year and removed a small enlarged lymph node, but when Gus started limping, his family grew concerned. Ella & Lucy Hammerstrand with Gus. (Courtesy of Cleo Young) We assumed that he had fallen on the ice, Young said. We wanted an X-ray he didnt have an injured leg, he had a big tumor on his leg. They told us the options, and we said go ahead and amputate. We didnt know if hed even be able to run, she added, exclaiming, he runs as fast now as he did with four legs! To the familys relief, their beloved dog returned to his active, affectionate self after losing his leg. His swift recovery was also good news for the orphaned otter pup, who owes his tiny life to Guss quick thinking. 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 Ginni Thomas, center, speaks to Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas during an event in Washington on Oct. 21, 2021. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images) I Cant Wait: Wife of Supreme Court Justice Thomas Plans to Talk to House Jan. 6 Panel Ginni Thomas, the wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, will answer questions from the House of Representatives panel investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol. I cant wait to clear up misconceptions. I look forward to talking to them, Ginni Thomas told the Daily Caller on June 16. She did not elaborate on what she sees as the misconceptions. Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), the chairman of the House panel, told reporters in Washington after a hearing that the panel sent Ginni Thomas a letter asking her to be interviewed by the committee. If she responded while the hearing was going on that she wants to come, we look forward to her coming, he said. The panel has reportedly obtained emails between Thomas and legal expert John Eastman prior to the Capitol breach that discuss Eastmans theories on how then-Vice President Mike Pence could decline to accept electoral votes from some states due to lingering questions about the legitimacy of the voting results. Greg Jacob, who was Pences lawyer at the time, dismissed Eastmans proposals, which he said during Thursdays hearing would have led to an unprecedented constitutional situation. Thompson told Axios that in the emails, the panel has discovered some information that refers to Ginni Thomas but declined to give more details. Eastman, a legal adviser for former President Donald Trumps 2020 campaign, and who was previously a clerk for Justice Thomas, was interviewed by the panel in December 2021. He was not asked about Ginni Thomas at the time. Jacob told the panel a few months later that Eastman told him that Justice Thomas and another justice might rule favorably if the authority of Pence, who was also president of the Senate, came into question, but after they went through a few of Thomass opinions together, he acknowledged that the Supreme Court would rule 90 against Eastmans legal theories. Jacob said Thursday that Eastman thought the courts might not get involved, though, invoking the political question doctrine, which would then lead to states resolving the electoral count issues themselves. Eastman wrote in a blog post after the hearing that he never discussed with Ginni Thomas or Justice Thomas any matters pending or likely to come before the Court. We have never engaged in such discussions, would not engage in such discussions, and did not do so in December 2020 or anytime else, he added. As for the email communications I had with Mrs. Thomas? As you can see for yourselves, she invited me to give an update about election litigation to a group she met with periodically. Eastman released a copy of a message Ginni Thomas sent him on Dec. 4, 2020, asking whether he could present a status update to a group of grassroots state leaders called Frontliners with which she was assisting. Investigation Underway Following Passenger Death at Gatwick Airport An investigation has been launched after a disabled passenger died on Wednesday, Gatwick Airport said. The unidentified male passenger with reduced mobility (PRM) reportedly fell on Wednesday afternoon when going up an escalator to the London airports north terminal after he decided to get off an EasyJet plane on his own instead of waiting for assistance, a Gatwick Airport spokesperson told the BBC. At the time of the incident, a staff member of Wilson James, an aviation service contractor, was helping another PRM, whos reportedly the wife or partner of the deceased passenger. EasyJet said its cabin crew members had provided medical assistance to the passenger while waiting for paramedics before he sadly later passed away. Our thoughts are with their family and friends at this difficult time, the airline said in a statement. A spokesperson for the Gatwick airport said one staff member from Wilson James was deployed to three PRM on the plane, but denied claims that it was due to staff shortages, saying its normal practice. This is a sad and tragic incident and our thoughts remain with the family of the deceased, the spokesperson said. A member of Wilson James staff was waiting when the aircraft arrived and was in the process of disembarking the three PRM passengers when the incident occurred. Staff shortages were not a factor in this incident as has been claimed. It is normal for one staff member to disembark three passengers who require assistance by taking them one at a time the short distance to the waiting buggy. A formal investigation is currently under way and it would not be appropriate to comment further. Downing Street extended condolences in a statement on Friday, Its obviously a tragic incident and our thoughts are with the family and friends of the deceased in what is an incredibly sad time, a spokesperson said. The incident comes days after the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said it had seen an increase in reports of significant service failings at airports, including incidents where passengers needing assistance have been taken off a plane hours after other passengers. PA Media contributed to this report. Irvine and Huntington Beach Order Investigation Into OC Power Authority Following allegations of corruption, price increases, broken promises, and ensuing public outrage, both Irvine and Huntington Beach city councils voted almost unanimously to audit the Orange County Power Authority (OCPA) June 14. After private session deliberations, Huntington Beach voted 5 to 0 authorizing possible legal action against OCPA, with Councilors Kim Carr and Erik Peterson absent. Irvine voted 4 to 0 in favor less than 2 hours prior, with Councilman Mike Carroll absent. Irvine voted similarly in favor of conducting a forensic audit of OCPA, as well as retaining legal counsel to determine the viability of the power purchasing entity, advisement on limiting additional financial losses to the city, and more. The Huntington Beach City Council in Huntington Beach, Calif., on June 7, 2022. (Julianne Foster/The Epoch Times) Before voting commenced, however, residents from both cities lined up in their respective council chambers to express their anger toward OCPA and city representatives during the special meetings that day. Were over here fighting [OCPA] issues that have been rammed down our throats its dirty. Its murky. Theres nothing clear about this in any way, Gracey Van Der Mark, a Huntington Beach resident, said during public comments. The whole thing just feels like a scam. The community choice aggregator has not yet begun serving any residential customers yet and is scheduled to launch in October. OCPA began its commercial electricity service April 1. In the two months since its launch, 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. Many Irvine residents expressed their frustration at OCPAs apparent lack of transparency, noting repeatedly that the city is the only member to fund the initial startup costs for OCPA, at a cost of nearly $8 million. Several others in both cities came forward during the special meetings with claims that their Public Records Act requests regarding OCPA practices were ignored, most for over a month now. The California Public Utilities Commission fined the OCPA nearly $2 million last month on claims they failed to purchase enough electricity to ensure that customers are provided with uninterrupted service this summer, bolstering community outrage during the meeting. According to Irvine Mayor Farrah Khan, who sits on the OCPA board with Councilman Carroll, the organization was fined because Senate Bill 612 was postponed. The bill, she claims, would have provided OCPA and other community choice aggregators with the same information on resource adequacy as larger investor-owned utilities, such as Southern California Edison. Mayor of Irvine Farrah Khan leads an Irvine City Council meeting at Irvine City Hall on Oct. 26, 2021. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times) The bill appears to have been amended as of June 13 to legislate school safety plans, as opposed to its previous designation for public utilities relating to electricity. Get us out of this. This is not helping a single person, one Irvine resident asserted, adding monthly rates in her area went up between $800 to over $2,000 for some local businesses under OCPA. Khan and Irvine Councilman Larry Agran had requested the meeting early last month, though it was not announced until the day before. During the Irvine special meeting, Agran took the time to level his own questions at OCPA, asserting the need for transparency in several other key areas. What are the monthly and yearly actualsboth revenues and expenditurescompared to OCPAs historical budgets? How much were its original revenues and projections versus where we stand today, in terms of revenues being received? Agran said. He also echoed his previous statements that OCPA broke its promises to residents in terms of transparency and affordability, asking for the identities and compensation of all OCPA staff including consultants, contractors, and the board of directors, among other demands. We need answers. We need answers and we need them now, Agran said. A screenshot of Irvine City Councilman Larry Agran on EpochTVs California Insider on Nov. 23, 2021. (Screenshot) Huntington Beach residents expressed similar concerns during public comment, prompting their own councils motion to direct possible legal action against the provider. Tonights special meeting is an attempt at damage control for the unmitigated boondoggle of a dumpster fire that is the Orange County Power Authority, lifelong Huntington Beach resident Casey McKeon said during public comment. Citing a 22 percent monthly price increase on a customers bill between April and May, McKeon highlighted prices soaring from $1,500 per month to nearly $1,900 after being switched to OCPA. Immediately after, another resident, Pat Burns, came forward to thank the council, stating they gave him every incentive and motivation to run to try to replace you, which was followed by thunderous applause from residents in attendance. Huntington Beach announced a progress report meeting scheduled for June 28, in which residents will receive updates on the latest findings from the citys investigation. Huntington Beach Mayor Pro Tem Mike Posey, who recently stepped down from the OCPA board amid his term expiring this year, expressed interest in collaborating with Irvine in sharing findings from their forensic audit, while affirming his support for the provider. I was an early supporter [of OCPA] and still am. And believe that the organization is successful and can be substantially more successful with a little bit more transparency, Posey stated. The platform of the Leviathan natural gas field in the Mediterranean Sea is pictured from the Israeli northern coastal city of Caesarea, on Feb. 24, 2022. (Jack Guez/AFP via Getty Images) IsraelEurope Gas Deal Will Transform European Geopolitics, Energy Security Israel becomes a major player on the worlds energy stage, directly threatening Russian economy and influence in Europe Commentary This week, Israel officially positioned itself as a natural gas supplier to Europe, one of the largest markets on earth. The announcement of an agreement signed by Israel, Egypt, and the European Union on June 15 at the East Mediterranean Gas Forum will be a huge deal for both Europe and Israel. The Europeans drive to find alternative sources of natural gas is a direct result of Russias invasion of Ukraine. A Big Deal for Europe and Israel For decades, Europe has relied on Russian natural gas, and on Russias good graces, for energy. Moscow has repeatedly shut off gas to European nations at will as a way of influencing policy. Gaining new access to Israeli natural gas allows Europe to pivot away from Russia as its source for energy, particularly for its natural gas supply. Its also a huge advancement for Israel, as it leverages its Leviathan natural gas fields just off its coast in the Eastern Mediterranean for its entree into the global energy market. The transportation plan is simple and will allow gas exports to begin sooner than many expected. A Change in Plans Initially, the long-term plan had been to build a pipeline from the gas fields in the Eastern Mediterranean to Cyprus, then to Greece, and on into Western Europe. Those plans have been challenged by Turkey, which claims ownership of natural gas. It has also claimed territorial rights to any pipeline that runs through Cyprus or crosses the maritime line that Turkey and Libya have claimed exists between their two countries. But according to the new agreement, no new pipelines will need to be constructed, at least not right away. Instead, the plan is to use existing pipelines that run from Israel and Jordan to Egypts liquified natural gas (LNG) facilities. From there, the gas will be transported directly to European markets via existing shipping lanes to European port(s) within a couple of years. Israels Gain Is Russias Loss As exports of LNG to Europe ramp up over the next couple of years, Israel will gain tremendous revenue inflows from its European customers at Russias expense. Currently, Europe relies on Russia for about 40 percent of its natural gas supplies. In 2021, that represented $119 billion in annual revenues flowing from Europe to Russia. Revenue flows will be even higher as energy prices continue to rise. Natural gas is nothing short of a strategic asset, as its the single biggest portion of RussianEuropean trade, constituting 36 percent of Russias total budget. The corporate headquarters of Gazprom Germania, the German unit of Russian natural gas company Gazprom, in Berlin, on March 30, 2022. (Sean Gallup/Getty Images) A Diplomatic Victory Across the Arab World The deal is more than just an economic windfall for Israel. It demonstrates just how well Israel and its Arab partner, Egypt, can work together for their mutual economic benefit. That message of cooperation and mutual benefit will be seen and heard loud and clear across the Arab and Islamic world. Its not wishful thinking that Egypts cooperation will attract the same from other Arab nations that could benefit from better relations with Israel. Furthermore, when LNG shipments begin to arrive in Europe, that will alter the balance of power between Russia and Europe. Bad News for Russia Thats good news for Europe and Israel, but its very bad news for Russia and President Vladimir Putin. From an economic standpoint, the impact of Europe ditching Russia as a supplier of both oil and natural gas will be catastrophic for the Russian economy. Russia may have to find new markets quickly. Its worth noting that China is already buying Russian energy, providing Russia with revenues that rival the European market, even at discounted pricesbut that may not last forever. But the IsraeliEuropean gas deal is also very problematic for Russia from a geopolitical perspective. Without the power to sway or punish Europe with threats of withholding natural gas supplies, Russia will have very little else with which to influence European policy. Indeed, Moscow understands this as well as anyone, which adds a definite level of complexity, if not risk, to the new agreement. How Will Moscow React? How, for example, will or could Moscow react to this development? As noted, it could be considered a threat to Russia, if not an economic act of war. Its certainly not a deprivation of energy or food per se, but the net effect could be similar. Moscow could interpret the new natural gas agreement in the context that the EU and Israel (two prominent critics of the Ukraine invasion) are cooperatingif not conspiringto deprive Russia of its most important market. Thats true. And it could well cause Russians to suffer great economic hardship. Moreover, Russias geopolitical influence in Europe and the rest of the world would diminish as well. Would Moscow take a wait-and-see attitude toward Israel and the European Union, hoping it would be able to convince either party not to go through with the deal? Or would it resort to a naval blockade of natural gas shipments into Europe to protect its economic interests? Much may depend on the state of the outcome of Russias war against Ukraine, which is not readily foreseeable. But once Europe is free of Russian gas, it will no longer be a hostage to Russian blackmail, though it still risks being bullied by Moscow militarily. That same reasoning also applies to Israel, and its keenly aware of Russias military presence on its northern border. More war from Russia over this deal could be in the cards. After all, what other card does Russia have to play? Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Etruscan jars from the 7th century B.C. are displayed in the new "Museum of Rescued Art" in Rome on June 15, 2022. (Alessandra Tarantino/AP Photo) Italy Creates New Museum for Trafficked Ancient Artifacts ROMEItaly has been so successful in recovering ancient artworks and artifacts that were illegally exported from the country it has created a museum for them. The Museum of Rescued Art was inaugurated Wednesday in a cavernous structure that is part of Romes ancient Baths of Diocletian. The Octagonal Hall exhibition space was designed to showcase Italys efforts, through patient diplomacy and court challenges, to get valuable antiquities repatriated, often after decades in foreign museums or private collections. Exhibits in the new museum will change every few months as the objects on display return to what experts consider their territory of origin, many of them places that were part of ancient Etruscan or Magna Grecia civilizations in central or southern Italy. The inaugural exhibit revolves around some 100 of 260 artifacts recovered by the nations paramilitary Carabinieri art squad from the United States and brought back to Italy in December 2021. Etruscan jars from the 7th century B.C. are displayed in the new Museum of Rescued Art in Rome on June 15, 2022. (AP/Screenshot via The Epoch Times) The pieces on display, which were found during clandestine digs and illegally exported, include exquisitely carved Etruscan figurines and imposing painted jars from several centuries B.C. The items previously were held by museums, auction houses, and private collections. The new Rome museum is exhibiting objects never before seen in Italy, said Massimo Osanna, director general of Italys state museums. In his previous role, Osanna had long been in charge of reviving the fortunes of Pompeii, the ancient Roman city near Naples, one of the worlds most famed archaeological cites that itself was heavily looted by antiquities thieves of past generations. Massimo Osanna, director general of Italys state museums, at the new Museum of Rescued Art in Rome on June 15, 2022.(AP/Screenshot via The Epoch Times) The recently recovered antiquities are from before the Roman era, dating back to the 8th to 4th centuries B.C. Many of them came from the area near modern-day Cerveteri, which is awash with remnants of the flourishing Etruscan civilization in west-central Italy. Italian Culture Minister Dario Franceschini explained the decision to opt for a series of rotating exhibits in the new museum instead of establishing a permanent collection of rescued art. We thought its right to have the pieces return to the places where they were stolen from, Franceschini said. In some cases, experts dont know the exact original location of the antiquities, underlining the irreparable damage done when archaeological treasures are clandestinely snatched away. Pieces with unknown origins will be returned to the general geographic area. The exhibition space is part of the National Roman Museum. Its current exhibit runs until Oct. 15, then the museum will display a different batch of recovered antiquities. While Italy proudly boasts of regaining some 3 million artifacts and artworks since a special Safeguarding of Cultural Heritage unit of the Carabinieri was established in 1969, it is also trying to inspire countries to give back ancient pieces that are identified with other cultures. Earlier this month, Italy returned to Athens a frieze fragment of the Parthenon that had been in an archaeological museum in Sicily. Franceschini, Italys culture minister, contended that the so-called Fagan fragment was in Italy legitimately but said his country wanted to affirm the principle of the restitution of cultural wealth to reconnect artistic historical patrimony with the places and peoples of origin. Some treasures have so far eluded Italys efforts to obtain them. Carabinieri Commanding Gen. Teo Luzi spoke wistfully at the new museums debut of hopes that Italys would one day reclaim Victorious Youth, a bronze statue that was found by an Italian fishing boat in the Adriatic Sea in 1964. It was eventually purchased by the J. Paul Getty Museum in California. In 2018, Italys highest court ruled that the museum had to surrender the statue to Italy. But the museum, insisting that the statue was fished out of international waters, has challenged the order. An image of former President Donald Trump and his family is displayed on screen during the third hearing of the January 6 committee on Capitol Hill in Washington on June 16, 2022. (Drew Angerer/Pool/AFP via Getty Images) January 6 Committee: Trump Put Pences Life in Danger During its third day of hearings, the House January 6 Committee focused on the ways that it claimed President Donald Trump put Vice President Mike Pences life in danger during the January 6 Capitol breach, particularly emphasizing behind-the-scenes debates about using an ambiguous clause of the 12th amendment to halt certification of electors from contested states. Were going to show that that pressure campaign directly contributed to the attack on the Capitol, and it put the vice presidents life in danger, a committee aide told reporters during a June 15 conference call in advance of the hearing. Specifically, the commission presented information gathered from testimony showing what went on behind the scenes in the lead-up to the Capitol breach, making the case that, through his efforts to pressure Pence, Trump had aided in escalating violence at the Capitol and endangering the then-vice presidents life. Pence, Trump Factions Tussled Over Certification of Electors The key issue presented during the third day of hearings revolved around the efforts of Trump and some of his allies to have Pence stop the certification of electoral votes until claims of widespread election fraud had been adjudicated. Under the text of the 12th Amendment, Trump allies argued, Pence was legally granted the power to hold off the certification of electoral votes; others in and around the White House, however, rejected this claim. In the end, Pence sided with those rejecting Trumps claima decision he explained in a February interview with The Federalist Society. I heard this week that President Trump said I had the right to overturn the election. President Trump is wrong, Pence said in February. There are those in our party who believe that as the presiding officer over the joint session of Congress that I possess unilateral authority to reject Electoral College votes. I had no right to change the outcome of our election, Pence said, rejecting the claim. Kamala Harris will have no right to overturn the election when we beat them in 2024. Trump, for his part, maintained Pences right to refuse certification until the end, when Pence ultimately sided against him. The committee ultimately presented the issue as a legally-unambiguous one, but proponents of the Trump camp have pointed to past elections, including the fraught elections of 1876 and 1960, as bolstering their claim. At best, the issue remains legally disputed, despite the presentation given by the January 6 panel. Commission Argues That Pences Life Was Endangered By Trump The January 6 commission argued that Trumps electoral certification claim was a root cause of the violence on Jan. 6, 2021, and, presenting never-before-seen photos, videos, and testimony, argued that the claim put Pence in greater danger than was previously realized. The commission cited a Jan. 6, 2021, tweet by Trump as a key impetus for burgeoning violence at the Capitol. In that tweet, sent after violence had begun to break out, Trump blasted Pence for refusing to reject the certification of electors from battleground states. Trump wrote: Mike Pence didnt have the courage to do what should have been done to protect our Country and our Constitution, giving States a chance to certify a corrected set of facts, not the fraudulent or inaccurate ones which they were asked to previously certify. USA demands the truth! This tweet, said Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.), provoked an escalation in violence among the crowds. After the protest escalated, videos and photos from the day show, Secret Service agents became concerned for Pences safety, and the vice president and his entourage were escorted from the Senate chamber to a secure location a few floors down. Trump, Chairman Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) argued, turned the mob on Pence after his refusal to follow Trumps request. Thursdays hearing, the third such hearing by the January 6 committee, continued its trend of placing the blame for the Capitol breach squarely on the shoulders of Trump, which some have argued has been overly partisan. For example, many GOP critics of the panel point to repeated refusals by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and her staff to bolster the Capitols defenses with National Guardsmen, despite a series of requests by Capitol Police leaders. These refusals, Republicans have said, will form the backbone of GOP investigations into January 6 if they take the House in November. A nurse goes to assist a patient at the COVID-19 and flu assessment clinic at Prince of Wales Hospital in Sydney, Australia, on May 12, 2020. (Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images) Judge Overturns Disciplinary Action Against Student Who Questioned Vaccines, Public Health Orders "They thought that she held anti-vaxxer beliefs and that those beliefs were undesirable in nursing." A professors decision to sanction a student for expressing scepticism about COVID-19 vaccines has been struck down by the Supreme Court of New South Wales in Australia. The judgement comes as Australian health practitioners continue to face heavy scrutiny over comments or social media posts that do not align with medical orthodoxy around COVID-19. In October 2021, Leanne Hunt, a senior lecturer at the School of Nursing and Midwifery at Western Sydney University, cancelled a work placement for nursing student and plaintiff Nera Thiab after hospital coordinators reported her views to the university. Without the work placement, Thiab would be unable to graduate. During orientation at the St. George Hospital on Aug. 30, 2021, she had a conversation with nurse educator Sui Reardon, who ended up reporting her for allegedly spreading misinformation about vaccines, not complying with public health orders, and saying that Dr. Kerry Chant was wrongChant was the chief health officer of New South Wales during the pandemic and made numerous high-profile appearances. Thiabs placement required her to be vaccinated for certain roles in Intensive Care. However, when it was revealed she had yet to receive the jab, her placement was cancelled. She also expressed reluctance to receive regular swabs to test for COVID-19. A Nurse prepares a Pfizer vaccine overseen by a doctor in Sydney, Australia, on Oct. 3, 2021. (Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images) Thiab later did get fully vaccinated, and on the strength of this, she was allocated another placement. However, the student struck up another conversation where she again expressed her views on COVID-19 vaccination. Initially, coordinators were happy for her to continue while being monitored, but once Hunt learned of what happened, she again cancelled her placement and brought disciplinary proceedings. Thiab was told she needed to apologise and complete a 1,500-word reflection statement before she could be reinstated. It is clear to me that you have yet to understand your position as a future [registered nurse] and have not taken on board the incident from St. George Hospital documented below, according to an email from the senior lecturer to Thiab. Based on this, I have decided to terminate your placement. This incident will be escalated as a misconduct, and you will meet with the deputy dean regarding this matter. Thiab launched a legal action against the University of Western Sydney over the matter, arguing she should not be discriminated against over her religious or political affiliations, views or beliefs. In response, the universitys lawyers claimed Thiab had contravened the Code of Conduct and position statement from the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia. According to the Code of Conduct, nurses were to avoid expressing personal beliefs that could exploit or influence patients. Under the position statement, the Board had warned against practitioners promoting anti-vaccination statements to patients and the public via social media which contradict the best available scientific evidence. Protesters march across Victoria Bridge during a rally against a mandatory Covid-19 vaccine in Brisbane, Australia, on Oct. 1, 2021. (Dan Peled/Getty Images) Further, nurses found breaching their professional obligations or publishing anti-vaccination material deemed to be false, misleading, or deceptive could be subject to prosecution by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency. Justice Guy Parker found in Thiabs favour on a number of matters. The students conversations were with fellow professional staff and not with patients or the general public. Further, he said claiming Thiab breached the position statement on social media was strange, given nurses or nursing students were unlikely to have huge online followings. Provided that nurses do not identify themselves as such in posting to social media, it seems difficult to accept that [the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia] would have any basis for regulating such statements, he wrote in his judgement on June 10. Parker also noted that the Code of Conduct required nurses to act on the best scientific evidence and that there was nothing wrong with questioning or being doubtful of current ideas. To question the scientific evidence for the safety of a vaccine, so long as it is done rationally, could hardly, if ever, be regarded as contravening this requirement. Nor would pointing to the possibility of long term effects or the possibility of adverse effects in some clinical situations, he wrote. Parker said that even though COVID-19 vaccines had been administered to millions of individuals, it was too soon for the long-term effects to be exhaustively investigated. The judge was also critical of Hunts handling of the matter and not properly investigating Thiab. It was not Ms. Thiabs actual conduct which concerned [university staff]. Rather, they thought that she held anti-vaxxer beliefs and that those beliefs were undesirable in nursing practice. Once they had reached these conclusions, they apparently considered it unnecessary to investigate precisely what she had said and done. Rallygoer protesting against COVID-19 vaccine passports at the Worldwide Rally for Freedom, Peace, and Human Rights in Sydney, Australia, on May 15, 2021. (The Epoch Times) No doubt Ms. Hunt and [Deputy Dean Leeane] Heaton would say that if Ms. Thiab had anti-vaxxer beliefs, there was a risk that she would act on them in her dealings with patients. On the evidence, this was an insulting misjudgment of Ms. Thiabs professionalism. Parker said that his judgement did not prevent universities from making academic judgements on the work of their students. Creationists who answer questions in a palaeontology exam by quoting the Bible will not be able to complain if the university declines to award them degrees, he said. The judge also noted that it was best to have left Thiabs case to the hospital to handle like it originally planned. He ordered the university to reverse its decision to cancel Thiabs placements. Meanwhile, the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency told The Epoch Times it had no comment on the matter. Medical practitioners in Australia have faced heavy restrictions over what they can or cannot say regarding COVID-19 vaccines and public health orders. Lawyer Peter Fam revealed that he had spoken with hundreds of doctors over the issue. If a doctor read one of the thousands of peer-reviewed papers that have examined the adverse events that stem from the COVID vaccines, and a patient asked them, Hey, Ive read one of these studies, and Im worried about receiving this vaccine, can you give me some advice?the guidelines from [the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency] restricts what the doctor is allowed to say, Fam previously told The Epoch Times. Some examples of the agencys enforcement include the suspension of an anaesthetist in September 2021 after two anonymous complaints were lodged regarding his social media activity. Dr. Paul Oosterhuis, a medical practitioner of 30 years, revealed in an online petition that he had posted content regarding early treatments against COVID-19 and had questioned the efficacy of lockdowns and PCR tests. Demonstrators protest against plans to send migrants to Rwanda at a removal centre near the Gatwick Airport near London on June 12, 2022. (Victoria Jones/PA Media) Legal Experts Divided Over Where Rwanda Impasse Leaves UK and European Court British experts on constitutional law and the UKs relationship with Europe are divided on the question of what might happen in the wake of the Rwanda deportations impasse. The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) stepped in at the last minute on Tuesday night with an interim measure that effectively blocked the British government from deporting any asylum seekers to Rwanda. In April British Home Secretary Priti Patel signed a deal that allowed for asylum seekers who had entered the UK illegallyusually involving crossing the English Channel on a human traffickers boatto be sent to the East African country and held there while their claims were processed. Several UK charities and pressure groups tried to stymie the policy through legal challenges but their efforts failed. Home Secretary Priti Patel and Rwandan Foreign Minister Vincent Biruta signed the migration and economic development partnership in Kigali in April. (Flora Thompson/PA) The Rwanda policy is set to be tested at a full hearing in the UK Supreme Court later this year. But the question remainsin a post-Brexit world, who ultimately decides what is legal and what is not in Britain? Parliament? The British judiciary? Or a panel of 47 judgeswhich includes a British barrister, Tim Eicke, QCin the French city of Strasbourg? Frederick Cowell, a senior law lecturer at Birkbeck College in London and a specialist in treaty withdrawal, told The Epoch Times that the High Court had accepted the home secretarys assurances that those sent to Rwanda would be and could be brought back to the UK if the full hearing ruled against the policy. But the Strasbourg judges had not accepted those assurances and felt there was a risk of irreparable harm being caused to the deportees. Richard Ekins, a professor of law and constitutional government at Oxford University, and Sir Stephen Laws, a former parliamentary counsel, said in a joint paper for the think tank Policy Exchange: If the Supreme Court in the end upholds the lawfulness of removal to Rwanda, it is of course entirely conceivableindeed probablethat the [ECtHR] will make further interim measures restricting removals to Rwanda until the [court] has itself had time to hold a hearing and to make its own decision. Rwanda Policy May Not Go Ahead For Years What this means is that, if the UK complies and if the [ECtHR]as it routinely doestakes its time then the governments Rwanda policy may not go ahead for years. That would effectively end it. Asked if the ECtHR would block the Rwanda deportations even if the Supreme Court ruled in the governments favour in the full hearing, Cowell said: It depends. He said it was not unimaginable that the Strasbourg court would stand by and let the planes take off. There is a little-known clause that governments in Europe are entitled to seek a memorandum of understanding (MoU) about deportation with countries not bound by the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR) if they have assurances about the treatment of those deportees. But the MoU has to be believable and robust, he said. The ECtHR is part of the Council of Europe and its remit is to protect human rights. Earlier this year it expelled Russiawhich had joined in 1996following the invasion of Ukraine and earlier this week it issued an interim measure calling for a stay on the execution of Aiden Aslin and Shaun Pinner, two British soldiers in the Ukrainian army who were sentenced to death by the Donetsk Peoples Republic after being accused of being mercenaries. Britons Aiden Aslin and Shaun Pinner and Moroccan Brahim Saadoun captured by Russian forces during a military conflict in Ukraine, in a courtroom cage in Donetsk on June 8, 2022. (Supreme Court of Donetsk Peoples Republic/Handout via Reuters TV) There were lots of Conservative MPs criticising the ECtHR for its power over the Rwanda deportations but I dont hear the same criticism in relation to these two men in Ukraine, Cowell said. The ECtHR, which was set up in 1959, is the highest human rights court in Europe, and the 46 members of the Council of Europe are bound by its decisions, as is Russia despite its expulsion. But Simon Murray, in a report for Policy Exchange in March 2021, said the ECtHR had distorted the intended meaning of the convention when it came to immigration and invented new legal rights that were not agreed by the member states. Stop Meddling With British Law After Tuesdays Rwanda flight was blocked, Conservative MP Andrea Jenkyns wrote on Twitter: Yes lets withdraw from European Court of Human Rights and stop their meddling in British law. Another Tory backbencher, Sir Desmond Swayne, told Parliament: We are going to have to grasp the nettle and extend the principle of taking back control to the convention. A third MP, Greg Smith, called on the government to speed up the introduction of its Bill of Rights and remove all power of the European Court of Human Rights over our sovereign decisions. Cowell pointed out the foreword to the governments own consultation document on the Bill of Rights, published in December, states: The government remains committed to the European Convention on Human Rightsand, indeed, the UKs tradition of human rights leadership abroad, as demonstrated by the introduction of our Magnitsky global human rights sanctions regime. He said: In order to withdraw from the European Court of Human Rights all you need to do is write a letter to the Court of Europe and withdraw from it but democratically and constitutionally it is beyond a nightmare.' Cowell said both the Good Friday Agreement in Northern Ireland and Scottish devolution recognised the European Convention of Human Rights and much of the Brexit trade agreement with the E.U. would automatically collapse if Britain withdrew from it. Because Britain doesnt have a written constitution the European Convention on Human Rights was a crutch and it ticked along quite nicely for a quarter of a century. Its constitutionally embedded in our system, said Cowell. Liberal Virginia Prosecutor Removed From Criminal Case for Deliberately Misleading Court A liberal prosecutor in Loudoun County, Virginia, has been removed and disqualified from a serial burglary case by a judge for allegedly deliberately misleading the court and the public. Buta Biberaj, the county prosecutor for the office of the Commonwealths State Attorney, was taken off the case this week by Loudon County Circuit Court Judge James Plowman, according to local reports. The case involved suspect Kevin Valle, who was charged with two felony burglary charges and three misdemeanor charges for crimes committed in May 2021. Those charges could have seen Valle facing a maximum of 20 years in prison. Instead, Valle received a 6-month plea deal from Biberajs office and was ordered to pay restitution to the businesses that he had burgled, despite holding a lengthy criminal history. The plea agreement from the Commonwealths Attorney Office at the time stated: The accused has no prior adult convictions on his record and has not been convicted of a felony, Loudoun Now reports. The co-conspirator is older and has a significant criminal history leading the Commonwealth to believe that this accused was being negatively influenced and that he was not the primary actor in these crimes. Each of these crimes as charged occurred within hours of each other and not over the course of days or even weeks. The accused is taking responsibility for his actions by pleading guilty to felony and misdemeanor offenses, it continues. However, Judge Plowman noted in his filing issued this week that the Commonwealth had failed to mention that the two burglaries the defendant is charged with are part of an alleged 10-day crime spree, which may have included another ten burglaries over four counties. Plowman also noted that the Commonwealth sanitizes the facts with its assessment of Valles past adult criminal record which stated that the accused has no prior adult convictions and has not been convicted of a felony despite Valle having just days earlier pled guilty to three felonies and having pending criminal charges and a juvenile record. The judge said the representation made by the Commonwealth was an overt misrepresentation by omission and described the filings as misleading representations and entirely inaccurate. The actions reflect an inability of the Loudoun County Commonwealths Attorneys Office to properly prosecute this case with the detail and attention required of a criminal prosecutor and consistent with the professional standards and obligations of a prosecutor, Plowman wrote. Plowman then ordered Biberaj be removed and disqualified from further prosecution on the matter. Virginians for Safe Communities, a non-profit organization that aims to inform Virginians on public safety and justice issues, also filed a complaint with the Virginia State Bar on Thursday against Biberaj. That complaint requested a formal investigation and appropriate sanctions, which could include disbarmentpreventing her from practicing law. Ms. Biberajs conduct is completely unbecoming of both a prosecutor and an officer of the Court. Judge Plowmans order is a damning indictment of the Commonwealths Attorneys ethics and her low regard for the integrity of the justice system. We hope that the Virginia Bar recognizes the severity of this misconduct and Buta Biberaj is disbarred and removed from office immediately, Sean Kennedy, the president of Virginians for Safe Communities, said Thursday. Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares is now set to take over the case. He said of Plowmans ruling that it is, clear from the Order that the Court has rightfully lost confidence in Ms. Biberaj, her deputies and her offices ability and willingness to effectively seek justice in this matter while calling it an unprecedented development. Biberaj fired back at Miyares in a press conference Tuesday afternoon in which she warned the judge to Stay in your lane. Your lane is in Richmond. Your lane is being the attorney general of Virginia, Biberaj said. You are not the elected council attorney and definitely nor for Loudon County, she said. Since his election, hes been wanting to undermine the good work that we do as progressive prosecutors. Biberaj also claimed that judge Plowman lacked the statutory authority to remove her office from the case. Miyares took to Twitter shortly after the press conference to issue a rebuttal: Our lane is to protect Virginians. The criminal first, victim last prosecutors take us on a detour to higher crime. The Epoch Times has contacted Biberajs office for comment. Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada David Lametti rises during Question Period, June 2, 2022 in Ottawa. (The Canadian Press/Adrian Wyld) Liberals to Table Bill Responding to Supreme Court Decision on Extreme Intoxication Federal Justice Minister David Lametti is expected to table a bill as early as today that would respond to a Supreme Court ruling to allow voluntary extreme intoxication as a defence for serious crimes. In Mays unanimous decision, Justice Nicholas Kasirer wrote that convicting someone for how they behave in a state of automatism, or when they are too intoxicated to stay in control, violates principles of fundamental justice. The court upheld two acquittals of men who committed violent acts after voluntarily consuming drugs, and ordered a new trial in a third, similar case. It suggested Parliament could enact new legislation to hold extremely intoxicated people accountable for violent crimes. The justices struck down as unconstitutional an existing section of the Criminal Code that specified self-induced intoxication cannot be used as a defence for violent offences. The section had been added by the Liberal government of Jean Chretien in 1995, in response to a Supreme Court decision that acquitted a man of sexual assault because he was blackout drunk at the time of the offence. The logo of a McDonald's restaurant in Montpellier, southern France, on Sept. 6, 2018. (Pascal Guyot/AFP via Getty Images) McDonalds Pays $1.3 Billions to End French Tax Spat McDonalds is to pay $1.3 billion to end a tax dispute with France. That was according to a judge on Thursday (June 16). The case centered on allegations first made in 2014 that the burger chain diverted profits made in France to other countries to pay lower taxes. McDonalds French headquarters were investigated as part of the probe. Now the settlement allows it to avoid a trial. The firms lawyers said it did not amount to a guilty plea. They said it was just a decision to avoid a long and uncertain legal battle. The payment will cover both fines and back taxes. In a statement, McDonalds said it had paid almost $2.3 billion in taxes to France over the period in question, and created almost 25,000 jobs. The settlement is similar to a $1 billion accord reached by Google in 2019 to end a French case where it too was accused of shifting profits. By Julian Satterthwaite Livingston County's ban on the acceptance of unregulated monies for funding elections is a move that lawyer Erick Kaardal says will enhance election integrity. (Courtesy of Erick Kaardal) County Becomes First in Michigan to Ban Private Funding of Elections Livingston County, Michigan, this week became the latest jurisdiction in the country and the first in its state to ban the private funding of the administration of elections. The move came after good-government advocates became incensed that, in 2020, a Mark Zuckerberg-funded activist group, the Center for Tech and Civic Life (CTCL), flooded election offices in Democratic Party strongholds in Michigan with millions of dollars, in an apparent effort to drive up voter turnout for that party. Critics say Zuckerberg, billionaire Facebook founder and Democrat activist, along with his wife Priscilla Chan, gave the money in an effort to influence the 2020 election. According to the critics, the grants accomplished Zuckerbergs goal. In 2016, then-presidential candidate Donald Trump, a Republican, beat Democrat Hillary Clinton in Michigan by 10,704 votes. But in 2020, Democrat Joe Biden beat Trump in the state by 154,188 votes, according to official results as reported by Ballotpedia. Critics claim the assistance provided by CTCL to Detroit, Benton Harbor, Muskegon, and other heavily Democratic jurisdictions in the state may have put Biden over the top. On June 13, the Livingston County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to ban the acceptance of unregulated monies for funding elections, a move that lawyer Erick Kaardal said would enhance election integrity. Kaardal, a special counsel for the Thomas More Society, a nationwide public interest law firm that protects religious freedom and maintains an election integrity practice, said he provided the commissioners with an analysis of the resolution before they voted on it. Livingston County is between Detroit and Lansing, the state capital. The commissions vote pushes Michigan closer toward a national movement to banish dark money, or political spending meant to influence voters, where the donor isnt disclosed and the source of the money is unknown, Kaardal said. Walworth County in nearby Wisconsin became the first local government in that state to ban the acceptance of private monies or grants for use in the administration of elections, as The Epoch Times reported. In the last 18 months, 20 states have enacted laws banning private money to administer public elections, Kaardal said in a statement in which he identified Texas, Florida, Ohio, and Arizona as among those now with such laws in effect. He said legislatures in another six states have passed such legislation, but governors vetoed it. This is a win for the voters of Livingston County and will hopefully lead the way for other local governments to optimize election integrity in their regions, Kaardal said. When there is an absence of any insistence on election integrity from the top, it is incumbent upon counties and municipalities to protect the right of voters entrusted to them. Because Michigans executive branch has been unwilling to bar private money from entering the elections, the burden has fallen upon cities and counties to protect themselves from outside interference by illegal money sources. The people understand that the right to vote is a cornerstone of a free society and that the biased intervention of those who influence the outcome with their dirty dollars is not to be tolerated. The CTCL didnt respond to a request for comment by press time. Tesla CEO Elon Musk is pictured as he attends the start of the production at Tesla's "Gigafactory" in Gruenheide, southeast of Berlin on March 22, 2022. (Patrick Pleul/Pool/AFP via Getty Images) Musk Appeals Ruling That Upheld Securities Fraud Settlement DETROITTesla CEO Elon Musk is appealing a federal court ruling that upheld a securities fraud settlement over Musks tweets claiming that he had the funding to take Tesla private in 2018. Musks lawyer Alex Spiro filed a notice of appeal Wednesday with the federal appeals court in Manhattan. No grounds were stated, and a full filing with the Second Circuit Court of Appeals is expected later. In April, U.S. District Judge Lewis Liman rejected Musks bid to throw the settlement that Musk signed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). He also denied a motion to nullify a subpoena of Musk seeking information about possible violations of the settlement. The settlement required that Musks tweets be approved by a Tesla attorney before being published. The SEC is investigating whether Musk violated the settlement with tweets last November asking Twitter followers if he should sell 10 percent of his Tesla stock. Limons ruling said that Musk made the tweets without getting pre-approval, but the judge later wrote that he didnt mean to pass judgment on that issue. The whole dispute stems from an October 2018 agreement with the SEC that Musk signed. He and Tesla each agreed to pay $20 million in civil fines over Musks tweets about having the funding secured to take Tesla private at $420 per share. The funding was far from locked up, and the electric vehicle company remains public, but Teslas stock price jumped. The settlement specified governance changes, including Musks ouster as board chairman, as well as pre-approval of his tweets. Limons ruling cleared the way for the SEC to seek a court order enforcing the subpoena, and for an investigation into another possible violation of the settlement by Musk. Spiro contended the SEC is using the settlement and near limitless resources to chill Musks speech. He wrote in court documents that Musk signed the settlement when Tesla was a less mature company and SEC action jeopardized the companys financing at a critical time. He also alleged that the subpoena from the SEC is illegal, and that the agency cant take action about Musks tweets without court authorization. But in a 22-page ruling, Liman wrote that Musks claim that economic duress caused him to sign the settlement is wholly unpersuasive. Even if Musk was worried that litigation with the SEC would ruin Tesla financially, that does not establish a basis for him to get out of the judgment he voluntarily signed, Liman wrote. The judge also said the argument that the SEC had used the settlement order to harass Musk and launch investigations was meritless. Empty shelves show a shortage of baby formula at CVS in San Antonio, Texas, on May 10, 2022. Supply chain issues and shortages of food and products are continuing past the COVID-19 pandemic, store managers and clerks told the Epoch Times. (Kaylee Greenlee Beal/Reuters) National Retailers to Examine Supply Chain Issues, Discuss Options at Ohio Conference National retailers and their support industries are meeting this week to discuss strategies and options to combat supply chain issues that have resulted in challenges beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. The National Retailers Federation (NRF) is hosting Supply Chain 360, a conference in Cleveland, on June 20 to 21. Attendees will take a holistic look at the modes and methods needed to build a faster, more sustainable, and resilient retail supply chain, Jon Gold, NRFs vice president of sustainability, told The Epoch Times. Retailers also will discuss domestic alternatives for some products to decrease dependence on imports, and explore more efficient methods to help determine where products are in the pipeline at any timefrom raw materials, to when goods are manufactured at plants, and when they are moved from port to port, or arrive for delivery, Gold said. Washington-based NRF is the worlds largest retail trade association. It represents department and discount stores, home goods and specialty stores, small businesses, grocers, wholesalers, chain restaurants, and internet retailers from the United States and more than 45 countries. Retail is the nations largest private-sector employer, supporting 1 in 4 U.S. jobs42 million working Americans contributing $2.6 trillion to annual gross domestic product, according to the organizations website. The conference is being held at a time when the United States is dealing with a baby formula shortage, high food prices for beef, poultry, and dairy products, and pet food shortages, store managers and clerks at several retailers and grocers say. Supply Chain 360 features a lineup of about 80 speakers including Tractor Supply Co. CEO Hal Lawton, who will be the keynote speaker. Gold said: Supply chain issues have impacted everybody the last few years. Were going to be looking at all the challenges retailers are facing today, and ways they can be more sustainable. Supply chains are critical to the survival of a retailer. They are the lifeline of retail and customers want more sustainability. The demand for goods, whether its for apparel, electronics, home goods, or toys, has outpaced the availability. We started thinking about ways retail could be more sustainable about the time the tariffs on China started [2017], and thinking about alternatives so we wouldnt have to be as reliant on China for goods. Right now, no one has the capacity China does, and its going to take a little bit of time to change that. It cant be done overnight. Retailers will discuss options and alternatives so they dont have all their eggs in one basket. Gold said that the majority of retailers are import-dependent, but didnt know a specific percentage of products that retailers stock from foreign countries. Other speakers from major retail groups include Zach Freeze, Walmarts director of sustainability; Joe Berti, IBM vice president of product sustainability; Roxanne Flanagan, Walgreens senior vice president and chief supply chain officer; Jack McAneny, vice president of global sustainability for Proctor and Gamble; Carlos Londono, Chipotle Mexican Grill vice president and head of its supply chain; and Gabriel Arriaga, senior vice president of the supply chain for Kroger Co. Scot Case, NRF vice president of supply chain and customs, told The Epoch Times that the supply issues were partly caused by workforce shortages, resulting in an inability to produce goods to meet supply and demand at plants, as well as in the delivery stages. Retailers would like to do a better job at forecasting when theyll receive products and if theyll have enough to meet the demand for customers, Case said. Right now, retailers are preparing for back-to-school sales and the holiday seasons. Futuristic components to the retail industry, mostly involving shipping, will be discussed at Supply Chain 360, Case said. The Enbridge logo is shown at the company's annual meeting in Calgary on May 9, 2018. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press) Price of Natural Gas Will Increase in Ontario Starting July 1 The price of natural gas is set to increase in Ontario starting July 1, the Ontario Energy Board (OEB) says. The OEB said Thursday that has approved Enbridge Gas Inc.s June 3 application to increase the rate due to shortages in North American natural gas supplies and uncertainty in the global energy landscape. OEB also warned that the price increase wont fall anytime soon for the province. The International Energy Agency (IEA) is warning of continued significant upward pressure on prices beyond this quarter, and production in North America has not been able to keep up with demand, while storage levels across North America remained below the 5-year average, the OEB said in a release. The approval means that the typical residential consumer will have to pay about $5 more a month over the next three-month period from July to September, Enbridge said on its website. The estimated impact is based on an assumed 2,400 cubic metres of annual consumption, according to Enbridge. The company added that it has been working alongside the OEB and the Ontario government since last October to moderate the gas price increases by extending the recovery of these costs over 24 months. The OEB, which sets rates every quarter, said without the mitigation plan proposed by Enbridge, a residential consumer would have to pay an extra $21 to $62 in their annual bill, depending on their rate zone. The regulator added that Enbridge, which is under its regulation, is not allowed to earn a profit on the sale of natural gas, regardless of market fluctuations in price. Nearly 25 Percent of US Firms in Shanghai Shrink Investment Plans due to COVID Lockdowns: Report The 2-month lockdown in Shanghai is revealing its economic impact as about one quarter of American companies have reduced their investment size, according to the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) in Shanghai. An AmCham June survey shows that 25 percent of consumer and service companies have reduced their investment plans, as have 20 percent of manufacturing companies; and that only one respondent plans to expand its investment. The survey, designed to assess the impact of the COVID lockdown in Shanghai on foreign companies, received feedback from 133 member companies, including 69 from the manufacturing sector and 64 from the consumer and service sectors. Ninety-three percent of respondents have cut their revenue projections for the year, with 25 percent of respondents expecting revenues to be at least 20 percent lower than originally projected. This figure goes up to 36 percent for consumer and service companies. The report says 35 percent of manufacturers are operating at full capacity while the figure is only 27 percent for consumer and service sector companies. Among those who are not yet operating at full capacity, 71 percent report their workers are not allowed to move freely between home and the workplace, while more than half say that good communication with neighborhood committees is needed for return to full capacity. Additionally, only nine percent of respondents say they have received economic support measures from the government to counteract the pandemic impact. Eric Zheng, President of AmCham Shanghai, described the effects of the Shanghai lockdown on his member companies as profound. To restore confidence, the Shanghai government must act quickly to ensure unhindered supply chains, logistics, and worker mobility, and to accelerate the provision of financial support to businesses, the president urged. Shanghai should return to its pro-business mindset while dealing with the pandemic. Huang Feng, president of the Shanghai Foreign Investment Association, also admitted that the city faces the direst foreign investment situation that he has seen in 30 years while addressing a recent video conference hosted by the Shanghai Development Research Foundation. Huang has served as the deputy director of the financial hubs commission of commerce and the deputy chief of the Department of Foreign Investment Administration under Chinas Ministry of Commerce. He said the willingness if transnational companies to invest in China has declined over the years despite growth in direct foreign investment. Meanwhile, the president touched upon the issue of foreign businesses leaving China. If foreign companies that contribute to [Chinas] exports move out, the impact on us would be tremendous, including employment. Minister Peeni Henare speaks to media during a Labour press conference at Parliament on Nov. 2, 2020, in Wellington, New Zealand. (Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images) New Zealand and Solomon Islands Draft Maritime Security Pact New Zealand has begun drafting its own maritime security plans with the Solomon Islands, the defence minister revealed. It comes after Beijings own security pact with the nation sparked tensions of a Pacific grab, with fears that a Chinese military base could be established on New Zealand and Australias doorstep. During the 2022 Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, an Asia defence summit, New Zealand Defence Minister Peeni Henare met the Solomon Islands National Security Minister Anthony Veke. [We] discussed New Zealands commitment to our partnership with the Solomon Islands, including on maritime security. Look forward to continuing this important relationship, Henare wrote in a post on Twitter. New Zealand and the Solomon Islands have agreed to begin developing a maritime security plan, but the Island nation did not disclose why it agreed to sign a security agreement with Beijing. I wont go into the details of the work plan, but its a positive sign, and theyve got a job to do now to follow up with that particular piece of work, Henare told Newsroom on June 14. The minister said the Solomons delegation emphasised that maritime security was the number one theme of their conversation, indicating it was their top priority. So I said, Okay, how do we help? and that was the creation of the work plan I just described, Henare said. He also believed in the strong cooperation of New Zealands partners and its willingness to face the issues of the region, despite the presence of an underlying tension throughout the event. During the defence summit, the New Zealand minister also met with Chinese Defence Minister Wei Fenghe, where they discussed New Zealands view on the security of the Pacific. Henare reiterated New Zealands stance on the Pacific was helping make the region more safe and secure and its support of the independence and sovereignty of Pacific nations. He also noted that Wei voiced concerns about a New Zealand that was becoming closer to the stance of the United States and Australia, echoing similar rhetoric to when Beijing denounced a U.S.-New Zealand joint statement. Compared to the United States and Australia, New Zealands position towards China has been more amiable. In April, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern backed her countrys mature relationship with Beijing and signalled the need for cooperation despite its growing assertiveness in the region. Newport Non-Profit Advocates for Grandparent-Grandchild Rights For those struggling to get visitation rights to see their grandchildren, a Newport Beach nonprofit is providing support and guidance through difficult court and parental situations. Advocates for Grandparent Grandchild Connection educate grandparents on communication principles to apply in situations with the parents or caregivers to help them maintain that loving close relationship with a grandchild, according to Susan Hoffman, the organizations founder and director. Hoffman founded the organization in 2006 after she was not allowed to see her grandson. Her grandson was adopted by a stepparent, who denied her visitation rights. The adoption by a stepparent assumes them all rights and responsibilities of a biological parent, including deciding who can or cant visit the child. Hoffman put out advertisements to form support groups for other grandparents struggling to see their grandchildren. From there it grew into a national, charitable non-profit supporting and educating grandparents. Hoffman pursued a court order to see her grandson but was denied because California law does not include a stipulation for grandparents to petition the court for visitation of their grandchild after their grandchild has been adopted by a new stepparent. But that changed in 2007 when Assemblyman Van Trans Assembly Bill 2517sponsored by Hoffmanwas signed into law, allowing grandparents visitation rights via a court order if it is in the best interest of the child. Hoffman, who now resides in Newport Beach, released a book, among several others, in 2020 titled Grand Distance for grandparents in the face of a block to visitation rights with grandchildren. Regarding Grand Distance Hoffman said, when grandparents find themselves suddenly forbidden to see their beloved grandchild, following the emotional upheaval, they have choices about how they will cope and what they will do to stay close to the child. According to the organizations website, funds provide aid to those most vulnerable in our community through ongoing support groups, education, books, and films. More recently, the City of Newport Beach granted Advocates for Grandparent Grandchild Connection $1,000 on June 14. It is the second grant they have received from the city in the past few years. Hoffman said the grant would positively impact 465 to 530 residents in the program, 55 percent of which are Newport Beach residents. A group of Cubans wade across the Rio Grande from Mexico toward the United States in Eagle Pass, Texas, on April 19, 2022. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times) Number of Suspected Terrorists Nabbed at US-Mexico Border Spikes Under Biden More suspected terrorists have been captured at the U.S.-Mexico border amid an unprecedented surge in illegal immigration under President Joe Biden. Fifty people with records in the FBIs Terrorist Screening Database have been nabbed by Border Patrol agents at the southern border between ports of entry between Oct. 1, 2021, and May 30, according to newly released data from Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Thats up from 35 as of the last release, which took place in April. The database includes records on people known as terrorists or suspected to be terrorists. Both the FBI and CBP are part of the Department of Homeland Security. Neither the department nor CBP responded to requests for comment. The arrests are a major jump over previous years. The total in fiscal year 2021, which included several months under the Trump administration, was 15. The total in the three fiscal years before that was just eight. The DHS acknowledged in April that dozens of suspected or known terrorists were captured at the border. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas was initially unable to say whether some had been released into the interior of the country; he later said that some may have been released. Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio), the top Republican on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, told The Epoch Times in an email that the DHS has continued to refuse to provide data hes requested on suspected terrorists entering the United States. Terrorists are allegedly trying to cross our border now for the same reason that drug cartels are smuggling a record number of people and illicit narcotics into the United Statesthey all believe the border is open due to the failed policies of this administration, he said. Border apprehensions hit an all-time high in 2021 under Biden, whose administration relaxed or reversed key Trump-era immigration enforcement policies. A new record is on track to be set for Bidens first full year in office; every month so far has had higher encounter totals, with May arrests the most ever in a single month. In the current fiscal year, hundreds of thousands of other illegal immigrants have evaded U.S. authorities altogether. These gotaways, as theyre called by authorities, almost certainly include others in the Terrorist Screening Database. The number of known gotaways continues to increase at a record rate along the southwest border, so we cannot be certain exactly how many known terrorists have entered the U.S. amidst the Biden administrations disastrous border crisis, Rep. John Katko (R-N.Y.), the top Republican on the House Homeland Security Committee, said in a statement. CBP also reported 50 suspected or known terrorists being captured at ports of entry at the southern border since October 2021, and 142 being nabbed at ports of entry at the northern border during the same time. Arrests at ports of entry are much more common, totaling in the hundreds during the Trump administration and 192 so far this year. Zero illegal immigrants with records in the Terrorist Screening Database have been captured during this fiscal year between ports of entry at the U.S.-Canada border. A Yeshiva University student wears a face mask on the grounds of the university in New York City on March 4, 2020. (David Dee Delgado/Getty Images) NY Judge Rules Jewish University Isnt Religious, Must Recognize LGBT Student Club A New York State judge has ruled that the Yeshiva University must approve the creation of an LGBT student group on its campus, even though the club goes against the Jewish institutions guiding religious beliefs. Lynn Kotler, a judge in the New York County Supreme Court, ruled Tuesday that Yeshiva University Pride Alliance must be provided with full equal accommodations, advantages, facilities, and privileges afforded to all other student groups. In her ruling, Kotler said Yeshiva is chartered as an educational corporation rather than a religious institution, and therefore is subject to New York Citys anti-discrimination law, just like other secular colleges and universities. The record shows that the purpose students attend Yeshiva is to obtain an education, not for religious worship or some other function which is religious at its core, the judge wrote. Thus, religion is necessarily secondary to education at Yeshiva. The dispute has been going on for years at the Manhattan-based university. After Yeshiva administrators overruled a student government decision to recognize the pride club, a group of pro-LGBT student activists filed a complaint with the New York City Commission on Human Rights, alleging that the university has engaged in discrimination based on sexual orientation. Yeshiva vowed to appeal the ruling. The university, whose curriculum is largely based on the Modern Orthodox interpretation of Jewish law, argues that while it is not registered as sectarian, it has an obvious religious educational mission. The courts ruling violates the religious liberty upon which this country was founded, a spokesperson for the university said in a statement, warning that the decision could establish a legal precedent for courts to interfere in the internal affairs of religious schools, hospitals, and charitable organizations. Any ruling that Yeshiva is not religious is obviously wrong, the spokesperson added. As our name indicates, Yeshiva University was founded to instill Torah values in its students while providing a stellar education, allowing them to live with religious conviction as noble citizens and committed Jews. While we love and care for our students, who are alleach and every onecreated in Gods image, we firmly disagree with todays ruling and will immediately appeal the decision. The ruling also comes amid the New York Department of Educations proposed regulation that would tighten state oversight of private schools sparking much concern among advocates of religious liberty and parental rights, especially those in the Orthodox Jewish community. If implemented, the new regulation would force private schools to adopt an education that is substantially equivalent to that provided in public schools. This means traditional Jewish schools, known as yeshivas, would have to spend less time teaching religious content and instead, dedicate more teaching time to secular subjects. This violates the freedom of parents to choose their own preferred form of education as part of their religious freedom, advocacy group Coalition of Jewish Values said in a Jun. 2 letter opposing the regulation, which it said only appeases activist groups that have animosity towards Orthodox Jewish life. People walk along the stairs of the New York Public Library on July 6, 2021 in Manhattan in New York City. (Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images) NYC Councilwoman Says Her Office Was Threatened by Leftist Hate Mob A New York City councilwoman has said her Queens office requires police protection from the leftist hate mob after she spoke out against adult drag performers reading books to children in public schools as grooming. Vickie Paladino, who represents Queens district 19, spoke out against the program after the New York Post reported that the program had been lavished by the city and state with more than $200,000 for appearances in public schools in the city since 2018. Facing backlash after the remarks, Paladino on Friday stood firm in her resolve, saying its not hate speech to oppose drag queens in schools. She took to Twitter to say her office requires a police detail after receiving threats. As my progressive council colleagues and their radical allies play victim and pretend that speaking against drag queens in elementary schools put them in danger, back in the real world my office now requires a police detail due to threats of violence from the leftist hate mob, she wrote on Twitter. Its not hate speech to say drag queens dont belong in schools. I make zero apologies for that. Protecting children is my priority. Period. This is what I was elected for. And I will continue to be the most transparent, effective council member this district has ever had. The Epoch Times reached out to NYPD for comment. As my progressive council colleagues and their radical allies play victim and pretend that speaking against drag queens in elementary schools put them in danger, back in the real world my office now requires a police detail due to threats of violence from the leftist hate mob. pic.twitter.com/RBC9PsGAGp Councilwoman Vickie Paladino (@VickieforNYC) June 16, 2022 Paladino had decried the taxpayer money being spent on a program that utilizes drag performers, typically known for lewd and adult performances, to read to children. This is unacceptable and grotesque, and follows a deeply disturbing national pattern. I was elected to hold the line on major issues like this, she wrote on Twitter on June 14. Progressives may have no problem with child grooming and sexualization, but I do, she added. This will not happen on my watch. Kids deserve a quality education free from political manipulation and sexual content. And thats what the kids in District 19 will get. Paladino said nearly all of the schools in her district said they wouldnt bring the program to their schools after she threatened to cut funding for repairs, upgrades, and new programs. Progressives may have no problem with child grooming and sexualization, but I do. This will not happen on my watch. Kids deserve a quality education free from political manipulation and sexual content. And thats what the kids in District 19 will get. Councilwoman Vickie Paladino (@VickieforNYC) June 13, 2022 Paladinos stance was quickly attacked by her progressive colleagues and LGBT groups and supporters, including NYC Mayor Eric Adams, who defended the program. The City Councils LGBT caucus has called for Paladino to be removed from her committee roles and that she be formally censured. Since the beginning of the year, the organization Drag Story Hour NYC, formerly known as Drag Queen Story Hour NYC, has organized 49 appearances in 34 elementary, middle, and high schools across the city. It has raked in tens of thousands of dollars in public funds including $46,000 in May alone, according to records obtained by the New York Post. This New York City Council has spent $80,000 on Drag Story Hour this year, more than triple the amount spent last year. The program began in San Francisco in 2015 with performers in drag reading to children from three to eight years old. It then spread to libraries and schools across the country. The purpose is to capture childrens imagination and introduce them to LGBT concepts such as gender fluidity. Bill Pan contributed to this report. Open Rights Group Says UK Data Reform Bill Would Endanger Consumers The Open Rights Group, a digital campaign group with 20,000 members, has criticised the British governments new Data Reform Bill, saying it will endanger consumers and make it easier for businesses to spy on people through their computers. The Data Reform Bill, announced in the Queens Speech, would replace pop-up cookie alerts on websites with an opt-out system allowing users to cover all data permissions in their web browser settings, removing the need to consent every time a user visits a new website. It would also increase fines for nuisance calls, texts, and other data breaches. Unveiling the details on Friday, Digital Secretary Nadine Dorries said: Today is an important step in cementing post-Brexit Britains position as a science and tech superpower. Our new Data Reform Bill will make it easier for businesses and researchers to unlock the power of data to grow the economy and improve society, but retains our global gold standard for data protection. But Mariano delli Santi, a data protection campaigner with the Open Rights Group, said in an email to The Epoch Times: These irresponsible proposals will endanger consumers and make it easy for businesses to spy on you, build machines to judge you and wait for you to work it out. The legislation, which is part of a government attempt to reduce data protection bureaucracy, would remove the requirement for smaller businesses to have a data protection officer or undertake impact assessments. The government said the aim was to update the UKs data laws for the digital age and take advantage of Britain having left the European Union by reducing the burden of some aspects of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) which was introduced in 2018. Dorries, who is also behind the Online Safety Bill, said: Outside of the E.U. we can ensure people can control their personal data, while preventing businesses, researchers, and civil society from being held back by a lack of clarity and cumbersome E.U. legislation. But delli Santi warned discrimination against minority groups would be made easier and it would be harder for people to challenge the government or big corporations. The A level results fiasco will be repeated again and again, he said, referring to the botched grading of A level papers in 2020 that was blamed on a standardisation algorithm. Delli Santi also warned the British government risked a massive and expensive rupture with the E.U., making data transfers costly for UK businesses, costing jobs during an economic downturn. The Bill proposes restructuring the Information Commissioners Office and giving the Culture Secretary new powers to approve ICO statutory codes and guidance. Information Commissioner John Edwards said he supported the ambition of these reforms. Over 400,000 Bottles of Medication Sold Across US Recalled Over Safety Issue More than 400,000 bottles of over-the-counter pain medication sold across the United States have been recalled because the bottles are not child-resistant, according to notices posted on the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commissions (CPSC) website. About 137,300 units of Walgreens brand acetaminophen and 25,660 units of Kroger brand arthritis pain acetaminophen were recalled by Aurohealth. Recalled Walgreens Pain Reliever Acetaminophen 500 mg, 150 Count Bottle. (via U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission) Recalled Kroger Arthritis Pain Acetaminophen 650mg, 225 count bottle. (via U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission) Meanwhile, about 209,430 units of Kroger brand aspirin and ibuprofen were recalled by Time-Cap Lab, and about 34,660 units of Kroger brand acetaminophen were recalled by Sun Pharma. L: Recalled Kroger Aspirin, 81 mg Delayed-Release enteric-coated tablets, 300 count bottle. R: Recalled Kroger Ibuprofen, 200 mg soft gel capsules, 160 count bottle. (via U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission) Recalled Kroger Acetaminophen, 650 mg extended-release caplets, 100 count bottle. (via U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission) All the recalled items are bottles that are not child-resistant, posing a risk of poisoning if young children manage to open the bottles and swallow the contents. The Poison Prevention Packaging Act (PPPA), signed into law in 1970, requires child-resistant packaging. The packaging required by the PPPA must be designed or constructed to be significantly difficult for children under five years of age to open within a reasonable time, and not difficult for normal adults to use properly, the CPSC states. People who have these recalled products are advised to store them in a safe location out of reach and sight of children. For people who purchased the Walgreens brand acetaminophen, they are advised to contact Aurohealth for information on how to return the product to their nearest Walgreens store for a full refund. For those who purchased the other products, which are Kroger brand, they are advised to contact Kroger on how to properly dispose of the product and receive a full refund. Product recalls have hit a 10-year high in the United States this year, with more than 900 million units of products recalled in a number of industries during the first quarter of 2022, according to a report released by insurance company Sedgwick in late May. Parents Rally Over Malicious Misgendering School Policy in Northern Virginia FAIRFAX COUNTY, Va.A group of parents rallied outside the Fairfax County school board meeting on Thursday night to protest the boards new malicious misgendering policy that disciplines elementary school students for not addressing transgender students with their preferred pronouns. Later in the night, the board voted 84 and approved the new policy as a part of the students handbook of rules and responsibilities. The adopted version removed wording about punishing accidental misgendering in the previous version. According to the new policy, malicious misgendering will be gender identity-related offenses that could lead to up to level four responses, including five days of out-of-school suspension and referral to law enforcement for elementary school students. Theres an overreach happening with the school board with these policies because this isnt coming in an organic fashion from the parents, Stacy Langton, a Fairfax County mother of six, told The Epoch Times. If theres no demand for it, then that means [school board members] are deliberately pushing a particular agenda. So Im very bothered by that. In her view, the agenda is about indoctrinating the kids into a place where it all seems normal and desensitizing them to any kind of normal reaction, which would be revulsion, or to acknowledge that, hey, thats not normal to call a boy a girl or a girl a boy. Stacy Langton, a Fairfax County mother, protests the Fairfax County school boards pro-transgender policy outside the Luther Jackson Middle School in Falls Church, Va., on June 16, 2022. (Terri Wu/The Epoch Times) Lars Griffin, a college freshman who graduated from a Fairfax County high school last year, participated in the rally against the new policy. To him, level four disciplinary actions are massive punishments for a situation where a student needs to be very seriously taken care of and reprimanded for it. Hence, he said the new misgendering policy was utterly ridiculous. He has a problem with the school boards pro-transgender policies. The fact that they are promoting these kids to make life-changing decisions that cannot be reversed is very concerning, he told the Epoch Times. It could lead to a lot of issues later on in life that they may regret and not be able to change. Lars Griffin, a college student who graduated from a Fairfax County high school last year, protests the new malicious misgendering policy in the student handbook outside of the school board meeting by Gallows Road outside of the Luther Jackson Middle School in Falls Church, Va., on June 16, 2022. (Terri Wu/The Epoch Times) Chris McCormick, a mother of two transgender children, joined a different rally outside the school board meeting at the Luther Jackson Middle School to celebrate pride month. She told The Epoch Times that intentional misgendering was comparable to racial slurs, a form of bullying. However, she acknowledged the challenge: As a parent, I accidentally misgender my kids sometimes. Its a learning process. Dr. Sebastian Gorka, former Strategist to President Donald Trump and host of the America First radio show, at the parents rally outside the Luther Jackson Middle School in Falls Church, Va., on June 16, 2022. (Terri Wu/The Epoch Times) Dr. Sebastian Gorka, former Strategist to President Donald Trump and host of the America First radio show, also attended the rally against the new pro-transgender policy, which he described as communist. Controlling language is wrong for adults; its especially wrong for children, he told The Epoch Times. This should be about education. It should be about bettering the minds of children, not punishing them because there is some language that administrators prefer. According to Gorka, the pro-transgender policies by school boards across the nation are a part of an agenda to dismantle Western civilization by driving a wedge between children and their parents and blindsiding parents from their childrens gender transition. This is a classic Maoist tactic, he added. You separate the child from the parents and then weaken the family unit because the family unit is the final defense against communism. A protester outside of the school board meeting in Falls Church, Va., on June 16, 2022. (Terri Wu/The Epoch Times) President-elect Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. (C) raises hands with Senate President Vicente Sotto III (L) and House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco during his proclamation at the House of Representatives, Quezon City, Philippines, on May 25, 2022. (Aaron Favila/AP Photo) Philippines Former Military Chief to Return as Defense Minister Under Marcos Administration The Philippines newly-elected president Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has selected a retired general and former military chief to serve as the next defense minister, press secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles said on June 17. Former Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief of staff Jose Faustino would serve as senior undersecretary and officer-in-charge of the National Defense Department in an interim arrangement, according to local reports. Cruz-Angeles said that Faustino would assume the role of defense secretary on Nov. 13, based on a rule prohibiting military officers from taking up ministerial positions for a year after retirement. Faustinos situation was similar to current Department of Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Anos case, whom President Duterte designated as officer-in-charge but later assumed the secretary position once the appointment ban lapsed, she said. Before he was appointed AFP chief of staff, Faustino served as the commander of the Joint Task Force Mindanao and the commanding general of the Philippine Army. Cruz-Angeles described him as a well-respected Mindanao veteran who has served under the special forces, infantry, and intelligence posts. Incumbent Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said that he was confident with Faustinos capability to lead the defense department and that he looks forward to working with him in the transition period until June 30, the Philippine News Agency reported. I am confident that with his years of dedicated service as a military officer, general Faustino will continue the Departments momentum in our internal security and external defense operations, as well as the modernization of the armed forces and the entire defense organization, he said. The new defense minister is expected to strike a balance between the United States, a treaty ally of the Philippines, and China, which has been growing its military presence in the disputed South China Sea. Beijing claims much of the South China Sea as its own under its so-called nine-dash line. The Hague Tribunal ruled in favor of the Philippines in 2016. However, it has had little to no impact on the Chinese regimes behavior, with Beijing repeatedly intruding into Manilas territorial zones. Faustino was the 10th military chief to serve under outgoing President Rodrigo Duterte, leading the 143,000-strong military for four months last year. Relations between the United States and its former Asian colony have been complicated under Duterte, who has criticized U.S. foreign policy and sought closer ties with China since coming to power in 2016. Marcos, the son and namesake of the former Filipino dictator, also named former Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile as his presidential legal counsel and outgoing Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra as his solicitor general. Reuters contributed to this report. This year marks the 33rd anniversary of the 1989 Tiananmen Massacre; it is the first June 4th without the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China (HK Alliance), after its disbandment. A poll showed that the rate of Hongkongers supporting June 4th vindication was at the lowest in nearly 20 years, while the rate of those who agree that the CCP handled June 4th appropriately, is set at a new record high.Professor explained that the numbers reflect the self-adjustment or coping strategies of citizens. The image is about the 30-year anniversary of commemorating June 4 in 2019. (Li Yi/The Epoch Times) Hong Kong Poll Shows Decreasing Support for June 4 Movement This year marks the 33rd anniversary of the 1989 Tiananmen Massacre; it is the first June 4th without the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China (HK Alliance), after its disbandment. A poll by Hong Kong Public Opinion Research Institute (HKPORI) showed that the rate of Hongkongers supporting June 4th vindication called reversion of the official stand on the incident, in the survey questions was at the lowest in nearly 20 years, while the rate of those who agree that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) handled June 4th appropriately, is set at a new record high. Scholars and former HK Alliance volunteers believe that the results and the trends of migration and how citizens feel in the present social atmosphere are relatedalso, they are concerned with the sequence of the questions. HKPORI, published a review on the June 4th Incident which is part of the One Country Two Systems 25-year, Mid-term Review. In the review, 40 percent of people still support HK Alliances policy principles, which is at the lowest rate since 2002 and the second-lowest in similar reviews was in 1997. Although the vindication figure remains higher than the 30 percent of opposition, the gap between the supporters and the non-supporter groups is at the smallest in history. Review Conducted by Random Sampling HKPORI phone-interviewed 1,003 Hongkongers during the period of May 12-20, 2022. The result shows, that only 40 percent support June 4th vindication, hitting a record low since 1997 in a similar question. After revealing the data, the net percentage of June 4th vindication supporters was 47.1 in 2013 which was documented as the highest in history at the time. The supporters of the June 4th Incident (vindication) decreased for the second year in a row, from 59.4 percent in 2020, plummeting to 39.6 percent this year (2022). Non-supporters spiked from 22.9 percent in 2020 to 29.8 percent this year. Many Interviewees Said They Dont Know or Arent Sure. Support For Vindication Subsides Although the number of June 4th vindication supporters dived drastically for the second consecutive year, former assistant professor in the Department of Applied Social Science at the Polytechnic University of Hong Kong, Professor Chung Kin-wah, pointed out that almost 40 percent of citizens are supportive of the June 4 movement, which is not a small ratio. Since it is just a little higher than the non-supporters by 10 percent, we can only judge the effectiveness of CCPs propaganda by observing the continuation of the trend next year. Professor Chung, thinks that it is natural that the numbers in the interviews were influenced by HK Alliance disbandment, the lack of people campaigning for June 4th vindication, as well as the departure of many Hongkongers. Ben Lam Siu-pan, a former district councilor who used to be a volunteer of HK Alliance, thought that there is no direct link between the organizations disbandment and the decline in the number of people who support the movement. In his view, it was partly that many Hongkongers are disillusioned with the CCP; they no longer need the CCP to vindicate June 4th thoroughly, as vindicating would mean the CCP had perfected itself and realized its own mistakes. However, now that a lot of Hongkongers fantasies are shattered, they no longer need the CCP to vindicate anything at all. Meanwhile, Lam observed similar polls such as Hong Kong identity, and Chinese identity, as well as this June 4th questionnaire being conducted in recent years, all of them, display a trend in the development of weakening public opinion among pro-democracy supporters. This was influenced by the rise in Chinese identity, and the decline in Hongkongers identity in the territory, and hence the decline in the rate of those supporting vindication. Lam analyzed that the trend of people moving away, stems from the decline in yellow people (pro-democracy) staying in Hong Kong. Under the circumstances of Red Terror, many pro-democracy citizens did not dare to answer the questions, resulting in the low response rate. The net value of vindicating June 4th supporters rated at the record-breaking low (40 percent), while support on how CCPs handling of June 4th pushed up to 30 percent. In addition, 22.8 percent is the proportion of people who feel that the Chinese (CCP) government has done right by the June 4th incident. Its rate is at the highest since similar research began in 1993. The number of people who feel that the CCP has done wrong dipped to an historical low to 45.3 percent. In addition, 31.8 percent said they dont know or it is difficult to say; the number is the second-highest in history, next to the number in 2002. As for those who believe that Beijing students did the right thing on June 4th, the figure dropped to 35.5 percent, while 20.9 percent thought Beijing students had done wrong, and 43.6 percent of interviewees are unsure or found it difficult to determine. The difference is the highest since year 2000, with far more people, responding for the very first time since 2002. Professor Chung said, Including the decline in the ratio of June 4th supporters, the above results can be disappointing to some, as they see public polls as the only platform to reflect public opinion. However, the number of people who are still supportive of June 4th is still higher than the non-supporters by 10 percent, simultaneously, more people still believe it was the governments wrongdoing rather than the students. Perhaps it wouldnt be surprising if people in the future might answer the questions more proactively. After all, it is common to see in public polls that some people would adapt their answers according to the trends. When asked whether he believed that peoples perceptions remain unchanged, Professor Chung expressed, We can tell only if one day there is a chance to have commemorated assemblies again. He thinks HKPORls poll reflects how little change there is in Hongkongers feelings towards the Chinese and Hong Kong governments. Support For Mainland Democratic Development Falls The survey also covered the viewpoints of Hongkongers responsibilities for the political and economic development in mainland China. Although it shows more people agreed that Hong Kong have a responsibility to develop democracy in China, the ones who dont agree take up 35.6 percent, which is the second-highest in history, second only to 2020. This year, 45.1 percent feel Hong Kong still has a responsibility for the mainlands democratic development. The gap between the two narrowed to its smallest since such surveys took place in 1993. Citizens who expressed their uncertainty or difficulty in deciding rose to 19.4 percent, the highest rate ever recorded. Ben Lam said the numbers above are connected to the political situations in Hong Kong. Hong Kong used to have freedom, with half of a democratic system, Hong Kong still could back up mainland Chinas social movements. However, now that there is no freedom and no democracy in Hong Kong, the city can barely help itself. Hong Kong does not have much to spare, does it? He also believed that the number of people who feel zero responsibility towards Chinas social movements will overtake the number of the opposite within a few years. Professor Chung analyzed that those who feel the responsibility to promote Chinas democracy fall into two groups; those that have an affinity to the Chinese people and always want to try to help them, and the practical business people that look at the situation from their business viewpoint. Chung continued, I think most of the first group is disappointed to the point of being hopeless. For the other group, there is no doubt at all that they want to make money fast and get out of here. When asked what will happen to the gap between the responsible and non-responsible? Chung said the younger generation under the circumstances in Hong Kong doesnt think they have any obligation to china at all. Support for Mainland Economic Development Improves The ratio between feeling obliged to promote Chinas economic development, rather than no commitment, has widened for the second consecutive year, The number of people who feel responsible has leaped from 45 percent in 2020 to 56 percent, while the opposite plunged to 33 percent; 11.4 percent responded unsure, or indecisive, which was recorded as the highest since 2004. In the survey, people were asked which they feel China needs more, economic development or democracy development. The percentage of those who were indecisive or unsure marked the highest since 2002 at 9.2. The ratios of those who believe China should emphasize more on economic development than democratic development is 34.9 percent to 30.4 percent respectively. This is the first time such a phenomenon has existed. This question has been surveyed since 1993. Most of the time the result had shown that the majority thought China should concentrate more on democratic development than economic development by quite a large margin. In the few years approaching 2020 the margin in favour of democratic development was between 13 and 20 percent. This narrowed in 2021 to just 6 percentage points. Chinas Human Rights Hits Record High In a question about human rights in China, half of the interviewees thought that the human rights situation in China has improved compared with 1989. The number climbed for the second time in succession. However, 22.9 percent thought that it was worse than in 1989, this percentage dived deeply for the second consecutive year from 42.6 percent in 2020. The number of people with uncertainty and indecisiveness rose to the highest point since 1993 at 11.1 percent. When comparing this survey of the human rights situation in China to the one conducted back in 1989, only the 2020 result showed that far fewer people (38 percent) believed the human rights situation has improved. As for the results in the remaining years, more people thought the situation was getting better than those who voted worse, about the same, or unsure. Looking ahead to the human rights situation in the next 3 years, 36.7 percent of people believe it will improve in the future, while 25.6 percent think the oppositethis latter figure shows a sharp drop for the second consecutive year, from 43.7 percent in 2020 and 33 percent in 2021. Those who arent sure increased the most on record, standing at 18.3 percent. Looking at several questions as a whole, the number of citizens who responded to not sure or dont know reached a record high in the past 20 years, since this kind of survey existed in 1993. Professor Chung explained that the numbers reflect the self-adjustment or coping strategies of citizens. Trying hard to remain quiet is their way of showing concerns that survey data might be leaked, or possibly a display of giving up under the current circumstances, adding an attitude of do what you want. I dont want anything to do with you. Chung recognizes that since the public perception of right and wrong about the June 4 vindication has been rooted deeply over the years, the possibility of a strategic response is reasonably higher. The number of people in uncertainty increased significantly. The survey of HKPORI and its predecessor, the Hong Kong University Public Opinion Programme, initially comprised the questions of the scores of HK Alliance before June 4th and do you think HK Alliance should be disbanded since 1993. These two questions, nonetheless, vanished following multiple arrests of members of standing committees of the HK Alliance, after the organization was forcibly dissolved under the Hong Kong National Security Law last year. The logo of German carmaker Porsche AG is seen before the company's annual news conference in Stuttgart, Germany, on March 17, 2017. (Lukas Barth/Reuters) Porsche to Pay $80 Million to Resolve Fuel Economy Claims on U.S. Vehicles Volkswagen AG and its Porsche AG unit have agreed to a class-action settlement worth at least $80 million to resolve claims it skewed emissions and fuel economy data on 500,000 Porsche vehicles in the United States, court documents show. The settlement, filed in U.S. District Court in San Francisco, must be approved by a federal judge. It covers 2005 through 2020 model year Porsche vehicles after owners accused the automaker of physically altering test vehicles that affected emissions and fuel economy results. Owners of eligible vehicles will receive payments of $250 to $1,109 per vehicle. Porsche confirmed the settlement in a statement but said it has not acknowledged the allegations in these proceedings. The agreement serves to end the issue. The comparison applies only to vehicles sold in the United States. Scrutiny of Volkswagens vehicles grew after the German automaker in 2015 disclosed it had used sophisticated software to evade emissions requirements in nearly 11 million diesel vehicles worldwide. VW settled U.S. criminal and civil actions prompted by the cheating scandal for more than $20 billion. The automaker pleaded guilty in 2017 to fraud, obstruction of justice, and falsifying statements. Lawyers for the Porsche owners said the automaker physically altered the hardwaregears connecting the drive shaft and rear axleand manipulated the software of testing vehicles. The test vehicles emitted fewer pollutants and were more fuel-efficient than the production vehicles consumers bought or leased. Settlement documents say testing showed fuel economy may have been 1-2 miles per gallon lower than listed on vehicle labels. VW also will pay $250 to owners of Porsche vehicles with Sport+ driving mode that exceeded emissions limits when driven in that mode. They will receive the payment when they complete emissions-compliant repair software updates that will reduce vehicles emissions. The lawsuits were prompted after a whistleblower at Porsche reported at least one suspected defeat device in certain gasoline vehicles through an internal reporting system, which prompted Porsche to report these findings to German and U.S. regulators, the lawsuit said. The suit said in late 2015, Porsche management commissioned a systematic review that soon determined Porsches gas fleet was violating emissions test rules but was not immediately disclosed to U.S. regulators. By David Shepardson Prime Minister Calls on Burmese Regime to Release Australian Academic Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has called on Burma (also known as Myanmar) to release Australian academic Sean Turnell, who has been held by the military junta since February 2021. Turnell, an Australian advisor to deposed leader Aung Suu Kyi, was arrested five days after the regime staged its coup on Feb. 1, 2021 to remove the former government. He was then charged with violating Burmas official secrets law and has been held in detention for the past 16 months. Burmese courts on June 10 ruled that prosecutors had gathered enough evidence against Turnell to proceed with his trial. Speaking about the decision, Albanese said the regimes treatment of the advisor was unjustified. Sean Turnell should be released. Thats the governments position. Well continue to make strong representation on that basis. What weve seen is unjustified, and we see in Myanmar a trashing of human rights and of proper legal processes, Albanese told reporters. Sean Turnell will continue to receive the full support of the Australian government for appropriate processes to take place. But he should be released. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stands with newly appointed Foreign Minister Penny Wong at the door of their plane in Canberra, Australia, on May 23, 2022. (David Gray/Getty Images) Foreign Minister Penny Wong echoed the prime ministers call. The Australian government rejects this weeks court ruling in Myanmar against Australian professor Sean Turnell, Wong said in a statement. Professor Turnell has worked for Myanmars economic development for many years and is internationally respected for this record. We will continue to advocate for professor Turnells interests and well-being and will not stop until he is safely back with his family. Turnell is a highly regarded academic from Sydneys Macquarie University and was director of the Myanmar Development Institute in its capital Naypyitaw. His wife Ha Vus has stood by her husband, writing on social media he had done nothing wrong. He worked for Myanmar by using his knowledge of economics from 20 years. He is someone who brings job opportunities and jobs to Myanmar people, she said. Turnell has been vocal in his criticism of the Burmese military, which he believes is resistant to change and has become an entrenched influence in the public service. The military will not easily eschew the power they have held on to for decades; the military budget remains completely separate from the national budget, and the civilian arm of government has no say on the militarys spending decisions, he said. Soldiers stand next to military vehicles as people gather to protest against the military coup, in Yangon, Burma, on Feb. 15, 2021. (Stringer/Reuters) Meanwhile on April 27, 2022, a Burmese court has ruled that deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi will spend five years in jail after allegedly finding her guilty of 11 counts of corruption, according to Reuters. She was charged with at least 18 offences which carry a combined prison sentence of 190 years. Suu Kyi is a Nobel laureate and the figurehead of Burmas opposition to military rule. A source revealed to Reuters that she would appeal the verdict. UK Home Secretary Signs Order for Julian Assange to Be Extradited to US The British Home Secretary Priti Patel has signed an extradition order, sending WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange back to the United States where he is wanted for publishing classified documents. WikiLeaks said Friday was a dark day for press freedom and British democracy. Assange, 50, is wanted in the United States for publishing thousands of diplomatic cables and other sensitive documents in 2010 and 2011 after they were passed to Wikileaks. In January the High Court in London said Assange could make a final appeal to the UK Supreme Court. But the Supreme Court said Assanges lawyers had not raised an arguable point of law and refused to hear that appeal, clearing the way for extradition. Assange, who married his South African girlfriend Stella Moris in November, has argued he will not get a fair trial in the United States. If convicted, he could face up to 175 years in jail. On Friday a Home Office spokesman said: Under the Extradition Act 2003, the Secretary of State must sign an extradition order if there are no grounds to prohibit the order being made. Extradition requests are only sent to the Home Secretary once a judge decides it can proceed after considering various aspects of the case. The spokesman added: On 17 June, following consideration by both the Magistrates Court and High Court, the extradition of Mr. Julian Assange to the US was ordered. Mr. Assange retains the normal 14-day right to appeal. In this case, the UK courts have not found that it would be oppressive, unjust or an abuse of process to extradite Mr. Assange. Nor have they found that extradition would be incompatible with his human rights, including his right to a fair trial and to freedom of expression, and that whilst in the US he will be treated appropriately, including in relation to his health. U.S. prosecutors have indicted Assange on 18 criminal charges of breaking an espionage law and conspiring to hack government computers. WikiLeaks published a U.S. military video in 2010 showing a 2007 attack by Apache helicopters in Baghdad that killed a dozen people, including two Reuters news staff. It then released thousands of secret classified files and diplomatic cables, which included critical appraisals of world leaders, from Russian President Vladimir Putin to members of the Saudi royal family. Assange sought refuge inside Ecuadors London embassy for seven years from 2012 until he was arrested in April 2019 for skipping bail during a separate legal battle. He is being held in Londons high-security Belmarsh prison. Julian Assanges wife Stella issued a statement after hearing of the home secretarys move, in which she said: This is a dark day for press freedom and for British democracy. Anyone in this country who cares about freedom of expression should be deeply ashamed that the Home Secretary has approved the extradition of Julian Assange to the United States, the country that plotted his assassination. Russia's President Vladimir Putin listens during his meeting with "Znanie" Society CEO Maxim Dreval in Moscow's Kremlin, on May 5, 2022. (Mikhail Klimentyev/Sputnik/AFP via Getty Images) Putin: Western World Order Is Finished Amid RussiaUkraine Conflict Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday said that the Western world order is collapsing and that U.S. and EU sanctions against his government have failed. The previous world order is finished, Putin said at the International Economic Forum in St. Petersburg. Dismissing the sanctions as part of a propaganda campaign, Putin added, What all these spells about 200-to-1 ruble-dollar exchange rates and claims that our economy would collapse were all about. All this was and remains a tool in the information warfare, an attempt to put psychological pressure on Russian society. The European Union has completely lost its political sovereignty, and its bureaucratic elites are dancing to someone elses tune, accepting whatever they are told from above, causing harm to their own population and their own economy, he further remarked. Putins address at the yearly conference represents one of his more substantial speeches since the start of the Ukraine conflict, which erupted on Feb. 24. Amid reports of losses during the months-long conflict in Ukraine, Putin said he believes Russias objectives will be met. All the objectives of the special military operation will be implemented, theres no doubt about it, he said. Days after the invasion started, the United States, the European Union, and other Western nations imposed punishing sanctions against Moscow, with the United States suspending all Russian oil imports. The United States and its NATO allies have, meanwhile, sent military aid to Ukrainian fighters, including anti-tank weapons, anti-ship missiles, and long-range rocket artillery systems. Putin has long said that the conflict with Ukraine was launched in response to decades of eastward NATO expansion as the Kyiv government, since 2014, has attempted to foster closer relations with the United States and NATO states. Following the 2014 color revolution, Russia annexed the Crimean Peninsula, and two regions in the eastern Donbass region fell under the control of Russian-backed separatistsleading to sporadic fighting before the February 2022 invasion. Their intention is clear to crush the Russian economy by breaking down the chain the logistical chains, freezing national assets and attacking the living standards, but they were not successful, Putin said. It has not worked out. Russian business people have rallied together working diligently, conscientiously, and step-by-step, we are normalizing the economic situation. The Russian presidents speech comes as the European Commission on Friday said it was recommending that Ukraine and its neighbor, Moldova, become European Union candidate states. The move was praised by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a Twitter post. Ursula von der Leyen, the head of the European Commission, said Ukraine is being considered because it has clearly shown commitment to live up to European values and standards. And embarked, before the war, on its way towards the EU. Russia Has Strategically Lost Ukraine War Despite Tactical Successes: UK Military Chief Russia has already strategically lost the war in Ukraine despite achieving tactical successes in recent weeks, the head of the UKs armed forces has said. Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, the UKs chief of defence staff, called the war a dreadful mistake by Russia, in which he said it has lost 25 percent of its land power for only tiny gains. Talking to the PA press agency on June 15 while on a visit to Scotland, Radakin said: Russia has strategically lost already. NATO is stronger, Finland and Sweden are looking to join. He said the Russian war machine is grinding away and is running out of personnel and high-tech missiles. President Putin has used about 25 percent of his armys power to gain a tiny amount of territory and 50,000 people either dead or injured, he said. Russia is now a more diminished power diplomatically and economically than several months ago, he said. Any notion that this is a success for Russia is nonsense. Russia is failing. It might be getting some tactical successes over the last few weeks, and those might continue for the next few weeks. But Russia is losing strategically, he said. The UK has become one of Ukraines most important allies in the countrys resistance against the Russian invasion, providing both advanced weaponry and humanitarian aid. Britain was the first European country to send lethal aid to Ukraine and has sent military aid worth more than 750 million ($924 million), including thousands of anti-tank missiles, air defence systems, and armoured vehicles, according to the government. On May 7, the UK government pledged 1.3 billion ($1.6 billion) worth of further military support to Ukraine. The UK recently announced it would gift M270 multiple-launch rocket systems (MLRS) to Ukrainian forces to help them defend themselves from Russian long-range artillery. Radakin said the UK would continue its support for Ukraine and were in this for the long haul. But he said Ukraines real strength lies in the mass thats provided by the whole of the international community as well as the courage and the resolve of the Ukrainian armed forces to fight for their territory. U.S. President Joe Biden pledged $1 billion worth of new aid on June 15, including anti-ship rocket systems, artillery rockets, and rounds for howitzers. On June 16, the leaders of Germany, France, and Italywho had been criticized in the past by Ukrainian officials for not providing enough supportmade a joint visit to Kyiv to show solidarity with Ukraine. French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi all said they are strong supporters of Ukraine who have taken major practical steps to reduce Europes dependence on Russian energy and find weapons to help Kyiv. PA Media contributed to this report. The logo of Russia's state communications regulator, Roskomnadzor, is reflected in a laptop screen showing Google start page, in this picture illustration taken on May 27, 2021. (Maxim Shemetov/Illustration/Reuters) Russian Court Fines Google $260,000 for Breaching Data Rules A Moscow court on Thursday said it had fined Alphabets Google 15 million rubles ($260,000) for repeatedly failing to comply with a Russian law requiring technology companies to localize user data. Russia has issued multiple fines to foreign technology companies in recent years over a range of infringements, in what critics say is Moscows attempt to exert greater control over the internet. Google declined to comment. Russia has restricted access to Twitter and Meta Platforms Incs flagship social networks, Facebook and Instagram, in response to the wests restriction of Russian media, but Google and its YouTube video hosting service remain available for now. Moscow particularly objects to YouTubes treatment of Russian media, which it has blocked. But Anton Gorelkin, deputy head of the State Duma committee on information policy, said the U.S. company was not yet at risk of meeting the same fate.Blocking is an extreme measure and YouTube and Google have not crossed this line of reasonableness, but they are involved in the information war against Russia, Gorelkin told reporters at the St Petersburg International Economic Forum. Moscows Tagansky District Court said it had imposed the fine for what it described as Googles repeated failure to store the personal data of Russian users in databases on Russian territory. Google moved some employees out of Russia after Moscow sent troops into Ukraine in late February. Photo-sharing application LikeMe was fined 1.5 million rubles for a first-time offense. LikeMe could not be reached for comment. Googles ability to pay could be hampered as its Russian subsidiary announced plans to file for bankruptcy in May after authorities seized its bank account. San Diego Supervisors Attack Gun Rights Commentary Now San Diego is getting into business of suing the perfectly legitimate and honorable business of making guns. Americans use guns not only for hunting and as a hobby, but also to defend themselves, as the CDC writes. Reported the San Diego Union-Tribune on a June 13 board of supervisors meeting, In a 3-2 vote, the board approved a proposal by Supervisors Nathan Fletcher and Terra Lawson-Remer, and supported by Supervisor Nora Vargas, directing the county counsel to pursue liability claims against firearms businesses for violence associated with the guns they sell. Supervisors Jim Desmond and Joel Anderson, the two Republicans on the board, voted against the measure. It was a party-line vote in this once heavily Republican city. The action is similar to AB 1594, by Assemblyman Phil Ting (D-San Francisco), also a radical leftist in the mold of just-recalled San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin. The bill would authorize lawsuits by government or private persons to sue the gun manufacturers simply for making their product. It is supported by Gov. Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta, both Democrats running for re-election. But lets just look at San Diego as a California microcosm. According to the Criminal Justice Clearinghouse: While one homicide is obviously one homicide too many, and the number of homicides jumped 35 percent over the past year (from 85 in 2019 to 115 in 2020) in the San Diego region, it is important to note that this number is much lower than the historical high reported in 1991 (278) (Figure 1). In addition, when the City of San Diego (which had 49 percent of the regions 2020 homicides) is compared to other large U.S. cities with preliminary 2020 crime numbers, San Diego had the lowest homicide rate per 100,000 population of the six. [A] firearm was the most common (57 percent) weapon type used in homicides in the San Diego region in 2020. The report did not cite specific the reasons for San Diegos recent jump in homicides, but did note these general trends across America: According to preliminary national figures, homicides across the country were up 15 percent during the first half of 2020 amidst the pandemic, with other analyses showing increases as high as 37 percent. Possible hypotheses for these increases have included growing gun sales during the pandemic, including ghost guns, less belief in police legitimacy, as well as decreased proactive policing, which has been shown to be correlated with lower crime rates. Notice the last two: a crisis of police legitimacy and decreased proactive policing. Also note how the rise in homicides, nationally and in San Diego, occurred during the pandemic, and largely during and after the summer riots two years ago. Those are two anomalies that ought to mean we should wait a few years to draw conclusions. It may well be these numbers could start dropping again. The San Diego Board of Supervisors thus is advancing a moral panic. It is not acting on the facts, but on emotionand for political gain and posturing among fellow leftists. Now to the facts. Consider San Diegos Leading Causes of Deaths in 2020. Keep in mind there were 115 homicides that year, as quoted above, of which 57 percent were gun homicides, or 66. The following is from a San Diego County chart, from which Ill provide the part from 2020. Homicides, gun and non-gun, are so low in Americas Finest City theyre not even on the countys own chart. With diabetes at 852 and nutritional deficiencies at 138, maybe the Board of Supervisors ought to sue junk food companies. No more smores on the citys beautiful beaches for you! And with accidents/unintentional injuries even higher, at 1,513, maybe they should sue ladder companies. Chronic liver disease and cirrhosis are at 411, so its time to bring back alcohol prohibition. Dont touch that beer! This lawsuit, like the state one, only will cost taxpayers money for the legal bills. The U.S. Supreme Court roundly has rejected attacks on the Second Amendment right of the people to keep and bear arms. You cant bear arms if the arms makers were sued out of business. The three anti-Second Amendment supervisors also seem not to have noticed voters even in left-wing San Francisco are in a throw the bums out mood, dumping not only Boudin, but in February three radical School Board members. Americans hate tyranny and are beginning to organize to repeal it. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Sen. Marco Rubio: US Reliance on Chinese-Made Pharmaceuticals and Critical Technology Could Help Hand Taiwan to the Regime What everybody needs to understand, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) said, is that the day China takes Taiwan without the U.S. being able to stop them will be a linchpin moment in human history. In a recent episode of American Thought Leaders, host Jan Jekielek sat down with Rubio to discuss how the Chinese regime has been systematically co-opting our elites for decades and leveraging the American system against usfrom our innovations to our laws to our free markets. Jan Jekielek: As the vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, you recently chaired a hearing about the Chinese Communist Partys (CCPs) plans for economic and technological dominance. What are the most important findings of this hearing? Sen. Marco Rubio: The purpose of these hearings is to shine a public light on something that a lot of people are unaware of: that there are all sorts of technologies and industries critical to the direction of the 21st century. Theyre developing very fast, whether its quantum computing or artificial intelligence. Whichever nation or nations have the high ground and are dominant in those fields will benefit geopolitically, militarily, and economically across the board. America needs to be competitive in those fields, and we face an adversary in China that is investing heavily in them, but is also stealing the advances were making. The fear is that well find ourselves in a world where China has established technical dominance in a number of critical fields. Theres no American alive today that has ever lived in a world in which America has been in second place in global technology. The world looks very different when your country isnt the world leader in technology, and an adversary is. Its important for us to understand that if we think were going to free market our way through this, thats not going to work, because China isnt playing by free market rules. They are playing by mercantilist rules where their companies get to cheat and steal, but ours do not. They expect us to live up to the rules, but they also expect us to allow them to continue to violate them. Mr. Jekielek: Youve said, Public policy toward China has been held hostage by left radicalism on one side or a lack of corporate patriotism. Sen. Rubio: Lets say youre an American company headquartered in the United States, but you view yourself as a global company. Your job is to make as much money as you can this next quarter so your shareholders will be happy and your board will give you a new contract. It doesnt matter if the way youre doing it is bad for America. Thats what a lot of companies have decided to do. Mr. Jekielek: What about the left-wing radicalism you mentioned? Sen. Rubio: These are the American corporations that decide theyre going to boycott the state of Georgia over an election law or boycott Florida over what kids are being taught in the classroom. But they have no problem doing business in Chinawhere there are no human rights, where people are jailed without trial, and where Uyghur Muslims are put into work camps. Mr. Jekielek: How do you view the strategic threat of China versus Russia? Sen. Rubio: Theyre not comparable. Theres no doubt Russia has strategic and tactical nuclear weapons. They also have some conventional capabilities, although clearly not as many as they had two months ago, when they suffered atrocious losses at the hands of the Ukrainians. China is on a completely different scale. China is a technological, commercial, biomedical, geopolitical, military, and industrial competitor. I think on a scale of 1 to 10, China is a 10 and Russia is a 3. And the Chinese are watching Russia and the Ukraine very carefully. What happens when you invade a neighboring country? How does the world respond? What leverage do they have on us, and what leverage do we have in return? Theyre taking notes and learning lessons from this invasion of Ukraine for their future aspirations, both in the South China Sea and in places like Taiwan. Mr. Jekielek: What leverage do they have on us? Sen. Rubio: Our supply chains are disrupted because of a pandemic. Imagine if they decide to deny us the same thingsnot because of a pandemic, but because they want to threaten us. Ninety percent of the most important antibiotics we rely on in this country are made in China. Seventy-something percent of the elements involved in batteries, lithium, and the like are from China. And 80-something percent of our generic pharmaceuticals are made in China. They have the ability to disrupt our economy right now, because we depend way too much on them for both basic raw materials and the finished production of goods. And I dont think well finish this decade without something happening with Taiwan. So, just imagine were getting to that point, and China says to America, If you get involved with Taiwan, we are going to cut you off from these things. Mr. Jekielek: Are you suggesting that within this decade, you expect the Chinese regime to take action on Taiwan? Sen. Rubio: I dont think well finish this decade without that happening. They will prefer to have the Taiwanese say: The Americans are not going to come to our aid. They dont have the ability. So even if America wanted to come to our aid, theyre not going to, because theyre afraid of the impact thats going to have on their economy. And once Taiwan makes that decision, then they have no choice but to cut the best deal they can with the Chinese government. I think that is Plan A for China. Thats what they would prefer to see happen. Plan B is to take Taiwan by forcea rapid military engagement that allows them to secure [Taiwan] before there can be any foreign engagement, be it from the United States or our allies in the region. Mr. Jekielek: This has incredible implications globally. I dont know if all of our viewers are aware that Taiwan is the production hub for the most technologically advanced chips made for all sorts of important devices, including military devices. Sen. Rubio: Yes, [possessing] Taiwans semiconductors would give China tremendous leverage over the world. But what everybody needs to understand is that the day China takes Taiwan without the U.S. being able to stop them will be a linchpin moment in human history. That will be the moment when the world will conclude that the United States and the West are no longer the most powerful countries in the world. The whole world order will change to a China-centric world order at that moment. Were hoping that day will never come. Mr. Jekielek: I want to pivot to human rights. Youve been involved in the issue of Chinese human rights for a long time. Sen. Rubio: They want to become the worlds most powerful country. If the worlds most powerful country is willing to do these sorts of atrocities to its own people, imagine what they would do to you or the people around the world. So, first and foremost, you have to understand who these people are, and the best way to understand them is to see how they treat their own people. You dont put people into death camps. You dont have slave labor to help your industries. If the most powerful country in the world thinks those things are acceptable, that is going to influence what happens around the world. Mr. Jekielek: I recently had Nury Turkel [vice chair of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom] on the show, talking about the Uyghur genocide and the genesis of it. He said that nothing was done when credible reports were coming out about organ harvesting from Falun Gong practitioners. Now its happening to the Uyghurs as well. Sen. Rubio: I think the Chinese have calibrated the worlds reaction to everythingfrom their intrusions in the South China Sea to these atrocious practices. They believe that society is too busy around the world to care too much about these things and [people] arent going to walk away from the benefits they gain by having a relationship with China. So theyve learned how to play this game. Mr. Jekielek: What are the key things that America and other nations must do to counter the CCP threat? Sen. Rubio: We need to identify the critical industries for national security in the 21st century. We must have either an American or an allied capability to produce those things. If it comes from China, we should assume it will be weaponized against us in the future. I think that is by far the most important thing. We should also ramp up our military capabilities to be able to defend against what China is developing, including investments in space defense. This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity. Jan Jekielek Senior Editor Follow Jan Jekielek is a senior editor with The Epoch Times and host of the show, "American Thought Leaders." Jans career has spanned academia, media, and international human rights work. In 2009 he joined The Epoch Times full time and has served in a variety of roles, including as website chief editor. He is the producer of the award-winning Holocaust documentary film "Finding Manny." A U.S. flag flies near the U.S.-Mexico border fence in an area where they search for border crossers near Campo, Calif., on Oct. 8, 2006. (David McNew/Getty Images) Senate Lawmakers Introduce Bill to Ensure Federal Government Only Buys Domestically Made US Flags A group of senators on Thursday introduced bipartisan legislation that would require the federal government to only purchase American flags that are 100 percent made in the United States. The All-American Flag Act was introduced by Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), and Rick Scott (R-Fla.) and comes shortly after the country observed National Flag Day on June 14, in celebration of the first official U.S. flag adopted by the Constitutional Congress in 1777. If signed into law, the bill would require the government to buy only flags that have been completely produced and manufactured in America with American-made materials or supplies and not from a foreign country, such as China. Under current laws, the government must purchase flags that contain only 50 percent American-made materials. In 2015, the U.S. imported $4.4 million worth of American flags, of which $4 million of those were imported from China, according to data from the U.S. Department of Commerce and U.S. Census data. In 2017, the U.S. imported 10 million American flags, of which all but 50,000 came from China, according to the data. In a statement, Senator Brown said that all American flags should be manufactured in America, period. Today, half of the materials that our women and men in uniform fight under can be made in China. We have to change that. We shouldnt use taxpayer dollars to purchase American flags made overseas when American companiesand companies right here in Ohioproudly produce the American flag, Brown said. My bipartisan All-American Flag Act would ensure that the government buys flags that are entirely produced and manufactured in America, by American workers. The legislation would not apply to the procurement of flags by vessels in foreign waters, or for those for resale purposes in any military commissary, military exchange, or non-appropriated fund instrumentality operated by an agency according to the bill. Every day, students, Veterans, soldiers, scouts, and Americans pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. We salute it; we fight for it; we honor it and celebrate it, Manchin said in a statement. I am proud to co-sponsor the bipartisan All-American Flag Act to require the federal government to purchase flags produced entirely on American soil with American materials, which will create good-paying jobs and spur economic growth across the country. Bipartisan companion legislation was also introduced in the House by Reps. Cheri Bustos (D-Ill.), Shontel Brown (D-Ohio), Tim Ryan (D-Ohio) and Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.). Study Reveals How COVID-19 Changed Australias Seasonal Virus Genetic Landscape Australian researchers are warning the country could face unexpected surges in previously minor seasonal viruses after a new study revealed that COVID-19 safety measures such as lockdowns have caused Australias seasonal virus landscape to change, with strains of some viruses dying out and new ones emerging. Researchers from the University of Sydney completing the first studies into the COVID-19 pandemics impact on Australias other seasonal viruses have revealed that a common winter virus, Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), has changed significantly. Publishing their results in the scientific journal, Nature Communications, the researchers noted that the transmission rate and genetics of the Respiratory Syncytial Virus also known as RSV which was one of the first pathogens to remerge as COVID-19 restrictions eased, generating significant outbreaks across Australia that were dominated by the new strains of the virus. They found that RSV, which typically causes mild cold-like symptomsbut can be very serious in young children and the elderlywas largely altered by the pandemics infection control measures and travel restrictions. In fact, the measures rendered the winter RSV epidemic nonexistent in 2020, which was the first time in recorded history this disruption of the viruss seasonal pattern had occurred. The absence also led to certain strains of RSV becoming extinct and new strains of the winter virus emerging. Our genetic studies showed that most of the previous RSV strains had gone extinct and that for each outbreak only a single genetic lineage had survived all the lockdowns, said lead researcher Dr John-Sebastian Eden a Senior Research Fellow from the Sydney Universitys Institute for Infectious Diseases in a Sydney University, said. We need to re-evaluate our current understanding and expectations of common viruses, including influenza, and change our approach to how we manage them, Eden said. RSV typically causes mild cold-like symptoms but the virus can be serious in young children and the elderly. (George Rudy/Shutterstock) To investigate the impact of COVID-19, the Sydney University researchers genetically sequenced (mapped genetic fingerprints) the RSV strains responsible for the 2020-2021 outbreaks across the states of New South Wales (NSW), the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), Victoria and Western Australia which experienced high rates of hospitalisations from the disease and all corresponded with an easing of COVID-19 restrictions. The study revealed that one of the two major strains of RSV, RSV-B, had disappeared, leaving RSV-A the dominant strain. RSV-A was responsible for more than 95 percent of RSV cases in the 2020-2021 outbreak. We found instead there were two new RSV strains, both RSV-A subtypes, and they were distinct in their geographic origin, said Eden. One was responsible for cases in NSW, ACT and VIC, and another responsible for cases in WA. To make the impact that COVID-19 had on the virus clear, prior to the pandemic both subtypes RSV-A and RSV-B were spread in Australia at a similar extent. In Australia, the RSV outbreaks spread from the NSW and ACT to neighbouring state Victoria, which experienced substantial outbreaks and hospitalisations. (VGstockstudio/Shutterstock) The researchers also found that the genetic diversity of RSV strains had become extremely low. Viruses, as they evolve, gather enough small and unique genetic changes to qualify them for distinction and to allow them to be traced back to their parent. The genetic diversity of a virus is caused by the co-existence of strains with these individual changes in the environment. The findings of the study come after Australia, New Zealand and America all registered large spikes in cases of RSV in 2021 that affected hundreds of children. In January 2021 the Australian health authorities in Queensland announced that around Cairns and Hinterland region there had been 182 presentations to the emergency room, compared to just 33 in 2020 and 27 for the whole of 2019. In total, the region recorded 378 cases of RSV since the start of the year, compared to just 88 for the whole of 2019 and 70 in 2020. In New Zealand last year an outbreak of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in Aucklands Starship Childrens Hospital caused the postponement of planned surgeries to ensure there were enough hands to care for all the sick children. At the time NZ paediatrician Philip Moore told Stuff.co.nz that he had not seen this level of sick children requiring hospital care in his 28 years in Hawkes Bay Hospital. Meanwhile, the rapid circulation of RSV and its evolution brings up the question of how other winter viruses such as influenza will resurface in Australia. The constellation of flu strains circulating pre and post-COVID-19 has also changed a lot, leading to challenges in how we choose the composition and timing of our annual vaccines, said Eden. For example, the flu season in Australia has kicked off much earlier than in previous years. We need to be prepared for large outbreaks of RSV outside of normal seasonal periods and our health systems to be prepared. At the moment, there is no vaccine for RSV, however, there is a large focus on the development of treatments, and a vaccine to protect against the virus. We need to be vigilantsome viruses may have all but disappeared, but will likely rebound in the near future, possibly at unusual times and with stronger impact, Eden added. A portrait of King Maha Vajiralongkorn and his mother, Queen Sirikit, hang near the Thai Royal Palace ahead of The Royal Coronation in Bangkok, Thailand, on May 2, 2019. (Lauren DeCicca/Getty Images) Thai Influencers Arrested for Allegedly Insulting Monarchy in Adverts Thailands authorities arrested three social media influencers on Thursday for allegedly insulting a member of the royal family in an e-commerce video commercial. The trio, named Aniwat Prathumthin, Thidaporn Chaokuwiang, and Kittikhun Thamkittirath, were arrested over a TikTok video advertising the e-commerce platform Lazada sales campaign last month, Thai PBS World reported. In the video, Chaokuwiang wears a traditional Thai costume and sits in a wheelchair, while Aniwat plays the role of her daughter, who accuses her of stealing clothes. The video was removed after it went viral in May. Monarchists were outraged by the video because Chaokuwiangs character seemed to insult Thailands Princess Chulabhorn, who uses a wheelchair and suffers from an autoimmune disease. Netizens criticized the video for being offensive to disabled people and launched a boycott against Lazada. The Royal Thai Army also banned Lazada from delivering packages to army premises, while Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said that the law will take its course with regards to the commercial video. Lazada, a Singapore-based company owned by Chinas Alibaba Group, issued an apology statement on May 6 and said that it does not condone the mockery of others, including those with disabilities. We fully recognize that the content was hurtful and demeaning to human dignity. As soon as we became aware of the incident, we immediately demanded the post to be taken down, the company said. The three influencers were released on bail of 90,000 baht ($2,551) each, according to local reports. They were charged with lese majeste, which carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. The lese majeste provision of Thailands criminal code prohibits people from defaming, insulting, or threatening the royal family. Human rights groups have repeatedly expressed concern over the law, claiming that it restricts the right to freedom of opinion and expression. About 201 individuals in Thailand, including 16 children, have been charged under the lese majeste law between Nov. 24, 2020 and June 16, 2022, according to the Thai Lawyers for Human Rights. The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) stated that some lese majeste defendants face numerous prosecutions and prison sentences ranging from 120 to 300 years. FIDH secretary-general Adilur Rahman Khan in a statement called on the government to put an immediate end to the lese majeste law and comply with its international human rights obligations. At the current pace of prosecutions, and given the traditionally high conviction rates in lese-majeste trials, Thailand may soon become one of the countries with the highest number of political prisoners in the region, Adilur said. Japan's Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi and U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin listen to Japan's national anthem during an honor cordon at the Pentagon in Washington, May 4, 2022. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images) Trilateral Relations Between US, Japan, South Korea Improve Amid Growing Beijing Threat in Indo-Pacific New Analysis The defense chiefs of the United States, Japan, and South Korea reached a consensus in Singapore on June 11 to deepen security cooperation in the Indo-Pacific. At the trilateral meeting, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi, and South Korean Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup also unanimously opposed any unilateral actions that seek to alter the status quo and increase tensions in the Indo-Pacific. This is the first in-person meeting between the three defense heads since the ASEAN Defense Ministers Meeting in November 2019. In a joint statement, the ministers strongly condemned North Koreas continued launch of ballistic missiles, addressed the growing military threat from Beijing, and emphasized the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. They further committed to conduct trilateral missile warning and ballistic missile search and tracking exercises, and to identify further trilateral actions in order to address [North Koreas] ballistic missile launches, said the statement issued by the U.S. Department of Defense read. Trilateral exercises are expected to be held on a consistent basis. Due to frosty Japan-South Korea relations, such activities have not been held since December 2017. The three defense chiefs agreed to closely cooperate to achieve the complete denuclearization of North Korea and establish permanent peace in the region. South Koreas Minister of National Defense Lee Jong-sup speaks at the Shangri-La Dialogue summit in Singapore on June 12, 2022. (Roslan Rahman/AFP via Getty Images) During the security forum, Lee and his Japanese counterpart acknowledge the importance of trilateral cooperation to protect and develop common security goals. And the three ministers agreed to work on mending the rift between Japan and South Korea. Japans Role Amid a growing number of security challenges, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida also unveiled his strategy for Japans role in the Indo-Pacific region during an address last week at the IISS Shangri-La Dialogue in Singaporea major international security summit. I am determined to fundamentally reinforce Japans capabilities within the next five years and secure a substantial increase of Japans defense budget, Kishida said the United States Naval Institute (USNI) reported. Kishida said Japan must prepare for the emergence of an entity that tramples on the peace and security of other countries by force or threat without honoring the rules. I myself have a strong sense that Ukraine today may be East Asia tomorrow, Kishida warned while stressing the need for closer collaboration to maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific region. Japans Prime Minister Fumio Kishida delivers a keynote address at the Shangri-La Dialogue summit in Singapore on June 10, 2022. (Roslan Rahman/AFP via Getty Images) He likewise opposed unilateral changes to the status quo by force, no matter where they occur. Although Kishida did not openly name China in his speech, he pointed to the disputes in the East and South China seas, as well as tensions over Taiwan. He said unilateral attempts to change the status quo in the East China Sea are continuing and are in violation of international law. Iron Triangle Experts see the strengthening of the U.S.-Japan-South Korea alliance as a means of better constraining Beijings expansion in the Indo-Pacific. Ryo Sahashi, a professor of international politics at the University of Tokyo, told The Epoch Times that the meeting shows the strengthening of the alliance, commonly known as the Iron Triangle. He added that the inclusion of India would further enhance regional security. It would force Beijing to face a two-front situation, Sahashi said. Since the start of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, activities on both sides of the Taiwan Strait have become an international focus. Austin outlined U.S. policy on Taiwan at the Shangri-La Dialogue, as well as his concerns over Beijings aggression towards the self-ruled island. We remain focused on maintaining peace, stability, and the status quo across the Taiwan Strait. But [Beijings] moves threaten to undermine security, stability, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific. And thats crucial for this region, and its crucial for the wider world, he said. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin speaks at the Shangri-La Dialogue summit in Singapore on June 11, 2022. (Roslan Rahman/AFP via Getty Images) Austin stressed that Washington still adheres to the longstanding one-China policy, which recognizes Beijing but allows informal relations with Taipei. Now, as a part of our one-China policy, we will continue to fulfill our commitments under the Taiwan Relations Act. That includes assisting Taiwan in maintaining a sufficient self-defense capability, he said. And it means maintaining our own capacity to resist any use of force or other forms of coercion that would jeopardize the security or the social or economic system of the people of Taiwan. So our policy hasnt changed. But unfortunately, that doesnt seem to be true for the PRC, he said using the acronym for the Peoples Republic of China. Sahashi said that Taiwans democratic government is a sharp contrast to the Chinese totalitarian regime. He said Taiwan has increasingly gained support from countries with shared values, including the United States, Japan, and South Korea. Ellen Wan contributed to this report. Former President Donald Trump speaks during a rally to boost Ohio Republican candidates ahead of their May 3 primary election, at the county fairgrounds in Delaware, Ohio, on April 23, 2022. (Gaelen Morse/Reuters) Trump Says He Will Look Very Seriously at Pardons for Some Jan. 6 Defendants Former President Donald Trump said Friday that he will seriously evaluate pardons for some defendants who were charged by the federal government in connection to the Jan. 6 Capitol incident. During a speech in Nashville on Friday, Trump again suggested that he may run for president in 2024 and if he is elected, pardons would be considered. And if I become president somedayif I decide to do itI will be looking at them very very seriously for pardons, Trump told an audience, as applause and cheers erupted. Theyve been treated very unfairly. A number of Jan. 6 defendants, Trump said, had their lives totally destroyed and [are] being treated worse than terrorists and murderers despite most being charged with parading through the Capitol. The former commander-in-chief did not elaborate on who he believes should receive a pardon. A coalition of Republican lawmakers on Thursday blasted the treatment of Jan. 6 detainees, saying it was akin to that of political prisoners in authoritarian countries. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga) in a press conference said the detainees are being used as pawns to dangle in front of [Americans] to show that if you cross a certain line, if you support a certain presidentas in President Trumpor if you dare to speak up against the government or against an election being stolen, youre going to be used. This is whats gonna happen to you. Youre gonna spend your days wasting away in solitary confinement, she said. According to a June 6 update released by the Department of Justice, more than 840 people have been arrested and charged in connection to the Jan. 6 Capitol breach. Of that figure, around 255 have been arrested on charges of assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers or employees, including 90 who have been charged with using a deadly or dangerous weapon or who have caused serious injury to an officer. Three individuals have pleaded guilty to the federal charge of seditious conspiracy, the DOJ also said. Approximately 246 [of 840] have pleaded guilty to misdemeanors, the DOJ wrote. Fifty-nine have pleaded guilty to felonies. Despite well-publicized claims to the contrary, no police officers died on Jan. 6, 2021. Officer Brian Sicknick died a day after the incident, and the D.C. Medical Examiners Office last year ruled that he died of natural causes from a stroke. While some Democrat lawmakers and corporate news outlets have continued to push a narrative that the breach was a deadly insurrection, the four people who died on Jan. 6 were all apparent Trump supporters who came to the former presidents speech hours before. One of them, U.S. Air Force veteran Ashli Babbitt, was shot by an officer, according to the U.S. Capitol Police Department. Meanwhile, the House panel investigating the Capitol breach claimed that Trump put former Vice President Mike Pences life in mortal danger on Jan. 6, 2021. The committee, which has two Republicans and seven Democrats, alleged that Trump was directly responsible for the breach and that hundreds of interviews with various witnesses prove their case. There was a Trump-inspired pressure campaign directly contributed to the attack on the Capitol, and it put the vice presidents life in danger, a committee aide told reporters this week in a conference call. The third House Jan. 6 hearing was held on Thursday. Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) speaks during a House Jan. 6 panel hearing in Washington on June 9, 2022. (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images) Trump Vows Liz Cheney Will Lose Her Seat in Congress Donald Trump said on June 15 that Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) would lose her re-election bid, like South Carolina Rep. Tom Rice, who was ousted from Congress in his Republican primary on Tuesday. Same things going to happen in Wyoming to Virginia resident Liz Cheney, that happened in South Carolina to Congressman Impeach Master Tom Rice, who lost as an incumbent by 28 points! Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social. Rice, a five-term congressman, was defeated by Trump-endorsed Rep. Russell Fry in South Carolinas 7th Congressional District primary on June 14. Rice received 25.54 percent of the vote, while Fry had 51.07 percent, according to Decision Desk HQ. Cheney, like Rice, is among 10 House Republicans who joined the Democrat effort to impeach Trump for allegedly inciting the Jan. 6 incident at the U.S. Capitol, while the majority of Republicans voted against the impeachment, believing it was unconstitutional and unwarranted. Trumps camp has targeted Cheney for a primary challenge. The former president endorsed Cheyenne attorney Harriet Hageman, who is one of the four Republicans challenging the incumbent lawmaker. Multiple polls have shown that Cheney and Hageman are the top two candidates; one survey found Cheney 28 points behind her primary opponent Hageman. A recent poll by Fabrizio, Lee & Associates, which included 400 responses from likely GOP primary voters, asked, If the Republican Primary for Congress were held today for which of the following candidates would you vote? About 56 percent of respondents say they would cast a ballot to elect Hageman, while 28 percent would choose Cheney, according to the survey conducted from June 1 to June 2. Seeking a fourth term, Cheney hauled in $10 million for her re-election campaign as of the end of March, according to the Federal Election Commission (FEC). Hageman only raised about $2 million. However, most of the money raised by Cheney came from out-of-state donors. Cheney brought in $255,336 from Wyoming residents, placing the state in eighth place. In contrast, Hagemans campaign raised $543,094, according to FEC. The fundraising figures were first reported by Newsweek. Cheney has held Wyomings only seat in the House of Representatives since 2017. But she has faced heavy backlash since voting to impeach Trump, including being censured by her states Republican Party and later being removed as GOP House Conference Chair for her repeated criticism of Trump. The Epoch Times has reached out to Cheneys office for comment. Jeff Louderback and Ivan Pentchoukov contributed to the report. Correction: An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated the state Rep. Liz Cheney represents. She represents Wyoming. The Epoch Times regrets the error. Police cordon off the streets around Robb Elementary School after a mass shooting, in Uvalde, Texas, on May 24, 2022. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times) Uvalde Police Department Not Cooperating With Texas State House: Lawmaker The Uvalde Police Department hasnt been cooperating with a Texas state House committee tasked with investigating Mays mass shooting at Robb Elementary School, said a state lawmaker. State Rep. Dustin Burrows said that police officials Uvalde were asked to appear in front of the House committee after the incident that left 19 students and two teachers dead. However, those officials havent voluntarily agreed yet. The House Committee is simply seeking the truth. Most have fully cooperated and want to help determine the facts for the Uvalde community and all Texans. I do not understand why Uvalde PD, who routinely questions witnesses itself, would not want the same, Burrows, a Republican, wrote in a Twitter post on Thursday. During a hearing on Thursday, Burrows said that the Uvalde City Independent School District and its police department, which serves Robb Elementary, is cooperative with their panels requests, according to local news outlet KENS-5 TV. The Uvalde [School] Police Department is being cooperative. We look forward to their testimony. We are very appreciative of that. There is a question mark about the Uvalde Police Department itself, about whether or not they will visit with us voluntarily, and we will see if they do that or not, he said. The vice-chair of the panel, Democrat Rep. Joe Moody, said they do have subpoena power. Its not clear if they will try to compel the citys police department to attend the hearing. This is not a committee that starts with a conclusion and goes from there, Moody said, according to KENS-5. We are going to thoroughly review everything about this tragedy and let those facts speak for themselves. Thats our job. Since the May 24 shooting, there have been questions and shifting narratives around how police responded to the incident. A top Texas state official said at a late May news conference that police delayed their response because the incident commander believed the gunman, 18-year-old Salvador Ramos, had barricaded himself in a classroom and didnt believe he was an active shooter. Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) officials has also claimed that the Uvalde schools police chief, Pete Arredondo, has not cooperated with their inquiry into the shooting and response. Arredondo on June 9, however, defended the delay in the response to the shooting. The only thing that was important to me at this time was to save as many teachers and children as possible, Arredondo said, claiming in a Texas Tribune article that a locked classroom door stood between police and Ramos. Each time I tried a key I was just praying, Arredondo said, adding that 77 minutes after the shootings began, officers were able to unlock the door and kill the gunman. Texas DPS officials last month said a Border Patrol tactical team shot and killed Ramos. Not a single responding officer ever hesitated, even for a moment, to put themselves at risk to save the children, Arredondo told the outlet. We responded to the information that we had and had to adjust to whatever we faced. Our objective was to save as many lives as we could, and the extraction of the students from the classrooms by all that were involved saved over 500 of our Uvalde students and teachers before we gained access to the shooter and eliminated the threat. The Epoch Times has contacted the Uvalde Police Department for comment on Burrows claims. Protesters stand in front of the War Memorial in Ottawa on Jan. 29, 2022. (Noe Chartier/The Epoch Times) Veterans to Rally in Ottawa Throughout Summer Against Remaining Pandemic Mandates A veterans group plans to hold a series of events in Ottawa to demand the federal government end all remaining COVID-19 mandates and restrictions next week, on Canada Day, and throughout the rest of summer. Andrew MacGillivray, a steering committee member for Veterans for Freedom (V4F), says his group will hold a three-day conference in Ottawa June 22-24 aiming to educate parliamentarians with documentation and high-level strategy, and have the federal government eventually lift all remaining COVID policies. We actually have a fair bit of information policy, and things written out, and documents that were going to be sharing with the MPs, and were going to be discussing, MacGillivray said in an interview on David Paisleys YouTube program Live From The Shed posted on June 15. We believe the pen is mightier than the sword, and so we had people working on this. The Navy veteran said V4F has partnered with Police on Guard, Mounties for Freedom, Canadian Frontline Nurses, and other groups to create the Canadian Citizens Coalition. Specifically, the group aims to have the federal government repeal remaining mandates, reinstate federal workers who lost their jobs related to mandates, repay those workers for lost wages, and repair the divide theyve created with Canadian society, MacGillivray said. On June 15, Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc told reporters on Parliament Hill that the federal government would absolutely not compensate civil servants who were put on unpaid leave for refusing to take COVID-19 vaccinations. MacGillivray said his group plans to hold a meeting with up to 17 mostly Conservative MPs on June 22 and the following two days of the conference will be town hall-style events with key people in the freedom movement. Theres one NDP in there, and were trying to get some of the Liberals who have been speaking out against the mandates as well, he said. James Topp demonstrates against COVID-19 mandates at the Canada-U.S. border by the Pacific Highway in Surrey, B.C., on Feb. 12, 2022. (The Epoch Times/Jeff Sandes) V4F describes itself as a group made up of Canadian veterans working to restore fundamental freedoms for all Canadians, and is also coordinating the route for James Topp and his supporters to walk through Ottawa to the National War Memorial on June 30. The route has received a police escort, MacGillivray said. Topp, a Canadian soldier who was charged by the Department of National Defence in May after publicly speaking out against federal vaccine requirements while in uniform, left Vancouver in February to walk to Ottawa in protest of federal pandemic mandates. During the interview, MacGillivray shared V4Fs plans to celebrate Canada Day on the lawn in front of the Supreme Court of Canada, which include a speech by Topp in the morning, a march to Ottawa City Hall in the afternoon, and a dance party on Parliament Hill that evening. In addition, the group is setting up Camp Eagle, a semi-permanent camp east of the national capital to support ongoing protest against the mandates throughout the summer, he said. The camp is on private property about 40 minutes outside the city centre. Basically, were going to stay there the entire summer. Were going to implement our strategy and our plan to lean on the government through education, information, et cetera. The Canadian Press contributed to this report The sun sets behind the U.S. Capitol on Nov. 18, 2021. Following the final Congressional Budget Office cost estimate, House Democrats are hoping to vote on President Joe Biden's $1.75 trillion social benefits and climate legislation on Nov. 18, 2021. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Washingtons Bleak Outlook Congresss own budget clarifies Washingtons financial troubles Commentary It makes for a depressing reading. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) anticipates that federal spending will continue to outstrip revenues. Historically large annual deficits will add to the nations already heavy accumulation of public debt so that by 2032, outstanding government debt held by the public will rise to 110 percent of the nations gross domestic product (GDP) and then rise further to 185 percent by mid-century, far higher than most any time in history. The driver is the growth of entitlements spending. The CBO projects that federal revenues from all sources will grow in tandem with the economy, taking, on average, a historically consistent 18 percent of GDP each year. However, the spending side is expected to rise disproportionately from 23.8 percent of the economy this year to 25.8 percent by the mid-2030s to 28.9 percent by mid-century. And the growth of entitlements lies behind the overall spending rise. Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and lesser programs of this sort will rise from an estimated 10.8 percent of GDP this year to 13.7 percent in the mid-2030s to 14.9 percent by mid-century, according to the CBO. This relative increase accounts for more than four-fifths of the relative rise in all spending. The balance comes from the need for Washington to pay interest on an enlarged debt load, itself the result of past increases in entitlements spending. History certainly informs this outlook. Federal spending has grown for decades as a portion of the economy. Between 1970 and this year, overall federal spending has risen from 18.7 percent of the countrys GDP to the CBOs 2022 estimate of 23.8 percent. This is almost all because entitlements spending has risen from 7.6 percent of GDP in 1970 to 10.8 percent presently, an increase that more than erased the budget relief implicit in the relative drop in defense spending from 7.8 percent of GDP in 1970 to about 3.5 percent today. As sad as the CBO report is, the picture it paints may be too optimistic. It assumes, for example, that defense spending will hold steady at about 3.5 percent of GDP. It might look conservative to remove from the outlook the past budgetary relief offered by relative declines in Pentagon demands, except that, going forward, developing geopolitical pressures seem likely to raise the relative size of defense outlays. Even on entitlements, there are signs of budgetary optimism. Although CBO projections slightly heighten the historic pace of increase in entitlements, theres reason to look for still more spending. Just two considerations offer perspective. President Joe Biden plans to forgive student debt. Exact amounts would, of course, depend on how much the government decides to forgive and what income tests it places on recipients. But the White Houses decision indeed points to an increase in the relative burden of entitlements on the economy, especially since it will set a precedent for future generations of indebted collegians. More significant still is the likely impact of aging. As the huge baby boom generation ages, numbers of dependent retirees will grow. In 1970, roughly 10 percent of the population was 65 years old or older. By 2019, that figure had grown to 16 percent. The Census Bureau estimates that by the mid-2030s, that figure will rise to 21 percent of the population and to 22 percent by mid-century. This huge proportion of older people cant help but disproportionately increase demands for Social Security, Medicare, and other federal services, greatly accelerating the relative growth in entitlements spending. CBO estimates try to account for this trend, but probably do so insufficiently. None of this is to say that entitlements, already at about two-thirds or more of the federal budget, are the wrong way for Washington to spend. Thats a political judgment. Economics cant judge. Still, it can make clear that political judgments have condemned federal finances to deficits and ever-growing debt burdens and that theyll continue to do so until Washington takes one of three admittedly difficult steps: It will either get control over entitlements or accommodate the ever-increasing demand of entitlements by sacrificing other government services, as was done with defense in the past, but it no longer seems possible in todays geopolitics. Alternatively, Washington can tell voters that they must pay more taxes so that their representatives dont have to make these difficult decisions. As the CBO has made clear, albeit indirectly, these are the only ways to avoid a debt burden that many already describe as unsupportable. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. From left, Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.); Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), chairman of the Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the U.S. Capitol; and Vice Chairwoman Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.), during a hearing in the Cannon House Office Building in Washington on June 13, 2022. (Alex Wong/Getty Images) What the January 6 Committee Might Have Been Commentary Congress should investigate fully the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the Capitoland similar recent riots at iconic federal sites. But unfortunately, it never will. Why not? The current committee is not bipartisan. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) forbade Republican nominees traditionally selected by the House minority leader to serve on the committee. No speaker had ever before rejected the minority partys nominees to a select House committee. Pelosis own cynical criteria for Republican participation was twofold: Any willing minority Republican members had to have voted to impeach former President Donald Trump while having no realistic chance of being reelected in 2022. Of some 210 Republican House members, that left just Reps. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) and Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) who were willing and able to fit Pelosis profile. A real investigation would have ignited argumentation, cross-examination, and disagreementsthe sort of give-and-take for which congressional committees are famous. In contrast, the January 6 show trial features no dissenting views. Its subtext was right out of the Soviet minister of Internal Affairs Lavrentiy Pavlovich Berias credo: Show me the man, and Ill show you the crime. If Trump wasnt considering a third run for the presidency, would the committee even have existed? Its slick Hollywood-produced optics demonstrate that the committee has no interest in inconvenient facts. Why did a Capitol officer lethally shoot a petite unarmed woman entering a Capitol window? And why was the officers identity and, indeed all information about his record, withheld from the public? Why did the committee not investigate whether large numbers of FBI agents and informants were ubiquitous among the crowd? After all, progressive New York Times reporter Matthew Rosenberg, who was there on Jan. 6, 2021, claimed, There were a ton of FBI informants amongst the people who attacked the Capitol. About his own journalistic colleagues advancing a psychodramatic insurrection narrative, Rosenberg scoffed, They were making too big a deal. They were making (Jan. 6) some organized thing that it wasnt. A real committee also would investigate why there were lots of warnings that a large crowd would assemble, but apparently little government follow-up to ensure security should rogue elements turn violent. A real committee would learn why the government and media insisted that officer Brian Sicknick was killed by Trump supporterseven when it was known he died of natural causes. None of the questions will be answered because none will be asked, because the committees role is not inquiry, but confirmation of a useful narrative. A real committee would also investigate the other, far larger and more lethal riots on iconic federal property months earlier. On May 31, 2020, for example, violent demonstrators tried to rush the White House grounds. Rioters sought to burn down the nearby historic St. Johns Episcopal Church. Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser mysteriously didnt send police to reinforce overwhelmed Secret Service agents who, at moments, seemed unable to keep the mob from the White House itself. The giddy New York Times later crowed, Trump shrinks back. Was the Times preening that the president was a coward for retreating from a righteous mob? As a precaution, the Secret Service removed the president and first family to a safe underground bunker. Such riots near or at the White House continued for much of the fall, before mysteriously tapering off in the last weeks before the election. Less than three weeks after the violent Washington riot, Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris seemed to incite the continuing violent protests. Theyre not going to stop. This is a movement theyre not going to let up. And they should not, and we should not. Note that Harriss cheerleading was joined by a host of prominent left-wing luminaries who contextualized the violence. The 1619 Project architect Nikole Hannah-Jones boasted, Destroying property, which can be replaced, is not violence. Former CNN anchor Chris Cuomo pontificated, And please, show me where it says protesters are supposed to be polite and peaceful. Note that the 2020 summer rioting, arson, and looting continued for nearly four months. Its toll resulted in more than 35 dead, some 1,500 police officers injured, about 14,000 arrests, and $1 billion to $2 billion in property damage. The violence was often aimed at iconic government buildings, from courthouses to police precincts. There were never any federal investigations to determine why state, local, and federal officials allowed the destruction to continue. Why were the vast majority of those arrested simply released by authorities? And how had Antifa and BLM radicals orchestrated the violence using social media? What was the role of prominent elected officials in either condoning or encouraging the violence or communicating with the ring leaders? A truly bipartisan House select committee dedicated to ending all violence directed at the White House, the Capitol, or federal courthouses might have been useful in probing this dark period in American history. And that is precisely why there was no such committee. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. A nurse administers a pediatric dose of the COVID-19 vaccine to a girl at a L.A. Care Health Plan vaccination clinic at Los Angeles Mission College in Los Angeles, Calif., on Jan. 19, 2022. (Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images) Why the Rush to Authorize the COVID-19 Vaccine for Young Children? Commentary If theres one thing the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have taught us since COVID-19 began, its that we should proceed with caution when it comes to their proclamations on public health. This is a sad reality that we must acknowledge if we wish to keep our nations youngest and most innocent citizens safe, especially since the FDAs advisory panel just voted unanimously to recommend the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines for babies and toddlers. Alarmingly, the FDA essentially announced recently that it no longer approves of the use of the Johnson and Johnson (J&J) COVID-19 vaccine due to rare but potentially life-threatening side effects. This embarrassing and disturbing proclamation comes after the shot had been available and encouragedand in some cases, required for the public to takefor over 14 months. Now, the FDA says the shot should only be used if an individual is unable to get the Pfizer or Moderna shota ringing endorsement from the trust the science crowd. A little over a year ago, the FDA told us that the J&J vaccine meets the FDAs expectations for safety and effectiveness appropriate for the authorization of a vaccine for emergency use. The vaccine apparently held up to the FDAs rigorous standards for safety, effectiveness and manufacturing quality, although authorized in a grossly truncated timeline that was alone concerning to cautious observers. So how can we possibly trust an FDA that just over a year ago gave the J&J vaccine a glowing review to now ensure that the proper safety and efficacy standards are met and implemented when it comes to our countrys youngest children and babies? We recently sent a letter to FDA Commissioner Robert Califf expressing our serious concerns over Big Pharmas rush to see that the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines be authorized under emergency use for young children (which, as anyone paying attention knows, will almost certainly lead to widespread COVID-19 vaccine mandates for children, particularly given that the U.S. government has already purchased millions of doses for them). This is a virus with a 99.995 percent survival rate for children under 18 years of age. According to the CDC, more than 70 percent of this population have already had COVID-19 and recovered. Why, then, the urgency to authorize its use for kids when the long-term side effects are completely unknown and the risk of adverse events, particularly myocarditis in young boys, appears to be a real issue? An April study in JAMA Cardiology shows how devastating myocarditis can be for young men aged 16 to 24. To date, there have been over 10,000 reports of adverse reactions for children aged 5 to 11 who received COVID-19 vaccines. In fact, myocarditis is prevalent enough in our young children post-vaccination that the CDC recently announced that it may consider experimenting with spacing out the time between vaccine doses to attempt to prevent heart inflammation cases in kids who receive the shots. A study released in February found that the Pfizer vaccine was only 12 percent effective in children 5 to 11 years old after 30 days. How will a third dose boost this large of a decline in efficacy, and what is the decline in efficacy for 0-to-4-year-olds? Even more importantly, what are the risks to the children who take these shots? The answer is, the FDA doesnt know. Last week, we sent another letter to the FDA and its Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee highlighting critical questions that we wished to see answered before the vaccines were authorized for emergency use for babies and toddlers. For instance: Why has the FDA recently lowered the efficacy bar for COVID-19 vaccines for the youngest children? If approved and widely used among children aged 5 and under, how many lives does the FDA estimate will be saved in this age group over the next year? Given the injuries reported in the FDAs own Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, or VAERS, how will the FDA evaluate potential tradeoffs of serious vaccine injuries versus serious COVID-19 outcomes? How many healthy children aged 5 and under without preexisting medical conditions have died or been hospitalized from the original SARS-CoV-2 virus or its variants? Why has the FDA been so slow to release the hundreds of thousands of pages of data from preapproval manufacturer studies, post-approval adverse events data, and other post-approval manufacturer data submitted to the FDA as required by law? There are numerous questions that need to be answered by the FDA and CDC. Its quite possible that the risks outweigh the benefits when it comes to using these experimental vaccines with a questionable safety profile on our childrenand our government barely seems to care. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Louie Gohmert Follow Louis Buller Gohmert Jr. has been a U.S. representative from Texas's 1st congressional district since 2005. Gohmert is a former jurist and was part of the Tea Party movement. Bill Posey Follow Congressman William Joseph Posey has represented Florida's 8th congressional district since 2009. He previously served eight years in the Florida State Senate. NORWALK Five parks and an increase in field maintenance equipment are on the list of Recreation and Parks Department projects funded with $2 million in federal dollars. About $2 million of the $39.3 million the city received in American Rescue Plan Act funds will be designated for Recreation and Parks Department improvements, Mayor Harry Rilling announced outside City Hall Thursday morning. The funds will be distributed in three ways, with $1.4 million for playground upgrades, $380,000 for improved field maintenance and $220,000 for a modernization of the parks systems and national accreditation, Rilling said. When you look at some of our parks, theyre in remarkable shape especially with the limited amount of funds thatre available and the limited amount of staff but, like I said, were trying to work on that, Rilling said. We are trying to get back to normal. We are trying to open up our green space and beautiful parks so that people can come out again and enjoy the beautiful sunshine, beautiful fresh air. For the $1.4 million designated for playground makeovers, five parks were chosen, Rilling said. Bouton Park Playground will receive a $300,000 upgrade, with half of the funds coming form ARPA and the remaining $150,000 taken from the states MLK Corridor provisions, according to city documents. The smaller of the two Bouton playgrounds will be redone as the larger was completed six years ago. Like Bouton, the Meadow Street Park playground will be redone using $150,000 in ARPA funds and $150,000 form the MLK project, according to the documents. The redesign will incorporate more green space and foliage, minimizing the hardscape. Both the Flax Hill playground equipment and Kendall Elementary School playground will be replaced using $300,000 each in ARPA funds. The Kendall playground will also have a new surface material installed, according to the documents. Oyster Shell Park will receive about $500,000 in ARPA funds to replace the fencing. With the new SONO development and shopping mall, Oyster Shell Park has become a popular destination, the document read. The existing 1,000 feet of wooden fencing is deteriorating in multiple locations and can become dangerous with the water just below. Rilling said the city plans to start on the playground as soon as possible, but did not provide specifics on when work would begin or which playground would receive new equipment first. We want to get them done as quickly as possible, like our schools, we are investing a tremendous amount of money into the schools, Rilling said. Some of the parks in the neighborhoods, theyre almost an embarrassment. In addition to the playground and physical parks upgrades, the city designated $100,000 to replace the citys field scheduling system and hire staff to assist in the new systems implementation, training and launch, according to the documents. New Rec and Parks Department vehicles will be purchased with $150,000 and equipment to maintain the citys synthetic fields was purchased for $70,000, according to the documents. Additional, seasonal staff hours of $120,000 for field and facility maintenance were funded. The ARPA funds have allowed the city to complete projects that have remained a lower priority due to funding issues and the desire to avoid raising taxes, Rilling said. We can only do so much with the operating budget funds because we have to keep taxes as low as we possibly can, so we have a wish list. Well have things that wed love to do but we have to push those down the road because we dont have the funds right now or we dont want to raise taxes to a degree where we start forcing people out of their homes, Rilling said. With the ARPA funds, that allows us to bring that wish list to a reality. The city also approved $120,000 for a part-time project lead/technical writer for the accreditation processes to organize all the information and $40,000 for a comprehensive fees and charges study and fee policy development, according to the documents. Common Council member and Recreation and Parks Committee Chair Darlene Young said she is particularly pleased with the plans to update the departments scheduling system and expand the Rec and Parks staff. One thing Ive really learned over COVID and over the past two years is how important green space is to our overall well-being, Young said. It really is something we need to pay a lot of attention to. As the city grows, we need to grow with it and we need our personnel to grow with it too, and we need systems upgrades to grow with that too, so we are doing things as efficiently as we can for our residents. abigail.brone@hearstmediact.com NEW CANAAN Police Chief Leon Krolikowski is looking to add an officer at the elementary schools in response to the recent school shooting in Uvalde, Texas. He proposed paying for the additional officer with a change to the department's original American Rescue Plan Act request. If approved, the department would add to its police coverage at the towns three elementary schools and private schools. The department already employs school resource officers for New Canaan High School and Saxe Middle School. Everybody is very much aware of what happened in Texas, and other places, so it is the time to be really more cautious and thoughtful and less complacent in months from now, years from now, the chief said. Krolikowski estimated that the new officer would increase school checks to thousands a year. It will only enhance security, he said. The police commission voted unanimously to support the $108,000 request. With the added officer, each lower school would be checked on as many as 16 times. Given what happened in Uvalde and concerns in our community about school safety and security, I reframed and thought about the requests, the chief said. He said he spoke with New Canaan Schools Superintendent Bryan Luizzi and he's very supportive of it and I think it will be a great initiative. Krolikowski agreed to speak with the headmaster's at the private schools, such as St. Lukes and St. Aloysius, to make sure they are comfortable with the increased control. If people aren't used to seeing police cars driving around the schools, it can create anxiety, he said. After the APRA allocation is used up this year, the chief expects to ask for money for the position in the next annual budget to continue the initiative under a specific line item related to school security and safety. Krolikowski explained that, on each of the 180 days of the school year, an officer would be dedicated to checking the schools, however, the department would rotate different officers to keep with union rules. The chief had previously asked to use the ARPA funds to pay for such items as public education, a portable fingerprinting device and secure cabinets. New Canaan has received $6 million from the federal program that is providing $350 billion in pandemic-related emergency funding for state and local governments. Police Commissioner James McLaughlin said he thought it would be better to have one officer become familiar with the schools. I personally think there's a benefit to that, that if there were some sort of emergency, whether it be a shooting or something else, they know the layout of the school, he said. They know the people who are there. Krolikowski saw pros and cons of having the same officer cover the schools, but having another officer is certainly going to be better than what we've done. We can evolve and change the processes as we need to make it better. An appoval for the ARPA request must be made to the Board of Selectmen before being considered by a small committee made of Town Council and Board of Finance members, who review all of the requests. If moved forward, the decision would go before the full membership of the Board of Finance and Town Council. Theres a little bit of a process involved. It's a good process. But it does take some time, Administrative Officer Tucker Murphy said. She offered to work directly with the chief to work out scheduling. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate NEW DELHI (AP) Violence erupted in parts of India on Thursday with thousands of angry youths setting train coaches and vehicles on fire, blocking highways and attacking police with rocks to protest a new short-term government recruitment policy for the military. Police used batons and tear gas to disperse the protesters in Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan states where they took to the streets and damaged government buildings. Nearly 25,000 police were deployed in the worst-hit Bihar state, where the protests spread to a dozen towns in eight districts, said S.K. Singhal, a police officer. The protesters blocked highways and disrupted train service for several hours. Under the new job program announced by Defense Minister Rajnath Singh this week, the armed forces this year can recruit 46,000 men and women in the age group 17.5-21 but only for four years. Seventy-five percent of them will be compulsorily retired after four years with no pension benefits. A full-time recruited soldier serves for over 35 years. Singh defended the program, saying it's aim is "to strengthen the security of the country. With 1.4 million active personnel, India's military is the world's second largest after China, and the third-largest spender. The government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which is facing national elections in 2024, is under pressure to provide jobs as India's economy recovers from the pandemic slump. One idea behind the short-term military recruitment is that those trained by the armed forces can later seek jobs with police or the private sector. The government faced criticism from some retired soldiers and opposition leaders. I thought initially it was a trial being done on a pilot basis. This is an across-the-board change to convert Indian armed forces to a short tenure quasi-conscript force, G.D. Bakshi, a retired army general, tweeted. Rahul Gandhi, a key opposition Congress party leader, urged the government to "listen to the voice of the unemployed youth of the country. In Gwalior, a city in central India, a railroad station was ransacked, some trains vandalized and trash cans set on fire. In the northern town of Rewari, police used wooden sticks to disperse protesters who blocked a bus station and parts of a key highway linking Rajasthan state with New Delhi, the Hindustan Times newspaper reported. A crowd gathered in Uttar Predesh state's Bulandshahr and Ballia districts but dispersed after officials assured them that their demand would be conveyed to authorities. Glen Carbon officials outlined four choices for long-term water options going forward following discussion Tuesday at its board of trustee meeting. For 25 years, from 1996 to 2021, the village received its water from the City of Edwardsville. City officials told village officials a few years ago that Edwardsville planned an update and expansion of its water treatment plant and as a customer, Glen Carbon would be on the hook for 25 percent of the total cost, or between $5 and $6 million. Village officials declined and initially wanted to make an immediate switch to Illinois American Water (IAW) for a five-year agreement. However, that change took longer than anticipated due to then-new regulatory hurdles erected nationwide after what happened in Flint, Michigan and University Park, Illinois, among others. For the past year, Glen Carbon has received its drinking water from IAW. One difference to note is that Edwardsville and Maryville both draw ground water from an aquifer while IAW uses surface water from the Mississippi River. Now the village is looking at options that are analyzed based on the impact on the total utility bill for the average resident. All of the options would require a water rate increase, the first in Glen Carbon since May 2017. Glen Carbon can either enter into a long-term contract with IAW; sell all of its water and sewer utilities to IAW; build its own water treatment facility; or, partner with Maryville. IAW sent a contingent of six officials to the meeting, including former public works director, Jennifer Doody, though many of them did not come to the lectern. Doody is the business development project manager for IAW. Rachel Britt, IAW's director of water quality and environmental compliance, responded to Trustee Ben Maliszewski's comments about residents' complaints regarding the smell, taste and color of the surface water since the changeover. She attributed part of the complaints to the big difference in taste between ground and surface water, noting that there has been no uptick in complaints from older IAW customers. "It doesn't make the water less safe to drink," she said. She said IAW tests water at their Granite City facility weekly and listed a variety of other safeguards. "It's more of an aesthetics thing," she told Maliszewski of the difference between IAW's water and Edwardsville's. Another difference is that Edwardsville softens its water while IAW does not. Britt said IAW's water hardness is about 250 parts per million (ppm). Edwardsville's water hardness when Glen Carbon used it was between 100 and 125 ppm. "We have a lot of customers [that] are served by this water and we don't have issues [with them]," Britt said. "The benefits of softening the water are not worth the cost and our plants are not permitted to soften." The presence of calcium and magnesium is what makes water hard, she said. She deemed it good for people as well as lining the inside of IAW's pipes. Scott Hunt, a project manager with WHKS, the consulting firm the village chose earlier this year to design its own water plant, also gave a presentation related to the village building its own water treatment facility. He said his company's main objective was to assess a report done in 2018 by Juneau and Associates. WHKS also assessed the water quality at three of the village's old ground wells, plus nearby wells for Maryville and Collinsville, take that information and compare it to the treatment technologies recommended in 2018 and update any associated costs. The advantages of remaining with IAW would be that the village would maintain the distribution system and manage any water main breaks or sewer issues while IAW would provide and treat the water. The village would remain the customer service center hub and provide the level of service to which customers have become accustomed. Drawbacks would be that the village would have no control of future rates, no control over service interruptions and be dependent on IAW for monitoring and water quality control. To date, there have been four service issues since transitioning to IAW last summer. Issues include a village-wide boil order last November that lasted nearly a week and three incidents related to a service line repair of IAW's line before it reached the village. During the latter three interruptions, the village temporarily bought Edwardsville water. A significant factor has been the number of resident complaints about water quality since the changeover. Email, social media posts and letters have all come to the village from residents about the taste, odor and color of the water. Mayor Bob Marcus said Maryville Mayor Craig Short was initially receptive to the idea of joining forces, but about three-fourths of the way into the idea, Maryville trustees seemed to lean toward favoring a bulk purchasing agreement. Maryville would require Glen Carbon to share in the cost of water plant upgrades, currently estimated to be $6.4 million. While allying with Maryville would be less costly than building its own water plant, the most recent discussions have shown that there would be no partnership between the villages and Glen Carbon would not get any equity from such a deal. Maryville officials said the rate would be a bulk one with an additional service charge and Glen Carbon would have no input on rates. Selling all of the village's water and sewer assets to IAW would also mean transferring village employees to IAW, assuming there would be positions for them. Further, the IAW proposal has an option to sell only water or sewer. Village staff does not recommend dividing the sale of the water and sewer systems. Among other drawbacks would be a rate increase of $14.93 a month upon completion of the sale. Also, Glen Carbon recently spent $1.8 million on a radio-read water meter system for the entire village. It is unknown how IAW would handle this system after the sale and if, after the sale, customers would continue to have access to their monthly consumption. Building its own plant would let the village keep control of production, quality and costs. The village would no longer need to depend on other providers for service during extreme weather, maintenance problems and quality issues. Accountability to residents would also remain. While there would be a rate increase of seven percent a year over five years, this is the only choice that would keep the money in the village. If approved by the board next month, the design work would begin in July with a targeted completion date of December 2025. Marcus said a previous fifth option, returning to the City of Edwardsville's water system is no longer possible because while Glen Carbon awaited regulatory approval to switch sources, Edwardsville began raising its own water rates annually. The current in-city rate is $8.18 per 1,000 gallons. Marcus said adding the village's operational costs atop that number would not make it feasible for residents or businesses. Glen Carbon had been an Edwardsville water customer for most of the past 25 years until switching to IAW in 2021. Marcus is aiming for the board's July 12 meeting for a final vote, giving trustees almost a month to digest the vast amount of information provided and make a decision. The Tuesday meeting was for discussion only; no voting took place. Trustees Mark Foley and Mike Sonderegger were absent. In other action, the board unanimously approved the following item: Pursue a COPS grant to hire two, not three as previously reported, new village police officers for $250,000, not $375.000, for three years A request to extend the Energov Assist Program for one year was laid over until a future meeting. The next village board of trustee meeting is June 28 at 7 p.m. in village hall, 151 N. Main St. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate MADRID (AP) Politicians and experts met in Madrid on Friday to discuss ways to tackle drought and the increasing spread of deserts across the globe. "The consequences of drought can affect up to three quarters of humanity by 2050. There is nowhere to hide if we are unable or unwilling to avert the severe alterations we are inflicting on the planet," Ibrahim Thiaw, executive secretary of the U.N. Convention to Combat Desertification, or UNCCD, said at the opening of the meeting. "Let us be prepared to confront the new reality,'' he added. The half-day meeting is being held to mark the United Nations World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought. Thiaw said half the world population was expected to face severe water scarcity in the next eight years, adding that that could lead to as many as 700 million people or about 10% of the worlds population being at risk of being displaced during that period. The meeting brought together numerous experts, including Kenyas Patricia Kombo, founder of the PaTree Initiative to help Kenya achieve 10% forest cover by getting students to plant trees. I know majority of you have never come across drought, said Kombo. But I would like to tell you how drought feels like. Clean and safe drinking water is like a diamond. Three meals a day is a dream. She said communities had turned to violence because of the lack of food and water. You are fighting for the only available resources, she said. We are fighting for water. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez spoke at the meeting and U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres was to make an address by video. The UNCCD says that between 1900 and 2019, droughts have impacted 2.7 billion people in the world, and caused 11.7 million deaths. Spains Ecological Transition ministry says 75% of Spanish land is vulnerable to desertification and this is increasing. The meeting comes as Spain is suffering an unusually early heat wave that has helped fuel wildfires across the country. The focus of the meeting will be on encouraging early action to prevent disastrous outcomes. SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) A standoff between a Republican-dominated county commission and New Mexico's Democratic secretary of state over the commission's conspiracy-fueled refusal to certify election results escalated Thursday with a threat from the state's top prosecutor. The showdown came on the eve of the deadline to certify the results of the June 7 primary. It also provided a stark example of the chaos that election experts have warned about as those who promote the lie that former President Donald Trump was cheated out of reelection seek to populate local election offices and the usually low-profile boards that certify the results. The governing commission in Otero County refused to certify the local results of the states primary because of unspecified concerns with the equipment, even though it has identified no problems with the Dominion systems used by the county to tally paper ballots. New Mexicos top prosecutor told the commission to follow an order from the state Supreme Court to certify the results. A spokesperson for Attorney General Hector Balderas said the Otero County commission in southern New Mexico "must comply with the rule of law or we will take legal action. The secretary of states office had asked the attorney general to investigate the commission for possible violations of state election and government ethics laws, which can be felonies if the action is willful and result in removal from office. At least one of the three county commissioners was unfazed. Commissioner Couy Griffin told CNN that he was not planning to vote for certification. Why have a commission if we just get overridden by the court system? he said. It was not immediately clear what would happen if the county refuses to certify its results, a typically ministerial duty but one that has drawn the spotlight since Trump tried to pressure some certification boards in the aftermath of the 2020 presidential election. The developments in New Mexico can be traced to far-right conspiracy theories over voting machines that have spread across the country over the past two years. Various Trump allies have claimed that Dominion voting systems had somehow been manipulated as part of an elaborate scheme to steal the election, which President Joe Biden won. There is no evidence of widespread fraud or manipulation of voting equipment that could have affected the outcome of the 2020 election. Dominion has filed several defamation lawsuits, including against Fox News, and in a statement earlier this week said the action by the Otero County commissioners was yet another example of how lies about Dominion have damaged our company and diminished the publics faith in elections. Otero County Clerk Robyn Holmes, a Republican in her fourth term as the countys lead elections administrator, told The Associated Press that the June 7 primary was conducted without problems. Machine tallies at 16 voting centers each matched the number of ballots that were handed out. The primary went off without a hitch," she said. "It was a great election. Trump won nearly 62% of the 2020 vote in Otero County, where registered Republicans outnumber Democrats nearly 2-1. A Democrat has not won a seat on the county commission since 1994. Defiance of the federal government and its oversight of public lands are staples of politics in largely rural Otero County, which spans an area three times the size of Delaware and includes a portion of the White Sands Missile Range, site of the first atomic bomb test. The issue will come to a head on Friday, when New Mexico counties face a midnight deadline to certify their election results. So far, all but six of New Mexicos 33 counties have certified their results, and no other county officials have said publicly that they intend to vote against certification. In politically conservative Torrance County, commissioners scheduled discussions Friday about election integrity" and the potential for litigation, alongside its vote on whether to certify the primary election results. Otero County Attorney Roy Nichols said the commission there has scheduled an emergency meeting ahead of the deadline. He said he could not speak for the commissioners and that its unclear whether they will vote to certify the results. Two of three commissioners need to vote in favor of the certification. That's potentially important because it's not clear whether Griffin will even be in New Mexico to attend the meeting on Friday. He also is scheduled to be sentenced in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., after being convicted of entering restricted U.S. Capitol grounds though not the building during the Jan. 6 insurrection. State election officials advised the sentencing judge of Griffins refusal to certify primary election results in New Mexico. ___ Bryan reported from Albuquerque. Associated Press writers Christina Almeida Cassidy in Atlanta; Scott Sonner in Reno, Nevada; and Terry Tang in Phoenix contributed to this report. Videos Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos. Following parliamentary elections on April 9, 2022, The Gambia elected new parliamentary assembly to legislate the second term of President Adama Barrow's tenure. The Commonwealth parliamentary Association based in the United Kingdom with their partners, the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD) is organizing a week long seminar titled post-election seminar for newly elected and returning Members of the National Assembly of The Gambia (NAMs). The programme is introducing the participants to the role and responsibilities of parliamentarians, complementing an initial induction by the National Assembly which took place immediately after they were sworn in as legislators. The event will take place from June 13-15, 2022 at the National Assembly complex in Banjul, the nations capital. The National Assembly of the Republic of The Gambia resumed sitting after the Speaker of the House, Honorable Speaker, Fabakary Tombong Jatta returned to the country after visits to Mali and Nigeria. In Nigeria, he prescribed the way to peace and security in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) region by suggesting that the leaders of the region must commit themselves to working together as one block. "If we want to sustain economic prosperity, peace, and stability in our sub region, we must take note that governance must be based on the pillars of justice, accountability, and probity and most importantly, the expressed will of the people must be sought and respected, he said. Hon Jatta was speaking during the opening of the first regular session 2022 of the Parliament of the ECOWAS on 9th of June at the ECOWAS headquarters in Abuja, the capital of Nigeria. It is expected at the end of the training that Gambian parliamentarians will be well informed and better prepared in attending to legislative matters which would be brought before the august assembly in the coming weeks and months of this new administration As gathered from Investopedia, an online platform that specializes in feeding its readers with financial news; original studies, research, data analysis; and best-in-class educational content, Nigeria produced more than 1.9 million barrels of oil per day in 2014 to rank as the 11th-largest oil producer in the world. The country produced around 2 million barrels per day between 2015 and 2019. Fluctuations in annual oil production, especially since 2005, can be attributed partly to security problems connected to violent militant groups in the country. Nigeria is home to the second-largest proven oil reserves in Africa. However, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) reports that security issues and other business risks in the country have reduced oil exploration efforts. Despite the foregoing enviable reputation in Oil productionwhich Nigeria has over the years earned among comity of nations, the average Nigerian on the street is poor and there is poor infrastructure like power supply, roads, hospitals etc. The cause cannot be farfetched as virtually all political leaders; elected or appointed, are arguably bereft of Public Fund Management (PFM). You may have asked, What is PFM? For the sake of clarity, PFM stands for Public Financial Management. It relates to the way governments manage public funds and the impacts on the growth of the economy and the wellbeing of citizens. Managing public resources involves how the government earns money, known as revenue, and how the government spends money, or expenditure. Revenue may come from taxes, money earned by state enterprises, or foreign aid, for example. Expenditures are, for instance, government wages, purchasing goods and services, and spending on infrastructure and public services. Without any iota of exaggeration, not few political leaders understand how public funds are prudentially managed to achieve results in good governance. Casting a retrospective view to 2020 when the deadly COVID-19 pandemic was at its height, it is expedient to recall Femi Falanas reaction to Minister of Finance and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmeds statement at the time that Nigeria was broke as she cited revenue shortfall as reasons behind the governments resort to hike in fuel pump price and electricity tariff hike. Falana, who spoke at the time by virtue of being the Chairman of The Alliance for Survival of COVID-19 and Beyond said that the claim by the Nigerian Government that the nation's revenue had declined was false, fraught with inadequacies and figures that failed to reflect the countrys economic realities. Falana in a statement said gross mismanagement, incompetence and corruption was the reason for policies such as the electricity tariff increase and fuel hike that makes life burdensome for citizens at the time been referred to in this context. He said, Since the Federal Government has announced plans to switch from PMS to Compressed Natural Gas(CNG), the increase in petrol should be cancelled without delay. After all, the Minister of State in the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Mr Timpere Sylva, has assured the nation that CNG would be sold between N95 and N97 per litre. In a somewhat authoritatively manner, he declared in his Statement that Nigeria was not broke, rather it was suffering from mismanagement of Public funds, and that incompetence was responsible for anti-people policies. Without doubt, the legal luminary nailed the bane of governance on its head. The problem as it were still persists. Against the foregoing backdrop, it is expedient to opine that not only are many politicians in leadership clueless about public fund management, money, being a necessarycomponent of any democracy: enables political participation, campaigning and representation. The foregoing, no doubt, formed the perception of political followers who see politicians as those that freely give out money to anyone who pledges to support them in elections. Considering the fact that mismanagement of public funds will not in any way engender good democratic governance, Nigerians have at the dawn of each political dispensation been yearning for a messiah that will deliver them from the foregoing quagmires that the ongoing democratic dispensation is enmeshed in. Gracefully, God has provided a somewhat Messiah in theperson of Peter Obi, the presidential flagbearer of the Labour Party (LP) for Nigerians to vote for come 2023. God has seen him, provided him for Nigeria and Nigeriansas the only contestants among others that has all it takes to manage Nigerias public fund come 2023 given his expertise in public fund management. The foregoing quality is no doubt been displayed by him by as he has refused to spend money recklessly since he won the presidential ticket. In fact, since he started sensitizing the people about his presidential bid, the slang or catchphrase he has adopted, and which his youthful followers always render with admirable passion is Peter Obi No Dey Give Shi Shi For Vote. Not Even One Kobo. I doubt if Reverend Father Ejike Mbaka has heard the slang from any youth in his church. He ought to have heard of it if not that he talks too much. I am sounding this way because if he had heard the slang, he would not have called Obi a stingy man. Recall that Mbaka had on Wednesday described Obi as a stingy man, declaring that unless God ceases to exist, Obi would never smell the seat of the president. Accordingto him, it was better to have an old man as president than a stingy young man. To my view, somebody should tell Mbaka that Peter Obi is not like other politicians that stuff dollars in Ghana-Must-Go bag as gifts to clergy men. He should be told that Peter Obi does not give ShiShi and that he is not stingy. 10th Anniversary of Phuket Drum Circle Start From: Sunday 31 July 2022, 04:30PM to Sunday 31 July 2022, 10:00PM Mon. Tue. Wed. Thu. Fri. Sat. Sun. The Phuket Drum Circle celebrates 10 years of age! Its about drumming and dancing on Sundays in Naiharn beach, always a free event. Join us on this unique occasion as we celebrate with Bubbles! After all, the Phuket Drum Circle has made history in Thailand and Asia as the only public drum circle with a 12-month calendar and a Facebook page. EU praises push to boost labour rights BANGKOK: The European Union has praised Thailands efforts to improve labour rights in its seafood industry under Good Labour Practice (GLP) guidelines. marineSafety By Bangkok Post Friday 17 June 2022, 10:02AM Cambordian workers on duty at a pier in Trat province. Photo: Jakkrit Waewklaihong Giuseppe Busini, deputy head of the EU Delegation to Thailands mission, yesterday said the Thai seafood industry has been aiming to improve the quality of life of migrant workers for a more sustainable seafood industry, reports the Bangkok Post. The International Labour Organization (ILO) recently unveiled a report on the matter, noting that the Thai Tuna Industry Association (TTIA)and the Thai Frozen Food Association (TFFA) are complying with the GLP programme to improve the lot of migrant workers and support them through welfare committees. The report also said the associations have been covering employment-related fees to alleviate the financial burden of migrant workers. They also suggested factories arrange breastfeeding rooms and delegate appropriate duties for pregnant women, the report said. Pongthiti Pongsilamanee, deputy secretary-general of State Enterprise Workers Relations Confederation, said the GLP strengthens employee-employer relations under the principles of labour rights and equality. She said she hopes the seafood industry will support a labour union to help promote sustainable development in the industry. Boonchob Suttamanuswong, permanent secretary of the Labour Ministry, said the ministry supports the Thai business sector in improving labour conditions. It will work with the ILO and other networks to strengthen GLP in the Thai seafood industry, as well as other businesses. Thailand was ranked among the top 10 seafood exporters in the world in 2018. Last year, the industry exported over 1.6 million tonnes of seafood products valued at US$5.7 billion (B200bn), with 600,000 workers in the country. The GLP was jointly developed by the ILO, Labour Ministry, TTIA and TFFA with support from the EU through the EU-supported Ship to Shore Rights South East Asia programme. The TTIA and TFFA have 106 firms joining the project to ensure the seafood industry stays in line with international labour standards and Thai regulations, the ILO report said. EU to give fast-tracked opinion on Ukraine membership bid KYIV: The European Commission will meet today (June 17) to give its fast-tracked opinion on Ukraines bid for EU candidacy, a step closer to membership for the country a day after the blocs most powerful leaders visited Kyiv as it battles Russias invasion. RussianUkrainepolitics By AFP Friday 17 June 2022, 10:53AM Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (left) and French Fresident Emmanuel Macron shake hands after giving a press conference in at Mariinsky Palace in Kyiv, yesterday (June 16). Photo: AFP Never before has an opinion been given so quickly on EU candidacy, which must be approved by all 27 member states. The opinion will serve as a basis for discussion at next weeks EU summit, where leaders are expected to approve Ukraines candidate status, but with stern conditions attached, and membership may take years or even decades. France, Germany, Italy and Romania are all in favour of Ukraine receiving immediate candidate status, French President Emmanuel Macron said in Kyiv yesterday. Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Italian premier Mario Draghi arrived in Ukraine by train and headed to the Kyiv suburb of Irpin, scene of fierce battles early in the brutal war. Later joined by Romanias President Klaus Iohannis, they met Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky, who has been lobbying allies for more and faster weapons deliveries and the promise of a European future. The most important message of our visit is that Italy wants Ukraine in the EU, Draghi said at a joint press conference. Scholz said Ukraine belongs in the European family and that Berlin would continue to send Kyiv weapons for as long as it is needed. After meeting the visiting leaders, Zelensky said he explained to our essential needs in the field of defence. We are expecting new deliveries, above all heavy weapons, modern artillery, anti-aircraft defence systems, he said, even as Macron said France would send six Caesar self-propelled howitzers to add to the 12 already deployed on Ukraines eastern front. Zelensky promised Ukraine was ready to put in the work to become an EU member. Ukraine has gotten the closest to EU it has ever been in the history of its independence, he said in his nightly address. Dreadful mistake The Jacques Delors Institute think tank director said he expects a positive opinion on Ukraines EU status, but with conditions and a deadline. This is a very delicate exercise for the Commission because it cannot be less demanding for Ukraine than for other countries for which it has given a favorable opinion in the past. Its credibility requires the maintenance of high standards, Sebastien Maillard said. Russia has already strategically lost its war with Ukraine, suffering heavy losses and strengthening NATO, the UKs chief of defence staff said in an interview published today. This is a dreadful mistake by Russia. Russia will never take control of Ukraine, said Tony Radakin, the countrys highest-ranking military officer, adding it would emerge a more diminished power. The admiral said Russian President Vladimir Putin may achieve tactical successes in the weeks to come, but had sacrificed a quarter of his countrys army power for tiny gains and was running out of troops and high-tech missiles. Russia is failing. Fuel and food prices Moscow is stepping up energy pressure on Europe, with Russian gas giant Gazprom yesterday defending cuts while prices soared. EU countries are rushing to reduce dependency on Russian energy but are divided about imposing a natural gas embargo as several member states are heavily reliant on Moscow. Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller said that the state-run company will play by its own rules after cutting daily gas supplies to Germany and Italy. Draghi and Zelensky both accused Russia of intentionally limiting supply, with the Italian leader accusing Gazprom of lies and of using its energy dominace for political ends. We are seeing a political use of gas, just as we have seen a political use of wheat, he said in reference to the millions of tons of wheat currently stuck in Ukrainian ports. He spoke as the United States also called on Moscow to open the ports and allow the grain to be exported. We shouldnt be using food as a weapon, US Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack told reporters at the United Nations. With global grain prices soaring and importers in the Middle East and Africa facing supply shortfalls, Moscow has demanded that economic sanctions on it be lifted in exchange for allowing the exports. Fighting in eastern Ukraine remained focused on the industrial city of Severodonetsk, where Russian forces edge closer to control after weeks of battle. Regional governor Sergiy Gaiday said yesterday around 10,000 civilians remain trapped there, out of a pre-war population of some 100,000. Also yesterday, Washington urged Russia to treat any American volunteers captured while fighting alongside Ukrainian troops as prisoners of war guaranteed humane treatment. The State Department also said a third American was believed to be missing, in addition to two military veterans who were reportedly seized by Russian forces last week. Also yesterday, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) told Russia to prevent the execution of a Moroccan man sentenced to death along with two British men for fighting on behalf of Ukrainian forces. Foreigners sought for hit and run in Phuket PHUKET: Police are trying to track down a grey Toyota Vios driven by a foreign woman that struck a woman beside the road in Cherng Talay yesterday and failed to stop, leaving the woman in hospital with broken ribs and head injuries. accidentstransporttourismSafetypolice By Eakkapop Thongtub Friday 17 June 2022, 05:28PM Mr Chayakorn, the womans employer, has urged anyone with with information that might help track down the car to contact police. Photo: via Eakkapop Thongtub CCTV near the scene shows only a limited view of the woman being struck by the car. Image: via Eakkapop Thongtub The car came around the curve at speed and struck the woman walking beside the road. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub The car police are trying to track down. Image: visa Eakkapop Thongtub According to CCTV near the scene, the incident happened on the Bang Tao Rd at 4:17pm. The car was heading towards Surin Beach when it struck the woman. The car has been described as a brand-new grey Toyota Vios bearing Bangkok licence plates with the number 8767. Police and the owner of Pams Relax Massage, where the woman worked, have so far asked not to name the woman injured. Jarunee Kasurong, sister of the injured woman, filed a formal complaint of the hit and run at Cherng Talay Police Station today (June 17). The complaint was received by Lt Col Worawut Sensob, Deputy Chief of Investigation at Cherng Talay Police. Chayakorn Permpoon, owner of Pams Relax Massage, explained that the woman was walking to a small shop nearby to buy a bottle of drinking water when the Vios came around the bend at speed. The car swerved wide as it rounded the corner and struck the now-injured woman. A foreign woman was driving, with a foreign man sitting in the front passenger seat. The woman struck by the car was rushed to Thalang Hospital and later transferred to Vachira Phuket Hospital in Phuket Town. She is in a stable condition but remains in care and under observation as she suffered head injuries in the impact. She also suffered broken ribs and a broken collar bone. Police have checked CCTV in the area, though there is very limited coverage showing the actual impact. Officers are continuing their efforts to track down the car and its driver. Mr Chayakorn has appealed through a post online for anyone with information that may help track down the car and the driver to contact Cherng Talay Police. Mask requirement to be dropped outdoors, low-risk areas BANGKOK: The Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) on Friday (June 17) agreed to ease the requirement for wearing a face mask, making it purely voluntary outdoors or in uncrowded places. COVID-19tourismhealth By Bangkok Post Friday 17 June 2022, 07:29PM People wear face masks as they stroll through the popular Chatuchak Weekend Market. Photo: Apichart Jinakul / Bangkok Post The CCSA meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, agreed that this and other easing of COVID-19 controls would take effect when published in the Royal Gazette, reported the Bangkok Post. A spokesman earlier said the target date for the changes was July 1. The planned relaxation of COVID-19 controls are: Redesignating all 77 provinces nationwide as green COVID surveilance zones. Currently there are 14 green, 46 yellow high sureillance provinces and 17 blue or tourism "sandbox provinces; Extending the closing hours of nightspots, pubs, bars, karaoke shopsbars and similar venues from midnight to 2am; and, Allowing people to go unmasked on a voluntary basis when they are in low-risk areas, uncrowded areas or outdoors, across the country. Face mask wearing will still be required in crowded and poorly ventilated areas such as public transport, and markets and concert venues. Taweesilp Visanuyothin, spokesman for the CCSA, said the prime minister thanked people for their full cooperation in wearing masks. However, further cooperation was still needed. Gen Prayut said most people still wore face masks, as they recognised their usefulness, said Dr Taweesilp. The Department of Health director-general would provide guidance regarding the eased COVID-19 controls and the date for the new measures to take effect, the CCSA spokesman said. Phuket-grown durian gets a push PHUKET: The Phuket Provincial Agriculture Office is holding a Phuket Durian Fair in front of its offices on Narisorn Rd in Phuket Town to promote locally grown durian and help boost incomes of local farmers. agriculture By The Phuket News Friday 17 June 2022, 04:34PM At the opening event yesterday (June 16), Phuket Agriculture Chief Suban Rakthong explained that Phuket was home to 789 households that were durian farmers. About 80% of the durians grown on the island are local varieties, with the remaining 20% grown being Mongthong, Chanee and other varieties. An estimated 2,511 rai on Phuket is used for durian farming, which yields 610 tonnes of the fruit a year, altogether valued at B53.68 million per year, he said. And the trend is rising, Mr Suban said. We hope farmers use more of their land to grow durian to replace other crops, as the current price of durian is an incentive for farmers to grow more durians, he said. Also, Phuket is a tourism province which has a high demand for durians, especially among foreign tourists from elsewhere throughout Asia. Durian is very popular among them, he added. If Phuket tourism is fully open, this will allow farmers to earn more income from selling agricultural products, Mr Sukban said. Phuket Vice Governor Pichet Panaphong, present for the event yesterday, noted that the fair showcases locally grown durian, and locally made durian products. The fair includes competitions for the best locally grown durian recipes for durian-derived products, and features exhibitions explaining the different types of durians available. Some cannabis regulations issued PHUKET: Cannabis is not to be provided to pregnant women or people under 20 years of age, and may not be smoked in public, under new regulations issued by the Ministry of Public Health. By The Phuket News Friday 17 June 2022, 11:48AM The Phuket Info Center, operated by the Phuket branch of the Ministry of Interior, issued its statement on the new regulations, titled Notification of the Ministry of Public Health Re: Controlled Herbs (Cannabis) B.E. 2522, last night (June 16). The penalty for breaching the regulations is up to one year in jail, or a fine of up to B20,000, or both, the notice read. The new regulations come into effect today (June 17). Under the regulations, the following is listed as illegal: Public use by smoking Use by pregnant or lactating women Distribute to persons under 20 years of age, pregnant or lactating women. Traditional Thai medicine practitioners and those practicing in the field of traditional Chinese medicine as well as folk healers may provide cannabis or cannabis extracts to their patients, as long as they comply with the new restrictions, the notice read. However, Article 4 of the regulations notes: Patients who are pregnant, lactating or under 20 years are permitted to possess, move, care for, store and utilize the amount paid for use for 30 days. A clarification has yet to be issued as to what Article 4 actually means. Article 4 may be interpreted as an exception whereby patients among the three types of people banned from being provided cannabis are allowed to be in possession of and use cannabis, perhaps only if they are specifically prescribed such products. Alternatively, it may be aimed at allowing pregnant or lactating women and people under 20 years to handle and be in possession of cannabis for the purpose of engaging in the business of cannabis, while maintaining that it is illegal for them to use it. Meanwhile, the Thai Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a notice confirming that it is still illegal to bring into Thailand any cannabis- or hemp-related products. This applies to cannabis in its natural state or any cannabis-derived products. Thailand Pass, COVID insurance to end July 1 BANGKOK: Thailand Pass registration and compulsory COVID-19 insurance will be lifted for all people arriving in Thailand from July 1, a senior government spokesman said today (June 17). CoronavirusCOVID-19healthVaccinetourism By Bangkok Post Friday 17 June 2022, 03:31PM Thermal scanning at border entry points will end on July 1, when the government will also stop requiring pre-travel registration and COVID-19 insurance for arrivals. Photo: Varuth Hirunyatheb Taweesilp Visanuyothin, spokesman for the Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration, said these decisions were made at a meeting of the CCSA earlier today. Arrivals will need only show their vaccination certificates or COVID-19 test results, reports the Bangkok Post. Without such proof, arrivals will be given random, professional antigen tests at permanent border entry points. Random testing would continue until the government lifts all state-of-emergency measures to deal with COVID-19. The Thailand Pass registration system will remain in place, but be used only for travellers to report suspected symptoms of dangerous and other communicable diseases, as determined by the Public Health Ministry, Dr Taweesilp said. Foreign nationals will not have to be insured for COVID-19, and thermal scanning will end at border checkpoints, he said. A certification of fitness for entry, issued by a Thai consulate, will also no longer be required. At present, vsitors are required to have US$10,000 (B353,000) COVID-19 insurance coverage. From July 1, the government will still encourage visitors to have such insurance, the spokesman said. He said that from June 1-15 there were 348,699 foreign arrivals, the largest numbers were from Malaysia (61,486), India (51,800), Singapore (31,580, Vietnam (18,885) and America (15,708). It came about during a recording session for the album when Bowie strolled down the street and stood outside a fur shop called K. West. It was there that the iconic photo was snapped. K. West were originally unhappy with their business being featured on the cover, sending a letter to the record label saying: Our clients are furriers of high repute who deal with a cliente generally far removed from the pop music world." "Our clients certainly have no wish to be associated with Mr. Bowie or this record as it might be assumed that there was some connection between our clients firm and Mr. Bowie, which is certainly not the case. Soon though, they were fine with it, as tourists would visit the store to recreate the photo themselves. When K. West moved sites, they took the sign with them, which Bowie was disappointed with since fans seemed to love it and even glorify it to a certain degree. After two years of absence due to the pandemic, Film Noir au Canal, the cult crime film festival on the banks of the Lachine Canal, is returning for a sixth edition. This year, six free screenings will take place on Sundays, from July 17 to August 21. These screenings, which bring together more than 3,000 moviegoers every summer, begin at dusk and are preceded by live musical performances and presentations by connoisseurs of the genre. The formula remains unchanged: from 7 p.m., the public is invited to walk, bike, drive, or kayak to Square Saint-Patrick, at the corner of Wellington and Saint-Patrick streets, to attend the screening of a film noir in the open air. No reservation is necessary. Admission is free and any voluntary contribution will be gladly accepted. In the midst of silos and industrial buildings, the crime film festival can hardly dream of a better atmosphere. Spectators are invited to bring chairs and blankets to fully enjoy their evening. The films screened are carefully chosen by a team of cinephiles and previous editions included classics such as Alfred Hitchcocks Psycho and Henri-Georges Clouzots Quai des Orfevres, as were the lesser known The Killers by Robert Siodmak or Les Bas-fonds by Jean Renoir. The festival usually ends its season with a neo-noir, such as David Lynchs Mulholland Drive or Quentin Tarantinos Pulp Fiction, which brought together a large audience. To keep the suspense going, the movies from the Film Noir au Canal program will be unveiled every week. To stay informed follow them on social media. For more information, visit filmnoiraucanal.org Film Noir au Canal AB Montreal, CA (H4T1V6) Today Showers and thunderstorms likely. Low around 34C. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%.. Tonight Showers and thunderstorms likely. Low around 21C. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Montreal, CA (H4T1V6) Today Partly to mostly cloudy. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 23C. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Partly to mostly cloudy. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 14C. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. Montreal, CA (H4T1V6) Today Sun and clouds mixed. Slight chance of a rain shower. High 23C. Winds W at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight A few clouds. Low 14C. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph. Police say a shooting at a church in a suburb of one of Alabamas major cities has left one person dead and two others wounded, and that a suspect is in custody Vice Chair Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., gives her opening remarks as the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol holds its first public hearing to reveal the findings of a year-long investigation, at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, June 9, 2022. EDWARDSVILLE With a little less than two weeks left before the June 28 primary election, early voting totals appear to show that there will be a low turnout, according to Madison County Clerk Debra Ming-Mendoza. Early voting expanded Monday to nine locations, and will continue through June 27. We havent finished yet with day three, she said Wednesday, but this afternoon we were at about 517 total votes cast, she said. Compared to two years ago, when there was a heavy emphasis on early and absentee voting because of the emerging COVID-19 pandemic. We were doing that at one site, instead of nine sites, she said. There is also a huge difference in vote-by-mail ballots. Two years ago Ming-Mendoza said they had 36,000, this year the count was much lower. We just broke 2,000 yesterday, she said. I dont think were alone in this state as far as turnout, but I get concerned. We have some contested races, we should have plenty of interest. It would just be interesting to know the mindset of the voter. While hesitant to make a prediction, she said if current trends continue the turnout among Madison Countys roughly 176,000 voters will be 11 percent. Two years ago it was 22 percent. Lets see if it picks up, she said. This is only day three of 15 days of early voting. Lets see how it goes and maybe by the end of the week or early next week it will be 20 percent. Voters will have a number of contested races to consider up and down the ballot. Unusual for this year is that most of the contested races are on the Republican ballot. So far about 60 percent of the primary ballots are going to Republicans. There are three contested county-wide races on the Republican ballot: Mike Walters and Linda Andreas for county clerk; incumbent Chris Slusser and Doug Hulme for treasurer; and Jeff Connor and Jeff Larner for sheriff. There are also eight contested Republican County Board races, and two contested Democratic races. In addition, there are write-in campaigns for two of the three open circuit judge seats, in addition to statewide and legislative races. Early voting continues at these locations: Alton: Scott Bibb Center, 1004 E. 5th St., Alton; June 17, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., June 18, 9 a.m.-noon, June 19 and June 26, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., June 20-24 and June 27, 8:30 a.m.-7 p.m., June 25, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Edwardsville-County Administration Building, 157 N. Main St., 1st floor, Edwardsville; June 17, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., June 18, 9 a.m.-noon, June 19 and June 26, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., June 20-24 and June 27, 8:30 a.m.-7 p.m., June 25, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Granite City-Township Building, 2060 Delmar Ave., Office B, Granite City; 17, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., June 18, 9 a.m.-noon, June 19 and June 26, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., June 20-24 and June 27, 8:30 a.m.-7 p.m., June 25, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Bethalto: Village Hall, Committee Room, 213 N. Prairie St., Bethalto; June 17 and June 20-24, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Collinsville: Collinsville Senior Citizen Center, 420 E. Main St., Collinsville; June 17 and June 20-24, noon-6 p.m., June 18, 9 a.m.-Noon, June 25, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Godfrey: Village Hall, 6810 Godfrey Road, Godfrey; June 17 and June 20-24, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Highland: Weinheimer Community Center, 1100 Main St., Highland; June 17 and June 20-24, noon-6 p.m., June 18, 9 a.m.-noon, June 25, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Madison: Madison Fire Station, 1800 3rd St., Madison; June 17 and June 20-24, noon-6 p.m., June 18, 9 a.m.-noon, June 25, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Southern Illinois University Edwardsville: Morris University Center, Willow Room, Edwardsville; June 22-24, noon-5 p.m. Troy: City Hall, 116 E. Market St., Troy; June 17 and June 20-24, 9 a.m. -5 p.m. Wood River: Township Office, 41 S. 9th St., East Alton; June 17 and June 20-24, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. For more information visit madisoncountyvotes, or https://www.co.madison.il.us/departments/county_clerk/elections/index.php. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate BRUSSELS (AP) The European Union's executive arm on Friday recommended making Ukraine a candidate for EU membership, a morale booster and a first step on what is expected to be a long road for the war-torn country to join the 27-nation bloc. If Ukrainians were under any illusion that the European Commission's positive assessment would mean fast-track EU membership, their hopes of quickly joining the club were dashed. Starting accession negotiations is further down the line," said Oliver Varhelyi, the EU Commissioner for the bloc's enlargement. Once conditions are met, then we will have to come back and reflect on it ... This is not for today." The European Commission delivered its proposal to award Ukraine candidate status after an analysis of answers to a detailed questionnaire. The Ukrainian government applied for EU membership days after Russia invaded the country on Feb. 24. Ukrainians are ready to die for the European perspective, commission President Ursula von der Leyen said wearing clothes in the yellow and blue of the Ukrainian flag. We want them to live, with us, the European dream. The leaders of the bloc's existing members are scheduled to discuss the recommendation during a summit next week in Brussels. The European Commissions endorsement, while a strong sign of solidarity with Ukraine, is likely to take years or even decades to materialize into EU membership. Its even possible that the candidate status will eventually be revoked if the reforms requested by the bloc to align with EU standards are not put in place. Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, who had been skeptical about Ukraines membership bid, embraced the proposal. I think the commission has found a good compromise. There is a lot more homework in the field of the economy, but also in the field of the rule of law, in the field of tackling corruption. Rutte said. So this is the first step of many. But the Netherlands has decided with full conviction to follow the commissions advice. Along with Ukraine, the European Commission also recommended giving neighboring Moldova EU candidate status. The commission also reviewed Georgias application but said the Caucasus nation first needs to fulfill a number of conditions. Adding new members requires unanimous approval from all EU member nations. They have expressed differing views on how quickly to add Ukraine to their ranks. Ukraines bid received a boost when the leaders of France, Germany, Italy and Romania visited the country Thursday and vowed to back its candidacy. To be admitted, potential newcomers need to demonstrate that they meet standards on democratic principles and they must absorb about 80,000 pages of rules covering everything from trade and immigration to fertilizers and the rule of law. Before Russias invasion, the Commission repeatedly expressed concern in recent years about corruption in Ukraine and the need for deep political and economic reforms. Yes, Ukraine deserves a European perspective. It should be welcomed as a candidate country, on the understanding that important work remains to be done, von der Leyen said Friday. The entire process is merits-based. It goes by the book and therefore, progress depends entirely on Ukraine. Ukraine currently has an association agreement with the EU, aimed at opening Ukraines markets and bringing it closer to Europe. It includes a far-reaching free trade pact. Von der Leyen said that due to the 2016 agreement, "Ukraine has already implemented roughly 70% of the EU rules, norms and standards. It is taking part in many important EU programs," she continued. "Ukraine is a robust parliamentary democracy. It has a well-functioning public administration that has kept the country running even during this war. Von der Leyen said Kyiv should continue to make progress in the fields of rule of law and fighting corruption. She also cited the need to speed up the selection of high court judges. Expediting Ukraines application by declaring it an official candidate would challenge the EUs normal playbook for adding members. The degree to which Ukraines request for a fast-track accession represents a change in the EUs standard operating procedure is evident from the experiences of other aspiring members. Turkey, for example, applied for membership in 1987, received candidate status in 1999, and had to wait until 2005 to start talks for actual entry. Six Western Balkan countries Serbia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Albania, Bosnia and Kosovo have been in the EU waiting line for years. At their June 23-24 summit, EU heads of state and government therefore face a delicate balancing act: signaling to Ukraine that the door is ajar while reassuring other aspiring members and some of the blocs own citizens that they arent showing favoritism to Kyiv. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Friday he was grateful to the Commission's recommendation to put his country and Moldova on the membership path. He called it "the first step on the EU membership path thatll certainly bring our victory closer. Zelenskyy added that he expected a positive result from the EU summit in Brussels. ___ Dusan Stojanovic contributed from Belgrade. ___ Follow AP's coverage of the Ukraine war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate BEIJING (AP) Hong Kong is preparing to introduce new middle school textbooks that will deny the Chinese territory was ever a British colony. China's Communist rulers say the semi-autonomous city and the nearby former Portuguese colony of Macao were merely occupied by foreign powers and that China never relinquished sovereignty over them. It's not a new position for China, but the move is a further example of Beijings determination to enforce its interpretation of history and events and inculcate patriotism as it tightens its grip over Hong Kong following massive protests demanding democracy in 2019. Hong Kong has been Chinese territory since ancient times, says one new textbook seen by the AP. While Hong Kong was occupied by the British following the Opium War, it remained Chinese territory. It is one of four sets of textbooks being offered to schools to replace those currently in use, all stating the same position, Hong Kong's South China Morning Post newspaper reported earlier this week. WAS HONG KONG A COLONY? Hong Kong was a British colony from 1841 until its handover to Chinese rule in 1997, with the exception of Japanese occupation from 1941 to 1945. Its colonial status was the result of a pair of 19th century treaties signed at the end of the first and second Opium Wars, along with the granting of a 99-year lease in 1898 to the New Territories, which greatly expanded the size of the colony. Chinas Communist Party, which seized power during a civil war in 1949, says it never recognized what it calls the unequal treaties that the former Qing Dynasty was compelled to sign following military defeats. In the late 20th century with China unwilling to extend the lease on the New Territories, and the colony not viable without them Britain entered into protracted and often contentious negotiations with Beijing over conditions for the return of Hong Kong to Chinese rule. Ultimately, China took control of Hong Kong in 1997 under a one country, two systems" arrangement that would keep the city's economic, political and judicial systems distinct from those in mainland China for 50 years. That was laid out in a 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration registered with the United Nations, although China now refuses to recognize the agreement. HAS THIS ISSUE COME UP BEFORE? In 1972, just months after the China seat at the United Nations was transferred to Beijing from the Republic of China government that fled to Taiwan during the civil war, the government acted to remove Hong Kong and Macao, which reverted to Chinese rule in 1999, from a U.N. list of colonies, effectively stripping them of their right to self-determination. At a time when European nations had granted independence to other colonies, China feared the same could happen to the British and Portuguese enclaves it wanted back. The settlement of the questions of Hong Kong and Macao is entirely within Chinas sovereign right and does not at all fall under the ordinary category of Colonial Territories,'" China's representative said at the time. Mary Gallagher, who teaches Chinese studies at the University of Michigan, said then-Chinese leader Mao Zedong wanted to ensure that Hong Kong would remain part of China. So Hong Kong moves between the Chinese empire and the British empire, but loses its right to determine its own future, she said. WHY IS HONG KONG CHANGING TEXTBOOKS NOW? The new textbooks are part of broader changes to education following the 2019 protests, in which many students participated and some played leadership roles. The texts are for liberal studies classes, which the government overhauled last year after pro-Beijing lawmakers and supporters said they encouraged opposition and activist thought. The classes now focus on themes such as national security, patriotism and identity. The textbooks promote the official view that the protest movement was the result of foreign agitation and threatened national security. The Beijing government used such arguments to pass a sweeping National Security Law for Hong Kong in 2020 curtailing free speech, criticism of authorities and political opposition. Authorities have launched a National Security Education Day on April 15, with students encouraged to learn more about national security and take part in educational activities that emphasize the importance of protecting China. WHERE IS THIS LEADING? The new textbooks are part of a push to bring Hong Kong's institutional values more closely in line with those of mainland China, especially in the areas of politics and history. Increasingly, Chinese leader Xi Jinping is imposing his vision of strongly nationalistic and increasingly authoritarian rule on the region. China has sought to eradicate any memory of the military's 1989 bloody suppression of student-led protests centered on Beijing's Tiananmen Square, citing pandemic concerns to ban once huge public commemorations in Hong Kong on the June 4 anniversary. The Communist Party has a monopoly of the truth and of history in China, said Steve Tsang, a Chinese politics specialist at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London. In the Xi approach to history, facts are merely incidental. Only interpretation matters. And only one interpretation is allowed. Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker made hissssstory Thursday by officially announcing the new state snake. The eastern milksnake is now the slithering serpent of the Land of Lincoln with the signing of House Bill 4821. A 7th-grader in Carterville, Illinois, located on State Route 13 between Carbondale and Marion, initiated the effort. Gentry Heiple did all the research and chose the eastern milksnake after growing interest in how a bill becomes a law. He presented his idea to the House of Representatives State Government Administration Committee who gave unanimous consent. I decided to do this bill to try and highlight the good and importance of snakes all over, Heiple said in a press release. And by doing this I was able to visit the capitol and meet some of the most important people in Illinois. And I am very grateful and appreciative of all the people who supported me and voted yes on the bill. The eastern milksnake is found all across Illinois, living in fields, woodlands, rocky hills and river bottoms. The milksnake ranges from 24 to 36 inches in length, has smooth scales, large blotches with brown or black borders and a "Y" or "V" shaped mark on its head. It is not a poisonous snake and some are even bred as pets. Earlier this month, Pritzker also awarded the efforts of elementary and middle school students and named the official state rock. A handful of countries, most notably Australia, impose mandatory voting, with citizens facing fines and punishments if they dont appear at the polls. And every few years, somebody proposes bringing this practice to the U.S. as a good-government reform that would allegedly improve the health of our democracy. Luckily, Americans remain unimpressed by the idea. A report advocating mandatory voting by the Brookings Institution and Harvard Kennedy Schools Ash Center acknowledged as much. When polled, they found only 26% of Americans favored the idea, with 64% opposed. The claimed benefits of mandatory voting are highly dubious. All available evidence is that it would have little effect on election outcomes since non-voters tend to break down about the same as for voters in their partisan preferences. The main effect visible in Australia is the frequency of the so-called donkey ballot, where voters randomly pick a candidate or party without giving it any thought, often simply choosing the option listed first on the ballot. Others return a blank ballot, clearly going through the motions only to avoid punishment. Beyond the lack of clear, practical benefit, mandatory voting sits uneasily with American principles. The First Amendment protects not only freedom of speech but also freedom from compelled speech. And even if a coerced voter shows up and casts a spoiled ballot, participating in an election is a speech act. It implies affirmation of the legitimacy and desirability of the electoral system and our current constitutional order. That might be a correct opinion, in my view, but it is not one Americans should be forced to affirm. There is a long history in the U.S. of principled abstention from voting, including groups such as the Quakers and Jehovahs Witnesses, who are motivated by a thoroughgoing religious faith in strict pacifism. Others, such as anarchists ranging from libertarians to socialists, reject the moral legitimacy of all governments and do not want to lend their endorsement to the state. Faced with the need to accommodate such groups, or at least some of them, compulsory voting faces two bad options. Either any person can invoke a religious or philosophical exemption, rendering the whole exercise pointless, or must put the government in the untenable position of judging which reasons are good enough. Even if the First Amendment argument doesnt convince you, the last thing our bloated criminal justice system needs is yet another reason to impose fines and enforcement actions on Americans, especially when such burdens will fall disproportionately on minorities and the poor. Every law must be enforced, and the police in our country already have more than enough laws to enforce. Even if the political will could be mustered to pass a compulsory voting law, the courts are unlikely to permit it under longstanding First Amendment principles. During World War II, the court faced another attempt at coercing civic affirmation: mandatory recital of the Pledge of Allegiance in public schools. Again, Jehovahs Witnesses refused, believing that this was an act of flag-worship akin to idolatry. Justice Robert H. Jackson, writing for a 6-3 court, offered one of the most stirring articulations of Americas radical free speech jurisprudence: If there is any fixed star in our constitutional firmament, it is that no official, high or petty, can prescribe what shall be orthodox in politics, nationalism, religion or other matters of opinion. Showing up to vote may well be a laudable act, one to be encouraged, an admirable exercise of civic duty and participation in our system of government. But as a matter of opinion, it is not the governments role to impose that view as compulsory orthodoxy. If you dont want to vote, its your right not to vote. Andy Craig is a staff writer at the Cato Institute, where he is the associate editor of the bimonthly magazine Cato Policy Report and the quarterly publication Catos Letter. He wrote this for InsideSources.com. I was driving down Alby Street last Tuesday when the sight of several yards trimmed with small American flags served to remind me that June 14 is Flag Day. Wedged between Memorial Day and Independence Day, Flag Day tends to get overlooked by even the most conscientious Americans. Flag Day owes its existence to Bernard J. Cigrand, a Wisconsin native who later moved to Illinois. While teaching at the Stony Hill School in Waubeka, Wisconsin, Cigrand held the first formal observance of Flag Day on June 14, 1885. Cigrand chose this date because it marked the anniversary of a resolution passed by the Second Continental Congress in 1777 stating that the flag of the 13 United States be 13 stripes, alternate red and white, and that the union be 13 stars, white in a blue field, representing a new constellation. Stony Hill School, a one-room schoolhouse, was restored decades ago and is now a museum. Upon moving to the Prairie State, Cigrand worked as a dentist and served from 1903 to 1906 as dean of what is now the University of Illinois at Chicagos College of Dentistry. Cigrand continued to promote the establishment of June 14 as Flag Day. His efforts were finally rewarded when President Woodrow Wilson in 1916 proclaimed the date as Flag Day. Congress on Aug. 3, 1949, passed a resolution formally establishing Flag Day, which was signed into law by President Harry Truman. I always display the flag outside my book shop to honor the Dunphy Buildings role as an Underground Railroad station. Our nations flag served as a symbol of freedom during the Civil War. As I observed in a July 7, 2019, Telegraph column: The Stars and Stripes was more than a mere flag for the Union armies that entered the South. It was a banner of liberation. While the Emancipation Proclamation had theoretically freed slaves held in the Confederacy, it took the steady advances of the Union armies including its black troops to free these captives. Many slaves participated in their own liberation by fleeing to approaching Union troops. I recall when the flag became a symbol of contention during the Vietnam War. Burning a flag became an integral part of many anti-war demonstrations. Of course this served to infuriate conservative, pro-war Americans who were known as Hawks. Ironically, a particularly high-profile critic of the war urged leftists to embrace the flag. When she spoke at SIUE just before the 1972 presidential election, Jane Fonda admonished us that it was your flag, too and we should take it back from the right-wingers. Keep in mind that Fonda gave us this advice after having visited North Vietnam in July of that year, where she posed for photos while seated on an anti-aircraft gun. Regarding that long-ago photo op, Fonda stated in 2011: It was my mistake and I have paid and continue to pay a heavy price for it I have apologized numerous times for any pain I may have caused servicemen and their families because of this photograph. However, Fonda was right about one thing: conservatives dont own exclusive rights to the flag. And make no mistake: radical leftists who burn Old Glory arent the only Americans that engage in dishonoring our nations flag. Anyone who displays an American flag alongside a Confederate flag is advertising their historical illiteracy for all to see. The Stars and Bars is the banner of treason and secession. Its the flag of a short-lived nation that had white supremacy and perpetual slavery for blacks as its toxic twin pillars. The Confederate flag was carried into battle by enemy soldiers who killed American troops. Many Republicans also dishonor our nations flag by purchasing and displaying versions of it that feature the name and likeness of Donald Trump. This ex-president created the toxic lie that the 2020 election was stolen and used it to solicit $250 million in donations for a non-existent fraud fund. In the words of Ryan Bort in an article for Rolling Stone, Supporters who thought they were donating to election integrity instead saw some of their money funneled to Trump hotels. On Jan. 6, 2021, Trump encouraged his supporters to storm the U.S. Capitol as part of an attempted coup. The image of such a vile criminal doesnt belong on our nations flag. It belongs on a wanted poster. John J. Dunphy is an author, book store owner and recording secretary for the Godfrey Democrats. In our book 100% Democracy: The Case for Universal Voting, E.J. Dionne and I make a case for universal voting that voting should be a required civic duty for every American citizen. Universal voting could be enacted federally or more likely by states or municipalities. If adopted, it would dramatically increase voting participation; make the voting electorate a complete reflection of our population; make government more responsive to everyone; improve the nature of our political campaigns; and, lessen our toxic polarization, at least to a degree. Universal voting has not been seriously discussed in this country, but it is hardly a new or radical idea. First, the system is used in 26 democratic countries worldwide, including Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Greece, Luxembourg, Peru and Uruguay. The processes and practices vary; Australia is probably the best example for us. Mandatory participation has been in place since 1924, nearly 100 years. It is a widely accepted part of the countrys democratic process, and there have been no serious attempts to repeal it. So how does it work? The Australian Electoral Commission a non-partisan, well-funded and professional agency makes every effort to register voters, and conducts energetic public education about coming elections, as do the political parties and civil society organizations. Citizens are well aware of the elections as they get closer and of their responsibility to vote. As of last December, 96.3% of Australians were registered, and in the election of 2019 (the figures are not yet published for the most recent election in May), 91.9% of those registered voted. It is important to note that Australians are not required to vote for any candidate; blank ballots and ballots with comments or cartoons, called donkey ballots, are acceptable. In our recommendations for the U.S., we recommend that a none of the above option be placed on all ballots. After the election, the rolls are examined, and people who do not vote receive a notice asking for the reason. Almost all reasons are accepted, but if there is no response from the non-voter after two attempts, a fine of $20 in Aussie currency ($15 in the U.S.), is assessed. Less than 1% of potential voters were fined; the requirement is a recognized part of the civic culture. And speaking of culture, elections are held on Saturday and have a celebratory nature, complete with ubiquitous democracy sausage stands at almost all polling places. For another reason, closer to home, that voting as a civic duty is not a radical idea, think of jury service. Everyone is required to serve on juries as a matter of civic responsibility. This has been the case for more than 100 years, and we accept it as entirely reasonable, even if we may wince when the summons arrives. The reason for doing this is clear; we want the pool of jurors to be fully reflective of our society as the surest means of a fair outcome. We think the same reasoning applies to voting: we want, or should want, the public policies that affect our lives, and the choices of who will be in office to make them, to be made by all of us, fully represented. And universal voting will bring that to us. There are other benefits as well. We think the nature of campaigns would change for the better. Right now, the currency of the realm in campaigns is to turn out your base and, in worse-case scenarios, depress the turnout of your opposition. Some call this enrage to engage. But if everyone is going to vote, then everyone is listening all the time, and parties and campaigns will have to speak to everyone and will have to persuade a true majority that their ideas are the best. Persuasion, and not hyper-turnout efforts, will be the norm. In turn, that will help to lessen our toxic and increasing polarization. Evidence also shows that in countries with universal voting, policies that help lessen inequality get stronger governmental support, and in our view, that would be a significant benefit. We have been gratified that the initial response to our book and the idea has had far more expressions of interest in universal voting as a potentially game-changing idea and far less of the skepticism that naturally greets any big new proposal. Universal voting is an idea that can move American democracy a long way to our stated ideals of a fully inclusive democracy. We are putting the idea of 100% Democracy forward as a North Star goal, and we are eager for the conversation to begin. Miles Rapoport is co-author, with E.J. Dionne, of 100% Democracy: The Case for Universal Voting. He is the senior practice fellow in American democracy at the Ash Center of the Harvard Kennedy School. He wrote this for InsideSources.com. EDWARDSVILLE The appointment of Christopher Otto as director of Madison County Community Development (MCCD) was approved after being delayed a month. The Madison County Board voted to approve Otto, as well as two other appointments, at its regular meeting Wednesday. Otto has been deputy administrator of MCCD for approximately a year and has served as interim director since former director Dave Tanzyus was appointed county administrator in May 2021. Consideration of Ottos appointment was postponed in May until this months meeting. At Wednesdays meeting board member Mike Babcock, R-Bethalto, motioned to postpone it again, but that was defeated 14-10 with four members absent. All the appointments were then approved unanimously. Also appointed were Kenneth Klostermann to the Highland-Pierron Fire District, to fill the remaining term of Terry Lammers, who resigned; and Bob Whipkey to the Moro Fire District, to fill the remaining term of Dwight D. Darden, who also resigned. The board also approved a contract between the Sheriffs Department and Illinois Department of Children and Family Services to place a deputy with the local DCFS office for both security and investigations. In previous committee discussions, it was noted the officer would provide a measure of safety for DCFS agents in the field on potentially dangerous calls, and would also allow law enforcement to become involved in potential criminal investigations more quickly. Sheriffs Department officials have said there is sometimes a lag between the start of a DCFS investigation and notification of law enforcement that could be eliminated. It had been noted previously part of the emphasis on the program was the stabbing death of a DCFS worker Jan. 4 in Springfield. The total cost for the three-year program will be $138,000 annually and is fully-funded by DCFS. In other business, the board: Approved a resolution allowing a technical assistance contract with the National Development Council. The NDC is a nonprofit that provides specialized training and technical assistance in housing development and economic development finance. The cost of the agreement would be $60,000 for 12 months. Approved a contract with Chicago-based Ernst and Young LLP to provide financial services for its administration of the American Rescue Plan Act, at a cost not to exceed $500,850. Approved an immediate emergency appropriation of $400,000 for a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services grant to expand the countys drug court capacity. Approved a maintenance agreement with USL Financials for the Auditors Office at a cost of $40,915.58. Approved the purchase of a three-year ESRI Enterprise licensing agreement for the countys IT department at a cost of $939,000. Viewed and approved the release of some closed meeting minutes. ALTON Recently, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Head Start announced that families currently enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) would now be automatically eligible for Head Start and Early Head Start services, including school readiness, nutrition and family support. Previously, this option only existed for recipients of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), recipients of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and children in foster care or experiencing homelessness. "This new expanded eligibility for SNAP recipients will allow us to offer our comprehensive early learning and family development program services to help more vulnerable residents thrive in the Madison County, Illinois area," said Gene Howell, president and CEO of Riverbend Head Start and Family Services. Each year, Riverbend Head Start and Family Services provides more than 700 children and families critical programs that develop early learning skills in social and emotional well-being, healthy lifestyles, language and literacy skills, mathematics and other academic needs. The program also empowers parents with life skills, guidance on decision making and setting individual and family goals. As we continue to recruit for the upcoming 2022-23 school year, the new SNAP eligibility will allow us to meet our enrollment numbers," Howell said. "Were hoping to enroll about 300 children including pregnant mothers in our Early Head Start Home Based program and over 400 in our Head Start Center Based program. Historically, we have always been full to capacity but over the past couple of years, its been challenging to reach full enrollment for many reasons some of course due to the pandemic. This is a great time for families with young children and SNAP benefits to apply." Head Start is a model that encompasses education for school readiness, health services, disability and family support services. There are opportunities for parents to participate in a variety of activities as well; such as participation in the classrooms, Parent Group and Policy Council and in a bus monitor capacity. In the Head Start home-visit based program, Family Advocate staff work with the childs family to have a positive and engaging, homeschool connection. To prepare enrolled children for school beyond preschool age, staff provides support to the family. Head Start staff are highly trained in early education, Head Start standards and Illinois licensing regulations. Head Start has full-day and part day classrooms located across Madison County, with six centers serving the following areas: Alton, Bethalto, Collinsville, Cottage Hills, East Alton, Edwardsville, Glen Carbon, Godfrey, Granite City, Hartford, Highland, Madison, Marine, Maryville, Meadowbrook, Moro, Troy, Venice and surrounding communities. Home-based options are available as well. The home-based children and their families participate in Learn and Play sessions once a month to encourage social and emotional skill development. Riverbend Head Starts Health Advocate staff also make home visits to allow the family opportunities to discuss and address any health concerns including dental, vision, hearing, developmental and prenatal to ensure proper care and attention to the familys health needs. Parents seeking a comprehensive school readiness program for children birth to 5 years old, including pregnant mothers, contact Riverbend Head Start and Family Services at 618-463-5946 or enroll@riverbendfamilies.org, or visit www.riverbendfamilies.org for more information. SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) Abortion providers in some places where the procedure could be banned if the U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade are bracing for a ruling by halting scheduling for the procedure, transitioning staff to help patients travel to other states and creating networks of clinics that will span across regions of the country. Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin, which operates three clinics that provide abortions in the state, is not scheduling the procedure beyond June 25 as it anticipates a late June decision reversing the landmark 1973 decision that guaranteed abortion rights nationwide. The organization in recent weeks has dedicated two staff members to help patients book appointments and figure out how to get to clinics. Whether clinics in Wisconsin will be able to provide abortions, though, has turned into a day-to-day question. One of the hardest aspects of this is not knowing what day this decision will come down and what it will be, said Michelle Velasquez, the director of legal advocacy and services at Planned Parenthood Wisconsin. The unknown has been difficult. It's a window into what abortion providers and access funds are planning in more than a dozen other states across the South and Midwest. In South Dakota this week, the states only abortion clinic, also operated by Planned Parenthood, announced it had paused scheduling abortions beyond the end of the month. In Oklahoma, providers already stopped the procedure after a law was enacted to ban it. In Wisconsin, a law banning abortion has been on the books since 1849, but Roe v. Wade overrode it. While Roe's fall would likely spark a legal tussle over whether it is valid, Planned Parenthood does not want to put its staff at risk of prosecution. Velasquez said clinic staff wanted to provide abortions in Wisconsin up until the last minute it was legal, but also had to consider that scheduling appointments for dates when it could become illegal could create uncertainty and be distressing for patients. Velasquez acknowledged that the Supreme Court could release its decision as soon as next week, even while Planned Parenthood has appointments on the books. She said if that happened, Planned Parenthood would help those patients book appointments for abortions in nearby states, such as Minnesota and Illinois. Patients could still get counseling, lab work and ultrasounds in Wisconsin in the meantime. We wouldnt leave patients, like, Youre on your own, Velasquez said. Even if we cant provide the medications or we cant do a procedure, we are absolutely able to help people find the care they need, she added. The strategy will inevitably put more pressure on providers in states in the region where abortion will still be legal, said Caitlyn Myers, an economic professor at Middlebury College who studies abortion access. As hundreds of thousands of women flood out of these states, it is going to enormously tax the resources of these providers, she said. I dont think they are prepared for this huge influx. It comes as the number and rates of U.S. abortions is on the rise after a long decline. Abortions increased from 2017 to 2020, according to figures from the Guttmacher Institute, a research group that supports abortion rights. It counted more than 930,000 abortions in the U.S. in 2020. Clinics shuttering, like one did in Idaho recently, or halting scheduling show that a post-Roe reality has already arrived in many places. Myers said getting an appointment for an abortion may soon become "critical" across the country. ___ Follow AP's coverage of abortion at https://apnews.com/hub/abortion GODFREY Godfrey Mayor Mike McCormick issued a news release to Godfrey residents regarding the storm early Friday morning. "Due to the storm damage that occurred in the village of Godfrey on Friday, June 17, I am declaring a State of Emergency in order to extend the yard waste burn ordinance," McCormick said. "Burning for yard debris will be allowed in the Village from Saturday, June 18, through Wednesday, July 6." As stated in the ordinance, burning will only be allowed Wednesdays and Saturdays during the emergency period from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. This page requires Javascript. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Everyday investors remain largely shut out of initial public offerings and follow on fundraising, according to two leading brokers who have this week launched a new service to improve access. There have been a series of high profile listings in London during the pandemic, from Deliveroo to Oxford Nanopore, but most have excluded everyday investors. To combat this AJ Bell and Hargreaves Lansdown launched a new retail share offer service to improve access to IPOs and secondary fundraising markets. Left out in the cold: Everyday investors have been shut out of the vast majority of listings in London 'The hope is that as more companies seek to open up to retail investors, both at IPO and for follow-on capital raisings, this new service will be a compelling and accessible proposition that UK plc will find increasingly difficult to justify ignoring,' the brokers said. Brokers have long campaigned for increased access for everyday investors. Last year Interactive Investor, which has also been pushing for better access to IPOs, said that without the investment trust sector the number of IPOs available to retail buyers would be minimal. Dr Martens, Moonpig, Oxford Nanopore Technologies and Deliveroo all left everyday investors out in the cold. Since October 2020, ordinary investors have had access to just 21 of 182 IPOs. 'One of the problems is that companies are dissuaded from including a retail element in their IPO by their financial advisers because it is easier and quicker for them to place shares with the institutions that they know,' said AJ Bell boss Andy Bell. How will it work? If a listed company launches an ABB or IPO Retail Offer clients will be notified by their broker so they can login and place an instruction You will usually receive a notification on the same day as the ABB. It will typically often after the market closes and close later that evening Brokers will only allow existing shareholders to use the service 'This ignores the benefits of shareholder diversification, brand awareness and customer loyalty that can be gained by including retail investors in an IPO.' AJ Bell and Hargreaves Lansdown claim their new offering, which will be powered by REX, will make it easier for companies to connect with investors. The new share offer service will also help ordinary investors participate in fundraisings conducted by way of 'Accelerated Book Build' (ABB) through their brokers in their general investment account, Isa or Sipp. Chris Hill, chief executive of Hargreaves Lansdown, said: 'Existing investors miss the opportunity to buy additional shares at a discounted price and free from stamp duty and the transaction results in their existing shareholdings being diluted, a loss of value through no fault of their own. This has to change. 'There has been some progress from the Government to support the retail investors. 'However, we are not there yet, and we are acutely aware that it is UK plc that still holds many of the cards around retail access to IPOs, company fundraisings, and the preservation of pre-emption rights.' Hong Kong: BioNTech jabs' interval extended In response to the latest advice from experts, the Government called on people aged 18 to 59 to pay attention to the extension of the time interval between the first and the second doses of the BioNTech vaccine from three weeks to eight weeks. Starting from 9am on June 22, people aged 18 to 59 can select an appointment time slot which is eight weeks after they have received their first dose of the BioNTech vaccine at the COVID-19 Vaccination Programme's booking system. People who have made an appointment for receiving their second dose of the BioNTech vaccine can cancel their booking first or change the reserved time slot via the designated website later. The arrangement is only applicable to people aged 18 to 59 who will receive their second dose of the BioNTech vaccine. The recommendations on the time for receiving vaccination for those from other age groups and recovered people remain unchanged. The recommendation of extending the interval between the first and second doses of the BioNTech vaccine for people aged 18 to 59 years was given today by the Scientific Committee on Vaccine Preventable Diseases and the Scientific Committee on Emerging & Zoonotic Diseases, joined by the Chief Executives expert advisory panel after a meeting yesterday. The experts reviewed the situation of myocarditis following the use of the BioNTech vaccine and noted more evidence suggesting a longer dosing interval between the first and second doses would result in better immune response and lower risk of myocarditis and/or pericarditis, the Government explained. Separately, the experts noted that human cases of monkeypox have been reported in some endemic and non-endemic countries, and a further spread is possible. At the moment, two types of vaccines are available overseas for use to prevent monkeypox, ie the second-generation smallpox vaccine and the third-generation vaccine. Having reviewed the latest scientific evidence and the World Health Organizations recommendations as well as overseas health authorities, and taking the local context into account, the committees considered that mass vaccination in Hong Kong is not recommended for monkeypox. Moreover, first- or second-generation smallpox vaccines are not recommended for use in the context of monkeypox. Subject to the availability of a monkeypox vaccine, post-exposure prophylaxis for contacts of cases is advised to prevent the onset of the disease. Pre-exposure prophylaxis for certain high-risk groups, such as healthcare workers taking care of monkeypox patients and laboratory personnel working with zoonotic pox viruses, could be considered when a monkeypox vaccine is available. This story has been published on: 2022-06-17. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Kingsport, TN (37660) Today Mainly clear. Low near 55F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight Mainly clear. Low near 55F. Winds light and variable. Keystone Presbyterian Church, 505 Bert St., Johnson City: Sunday school will begin at 10 a.m., followed by the worship service at 11. This week's sermon will be The Holy Spirit: What He Does," from John 16:7-15. Information, visit faithlife.com/keystonepc. NEW PALTZ An indicted village man used a former Wells Fargo bank in the middle of this college town as one of his stash houses during a drug-trafficking operation, officials confirmed Thursday. That and other details emerged a day after state Attorney General Letitia James announced the indictment of 12 people in the Ulster County-based operation, which allegedly distributed cocaine and fake prescription pills packed with heroin and methamphetamine across New York state. The 275-count indictment revolves around 39-year-old New Paltz resident Christopher Pulichene, who was charged with operating as a major trafficker, a crime which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison. Drugs with a street value of nearly $1.4 million were seized during raids targeting the drug ring, according to the attorney generals office. Authorities said the operation supplied narcotics in parts of the Hudson Valley and the Capital Region. Ulster County Sheriff Juan Figueroa confirmed the two stash houses raided in New Paltz were the former bank and 7 Ridge Road, a residence in the village. Police also raided stash houses in Kingston and Wappingers Falls, according to James. The bank branch was sold in February and was not occupied when it was raided, though Wells Fargo still maintained an ATM at the location. Sheriff Figueroa said the contraband was found in the bank buildings basement. The basement was accessible through the buildings lobby, Figeuroa said, as opposed to through the more secure interior. Figueroa could not say how the defendants accessed the bank basement. The building was sold to a Warwick-based LLC in Feburary 2022, according to property tax records. The attorney who represented the LLC in the purchase, Wayne Graff, said it was a small landholding company created to purchase the building. The LLC had bought the building from local commercial landlord Dino Toscani, Graff said. The site of the other stash house, 7 Ridge Road, was listed as the address of A-10 Tactical, a DBA owned by Pulichene from 2011-2016, during which time he was a federally licensed firearms dealer, according to local and federal records. Police recovered 11 kilograms of cocaine with a street value of about $1.2 million and more than 20,000 pills, 39 firearms and $120,000 cash in the case, though it has not been revealed what contraband was found in which location. The investigation involved wiretaps, according to James office, and the indictment is filled with quotes from phone conversations, texts, and messages allegedly sent through the encrypted messaging app Signal. The messages in the indictment refer to oranges fake Adderall pills packed with methamphetamine, blues or berries fake Oxycodone pills packed with heroin, and greens or beans fake Xanax pills. In the alleged multi-pronged conspiracy, Kingston resident Joshua Guldy supplied fake Oxycodone pills to Alton Countryman and Thekla Countryman of Kingston, who resold the pills to Pulichene and others, according to the indictment. Pulichene would then sell the pills to lower-level dealers. Pulichene also received packages of fake Adderall pills from the West Coast and cocaine from the Gulf Coast, according to the attorney generals office, and would re-sell the drugs to lower-level dealers based in Ulster, Dutchess and Saratoga counties, who would then sell the pills around New York and elsewhere. The lower-level dealers would ask to buy the pills in quantities of up to 300 at a time, according to the indictment. Robert Curry, who was also indicted, was part of a scheme to sell cocaine unrelated to the other defendants, authorities said. Figueroa praised the work between members of the Ulster Regional Gang Enforcement Narcotics Team (URGENT) and the attorney generals organized crime task force. He said the two agencies instantly became a team. URGENT investigator Joe Stock led the investigation. The defendants face an array of felony drug sale, drug possession and weapons possession charges amounting to hundreds of years of prison time. Of the 12 people indicted, 11 were arrested as of Wednesday. A twelfth defendant, Devyn Wolny, of New Paltz, was not in the country and remained at large as of Friday afternoon, according to the attorney generals office. Farming is backbreaking work. But in todays climate, its no longer enough to plant, grow, water, protect, market and sell crops. To generate interest and create revenue streams that go far beyond ripe tomatoes, it helps to be a creative event coordinator. To wit: farms all over the Hudson Valley now host dinners, movie nights, pizza parties, pizza-and-movie nights, sunset yoga in the fields, and summer camp. Many farms offer all of the above, like Phillies Bridge Farm Project in New Paltz. Agritourism is a thing, too. Glamping platforms near fields of greens can fetch a premium. So can space for weddings (bonus for ancient barns festooned with strings of lights). Pick-your-own is a time-honored way to lure consumers to the farm. Today, traditional apples and strawberries have given way to U-pick asparagus (Greig Farm in Red Hook), cherries (including black sours at Fix Brothers fruit farm in Hudson), and flowers. Its all a draw. Until its not. One too many perfectly imperfect on-farm pizzas and new concepts are needed to entice farm goers. For 2022 this means on-farm workshops. Between now and Labor Day, locals, weekenders, and tourists alike on both sides of the Hudson will have ample opportunity to learn how to jam, freeze, pickle, identify medicinal wild plants, keep bees, and much more. At Phillies Bridge Farm in New Paltz, workshops include an intro to food preservation (June 21) and an entire class devoted to what to make with tomatoes (salsa, sauce, canned, dried August 9). Theres also a mushroom walk on July 23 with a mycologist through their 60 acres of forest. I have been trying to bring in some workshops to get people on the farm and familiar with what we do. People like them, said Jazmine Langlitz, education director. Phillies Bridge has offered classes before and felt it was time to again. We are really hoping to bring back the adult education portion that died town with COVID, Langlitz said. Some planned workshops are recycled topics, while others, like willow basket weaving and a silent disco, are inaugural offerings. We are trying to pepper in new things. About an hour north in Cairo, at Wild Hudson Valleys forest farm, Justin Wexler and his wife Anna Plattner are also hosting on-farm workshops. On June 25, there will be a medicine walk with Mohican herbalist Misty Cook. Lenape elder Theresa Johnson will do a corn husk doll class on August 9. The couple grow historic indigenous varieties of corn, beans, and squash, as well as a variety of native, semi-wild veggies, fruits, mushrooms and nuts, many of which show up in the wild harvest boxes for their foraged CSA. We are not a traditional farm. Everything we plant is an installation for education, said Wexler, a forest farmer. To the untrained eye, their land might just look like woods, but its actually planted with almost 200 species of native medicinals. Ones the general public might be familiar with include goldenseal and American elderberry. Wild Hudson Valleys events are open to the public, though some attendees might be overnight guests at one of the four sites on their eco campground. Theres a two-night minimum and campers can add on educational opportunities like these workshops, as well as bird-watching and shiitake mushroom log inoculation. Wexler also works with local educational organizations like the Hudson River Maritime Museum he gives talks about Indigenous life on their solar boat cruises. But he and Plattner have been trying to find ways to mostly work for themselves and on their land since 2021. As environmental educators, the workshops make sense. We are just trying to make a living off of our education, he said. At Phillies Bridge, sharing land is more of the focus than additional revenue streams beyond selling vegetables. Part of our mission is accessibility. We feel that goes along with the land, [which was] donated to the Farm Project, said Langlitz. We want to make sure it is accessible to BIPOC, LGBTQ, anyone who wants to use it. Thats a goal in opening up our workshops were hoping to bring in different groups. Where to sign up for on-farm workshops around the Hudson Valley Backland, Unadilla BIPOC Beekeeping Course An introductory class for Black, Indigenous and people of color interested in beekeeping. Attendees will learn what they need to establish their own apiary. This course is led by beeswax candlemaker Alysia Mazzella. Registration required. June 26, noon to 2:30 p.m. Seed Song Farm, Kingston Wooskee Indigenous Lifeways Program Most of the educational offerings at Seed Song are for kids, but nestled on their events page between drum circles and potlucks are ample opportunities to learn, including this program. There will be guests of all ages from the farms local Indigenous and allies partners who will pass down traditions, skills and stories to participants. June 21, 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. Tiny Hearts Farm, Copake Poppytalk: Secrets to Successful Poppies Tiny Hearts workshops are either held at their flower shop in Hillsdale or directly on the farm in Copake. This evening on the farm is dedicated solely to poppies. Tiny Hearts owner and head grower will address the challenges of and secrets to cultivating what may be the most intriguing flower we grow. The plan is to cover everything from sowing seeds to harvesting, with a bonus visit to the poppy fields in bloom. June 25, 5 to 6:30 p.m. Common Ground, Wappingers Falls Saturday Studio on the Farm (in partnership with Dia) Reservations are required for this family-friendly outdoor art-making workshop. In addition to educational programs for kids (including a farm camp, preschool on the farm, and birthday parties), Common Ground typically offers a variety of adult-specific workshops, too. Past ones on sustainable textiles taught participants how to repair fabrics like wool sweaters and denim. Others have covered composting, keeping bees and chickens, and edible landscaping. June 18, 10:30 a.m. to noon If its interesting or doable, Ill build it. Jimmy DiResta says that in the intro to his Netflix show Making Fun, which premiered in March. Filmed at his shop in East Durham, DiResta and his friends design and build projects a giant catapult that slings cat poop, a pirate ship that launches pizza and a two-passenger boat thats shaped like a guitar and plays like one proposed by elementary school-aged children. The idea of just doing interesting things has always driven DiResta, whether it was making toys, landing a handful of television shows or starting a successful YouTube channel. Its one of the reasons why he started maker camps, first out of his East Durham home and now at the nearby Blackthorne Resort. DiRestas fascination with creating started as a kid growing up on Long Island. His father was a firefighter and a carpenter and as such maintained a large workshop for his various building and making needs. Both DiResta and his brother John were drawn to the shop and its possibilities. My dad was a big inspiration, he was a junk collector and tool collector; hed pick up whatever he could fit on the seat of his car, he said. Hed encourage me and my brother to make signs, wed take these samples to school of individual letters on a base to show kids and charge 25 cents a letter. Wed bring home a book with the letters hand-drawn, then jig-saw them out; wed sell designs at flea markets, things like logos, band names, DiResta continued. By the time I was 17, 18 I was working at sign shops and cutting letters on a handsaw. From there, DiResta studied at the New York School of Visual Arts. His interests expanded into three-dimensional design and at the encouragement of a teacher, DiResta went into the toy business. DiResta Toys had its own location in New York City for several years and sold products at major retailers like FAO Schwartz and Toys r Us. But DiRestas interests went beyond the Gurgling Gutz and other creations. John, a comedian, had an idea to pair his comedy with Jimmys design and building. This led to Trash to Cash in 2002, where the brothers picked through garbage and made it into stuff. In 2006, the DiRestas pitched and sold Hammered, a hybrid home improvement-and-comedy show, to HGTV. After that they starred in Discoverys Dirty Money, finding and restoring discarded items to sell at flea markets. A couple years ago Jimmy went out on his own and became a central character on NBCs Nick Offerman and Amy Poehler-hosted Making It. As his TV career started to develop, DiRestas girlfriend encouraged him to start his own YouTube channel. It was an opportunity for him to have my own little network and do things in my style. Now numbering nearly 2 million subscribers, the DiResta channel is an opportunity for him to utilize the machinery hes obtained over the years and showcase the projects hes working on, like his recently completed front porch renovation and ongoing boat construction. With content creation you do it because you love it, not for revenue, he said. A big inspiration for me was Sesame Street; it would just show you what they were doing. I dont use a lot of voice-over, I let the tools make the sound and just show how I use machines to make stuff. If I can salvage a machine and use it to make something to sell, Ill keep it, DiResta continued. Im always asking, How can I use this? The YouTube channel and the development of the DiResta brand really took off once he moved from New York City to his East Durham farmhouse. He had purchased the property in 2004 and used it part-time. In 2017 he made it his full-time residence. I was stuck in this rat race and trying to get ahead, and the city was just much more crowded, he said. Day-and-night alternate side parking, and the rent for my apartment and workshop went up, coming upstate was a better idea. Its a pivotal part of what I do, DiResta added. Utilizing it in my YouTube videos helped provide the inspiration to have people come in for classes. DiResta and friend Austin Handel started Catskill Mountain Maker Camp in 2016. With the help of fellow makers, DiResta opened up his house for visitors to stay and offered blacksmithing, woodworking and hammer-making classes on his property. The camp has since grown and become a four-day summit at Blackthorne Resort. For DiResta, its an opportunity to engage with professional makers and artisans such as himself. But it also allows him to foster a space where anyone, regardless of race or gender, interested in honing workshop skills and creating can come together. We jammed everybody into my house. We were friends with everyone, but it just put a lot of stress on the house and me and my girlfriend as hosts, DiResta said. Once the opportunity came to move it somewhere bigger, we did. Seeing so many people and having a real purpose is great, he continued. Everyone brings their own unique personality, their own thing they show and share. Maybe theyre into woodworking or theyre a printer and they get to share their love and passion. It ends up being this enlightened, empowering thing for so many. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate PRAGUE (AP) Russia reduced natural gas to Europe again Friday, including cutting flows by half to Italy and Slovakia and completely to France, as countries have worked to ease their dependence on Russian supplies amid the war in Ukraine. It marks the third day of significant reductions to the fuel that powers industry and generates electricity in Europe, which also have hit Germany and Austria. It has further spiked already-high energy prices that are driving record inflation in the European Union. Russia has blamed a technical problem for the cuts to the key Nord Stream 1 pipeline serving Germany and France, saying equipment being refurbished in Canada was stuck there because of Western sanctions. Leaders in Germany and Italy called the reductions a political move, and it's escalated the energy tensions in Europe, following Russia's previous cutoff of natural gas to Poland, Bulgaria, Finland, the Netherlands and Denmark. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Friday that the reductions are blackmail (against) both individual countries and Europe as a whole. Russia told Slovakias state-controlled gas company SPP that it would reduce deliveries to the country by 50%, SPP director Richard Prokypcak told a conference in Bratislava. The reason for the reduction has not been made clear. Russian state-owned energy giant Gazprom told Italian gas company Eni on the same day that it would supply only 50% of the amount of gas requested for Friday, reducing the flow to one of Europe's biggest importers of Russian gas for a third day. Gazprom reduced by 15% Italy's requested delivery on Wednesday. The ANSA news agency reported the Russian company dropped it by 35% on Thursday. Italy gets 40% of its gas from Russia but has been working to find alternative sources in countries like Algeria. And France is no longer receiving any natural gas from Russia. The French gas network operator GRTGaz said Russian supplies via Germany came to a halt Wednesday, after dropping by 60% over the first five months of the year. The operator said Friday that despite the halt in Russian supplies, no disruptions to gas supplies are expected this summer, in part thanks to more shipments via Spain. France normally gets about 17% of its natural gas from Russia, but overall gas is a relatively small part of Frances energy mix, at about 16%. The cut in supplies to France was a consequence of the already-known reduction of gas supplies via the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, German Economy Ministry spokesman Stephan Gabriel Haufe said. He didnt have further details of specific reasons for the cut. Russia has said Canadian sanctions prevented German partner Siemens Energy from delivering equipment that had been sent there to be overhauled. The German government said maintenance shouldnt have been an issue until the fall and the Russian decision was meant sow uncertainty and push up prices. Both we and Germany and others maintain its a lie, theres a political use of gas by Russia, Italian Premier Mario Draghi said in Ukraines capital, Kyiv, on Thursday. In Slovakia, Prokypcak downplayed the impact of the cuts despite facing a real risk (the supplies from Russia) will halt completely, the CTK news agency quoted him as saying. In the previous days, the cuts reached 10% on Wednesday and 34% on Thursday. To diversify supplies, Slovakia has recently struck a deal with Norway to receive gas from the North Sea through Germany and also liquefied gas from other countries. 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. Economy Minister Richard Sulik said the new deals would reduce his countrys dependence on Russian gas by 65%. Before the deals, Slovakia received 85% of its gas from Russia. Slovakia has about one-third of the countrys one-year consumption in its gas storages and was planning to have enough gas for the winter season stored by July 10. Austrian oil and gas company OMV said Thursday that Gazprom had informed it of a reduction in supplies but didnt specify by how much. The European Union is trying to reduce gas imports from Russia by two-thirds by the end of the year and has used imported liquid gas from the United States to start making up that gap. But an explosion and fire at a key U.S. export facility in Freeport, Texas, took one-fifth of the countrys gas export capacity offline and underlined concerns about the fragility of Europes gas supplies. Short-term natural gas prices remained elevated Friday, at 126 euros per megawatt for month-ahead gas futures. That is up some 50% from Monday. Gas prices had fallen with the end of the winter heating season, offering some relief to European utilities scrambling to refill underground storage to have enough to get through next winter. ___ AP writers Angela Charlton in Paris, Geir Moulson in Berlin, and Nicole Winfield and Frances DEmilio in Rome contributed. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate KINSHASA, Congo (AP) Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi on Friday accused Rwanda of trying to occupy his country's land for its vast mineral wealth, the latest escalation in tensions between the two neighbors that has led to talk of war. There was no immediate reaction to the Congolese president's comments, though Rwanda has long denied supporting the M23 rebels who captured a key town in eastern Congo earlier this week. Earlier in the day, Rwanda said that a Congolese soldier had crossed the border and began shooting at Rwandan security forces and civilians before being shot dead. In his comments, Congo's president called on international leaders including British Prime Minister Boris Johnson to step up the pressure on Rwanda when it hosts the Commonwealth summit next week. The security situation in the east of the country continues to deteriorate, and fundamentally because Rwanda seeks to occupy our land, rich in gold, coltan and cobalt, for their own exploitation and profit, the Congolese president said. "This is an economic war for the battle of resources, fought by Rwandas terrorist gangs. Eastern Congolese civilians are innocents under brutal attack from our neighbor, he added. Decades-old tensions between Rwanda, which has one of Africas most effective militaries, and Congo, one of the continents largest and most troubled countries, have spiked along their shared border a few hours drive from Rwandas capital, Kigali, Alarm has reached the point where Kenyas president is urging the immediate deployment of a newly created regional force to eastern Congo to keep the peace. Rwanda already has said it would contribute troops. Congo's president, though, said late Friday that his country "will not accept the participation of Rwanda in this joint force. Each side has accused the other of incursions. Congo now seeks to suspend all agreements with Rwanda. If Rwanda wants war, it will have war, a spokesman for the military governor of Congos North Kivu province told thousands of protesters on Wednesday. Rwandas state minister for foreign affairs in charge of East African affairs, Manasseh Nshuti, told reporters Friday that dialogue is the solution" to the issues with Congo. 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 in the day, a Rwanda Defense Force statement said the unidentified Congolese soldier crossed the border Friday morning in Rubavu district and injured two Rwandan police officers. The statement said a Rwanda National Police officer fired in self-defense and the Congolese soldier was killed. The Rwandan statement said Congolese authorities were informed and border officials from both countries were at the scene. A body of military experts from regional states also was at the scene. The situation at the border is now calm, Rwandas statement said. A Congo government spokesman confirmed an incident but gave no details. The body of the Congolese soldier was taken back across the border and into the city of Goma, where a large crowd accompanied the car with his remains while shouting hero. ___ Ssuuna reported from Kigali, Rwanda. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate SCHENECTADY The citys first charter school in over a decade was dealt a significant setback on Wednesday when city planners tabled site plan approval of the proposed downtown location, citing the need for school officials to submit an updated plan outlining student transportation flows and cosmetic changes to sidewalk infrastructure that would further chip away at parking. Destine Preparatory Charter School officials described a tightly choreographed routine, timed down to 90-second intervals, in which a pair of buses would drop off and pick up students every morning and afternoon. Yet the city Planning Commission raised questions over the precise number of parking spots on two connecting streets, among other safety and traffic issues generated by plopping a school with 120 students down in the center of a rapidly changing neighborhood by Aug. 29, the schools tentative opening date. The three-story building is wedged between LaFayette and Barrett streets, each of which present their own emerging dynamics that will need to be factored into planning. LaFayette Street is used by city police as a primary thoroughfare and its not uncommon for cruisers to leave the Liberty Street headquarters and accelerate to emergencies. At the same time, Barrett Street is narrower and has already grappled with a reduction of parking spaces as a 64-unit apartment building, a facility without a parking garage, nears completion at the southwest end of the block. The neighborhood in recent years has simmered over parking issues, where a default position by developers has been to promote on-street parking and the use of municipal lots, which are already groaning with increased traffic. At present, Destine Preparatory Charter School has locked in about 50 parking spaces far fewer than the 80 required by city code some of which may be whittled away with the installation of trees, planters and green space, which has long been a priority of city planners. The school has also worked out shared parking agreements with neighboring businesses. And with so many variables in a dense urban environment, city Planning Commissioner Mary Moore Wallinger said school officials also needed to prepare for parents willfully violating parking requirements during madcap dashes to school. Parents will do anything they can to get as close to the school as possible, Wallinger said. Re'Shawn Rogers, the school's founding executive director, said he was aware of the concerns and school staff are mapping out an extensive drilling process this summer to replicate arrival and dismissal times. The twice-daily bus drop-offs and pickups will ideally have a 90-second turnaround time, he said. Its a concern of ours as well, which is why were taking so much time to make it clear, Rogers said. We dont want any issues and safety is very, very important to us as well. 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. All of the above dynamics need to be reflected in a written plan that must be reviewed by the city Engineering Department, Wallinger said, as well as Signal Control. We need the [project] drawings to reflect whats proposed, Wallinger said. The postponement pits Destine Preparatory Charter School, which has already signed a lease with 530 Franklin St., against the clock. Officials have said they aim to welcome 120 kindergarten and first-grade students to the school by Aug. 29. But there are two city Planning Commission meetings remaining until the proposed launch, including a session on Aug. 17 mere weeks before the targeted open date. Paperwork submitted to the citys Development Office indicates Destine wants to renovate the third floor, approximately 11,000 square feet, to accommodate four elementary classrooms, administrative offices and a multipurpose room with a total of about 15 employees. The school would operate from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. During the approval process last year, school officials in their application to the state said the plan was to start off with kindergartners and first-graders and then successively add a grade each year for the next four years until it serves 390 students through grade 5. The last charter school serving the Electric City closed in 2008, when the state ordered the K-4 International Charter School of Schenectady, located just over the border in Rotterdam, to close. CLEVELAND, Tenn. (AP) A Tennessee sheriff's deputy fatally shot a man early Thursday when confronted with a threat on scene, officials said. Bradley County Sheriffs Office deputies responded to a home in Cleveland where a man was reportedly threatening self-harm, news outlets reported, citing a statement from the agency. Deputies made contact with Christian Robert Jensen, 54, who was threatening to pull a gun, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said in a statement. As deputies attempted to negotiate with him, one of them fired at Jensen, striking and killing him, the statement said. The reason that the deputy fired is being reviewed, according to the bureau, which is conducting an independent investigation of the shooting. The sheriff's statement said deputies were confronted with a threat," but it did not describe the type of threat posed. 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. Authorities provided first aid, but the man was pronounced dead at the scene. The deputies were placed on routine leave, Sheriff Steve Lawson said. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate ALBANY May was supposed to be the start of a new chapter in Ahsid Hemmingway-Powells life. She turned 30 on May 6. She graduated from the University at Albany on May 14 with a degree in biology and had plans to move to California. She wanted to go to school to become a physician assistant. Her older brother, Amir, invited her to join him on a Memorial Day weekend jaunt to Miami to celebrate the changes in her life, but she said "no," she had things to do. In a Facebook post days before her death, she alluded to the new direction. Im grateful for making it this far && Im leaving everything in the past, the post reads in part. I started a new book. Its called No chances, No Drama All Pressure! On May 31, Albany police found Hemmingway-Powell dead in her Loudon Arms apartment after her mother was unable to contact her that weekend. Hemmingway-Powell, a transgender woman, was the citys sixth homicide victim this year. Police have released few details about her death, including how she died. On Thursday, a city police spokesman said her death was still under investigation. Hemmingway-Powells mother, Jackie Powell, said she believes someone who knew her daughter killed her. She would have had to let the person into her apartment, she noted. But beyond that, Powell said she doesnt know much. It had to be somebody she knew, she said. She buzzed them in, or they were out (together) and they took her key, that's just my feeling. Powell and her son, Amir, recalled Hemmingway-Powell as an outgoing, confident, outspoken woman who loved her family. She was funny, Powell said in a recent interview. She had no filter, but she was kind. I love the fact that she always spoke up for herself. She always spoke up for herself. Hemmingway-Powell was born in Albany. She was a premature baby and spent time in the hospital with respiratory issues. As a result, her mother doted on her growing up. She was my baby, Powell said of her second-youngest child. They took my baby from me. From a young age, Ahsid was a performer. Powells children would often hold impromptu talent shows and competitions, trying to outdo each other in dances or songs. Ahsid could dance from the time she could walk, Amir recalled. Ahsid would always be the little star, he said. I think thats initially where her love of performing started. When she was older, she participated in modeling shows. She continued her love of performance through rapping, going by the name Chum Chum Balenciaga and posting her freestyles on YouTube. Her style and approach were heavily influenced by rappers like Nicki Minaj, her brother said. She struggled at times growing up. In a recent Facebook post, she recalled feeling frustrated at school after having to take a state test for a third time before getting her high school diploma. She wasnt sure she had passed and remembered questioning where her life was going at the time. But she passed. Several years later, she made the decision to go back to school to get a college degree. She hung out a while after she got out of high school and then one day she was like, Mommy, I'm gonna go to college, Powell said. She enrolled at Hudson Valley Community College and earned an associate degree in 2020. At UAlbany, she decided to major in biology. While in school she worked at the Walmart Supercenter on Washington Avenue Extension. At first, Hemmingway-Powell thought she wanted to become a nurse. But she brimmed with confidence and always spoke her mind, her mother recalled. As a nurse, doctors would be able to overrule her and tell her what to do. But she realized as a physician assistant, she could make more money, have more training and more autonomy to make medical decisions. She took her role as a future health care professional seriously, urging her mother to exercise more to combat her diabetes. Her dream was to be an advocate for other transgender individuals seeking medical care, her brother said. 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. By being able to share her story with other younger transgender women and transgender youth, she could help them, he said. She wanted to stand for something different and be that voice and that support for others in the transgender community. Tandra LaGrone, executive director of In Our Own Voices, an advocacy group for LGBTQ people of color, said members of the LGBTQ community, especially transgender women, face a higher likelihood of being victims of violent crimes. We as a community are much more likely to experience violence, she said. One out of two transgender women have experienced a form of violence. Transgender women of color are inordinately affected by violence, making up four out of five of all homicides of transgender, non-binary and gender non-conforming people, according to the Human Rights Campaign. In Our Own Voices has started a reward for information leading to the arrest of Hemmingway-Powells killer. The group initially offered a $1,000 reward, which has since tripled, thanks to donations. LaGrone said city police had not shared many details but that she was confident in their investigation. In Our Own Voices offers support and programs for LGBTQ community members who are crime victims. LaGrone said the organization will walk them through the process, connect them with resources and help report the crime to the police if they want. The number is 518-432-4188. During last weekend's pride celebration, Mayor Kathy Sheehan and Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado read proclamations honoring Ahsid. Powell said she was touched by their gesture to recognize her daughter. She said she never questioned her daughters decision to transition. She loved her child regardless of who she was or how she chose to identify. For a while though, she would still catch herself referring to Hemmingway-Powell as "he" or "him." That always brought a quick retort, along with a clicking of fingernails to drive home the point. Mommy, get your pronouns right! Hemmingway-Powell would tell her. To celebrate her college graduation Powell wanted to throw her daughter a big party. Her daughter declined. Instead, she asked for a dinner with her siblings and other family members with her favorite foods. The menu included seafood stuffing, turkey wings, macaroni and cheese, lamb chops and lasagna. Family was what Hemmingway-Powell fell back on. She adored her young relatives, teaching them Tik Tok dances, going to their games and urging her oldest nephew to go to college because it meant the others would follow. She loved everybody. I dont understand what happened, Powell said. She just wanted to make the world a better place any way she could. The author of Banning the hijab may backfire on governments (May 30) does not explain why the hijab is banned in French schools. France has a stricter version of secularism than the United States, based on a 1905 law. Religion belongs to private, not public space; there is a rigid separation between the two. The French version particularly applies to public schools, where any visible expression of religious affiliation Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Muslim -- is banned. This ban is viewed by French law as a sign of respect for the private religious beliefs of every student. In the past, Catholic students were not allowed to visually overwhelm their Jewish or Muslim classmates with the wearing of crosses, which could have sent a message of exclusion (We are all Catholic, you do not belong.) Caution has been urged around waterways at the start of the summer season. Water Safety Ireland, the Coast Guard and the RNLI issued a joint appeal on National Water Safety Awareness Week. Some 79 people drowned in 2021, up three from 2020 but below the annual average of 111 each year over the last decade. In total, 1,108 people drowned in the last 10 years. Roger Sweeney, acting CEO at Water Safety Ireland, described the deaths as a tragic unnecessary loss of life and a significant public health issue. Drownings can happen quickly and silently and warmer weather sometimes lulls people into a false sense of security, however waterways are still quite cool which affects the muscles needed to swim safely back to shore, he said. Swim at lifeguarded waterways or in designated bathing areas that are known to be safe and have ring buoys present. Stay within your depth, supervise children closely and never use inflatable toys on open water as you can be swept from shore in an instant. Mr Sweeney said alcohol was a factor in one third of drownings, adding it should never be consumed before any aquatic activity as it can lead to someone overestimating their ability and underestimating the risks. Kevin Rahill, RNLI water safety lead, added: With the weather improving and more people going in or on the water, it is important to take some basic steps to stay safe while having fun. If you are going swimming, try to avoid going alone and make sure you are visible at all times by wearing a brightly coloured swim cap. Use a tow float and carry a suitable means of communication such as a mobile phone in a waterproof pouch and a whistle. If you get into trouble in the water, Float to Live: lean back, using your arms and legs to stay afloat. Control your breathing, then call for help or swim to safety. For those going afloat, wear a lifejacket or personal flotation device and carry a reliable means of raising the alarm such as a VHF radio or mobile phone. Go prepared by checking the weather forecast and tide times, tell someone where you are going and what time you will be back, and importantly, what to do if you do not arrive back on time. Should you get into difficulty or see someone else in trouble, dial 999 or 112 and ask for the Coast Guard. 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 Amazon Prime isn't cheap. While Amazon offers a free 30-day trial (opens in new tab), after that trial you're on the hook for $139 a year. So if you're wondering how to cancel Amazon Prime, you've come to the right place. First, let's break down what you get with Prime. The service gives you access to ultra-fast shipping, exclusive Amazon deals, and a huge variety of Prime member benefits. The perks run the gamut from access to Prime Video to discounts at Amazon-owned Whole Foods. But if you don't want to pay for Prime, here's how to go about cancelling your membership. Just remember, Prime Day deals start on July 12, so you'll want to save any free trials for that month. How to cancel Amazon Prime: End your membership (Image credit: Amazon) If you've decided you want to cancel your Prime membership, you can do so by clicking the End Membership button on the left side of the Manage Prime Membership Page. You'll find the link right below where your renewal date is listed. Clicking the link will take you to another page, where you will have to confirm you want to cancel. You'll also have the opportunity on that page to get a reminder of when your trial or current membership is about to end. How to cancel Amazon Prime: Check when your free trial ends If you recently signed up for Prime's free trial, you can see how much longer you have in your Prime trial by going to your Amazon account (opens in new tab) page. To get there, sign in to your Amazon account; at the top right side of the page, you'll see a "hi" message with your name. Open the drop-down menu below that message and select Your Account from the available options. From there, select the Prime option. The resulting page will show how long you've been an Amazon Prime member, as well as the date you will be charged for your next year of Prime. If you have a bit of time before your trial ends or your membership renews, you can sign up for an email reminder three days before your renewal date. Additionally, if you receive an Amazon Prime late delivery, you can reach out to customer service to complain. As one possible form of repayment, the company might extend your membership by a month. How to cancel Amazon Prime: Will I get a refund? If you haven't used your Amazon Prime membership since your credit card was charged, then you're eligible for a full refund, even though your trial period has already ended. That means if you realize a month down the line that you don't need the subscription, you can still cancel and get your money back. Otherwise, you have three days from when Amazon Prime charges your credit card to decide whether you want to cancel. If you do cancel, Amazon may charge you the regular prices for any Prime benefits you used during that three-day period. Those benefits include music and book downloads and streaming. This policy depends on exactly what you've bought. For instance, if you buy a television on day two, you might get a refund of $99, minus the normal shipping charge for that television. The amount that you used your membership during the trial period has no impact on your ability to obtain a refund. If you sign up, but don't use the membership, you won't be charged. How to cancel Amazon Prime: Can I get another free trial? Amazon customers are only eligible for one free trial of Prime every 12 months. That means if you cancel your membership, and decide to give Amazon Prime another try, you'll have to immediately start with the paid membership rather than kicking things off with another trial period. If it's more than a year later when you decide you want use Amazon Prime again, you'll have the option to try the service out again through a 30-day trial before you'll need to pay for a membership. First of all . . . Make no mistake, this post is written with the utmost respect for a first responder willing to put his life on the line to protect public safety. Here are the basic deets of the narrative . . . Officer Thompson and his team were helping deliver food to families in need through Harvesters at a local church. They quickly switched gears to help in a burglary investigation. Eventually, a suspect was detained. Thompson did a quick pat-down while wearing gloves. He found pills crumpled in an envelope. His captain called out that he recognized the pills- they could be laced with fentanyl. Thompson carefully removed his gloves. The envelope and pills were sealed in a special evidence bag. Its just one thing that haunts the team. No one broke protocol or made a mistake. They were careful. An officer still landed in the ER . . . Seeing Dallas fall down like that. Instantly, I felt helpless. I felt like I was going to essentially watch my friend die, said Captain Grasela. Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . . 'I knew I was dying': How 5 rounds of Narcan possibly saved KCK police officer's life KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - The Kansas City, Kansas Police Department is opening up about a medical emergency possibly due to fentanyl exposure. Officer Dallas Thompson dropped to the ground. His team used five rounds of Narcan before emergency workers transported him to the hospital. Now it's important to consider an alternative perspective offered by medical professionals . . . It's not that fentanyl isn't dangerous. A record 93,000 drug-overdose deaths were reported last year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said, and potent synthetic opioids such as fentanyl are the most common drugs involved in those deaths. But skin contact with fentanyl is different, experts say. "The only way to overdose is from injecting, snorting, or some other way of ingesting it," Dr. Ryan Marino, the medical director of toxicology at University Hospitals in Cleveland, told The New York Times. "You cannot overdose from secondhand contact." Moreover, the symptoms people describe after touching fentanyl vary widely, from dizziness to blurry vision to heart palpitations. "Passive exposure to fentanyl does not result in clinical toxicity," Dr. Lewis Nelson, the director of the medical toxicology division at Rutgers Medical School, wrote in a STAT News op-ed in 2018. He added that the reactions usually resolve on their own, and faster than the drug's effects should last. "They aren't consistent with the signs and symptoms of opioid poisoning the triad of slowed breathing, decreased consciousness, and pinpoint pupils," Nelson wrote. Read more . . . Police officers are collapsing after touching fentanyl, but experts say you can't overdose from skin contact. The likelier story? Panic attacks. Cops have collapsed after touching fentanyl, but experts say you can't overdose from skin contact. Police officers may be experiencing a disorder that converts stress into physical symptoms. Misinformation is swirling about the risk of fentanyl exposure on the job for police officers. Panic attacks are very real and also require medical attention. People are just waking up to the importance of mental health as a component of overall well-being for a person and society. Whatever the case, again, we want to note our respect for this officer and merely seek public debate regarding the reality of a clearly dangerous chemical and the politics of the drug war. You decide . . . I hate wearing foundation. How can I improve my skin? Ask The Kit A combo of advanced skin treatments and clever makeup tricks will help you free your visage In New York City, my favourite place in the world, I do what Ive never done before: embrace its touristy sights. See the stars (and if youre lucky, streaking meteors) over Edith Lake in Jasper National Park. - Jack Fusco / Tourism Jasper Where to go in Lisbon, Portugal: Five unique gems in the city, from a beautiful new museum to a quirky speakeasy Authors and mutual admirers Robyn Maynard and Leanne Betasamosake Simpson turned their pandemic correspondence into a book The writers talk about "Rehearsals for Living," what the pandemic laid bare about society and finding the potential in the everyday moment. Scarborough Pride Toronto event first one ever in Canada for Tamils Should Gary Griffith reapply for the Police Commissioner job he once held? Well the Opposition Leader says he should. She took time to address that matter as she voted in her party's internal election today which she predicts she will win by a landslide. The defense and victory of Ukraine in the war unleashed by Russia are fundamentally important for the security of all in Europe, as by attacking Ukrainian territory, the Russians tried to create a springboard for an attack on other European nations. This was stated by President Volodymyr Zelensky in an address to the participants of the Prespa Forum Dialogue, Ukrinform reports. "Ukrainian cities destroyed by the Russian army; millions of migrants; hundreds of thousands of people deported by the Russian military; and tens of thousands of Ukrainians killed are all blatant manifestations of Russia's anti-European policy. By starting this war against Ukraine, Russia tried to create a springboard for an attack on other nations of Europe. That is why our defense in this war and our future victory are fundamentally important for the security of everyone in Europe," the president stressed. At the same time, he noted that, in addition to this blatant manifestation of Russia's anti-European policy, there are many other manifestations of it. Smaller, but still very vile and destructive, openly aggressive. "And I would like to draw your attention to the fact that today there is not a single country left in Europe that has not suffered from at least one of the many manifestations of Russia's anti-European policy," the president said. Among such aggressive actions on the part of the Russian Federation, targeting the Europeans and the world, the head of state named Russia designing an energy crisis and a food crisis, and provoking another migration crisis against this background, as well as inciting enmity through propaganda. Ukrainian defenders have shot down Russias Merlin-VR unmanned aerial vehicle, which is not officially listed as in service with the Russian army. The relevant statement was made by the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Telegram, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. The Ukrainian military have managed to hunt down an interesting bird Russias Merlin-VR reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicle, the report states. It is an experimental drone, which was only shown to the public in September 2021 and has not yet been officially listed as in service with the Russian army. A reminder that, between February 24, 2022 and June 17, 2022, the Armed Forces of Ukraine destroyed 593 Russian UAVs, 215 aircrafts and 180 helicopters. mk Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said he is convinced that Europe's security is impossible without liberation from the chains of dependence that Russia has been creating for decades. He stated this in an address to the participants in the Prespa Forum Dialogue, Ukrinform reports. "Any serious discussion of the security architecture in Europe must be based on the need to free Europe from the chains of dependence that the Russian state has been creating for decades. Security is simply impossible without it, and it is the same for the north of Europe, for the south, for the west and for the east," Zelensky said. He noted that sanctions need to be imposed against Russia for its anti-European policy so that it forever remembers the price, including for the food crisis. "The one who creates artificial famine must become a global outcast and suffer painful losses. This should be taken into account in the preparation of the seventh EU sanctions package. And we need to realize that sanctions packages have, in fact, become part of the continent's security architecture. They work for stability and peace - limiting Russia's ability to expand aggression," Zelensky said. He also stressed the need for Europe's full energy independence. He is also convinced that any ties with Russia that it uses to make money on Europe and pursue anti-European policy must be severed. "There can be no trade with Russia - you should not give money to those who seek your destruction," Zelensky said. At the same time, he emphasized the importance of making the whole of Europe finally united. "This is what Ukraine and your countries - the Western Balkans - are equally interested in. Full-fledged European integration of Ukraine, as well as full-fledged European integration of your states, is a historical strengthening of Europe and a complete dismantling of Russia's ability to beat us one by one," Zelensky said. Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal has discussed Ukraines European integration and post-war reconstruction with Prime Minister of the Republic of Albania Edi Rama and Prime Minister of Montenegro Dritan Abazovic in Kyiv. The relevant statement was made by the Government portal, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. We praise the support of granting our country the status of a candidate for EU membership. Most Ukrainians today support European integration. For us, this is important moral support in the fight against full-scale Russian aggression. It is important that the hopes and aspirations of the Ukrainian people, who are courageously fighting against the Russian invaders, are justified, Shmyhal said. Shmyhal thanked Albania and Montenegro for their unequivocal support for Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity, for the support of the Ukrainian people in the fight for democracy in the war unleashed by Russia. According to Shmyhal, the European perspective is as important for Ukraine as weapons, sanctions against the aggressor and financial support. We are not only defending our country, but we are defending European borders and democracy, Shmyhal added. The Prime Minister of Montenegro noted that this visit is a political and moral necessity to be with Ukrainians at this time and to thank them for everything they are doing not only to defend Ukraine, but also to defend the whole of Europe. Abazovic stressed that Ukraine can count on the support of Montenegro and Northern Macedonia in the issue of European integration. Edi Rama stressed that Albania also supports Ukraines candidacy for the European Union and seeks to join future reconstruction, including the city of Irpin. In addition, the Prime Minister of Albania expressed readiness to assist in the rehabilitation of Ukrainians affected by the war. Photo: Government portal mk Ukraine itself must decide on a stage and a formula to conduct a dialogue with Russia, any pressure is inexpedient. "Not the pressure of some Western countries, but Ukraine itself must decide on a stage and a formula to talk to Russia," Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland Marcin Przydacz said, Ukrinform reports with reference to Polskie Radio. He stressed that the dialogue with Moscow after the attack on Georgia in 2008 or after 2014 had not led to stabilization and peace. On the contrary, such a policy gave Putin time to prepare for the next military operations and was perceived by him as a weakness of Western policy. "The Polish side considers it inexpedient to put pressure on Ukraine for a premature dialogue [with Russia]," the diplomat stressed. He noted that Putin had violated the Minsk agreements, guaranteed by Germany and France. "Therefore, it is unclear where the belief comes from that any talks and dialogue could again be perceived by Putin as binding," said the deputy foreign minister of Poland. On June 16, President of France Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and Prime Minister of Italy Mario Draghi arrived in Ukraine. Earlier, Macron said that Ukraine "will have to negotiate with Russia." ol French President Emmanuel Macron has said that France and Germany will not demand any concessions from Ukraine for talks with Russia. Macron said this at a joint press conference with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, Romania President Klaus Iohannis and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv on Thursday, according to an Ukrinform correspondent. Speaking about "red lines" in the talks, Macron noted that Europeans have always supported the Ukrainian people, as evidenced, in particular, by unprecedented sanctions imposed by the European Union against Russia. "At the same time, we did not go to war with the Russian people, that is, collectively we are not waging such a war. That is why we, absolutely transparently, each time informing President Zelensky, continued negotiations with the Russian president [...] in particular, in the current issues that arise - now it is a question of food security. And it is in this context that we maintain a channel of dialogue [with Russia]," Macron said. However, he stressed that the terms and format of these talks are determined by Ukraine. "Neither Germany nor France will ever be negotiators behind Ukraine's back. And they will never demand any concessions from Ukraine - this has never been and never will be the case. We are here only to act as a demanding mediator, to bring more clarity and set certain requirements, but in no case to receive any concessions," Macron said. "Conditions will be put forward only by the Ukrainian president and only on the terms that will be accepted by the Ukrainian people," he said. Macron also stressed that Ukraine must win this war "in a way so as to preserve territorial integrity and sovereignty." He emphasized that France's position on this issue is absolutely clear. French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi and Romanian President Klaus Iohannis arrived in Ukraine on June 16. They visited Irpin and held talks with President Volodymyr Zelensky. Photo: President's Office President of France Emmanuel Macron has acknowledged that his talks with Russian president Vladimir Putin have not yielded the desired results but considers it necessary to continue these talks. "Given the number of hours I spent talking to him [Putin] and my current insight, especially after visiting Irpin and Bucha, if we talk about the result, I'm not just disappointed it's not enough a strong word when you see this barbarism and what all this [Putin's actions] has led to," Macron told Ukrainian journalists on Thursday, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. He noted that he had talked to Putin on his own initiative and on behalf of France, but had informed his EU counterparts about the communication every time. "Sometimes I did that at the request of President Zelensky when he wanted to convey certain messages or proposals to Putin," Macron said. According to the President of France, he had no illusions about the intentions of the Russian leader. "That's why I worked so hard to prevent this war from being unleashed. That's why I went to Moscow in the winter and spent so much time with this person. Because I understood that every new stage he goes to, every new step would create something irreversible for both Ukraine and Russia," he said. At the same time, Macron noted that despite the current fruitlessness of talks with Putin, in his opinion, "this will still have to be done because one way or another, sooner or later Putin will have to talk to President Zelensky and negotiate." As reported, on June 16, President of France Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Prime Minister of Italy Mario Draghi, and President of Romania Klaus Iohannis arrived in Ukraine and held talks with President Zelensky. On February 24, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Russian troops shell and destroy key infrastructure, massively fire on residential neighbourhoods of Ukrainian cities, towns, and villages using artillery, MLRS, aviation bombs, and ballistic missiles. ol The European Commission has recommended that the European Council confirm Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia's perspective to become members of the EU and grant them candidate status. According to Ukrinform, the European Commission said this in a press release on its opinions on the applications for EU membership submitted by Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova. "The European Commission has found that Ukraine overall is well advanced in reaching the stability of institutions guaranteeing democracy, the rule of law, human rights and respect for and protection of minorities; has continued its strong macro-economic record, demonstrating a noteworthy resilience with macroeconomic and financial stability, while needing to continue ambitious structural economic reforms; and has gradually approximated to substantial elements of the EU acquis in many areas," the statement said. On this basis, "the Commission recommends that Ukraine be given the perspective to become a member of the European Union. It should be granted candidate status on the understanding that steps are taken in a number of areas," the European Commission said. As for Moldova, the European Commission concluded that "the country has a solid foundation in place to reach the stability of institutions guaranteeing democracy, the rule of law, human rights and respect for and protection of minorities; macroeconomic policies have been reasonably sound and progress has been made in strengthening the financial sector and business environment but key economic reforms remain to be undertaken; the country has established a solid basis to further alignment with the EU acquis." "On this basis, the Commission recommends that Moldova be given the perspective to become a member of the European Union. It should be granted candidate status on the understanding that steps are taken in a number of areas," the European Commission said. In its opinion on Georgia's application, the European Commission said that "Georgia has a foundation in place to reach the stability of institutions guaranteeing democracy, the rule of law, human rights and respect for and protection of minorities, even if recent developments have undermined the country's progress." It was noted that the country has achieved a good degree of macroeconomic stability and has a sound record of economic policy and a favorable business environment, "but further reforms are needed to improve the functioning of its market economy; and overall, Georgia has established a solid basis for further alignment with the EU acquis." On this basis, the European Commission also recommended giving Georgia the perspective to become a member of the European Union and granting the country candidate status once a number of priorities have been addressed. "Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia share the strong and legitimate aspiration of joining the European Union. Today, we are sending them a clear signal of support in their aspirations, even as they face challenging circumstances. And we do so standing firm on our European values and standards, setting out the path they need to follow in order to join the EU," said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. According to her, the European Commission's opinions mark an "inflection point in our relations." "Indeed, this is a historic day for the people of Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia. We are confirming that they belong, in due time, in the European Union. The next steps are now in the hands of our Member States," she said. According to the press release, based on the European Commission's opinions, the EU Member States will now have to decide unanimously on the next steps. The applications for EU membership by Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova in light of the European Commission's opinions will be discussed at the next European Council on June 23 and 24. Back in February this year, Vladimir Putins plans went beyond Ukraine so, had the U.S. not taken a resolute stance in supporting Ukraines resistance, Russia would have sown chaos across Europe. Thats according to U.S. President Joe Biden, who spoke in an interview with AP, Ukrinform reports. If he in fact moved into Ukraine, took hold of Ukraine, and Belarus, where it is, and hes been a threat to NATO, all those things would have even been more dire, Biden noted. He stressed that from the start, the U.S. had taken the right stance on supporting Ukraine despite costs endured, including soaring prices for gasoline throughout the world. Had the U.S., together with allies and partners not done so, Europe would submerge in chaos, Biden believes, adding that Putin could possibly be moving into other countries beyond Ukraine. You already saw what theyre doing in Belarus, the U.S. president said, adding that Russia could be eyeing a grab of Poland, the Czech Republic, and other NATO allies. Biden also recalled Finland, which Putin wanted to remain a neutral state but instead it is now going to NATO precisely due to Russias aggressive behavior. He wanted the sort of the Finland-ization of NATO. He got the NATO-ization of Finland, instead, said the U.S. leader. As reported earlier, the United States is playing a leading international role in coordinating western sanctions against Russia and providing security, humanitarian, and economic support to Ukraine. The Russian Federation must pay the steepest price for its war against Ukraine. President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine stated this during a joint briefing with the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Boris Johnson, in Kyiv, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. The Ukrainian head of state noted that during the talks with the head of the British government, the two discussed the issue of stepping up Russia sanctions. Zelensky thanked Johnson for his personal integrity and leadership in this regard. "We put forward our proposals and groundwork. We can make sanctions very tangible to make sure that Russia feels the consequences of its terrorist acts against Ukraine and international stability. The aggressor must pay the price for this aggression, for this war. The steepest price. Russia must also compensate for all the damage it has caused to our businesses and our community," said the president. In addition, Zelensky stated that Russia should be held to account for the food security crisis that it has precipitated. Russia is squarely responsible for the deficit of food on the global market due to the interruption of navigation to and from Ukrainian ports, he stressed. "Africa and Asia should be protected from famine, as well as all peoples in the world, who must have access to the essentials and basic products. If it had not been for the Russian aggression, we would not have had this deficit," said the Ukrainian leader. At the same time, Zelensky said that he had discussed with Johnson Ukraine's need for economic and financial support. He clarified that it is not only about finances, but also about resolving the issue of fuel shortage provoked by the Russian bombing of the Ukrainian refineries and storage facilities. "We also discussed the difficult issue of ensuring our needs for the heating season," the Ukrainian head of state added, thanking the British prime minister for his commitment to helping Ukraine in this matter. At the same time, Zelensky said that among the topics for discussion were the results of the meeting of defense ministers of more than 40 countries in the Ramstein 3 format. He expressed gratitude to the United Kingdom for its defense assistance to Ukraine. "We also took our work further in terms of Ukraines security guarantees to ensure Ukraines stability, European stability, and stability worldwide," Zelensky said. In addition, the president of Ukraine said that the two leaders had discussed intensifying joint efforts to demine Ukrainian territories. "We are preparing to fill the process of rebuilding our state with practical steps. There is no doubt that we will prevail, so we are already preparing for post-war reconstruction after our victory," Zelensky added. He commended Britains help in the reconstruction of Kyiv region, affected by the Russian invaders. As Ukrinform reported, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Boris Johnson arrived in Kyiv on June 17 for the second time since a full-scale Russian invasion. Earlier, the British prime minister previously visited the Ukrainian capital on April 9. The British government, led by Johnson, and his country were among pioneers of principled and unwavering support for Ukraine, becoming a guide for many other nations. Photo: Ukrainian Presidents Office | By Mary Therese Phelan Harking back to the days when his family operated its own canning facility on the Eastern Shore, University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) President Bruce E. Jarrell, MD, FACS, joined Gov. Larry Hogan and other officials in celebrating the grand opening of Phillips Packing House, a revitalized canning facility that will serve as a community engagement hub and further UMBs programs in the region. University of Maryland, Baltimore President Bruce E. Jarrell shows a tomato can from his family's Eastern Shore business to Gov. Larry Hogan. The building will serve as the Department of Housing and Community Developments (DHCD) new Eastern Shore satellite office and Community Engagement Center. The office and center will serve as anchor tenants in the redeveloped facility and will provide critical housing and community services and outreach to Eastern Shore residents. The remaining Packing House tenants will build on the Eastern Shores deep tradition of agriculture and aquaculture while providing modern tech and creative opportunities. The facility will also host retail eateries and 411 Kitchen, a state-of-the-art, shared-use kitchen for food production that received funding through Project Restore, the governors economic recovery initiative that provides financial incentives for small businesses and commercial developers to revitalize vacant retail and commercial space. UMB is contributing $750,000 to the DHCD office in Cambridge to assist its economic development activities and collaborations with University System of Maryland institutions. Hogan thanked DHCD Secretary Ken Holt, Acting Mayor/Cambridge Commissioner Lajan Cephas, Cross Street Partners CEO Bill Struever, and Jarrell for their collective commitment to this exciting project. A native of the Eastern Shore who grew up on a tomato farm, Jarrell is committed to UMBs mission of improving the human condition, not only as an anchor institution in Baltimore, but throughout Maryland, including the Eastern Shore. At his inauguration in November 2021, Jarrell announced that his lifelong friend, Lawrence Hayman, chairman of H&M Bay, Inc., a logistics and storage company based on the Eastern Shore, where they both grew up, had stepped up to brighten futures of Eastern Shore families with a pledge of nearly $18 million, which will be used to support newly minted health care workers and encourage them to set up practice on the Eastern Shore, and to provide Eastern Shore students scholarships to pursue health care and science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) careers. If you listen hard enough, you will hear in the walls of this place, a buzz, a buzz of 100 years of activity, Jarrell said at the June 10 Packing House ribbon-cutting ceremony. Throughout the Eastern Shore, there were churches, firehouses, schools, but there were also canning factories and in those canning factories, so many of us learned the value of family, of hard work, of role models, of learning what we could become. I was one of those people, and I got so much out of it. In the 1960s and '70s, the canning factories started to disappear and his familys was no exception, said Jarrell, holding an empty tomato can from the family business. There was no more beehive in the community, he said. And you could see the disrepair that this particular building, which is not the exception, is the rule here on the Shore. Now I think that beehive is back, and I want to thank Governor Hogan and Secretary Holt, and this Cambridge group for being smart enough to see that this was a beehive then and it should become a beehive again, a chance for young people to see the future. It's a proud moment for me, for the University of Maryland, Baltimore, to be a part of this, he continued. Not just because I grew up in it, but because I believe in Maryland. And this is an important part of Maryland. UMBs initial activities at the Packing House include: Agriculture Law Education Initiative (ALEI) ALEIs legal specialists and agriculture extension specialists help farmers (including aquafarmers) understand and comply with state, federal, and local laws and regulations. Farmers gain hands-on assistance with their existing businesses as well as assistance in diversifying into other agriculture-based products. ALEI will host conferences and in-person education programs in the Packing House. Engaging other universities and health care entities in the Packing House. UMB has convened several meetings with the leadership of Salisbury University, the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Sciences, Chesapeake College, and the University of Maryland Shore Regional Health to explore bringing other community-focused academic and health science initiatives to Cambridge. In addition to ALEI, other UMB initiatives already in the Eastern Shore region include: Deputy High Commissioner Kelly T. Clements receives a welcome flower before opening a Women's Business Center in Herat, Afghanistan. UNHCR/Chinar Media The UN Refugee Agencys Deputy High Commissioner Kelly T. Clements visited Afghanistan and Pakistan this week to focus attention on the dramatic humanitarian situation facing Afghans and the need to continue to support displaced people including host communities, refugees and returnees, and women and girls. Inside Afghanistan, UNHCR with partners works to assist some 3.5 million displaced by conflict, and provides crucial aid to help meet the needs of vulnerable people, including targeted reintegration support to many of the millions of refugees who have returned over the years. UNHCR continues to support Afghanistan, as it has for 40 years, but is now intensively trying to support internally displaced, returnees and refugees, including by expanding its presence throughout the country. During her four days in Afghanistan, UNHCRs deputy chief met with interim officials and visited Herat Province, in the west of the country. She inaugurated a womens business centre - a facility for women-run firms including kiosks for various shops as well as computer literacy, English language training, and counselling resources. Clements sat with women and girls in meetings in Herat and Kabul and heard their concerns, highlighting the need for an inclusive human rights-based approach to support voluntary return and sustainable reintegration. The women (in Afghanistan) are extremely resilient. They talked about education. They talked about the need for livelihoods. They talked about wanting to be a part of public life in Afghanistan. They want to educate their girls, to be a part of shaping the future of the country, Clements said. Since last August, Afghanistans women and girls have increasingly experienced limits on their access to education, ability to freely move without a male relative, and requirements to wear face coverings. Girls have been prevented from attending school above year six in most of the country. So far in 2022, UNHCR has provided cash, winter support, shelter materials and other household assistance to nearly one million vulnerable Afghans. UNHCRs $340 million appeal for its Afghanistan operations is only 57 per cent funded, while the Humanitarian Response Plan for $4.4 billion, has received only 32 per cent. In Pakistan, the Deputy High Commissioner highlighted the precious right to asylum and thanked the people and government for generously hosting millions of Afghans for more than 40 years. Pakistan now has some 1.3 million registered refugees, and 1.5 million Afghans of undetermined status, which includes some 250,000 Afghans who have arrived since August 2021 according to the government. The Deputy High Commissioner met with Pakistans Foreign Minister, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, and Minister of States and Frontier Regions, Muhammad Talha Mahmood, among other officials. Her discussions focused on the need for peace in Afghanistan and lasting solutions for the refugee population in neighbouring countries. Clements welcomed the ongoing commitment of Pakistan to register the births of refugee children and issuing birth certificates and the provision of more than 1,700 university places to ensure that Afghans can access to advanced studies. The Deputy High Commissioner encouraged Pakistan to remain steadfast in its attention to Afghans in exile and called for strengthened international support. Afghans need to see they are not alone and that the international community stands with them, and appreciates Pakistans enduring willingness to include refugees in its communities and services, Clements said. Clements traveled to Haripur in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, where she met with Afghans, including girls and women, in a refugee village established in 1979, and noted their strength and determination to shape their own futures and contribute to their communities. B-Roll: https://media.unhcr.org/Share/m273ssrn7257o48e30w2378e8bp8y6d5 UNHCR Deputy Chief Kelly Clements in Afghanistan For more information on this topic, please contact: Atalaia do Norte, Brazil, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 17th Jun, 2022 ) :The United Nations as well as environmental and rights groups expressed outrage Thursday at the murder of British journalist Dom Phillips and Indigenous expert Bruno Pereira, which they linked to President Jair Bolsonaro's willingness to allow commercial exploitation of the Brazilian Amazon. Veteran correspondent Phillips, 57, and Pereira, 41, went missing on June 5 in a remote part of the rainforest rife with illegal mining, fishing and logging, as well as drug trafficking. Ten days later, on Wednesday, a suspect named Amarildo da Costa de Oliveira took police to a place where he said he had buried bodies near the city of Atalaia do Norte, where the pair had been headed. Human remains unearthed from the site arrived in Brasilia on Thursday evening for identification by experts, with members of the Federal police seen carrying two brown coffins through a hangar. Official results are expected next week, according to local media. Federal police said Thursday that traces of blood found in Oliveira's boat belonged to a man, but not Phillips. Further analysis will be necessary to determine if it was that of Pereira. There is still much to clarify in the case, including a motive and the circumstances surrounding the killings, apparently carried out by firearm. Late Wednesday, the federal police chief of Brazil's northern Amazonas state said there was "a 99 percent probability" the unearthed remains corresponded to the missing men. The UN human rights office said Thursday it was "deeply saddened by the information about the murder" of the two men. "This brutal act of violence is appalling and we call on state authorities to ensure that investigations are impartial, transparent and thorough, and that redress is provided to the families of the victims," spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani said in Geneva. Phillips, a longtime contributor to The Guardian and other leading international newspapers, was working on a book on sustainable development in the Amazon with Pereira as his guide, when they went missing. Pereira, an expert at Brazil's indigenous affairs agency FUNAI, had received multiple threats from loggers and miners with their eye on isolated Indigenous land. Phillips' family said in a statement they were "heartbroken" by the discovery of two bodies Wednesday, which they took as confirmation that the pair had been killed. Beatriz Matos, the wife of Pereira, wrote on Twitter that "now that the spirits of Bruno are walking through the jungle and scattered among us, our strength is much greater." The Javari Valley where the men went missing -- an area near the borders with Peru and Colombia -- is home to about 20 isolated Indigenous groups where drug traffickers, loggers, miners and illegal fishermen operate. Greenpeace Brazil said the deaths were "a direct result of the agenda of President Jair Bolsonaro for the Amazon, which opens the way for predatory activities and crimes... in broad daylight." Bolsonaro, who took office in 2019, has pushed to develop the Amazon, the world's largest tropical rainforest. He drew fresh criticism Wednesday for saying Phillips was "disliked" for his reporting on the region and should have been more careful. On Thursday, the far-right president tweeted "our condolences to the families" of the men. In Brussels, seven Brazilian Indigenous leaders deplored the climate of violence and "impunity" in the Amazon in front of the European Union headquarters. One of them, Dinamam Tuxa, told AFP that "Bruno and Dom Phillips were victims of government policies." Rome, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 17th Jun, 2022 ) :Italy's Eni said it will receive only 50 percent of the gas requested Friday from Gazprom, following accusations by Rome the Russian state-backed company was peddling "lies" over a series of cuts. "Gazprom has announced that it will supply only 50 percent of what is requested (with actual delivered volumes almost unchanged with respect to the amounts delivered yesterday)," reducing supplies for the third day running, Eni said in a statement. Several European countries, including Italy and Germany, are highly reliant upon Russian gas for their energy needs. As tensions rage with the West over the Ukraine war, Russia has stepped up the energy pressure, slashing gas supplies to the continent in a move blasted as "political" by both Italy and Germany. Gazprom said the supply reductions via the Nord Stream pipeline are the result of repair work, but EU officials believe Moscow is punishing allies of Ukraine, where Russian forces launched an invasion in February. Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi on Thursday rejected Gazprom's excuses, saying the reasons "we are told, are technical". "We and Germany and others believe that these are lies." Draghi said state-owned Gazprom -- which has said Moscow has every right to play by its own rules over the cuts -- was using the gas supply for "political" ends. Italy has been seeking to reduce its reliance on Russian gas through alternative sources, while also promising to invest more in renewables. The gas squeeze, which pushes prices up, "has consequences, not immediately on consumption, but on stockpiling", Draghi said. EU countries have scrambled to wean themselves off Russian energy but are divided about imposing a natural gas embargo as several member states are heavily reliant on Moscow's supplies. (@ChaudhryMAli88) Washington, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 18th Jun, 2022 ) :Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, whose extradition to the United States was approved by Britain on Friday, faces charges of espionage in a case that could prove an unprecedented legal battle pitting national security against fundamental press freedom rights. - What charges against Assange? In 2009 WikiLeaks rocked the world when it published around 750,000 classified US documents and diplomatic cables which exposed possible war crimes, torture and secret military operations, as well as unveiling the often-unseemly behind-the-scenes activities of US diplomacy. A US military intelligence officer, Chelsea Manning, was arrested and sentenced to prison for leaking the files to WikiLeaks. US authorities allege that Assange directed and abetted Manning in stealing the files, when he tried to help her break a passcode to a Pentagon computer system. On that basis, on April 11, 2019 the Department of Justice (DOJ) unsealed initial charges against Assange for conspiracy to break into a classified computer system to obtain "national defense information," and requested his extradition from Britain. Twelve days later, the department issued a superseding indictment, charging him with 17 counts under the US Espionage Act. It said that Assange, a citizen of Australia, had stolen US defense and national security information and disclosed it, putting the country, its officials and confidential sources at risk. - Journalist or not? - The charges under the espionage act are particularly troubling to civil liberties defenders and the media. Assange calls himself a journalist, and though Wikileaks when created in 2006 was a new kind of activity -- a website that collected secret documents and published them online for anyone to see -- it was not deeply different from traditional media publishing government secrets. Viewed from that angle, Assange's publishing activities could be protected by the US Constitution's First amendment, which explicitly guarantees freedom of the press. "The new charges focus on receiving and publishing classified material from a government source. That is something journalists do all the time," the New York Times wrote in an editorial on the day the indictment was released. "This is what the First Amendment is designed to protect: the ability of publishers to provide the public with the truth. " The government of Barack Obama, president from 2009-2017, opted to not go after Assange to avoid a constitutional fight over what is journalism and what is not. But the next administration of Republican president Donald Trump took a hard line, branding Assange a foreign threat and Wikileaks a "hostile intelligence service." "The department takes seriously the role of journalists in our democracy. But Julian Assange is no journalist," Trump's assistant attorney general John Demers said when the charges were unveiled. - What awaits Assange in US? - Assange could stall any extradition with his appeals both in Britain and the European Court of Human Rights. But if he is finally sent to the United States, he will stand trial in a Federal court in Alexandria, known for its tough handling of sensitive intelligence and espionage-related cases. On the original charge, of helping an attempt to break into Pentagon computers, Assange would face up to five years in prison. But the charges under the Espionage Act could bring up to 175 years in prison. Assange's attorneys in Britain originally blocked extradition last year arguing that he was at risk of suicide and would not be safe in poorly managed US prisons. On appeal, US authorities promised to the British courts that Assange would be closely watched, would not be subjected to solitary confinement, and would not be sent to a "supermax" prison that the US reserves for the most dangerous offenders terrorists. - Political fight - If the case goes to trial, the issues of what Wikileaks did and what damage it may have caused could be subsumed by the issues of national security. Assange has called it a political prosecution, and his attorneys will seek to paint it as such. It is not clear how President Joe Biden's Justice Department, which inherited the case from Trump's, views it. Biden was Obama's vice president. Much of the US intelligence community want Assange prosecuted. US media and rights groups are meanwhile squaring up for a fight on constitutional principle. "By continuing to extradite Assange, the Biden DOJ is ignoring the dire warnings of virtually every major civil liberties and human rights organization in the country that the case will do irreparable damage to basic press freedom rights of US reporters," Trevor Timm, executive director of the Freedom of the Press Foundation, said. On the occasion of Death Anniversary of Maharaja Ranjeet Singh, the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi had issued 495 visas to Sikh pilgrims from India to attend the annual anniversary scheduled to be held in Pakistan from 21-30 June 2022 ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 17th Jun, 2022 ) :On the occasion of Death Anniversary of Maharaja Ranjeet Singh, the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi had issued 495 visas to Sikh pilgrims from India to attend the annual anniversary scheduled to be held in Pakistan from 21-30 June 2022. The issuance of visas was covered under the framework of the Pakistan-India Protocol on visits to religious shrines of 1974. Every year, a large number of Sikh Yatrees from India visit Pakistan to observe various religious festivals/occasions. The visas issued from New Delhi were in addition to the visas granted to Sikh pilgrims participating in these events from other countries. The issuance of pilgrimage visas to religious pilgrims by the High Commission was in line with the Government of Pakistan's commitment to fully implement the Bilateral Protocol on visits to Religious Shrines between the two countries. Expressing his views on the auspicious occasion, Charge d'Affaires Aftab Hasan Khan, extended his heartfelt felicitations to the pilgrims and wished them a rewarding and fulfilling yatra. Pakistan took immense pride in preserving sacred religious places and providing necessary facilitation to the visiting pilgrims, he added. During the visit, the pilgrims would, inter alia, go to Panja Sahib, Nankana Sahib and Kartarpur Sahib. They would enter Pakistan on 21 June and return back to India on 30 June 2022. (@FahadShabbir) President Dr Arif Alvi Saturday strongly condemned the disproportional use of force on Indian Muslim protestors in many cities across India on Friday ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 11th Jun, 2022 ) :President Dr Arif Alvi Saturday strongly condemned the disproportional use of force on Indian Muslim protestors in many cities across India on Friday. The use of force resulted in the Shahadat of two innocent protestors and unwarranted arrest of hundreds of peaceful demonstrators. The President termed the brutal use of force against protestors who were demanding the arrest and exclusion from party of two members of the BJP for using highly derogatory remarks and disrespecting the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) as unjust and highly condemnable. The President said that violence against Muslims on flimsy pretexts by various 'Hindutva' groups with complete impunity, and often under state patronage, highlighted the worsening trend of Islamophobia and extremism in India. The President called upon India to shun its Hindutva policies and stop targeting its minorities, hurting their religious sentiments and put an end to rising incidents of violence and spreading of hate against Indian minorities, especially Muslims. The President urged India to stop using brutal force against peaceful demonstrators and ensure that decisive and demonstrable action was taken against those responsible for making derogatory remarks and attacking the dignity of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). India must also take immediate steps to protect its minorities from human rights violations, ensure their safety, security and well-being and allow them to profess and practice their faiths in peace, he added. He also called upon the international community to take immediate cognizance of the grievously aggravating situation of Islamophobia in India. Over 2,000 cases pending in Supreme Court of Donetsk Peoples Republic- official MOSCOW, June 17 (RAPSI) As of May 31, 2022, the Supreme Court of the Donetsk People's Republic was considering 2,198, including 645 criminal, 1,050 civil, 75 administrative, 423 commercial and 5 cases on administrative violations, according to a report on the work of the courts of the DPR for the first five months of 2022. During the reporting period, the Supreme Court completed 1,588 cases, or 72.2% of their specified number, including 351 criminal, 853 civil, 55 administrative, 324 commercial and 5 cases on administrative offenses, according to a document published on the official website of the DPR Supreme Court. Thus, as of May 31, 2022, 610 cases remain in the proceedings of the Supreme Court (27.8% of the indicated number), including 294 criminal, 197 civil, 20 administrative and 99 commercial cases. With regard to the proceedings at first instance, during the specified period, 170 cases were considered by the Supreme Court, of which 14 were completed by May 31; the Chamber of Appeal of the Supreme Court for the first instance completed proceedings on 13 cases against 13 persons out of a total of 167 cases against 322 persons. The Judicial Chamber for Civil Cases of the DPR Supreme Court conducted proceedings in two administrative cases, of which one was completed. The Judicial Chamber for Commercial Cases of the DPR Supreme Court considered one commercial material, the proceedings on which are still ongoing as of the date indicated above. As to the appeals procedure, the DPR Supreme Court considered 1,166 cases concerning appeals and submissions (protests) against court decisions during the specified period, of which 922 cases were completed. At the same time, as to criminal proceedings, out of 291 cases against 363 persons, consideration of 195 cases against 239 persons was completed, 96 cases against 124 persons remain in progress. In civil proceedings, 567 civil cases were under consideration, of which 479 cases were settled; as of May 31, 2022, proceedings are ongoing in 88 such cases, and proceedings have been suspended in five cases. According to statistical data for the specified period, 45 administrative cases were examined in the framework of administrative proceedings, of which 32 cases were completed, 13 cases are ongoing. There were registered 258 commercial cases in the framework of commercial proceedings, of which 211 cases were completed as of May 31, 47 such cases remain in progress. During this period, five cases of administrative offenses were also considered. For the first five months of 2022, the Supreme Court of the Donetsk People's Republic conducted cassation proceedings on 607 complaints, submissions and protests against decisions of the DPR courts, of which 469 cases and materials were completed. Pope Francis receives a Delegation of Buddhists from Thailand in audience in the Vatican (Vatican Media) Pope Francis receives a delegation of Buddhists from Thailand and reiterates Pope St. Paul VIs feelings of profound regard for the spiritual, moral and socio-cultural treasures of the Buddhist tradition. By Linda Bordoni At a time in which our human family and planet are facing manifold threats, the need for interreligious dialogue and collaboration are increasingly necessary, said Pope Francis, inviting Buddhists to continue to work together with the Catholic Church to cultivate compassion and hospitality for all human beings, especially the poor and marginalized. The Pope was addressing a delegation from Thailand composed of thirty-three prominent Buddhist monks of both the Theravada and Mahayana schools, together with 60 lay Buddhists and several representatives of the Thai Catholic Church. They are in Rome to participate in a conference entitled Friendship between Buddhists and Christians for a Culture of Encounter, at the Pontifical Urban University. Golden Jubilee Thanking them for visiting the Vatican on the 50th anniversary of the historic meeting between Pope Saint Paul VI and the Most Venerable Somdej Phra Wannarat, the 17th Supreme Buddhist Patriarch of Thailand, on 5 June 1972, the Pope expressed his wish to renew the bonds of friendship and mutual collaboration. He also renewed the sentiments expressed by Pope Paul VI when he met the Thai delegation 50 years ago, saying: We have a profound regard for the spiritual, moral, and socio-cultural treasures that have been bestowed on you through your precious traditions. We recognize the values of which you are the custodians, and we share the desire that they should be preserved and fostered. We hope there will be increasing friendly dialogue and close collaboration between the traditions that you represent and the Catholic Church. A consolidated path of dialogue and collaboration Pope Francis noted that the past 50 years have seen a gradual and steady growth of friendly dialogue and close collaboration between the two religious traditions. He recalled past visits and his Apostolic Journey to Thailand in 2019 and the wonderful welcome and hospitality I received. Pope Francis meets the Supreme Buddhist Patriarch of Thailand during his apostolic visit to Thailand in 2019 The Holy Father also expressed appreciation for the friendly and fraternal dialogue with the members of the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue, as well as with the Catholic community in Thailand. The Buddha and Jesus understood the need for fraternity Dialogue and collaboration are even more urgent and precious at a time when the human family and the planet face manifold threats, the Pope noted. Sadly, on all sides we hear the cry of a wounded humanity and a broken earth. The Buddha and Jesus understood the need to overcome the egoism that gives rise to conflict and violence, he said. The Dhammapada sums up the Buddhas teachings thus: To avoid evil, to cultivate good, and to cleanse ones mind this is the teaching of the Buddha (Dph 183). Jesus told his disciples: I give you a new Commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another (Jn 13:34). Pope Francis told his guests that their common task today is to guide our respective followers to a more vivid sense of the truth that we are all brothers and sisters. We should work together to cultivate compassion and hospitality for all human beings, especially the poor and marginalized. In this spirit, the Pope concluded, I encourage your efforts to deepen and broaden your dialogue and cooperation with the Catholic Church. Pope Francis meets Buddhist leaders in Thailand during his 2019 apostolic visit Brazilian Police confirm a fisherman has confessed to the shooting deaths of a freelance journalist and an indigenous expert. The suspect took officers to a remote clandestine burial site in the woods, where human remains have been unearthed. By James Blears Although the dismembered bodies have yet to be formally forensically identified, the search for journalist Dom Phillips and indigenous specialist Bruno Pereira, who vanished on June 5th is now over. They were last seen on their boat on the Itacoai River, near the entrance of the Javari Valley, which is indigenous territory. Many parts of this remote area of the Amazon Rain Forest, close to the border with Peru, are rife with cocaine trafficking, fish poaching, illegal logging causing deforestation and illicit gold mining. Read also 13/06/2022 Brazil: bodies found in search for missing UK journalist and indigenous guide Bodies have been found in the search for a journalist and an Indigenous guide in the Brazilian Amazon where they went missing eight days ago. Suspect's confession Police Investigator Detective Eduardo Alexandre Fontes says fisherman Amarildo da Costa de Oliviera has confessed to the killings and led them to a remote place in the woods where human remains were found. His brother Oseney, who has also been arrested, has denied any involvement. Police say they are investigating the motive for this crime and expect to arrest more people. Dom Phillips was researching a book he was writing about sustainable development in Amazonia, with every respect and courtesy to its indigenous peoples. It cost him and his colleague Bruno Pereira their lives in a cruel incident of senseless violence. Two-day talks between India and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) foreign ministers opened Thursday in New Delhi with calls for stronger ties between India and the regional bloc. The talks come amid a heightened rivalry between China and the United States, which Singapore said threatens peace in the region. India and Singapore, the event co-chair, also underscored geopolitical challenges sparked by the war in Ukraine. In his opening remarks to the 10-member group of Southeast Asian foreign ministers, Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan said Russias invasion of Ukraine upended the international system of rules and norms. He also said the sharpening superpower rivalry between China and the U.S. has direct implications for all of Asia. So, these developments, if unchecked, can threaten the sole system of peace and stability which we have depended on for the basis of our growth, our development and prosperity over many decades," Balakrishnan said, marking the 30th anniversary of relations between New Delhi and ASEAN. In discussing the challenges, Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said the developments in Ukraine and their effects on food and energy security, fertilizer and commodities prices, and logistics and supply chain disruptions had made the task of recovery from the pandemic more arduous. He said the role of ASEAN would be critical given the new geopolitical challenges and emphasized the need to improve land and sea connectivity between India and ASEAN countries. A better-connected India and ASEAN would be well-positioned to promote decentralized globalization and reliable supply chains, Jaishankar said. India fully supports a strong, unified, prosperous ASEAN whose centrality in the Indo-Pacific is fully realized. The foreign ministers also met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. ASEAN comprises Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Strengthening strategic, political and economic ties with ASEAN has become a priority for India and the U.S. as both countries seek to push back against growing Chinese influence in the Indo-Pacific region. Last month, U.S. President Joe Biden held a first summit with ASEAN leaders in Washington and said it marked the launch of a new era in ties between Washington and the bloc. Several ASEAN countries have maritime disputes with Beijing, which has built islands in waters claimed by several countries in East Asia, raising worries about Chinese expansionism in the region. Analysts, however, say with China remaining the primary trading partner for ASEAN nations, the bloc will be careful to balance ties between both sides. Despite efforts, trade between ASEAN and India has remained modest up to $78 billion in 2021. Israel praised Argentina on Thursday for holding a Venezuelan plane that included Iranian crew, saying the flight shows Tehran is trying to expand its influence in South America. Washington also made clear it is keeping close tabs on the investigation into the Boeing 747, which was loaded with automotive parts and raised questions because its 19 crew members is an unusually large number for a cargo plane. In a statement, the Israeli embassy commended the "fast action" by Argentine authorities who "identified in real time the potential threat" posed by the aircraft, which has been grounded at Argentina's main airport outside Buenos Aires since June 8. Israel "is particularly worried" about Iranian airlines "that are dedicated to arms trafficking and the transfer of people and equipment for the Quds Force, which are under sanctions by the United States for being involved in terrorist activities," the embassy said. "The recent events provide evidence of the repeated attempts by the Islamic Republic of Iran, through the Revolutionary Guard and the Quds Force, to continue consolidating its influence throughout the world, including South America, as a base for terrorist actions in the continent," the embassy added. The top U.S. diplomat in Argentina also commented on the case. "We are following with great interest the judicial and law enforcement investigations into the crew and the plane and thank the investigative efforts of Argentine authorities to clear up the situation," U.S Ambassador Marc Stanley said in a statement shared with local media. Argentine authorities have seized the passports of the five Iranians and 14 Venezuelan crew members on the plane, which is operated by Venezuela's state-owned Emtrasur line, a subsidiary of Conviasa, which is under U.S. sanctions. Expanding the international reverberations in the case, Venezuela on Thursday evening harshly criticized Uruguay for failing to allow the plane to land in Montevideo to refuel. The plane's crew sought to fly to Montevideo on June 8 but had to return to Buenos Aires after Uruguayan authorities refused entry into its airspace, according to a report by Argentina's Transportation Ministry. It was then that the plane was grounded by Argentine authorities. Uruguay's "regrettable action" could have "caused a tragedy, human lives and damage to both nations," Venezuela said in a statement, adding that it "demands explanations about this terrible event from the Uruguayan government." Before it was sold to Emtrasur a year ago, the plane was owned by Mahan Air of Iran, which the U.S. government has sanctioned for allegedly aiding the Quds Force and terrorist activities. Law enforcement offices on Tuesday searched the hotel where the crew members were staying under orders of Federal Judge Federico Villena, who is investigating the crew. Argentine authorities say they have not found any irregularities in the crew. The plane reportedly loaded automotive parts in Mexico and stopped in Venezuela before arriving in Argentina. The large crew had earlier raised suspicions in Paraguay, where the plane landed last month in Ciudad del Este, close to the Argentina and Brazil borders, Paraguay's interior minister, Federico Gonzalez, told a local radio station Tuesday. He said the plane was there May 13-16. Gonzalez said Paraguay alerted intelligence agencies in the region about the plane and its crew. Argentina suffered two terrorist attacks in its capital that judicial investigators have blamed on Iran a 1992 explosion at the Israeli embassy and a deadly bombing at a Jewish organization in 1994. Iran has denied any involvement. In Kenya, efforts are underway to better integrate refugees ahead of the planned closure of camps that house more than 400,000 people, mainly from Somalia, South Sudan and Congo. One project, backed by the International Rescue Committee, provides refugees with microloans to start small businesses. Congolese refugee Enock Gatangi, 54, attends to customers at his small grocery shop in Nairobis Kayole neighborhood. Gatangi fled conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2003 with his wife and child to Kenyas Kakuma refugee camp, where they lived for 12 years. They moved to Nairobi where he worked as a security guard while saving his money and dreaming of starting his own business. But, like most refugees, Gatangi was unable to get even a small bank loan. Then he joined the Rangers Family Group, a savings and loan association that in January lent him $170 to help finally open his shop. I have so many customers, said Gatangi with a big smile, both Kenyans and Congolese. But most of my customers, he said, are Kenyans. At their weekly meeting, the Rangers Family Group sings a traditional Congolese song to celebrate their savings. They are one of 20 such groups supported by the International Rescue Committee in different poor neighborhoods in Nairobi. The IRC program is called Refugees in East Africa: Boosting Urban Innovations for Livelihoods Development, or Re:Build. Its a 5-year project to empower 20,000 urban refugees with their own businesses in Nairobi and the Ugandan capital, Kampala. The IRC says the micro-loans have already helped 260 refugees in Nairobi to become their own bosses. Boniface Odhiambo is the Re:Build project manager. The fact that refugees themselves have faced challenges in terms of accessing financial products from the formal financial institutions, the project had to design innovative ways on how they can get access to financial services and also boost their economic livelihood initiatives, Odhiambo said. Under the program, refugees and locals form groups of 15 to 30 members who contribute shares. The money is pooled in a mobile money application account that members can then borrow from as microloans to start and run a small business. Members in Nairobi say the project has improved their economic well-being. Shantal Zabibu chairs the Rangers Family Group in Kayole. She said before the program they could not access funds for investment. But since they came together and pooled their resources, said Zabibu, if a member wants to borrow ten thousand Kenyan shillings ($90), theyll get it. She said if another member wants five thousand ($45), they'll get it. Zabibu said their lives have improved since the came together as a group. Kenya hosts about 550,000 refugees and asylum-seekers, 87,000 of them based in cities. Their participation in Kenyas economy hinges on integration, said project manager Odhiambo. When we focus on economic empowerment, we are giving the vulnerable or voiceless opportunity to also have a feel and contribution in the national cake, Odhiambo said. With Kenyas government planning to close the Kakuma and Dadaab refugee camps in July, all eyes are on the authorities to see what steps they will take. Integrated refugees like Gatangi hope that if the camps close, those who reside in them, like he once did, will be ready and able to live in Kenyan communities. News that police in France arrested two men suspected of traveling to the city of Nantes to kill an Azeri blogger will be of little surprise to journalists in Azerbaijan. Attacks, especially over reporting that is critical of authorities, are common, and a lack of bringing perpetrators to justice makes matters worse, journalists and analysts say. Reporting on crime, corruption, human rights abuses or alleged wrongdoing by the government can result in attacks or pressure, with orders appearing to come from high up, some journalists told VOA. A culture of impunity adds to the risks. Last month, an assailant attacked journalist Ayten Mammadova in her apartment building in the capital, Baku. A man followed the journalist into an elevator on May 8, held a knife to her throat and told her to stop reporting on a court case. The assailant didnt say which case he was referring to, but Mammadova believes it is related to her coverage of a trial of a man accused of the kidnap, rape and killing of a 10-year-old girl. Phoned threat "I also received a threatening call on my landline, because I am one of the few journalists who have recently done research and written articles on this incident, she told VOA. I think there are certain forces that do not want the truth behind this incident to be revealed." The freelance journalist has been critical of the investigation and legal proceedings. The man on trial said in court that he was not involved and had confessed after being tortured for four days, a claim the prosecutor generals office denied. In the case in France, media watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said police on Sunday arrested two suspected hit men about 90 km from where outspoken Azeri blogger Mahammad Mirzali lives. The bloggers address was in their GPS system and a photo of him was found in one of the suspects phones, RSF reported. Mirzali, who lives in exile, has survived two knife attacks. RSF said he receives thousands of threatening messages via social media. Legal protection A lack of action in bringing perpetrators to justice increases the risk that other journalists will be attacked, said Khadija Ismayilova, editor-in-chief of Toplum TV. "The atmosphere of impunity in the country sends a message to everyone that anyone can target journalists. Anyone can attack journalists. In some cases, the source of these attacks comes directly from above, she told VOA. People are targeted because they criticize the president and his family members and reveal things they want to keep secret. Shahin Hajiyev, executive director of the Najaf Najafov Foundation, a media development fund, told VOA that sooner or later all journalists are subjected to pressure if they seriously cover crime, corruption, human rights abuses or any other kind of wrongdoing by government agencies. "This practice has been going on in Azerbaijan for a long time, the director said. There are certain topics, there are certain classes of people that you are forbidden to criticize or give negative information about. A journalist who violates this will be punished. 'Not based on fact' Elshad Hajiyev, head of media and public relations at the Interior Ministry, which oversees law enforcement, told VOA such claims are baseless. "All these allegations are subjective considerations, not based on fact. [The ministry] focuses on taking all measures in accordance with the law, Hajiyev said. The spokesperson added that Azerbaijan takes measures to bring perpetrators to justice. Under pressure Journalists and human rights activists have been pressured for years, according to independent journalist Natig Javadli. "Journalists work in dangerous conditions," Javadli said. "The attacks on not only Ayten Mammadova but [others] show that journalists are not safe. Ismayilova believes better communication between officials and the press is the way forward and that the president should lead by example and be open to the press and tolerate criticism. [Officials] must restore communication with journalists who can act as a bridge between them and society, Ismayilova said. Impunity in attacks must be addressed, the journalist said, adding, No one who attacks free speech should go unpunished. One problem is that journalists do not have adequate access to necessary legal assistance, said lawyer and media rights expert Alasgar Mammadli. The state provides free legal assistance only to those accused of crimes. In addition, direct legal assistance is available only at the request of legal entities and with their own funds. In this regard, legal assistance in Azerbaijan is very limited to the media by nongovernmental organizations, Mammadli said. 'Guaranteed' safety On the other hand, Mushfig Alasgarli, chair of the Trade Union of Journalists, said the state guarantees the safety of journalists at a high level. Media security is guaranteed by law he told VOA, adding that several mechanisms exist to ensure safety. Any incidents involving journalist organizations or journalists are recorded, acted upon, and solidarity is created around that journalist for the issue to be resolved positively, he said. Pressure on independent journalists, including those in exile, and inaction on attacks against the media are among the obstacles to press freedom in Azerbaijan, said RSF. The media watchdog ranks it 154th out of 180 countries where 1 is freest on its Press Freedom Index. This article originated in VOA's Azeri Service. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sens Cambodian Peoples Party is well placed to extend its rule in next years national elections after trouncing the competition at last weeks local commune elections. The victory would also enable Hun Sen to hand power to his eldest son. As expected, the CPP took advantage of a ban on the main opposition Cambodian National Rescue Party, whose supporters struggled to reorganize before the vote with hundreds of its members before the courts or in jail. However, the Candlelight Party, which emerged from the remnants of the CNRP, established itself as Cambodias main opposition party, with a total of 17 political parties vying for thousands of positions in 1,652 communes -- clusters of three to 30 villages. The elections went the way most people were expecting, so there were certainly no surprises there, said David Totten, managing director of Emerging Markets Consulting in Phnom Penh. "Given the instability that theres been regionally and internationally, there may even be some people whod breathe a sigh of relief that Cambodia whilst continuing on a political path thats not acceptable in the eyes of many at least its not a cause of instability or concern in the region. Final results will be announced by the National Election Committee on June 26, but the preliminary count shows the CPP won 72.7% of the popular vote, up from 50.76% in 2017, when the CNRP scored almost 44% of the overall vote, shortly before it was outlawed by the courts. This year, the Candlelight Party won 21.78% of the popular vote, a long way behind the CPP and the CNRPs previous tally, but there were mitigating circumstances. Opposition candidates were split among a slew of new parties and the CNRPs ever-popular former leader, Kem Sokha, did not contest the vote while remaining under house arrest amid his continuing treason trial. Other senior opposition figures had fled abroad including co-CNRP leader Sam Rainsy. Ou Virak, president of the Phnom Penh-based Future Forum think tank, said the Candlelight Party had performed well, given the circumstances, and that was largely due to old allegiances. Despite all of the government's attempts to either crack down, suppress, harass the Sam Rainsy popularity, that gets core supporters, that pool of people remain, and I think they remain very loyal to his politics and then to the politics of the opposition, he said. These results have an added significance because opinion polls are shunned in Cambodia and Hun Sen has backed his son, Hun Manet, as the next CPP prime minister, a move that has been endorsed by the party. Totten said it was far too early and far too difficult to say whether a transition of power would go smoothly but he added, In any system when a leader whos been around for such a long time in a position of such obvious control, people start to anticipate his or her departure. That could lead to a certain degree of unfamiliar instability around political alliances, he said, adding the government meanwhile would concentrate on reforming and repairing the damage caused to the economy by the COVID-19 pandemic. Voter turnout was also low in what Liz Throssell, spokesperson for the United Nations human rights office in Geneva, described as a paralyzing political environment in a country which has witnessed a systematic shrinking of democratic space. She also noted that 118 former CNRP members had been excluded from running for office for five years, while candidates were reluctant to register complaints, fearing retaliatory legal proceedings or being struck from the ballot. Eight days after the poll, the Phnom Penh Municipal Court jailed dozens of CNRP supporters for between five to eight years, including Khmer-American lawyer Theary Seng. Chak Sopheap, executive director of the Cambodian Center for Human Rights, said the convictions and jailing had highlighted the governments unwillingness to allow any opposition to exist in the country. As well as some form of intimidation and threats of legal action, certain candidates have been removed from the lists before the commune council election, she said. All of these incidents, they are not surprising because this is the similar pattern that has been used in the past. The dissolution of the CNRP enabled the CPP to win every seat contested in the National Assembly the following year, which resulted in the country becoming a one-party state for the first time since 1993 U.N.-sponsored elections. Ou Virak said he expected the voting trend seen at this years commune election to be repeated at the national ballot in July next year. Mergers with smaller parties are possible but it is unlikely the Candlelight Party could recapture more than 40% of the popular vote, as the CNRP did, he said. I think that will be seen as too much of a risk to accept for the ruling party. I think, looking back again, they dissolved the CNRP easily, he said. They can do that again if theres any real threat to their victory. When Brazilian journalist Adecio Piran saw a WhatsApp message that British journalist Dom Phillips was missing in the Amazon, a shiver ran down his spine. Phillips was known for his coverage of environmental issues like illegal logging and poaching, writing for The Guardian, The Washington Post and others. Now he and Bruno Pereira, an Indigenous expert traveling with him in the remote Javari region, had vanished. Piran, who works in Brazils northern state of Para, recalled thinking, "That could have happened to me." "I felt like I was in their place. I was shocked. A movie goes through your head," he told VOA. The search for Phillips and Pereira culminated Wednesday when authorities announced that a suspect had confessed to being involved in their killing and directed police to where they could recover the bodies. A forensic examination of those remains was under way Friday. Conflict and coverage The apparent killing of a high-profile journalist has renewed focus on the risks for those investigating environmental issues. "All these drivers make up this scorched earth scenario that we live in the Amazon," said Danicley de Aguiar, from Greenpeace Brazil. "Environmental crime has become organized. And every time a journalist dares to speak about the silencing process of social leaderships, they become a target alongside the leadership." Piran knows what that feels like. In August 2019, he broke a story about coordinated efforts by ranchers, farmers and others to burn newly deforested land in what became known as the Day of Fire. They wanted to send a message to Brazils president, Jair Bolsonaro, that they agreed with his vision to develop the Amazon and were ready to work, burning forests to clear land for grazing. The story covered by other journalists, including Phillips sparked international condemnation and a backlash from the Day of Fire perpetrators. It turned into a mess, like a Western movie, like I was wanted, Piran recalled. Leaflets bearing his photo were distributed, and threatening messages appeared in WhatsApp and other social media. "I couldnt walk on the streets," he said. "It was horrible; I dont even want to remember that." The journalist had to leave his home until tensions eased. Protect or develop? Bolsonaro in 2018 made clear his intent to open the Amazon for development. Since then, commercial pressure on the Amazon a vast area seen as vital for its ecological diversity and as a buffer against global warming increased. Deforestation hit record highs year after year, and a 2021 report from the international environmental organization Global Witness ranked Brazil as one of the most dangerous countries in the world for environmentalists, with 20 killed in 2020. Killings on Indigenous lands also increased, with 182 cases recorded in 2020, up from 113 in 2019, according to a report by the Missionary Council for Indigenous Peoples (CIMI). Conflicts relating to territorial rights more than doubled, the council said. Activists, environmentalists, journalists and Indigenous people are on the front lines. "The people at the forefront of this fight to protect our lands, like me, like Indigenous leaders, have a target on our back. We put our lives at risk," said Natim Guajajara, who is part of the Guardians of the Forest group. The Guardians, with more than 100 Guajajaras, one of the countrys largest Indigenous groups from the eastern part of the Amazon, was formed in 2013 to fight illegal logging gangs. One of their members, Paulo Paulino Guajajara, was killed in 2019, and a Guajajara leader and supporter of the Guardians named Zezico Rodrigues Guajajara was killed the following year. No one has been brought to justice. The risks ripple through the region, with threats coming from a range of interests. "There is a history of this predatory occupation in the Amazon. There are politicians involved, wildcat miners involved, and illegal loggers involved. These are different groups with the same interest that have gotten together to destroy the Amazon," said Arison Jardim of the Apiwtxa Association, which protects the interests of the Ashaninka people of Acre state. Jardim is a journalist and communications adviser for the association. Phillips, who was working on a book about conservation efforts in the Amazon, visited Acre state and the Ashaninka people before joining Pereira in Vale do Javari. Bordering Peru and Colombia, Vale do Javari has the second-largest Indigenous territory in Brazil, and the biggest concentration of isolated and newly contacted indigenous people. Drug trafficking gangs have control of its waterways to transport cocaine. Poaching, illegal logging, fishing, and wildcat mining (known as garimpo) activities "have been systematically denounced by the indigenous organizations in the region, said Guenter Francisco Loebens, a missionary from CIMI. "It is a constant threat." Although many indigenous communities have been able to build a network of information sharing with social media and their own news organizations, journalists are essential to helping shed light on issues affecting those in Vale do Javari. People like Phillips and Pereira did precisely that. They started working together in 2018 after the journalist joined one of Pereira's expeditions. It was a perfect match: Pereira had connections and the trust of the people in the rainforest. Phillips had the means to expose their concerns. Over his 14 years living in Brazil, Phillips had put much of his effort into environmental reporting. The June trip was meant to be one of his last for the book, The Guardian reported. They were last seen in their boat on June 5, in an area where clashes regularly occur between fisherman, poachers and government officials. Pereira had alerted authorities about threats since April, when he told Federal Police and prosecutors about organized illegal fishing and poaching in the valley, the Brazilian newspaper O Globo reported. Piran understands the lasting impact of such threats. After his Day of Fire experience, he returned to his home in Novo Progresso but refrains from writing about similar topics. He thinks the killing of Phillips and Pereira may have a similar effect on other reporters. "Look at the gravity of this case. How horrible it is. I believe that this situation, I can be mistaken, but I believe will suppress many things," Piran said. "Brazilian journalists, especially environmental ones, have their days counted, it seems." Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy applauded the European Commission's recommendation to grant Ukraine candidate status for European Union membership, while Russian President Vladimir Putin slammed the West for imposing sanctions on Moscow but played down the EU decision. Putin spoke Friday at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, where he accused the West of "colonial arrogance" and trying to crush Russia with sanctions he described as "stupid." However, he said he had "nothing against" Ukraine's bid to join the EU. Putin said the "special military operation" in Ukraine will continue, and he emphasized Russia's sovereignty and strength when faced with what he called "Western hostility." "In the current situation, against a backdrop of increasing risks for us and threats, Russia's decision to conduct a special military operation was forced difficult, of course, but forced and necessary," Putin said. He said the U.S. is trying to change "the course of history," and he accused the West of fanning anti-Russian sentiment and of "active military appropriation of Ukrainian territory." He spoke as Russia continued its offensive in Ukraine's eastern Donbas region. Ukraine's military said Friday the attacks continue in the key cities of Sloviansk and Sievierodonetsk. Russia and its allies say they control about half of Donetsk and nearly all of Luhansk, the two regions that make up the Donbas. Sievierodonetsk and surrounding villages are in the last part of Luhansk that Ukraine still holds. Ukraine joining EU? The head of the European Union said Friday that Ukraine should be formally considered for candidate status. "We all know that Ukrainians are ready to die for the European perspective," said Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission's president, while wearing a jacket in Ukraine's national colors. "We want them to live with us the European dream." Early Friday, Zelenskyy tweeted that he commends the decision, adding, "It's the 1st step on the EU membership path that'll certainly bring our Victory closer." The recommendation is the first step in the long process of becoming a member of the 27-nation bloc. EU leaders will meet later this month to consider the commission's recommendation. The commission also recommended candidacy for Moldova, though not for Georgia. Putin said Friday he is not opposed to Ukraine joining the EU because, unlike NATO, the EU is not a military alliance. "We have nothing against it. It's their sovereign decision to join economic unions or not. ... It's their business, the business of the Ukrainian people," Putin said. Ukraine applied to join the EU just days after Russian troops invaded the country. Natural gas cuts France is the latest country to be completely cut off from Russian natural gas. Moscow also has reduced supplies by half to Italy and Slovakia. Germany and Austria have also been hit. Europe gets about 40% of its gas from Russia. The European nations are stockpiling their reserves to prepare for winter, as they use less gas during the summer. The EU wants its members to have their gas storage at 80% capacity, at least, by November. Russia previously cut off natural gas to Poland, Bulgaria, Finland, the Netherlands and Denmark. Americans missing in Ukraine President Joe Biden said Friday that he doesn't know the status of three Americans who are reportedly missing after volunteering to go to Ukraine to fight against the Russians. We don't know where they are," he said. "Americans should not be going to Ukraine now. I'll say it again: Americans should not be going to Ukraine." Russian state television showed video Friday of two of the missing men. It identified them as Alex Drueke and Andy Huynh. The RT television report said the men were being held by Russian-backed separatists in Ukraine's eastern Donbas region. On Thursday, in an interview with The Associated Press, Biden said he's willing to pay a political price for his support for Ukraine. The United States imposed tough sanctions on Russia for invading Ukraine, and gas prices have since skyrocketed. Biden said he is making decisions as commander in chief and not as a politician. "I'm the president of the United States," he said. "It's not about my political survival. It's about what's best for the country." Biden said there could be chaos in Europe if Russia keeps moving deeper into the continent without being challenged. Some information in this report came from The Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse. In marking the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought, the United Nations is calling for better land management and regreening initiatives to tackle the twin disasters. Europe is struggling with an unusually early and intense heat wave, which has spread from North Africa. That has been preceded by a prolonged heat wave in India and Pakistan in March and April. Spokeswoman for the World Meteorological Organization, Clare Nullis, said European countries are experiencing scorching temperatures in mid-June that are more typical of those in July or August. She added that temperatures more than 10 degrees higher than average are combined with drought in many parts of Europe. "As a result of climate change, heat waves are starting earlier. They are becoming more frequent and more severe because of concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, which are at record level," Nullis said. "What we are witnessing today is, unfortunately, a foretaste of the future." Heat waves can exacerbate drought and wildfires, and trigger desertification. Droughts are increasing in frequency and severity, the WMO says, adding that they have gone up by 29 percent since 2000, affecting 55 million people a year. The World Health Organization calls drought an urgent, global issue. It says droughts are getting more frequent and fiercer in all regions, affecting the health and well-being of millions of people. WHO spokeswoman Carla Drysdale said a particularly hard-hit region is the greater Horn of Africa. "In the past 10 years, the region has endured three severe droughts," Drysdale said. "The frequency and severity of droughts in recent years, linked to the changing climate, has made it harder and harder for families to recover from these shocks. Millions in the greater Horn of Africa are facing acute hunger." U.N. agencies agree early action can avert a crisis, lessen the impact of drought, and reverse desertification. They say measures such as rainwater harvesting, drip irrigation systems, and crop engineering that increases resilience to dry conditions can ward off some of the worst effects of drought. They recommend better land management, tree planting and other regreening projects to combat desertification and restore the land to what it was. They also point to the Great Green Wall of the Sahel project in Africa, which has restored millions of hectares of land and created thousands of jobs, from Dakar, Senegal, to Djibouti. A lone gunman entered a church in the southern U.S. state of Alabama on Thursday and opened fired on a small meeting, killing two people and wounding another person. Officials say the unidentified suspect in the shooting at Saint Stephens Episcopal Church in the Birmingham suburb of Vestavia Hills has been detained. "This should never happen -- in a church, in a store, in the city, or anywhere, Governor Kay Ivey said. We continue to closely monitor the situation." According to the churchs website, a Boomers Potluck dinner was scheduled for Thursday evening. The announcement of the event of the site asked people to bring a dish to share and invited people to simply eat and have time for fellowship. Thursdays church shooting is the latest in a series of recent shootings in the United States that have again sparked debate about the need for gun reform. Last month, 10 Black people were killed in a racist attack on a supermarket in Buffalo, New York. Later in the month, 19 elementary school children and two adults were killed by a gunman in Uvalde, Texas. Thousands of people gathered on the National Mall in Washington Saturday to call for stricter gun control measures. Some information for this report came from The Associated Press. The House committee investigating the January 6, 2021, insurrection at the Capitol has asked Virginia Thomas, the wife of Supreme Court Associate Justice Clarence Thomas, for an interview, the panel's chairman said Thursday afternoon. Thomas, a conservative activist, communicated with people in President Donald Trump's orbit ahead of the attack and on the day of the insurrection, when hundreds of Trump's supporters violently stormed the Capitol and interrupted the certification of Joe Biden's victory. "We have sent Ms. Thomas a letter, asking her to come and talk to the committee," Mississippi Representative Bennie Thompson, the Democratic chairman of the panel, told reporters after a three-hour public hearing Thursday. He didn't specify a time or date for an interview. The chairman said her name could also come up at some point in the panel's hearings that are being held throughout June. Earlier in the day, Thompson and committee vice chair Liz Cheney had both said it was time for her to come in voluntarily and provide testimony to the nine-member panel after investigators discovered information that refers to Thomas known as Ginni in communications they have obtained relating to one of Trump's lawyers, John Eastman. 'Can't wait' In response, Thomas told the conservative news site Daily Caller on Thursday that she "can't wait to clear up misconceptions," suggesting she would comply with a request to testify. Eastman, who was advising Trump in the weeks and days ahead of the attack, was a central figure in the committee's third public hearing Thursday. Lawmakers laid out their case regarding the pressure campaign Trump waged, with a legal assist from Eastman, against then-Vice President Mike Pence to try to get him to object or delay Biden's certification on January 6. On his blog, Eastman posted a single email from Thomas on December 4, 2020, in which she asks Eastman for a status update for a group she describes as "grassroots state leaders." "OMG, Mrs. Thomas asked me to give an update about election litigation to her group. Stop the Presses!" the headline on the blog post reads. Eastman also said he never discussed with either of the Thomases "any matters pending or likely to come before the Court." Thomas did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Associated Press. It is not the first time that members of the panel have said they want to talk to Thomas. In March, lawmakers on the committee said they were considering inviting her for a witness interview about text messages with White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows on the day of the attack. But she still has not spoken to the panel. Critical of panel She has been critical of the January 6 committee and signed a letter with other conservatives calling on House Republicans to expel Cheney and Representative Adam Kinzinger from the GOP conference for joining the panel. Thomas also urged Republican lawmakers in Arizona to choose their own slate of electors after the 2020 election, arguing that results giving Biden a victory in the state were marred by fraud. She has acknowledged she attended the January 6 "Stop the Steal" rally on the Ellipse but left before Trump spoke and his supporters later stormed the Capitol. Justice Thomas was the only member of the Supreme Court who voted against the court's order allowing the January 6 committee to obtain Trump records that were held by the National Archives and Records Administration. The court voted in January to allow the committee to get the documents. The court on Thursday did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the justice. The emails between Eastman and Thomas were first reported by The Washington Post. Rights activists in Ghana are protesting after a crowd, urged on by a member of parliament, tore down a billboard that promoted tolerance toward the LGBTQ community. Last year, Ghanaian security shut down a European Union-supported LGBTQ community center, and some lawmakers are seeking to make gay rights advocacy illegal. To mark Pride month, LGBTQ+ activists mounted billboards in the capital Accra and two other cities with the inscription "Love, Tolerance and Acceptance." However, the giant posters, positioned to catch the attention of commuters, sparked public uproar, prompting conservative MPs to call for their destruction. Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed, an opposition MP representing the Muslim-dominated constituency of Tamale, said he would not entertain activities of the LGBTQ+ community in his jurisdiction. "They deliberately attempted to cause pain within Muslims in the northern region and that is why they placed it here," Muhammed said. "We would not allow this to happen within our jurisdiction. So we called the youth, we came together and pulled it down and burned it any material that is pasted on any billboard within my jurisdiction and it's from those people, we'll pull it down and burn it. That particular act is not even accepted in Ghana law, so if anybody comes and goes contrary to Ghana law, we'll teach the person a lesson." Sam George, another MP, is one of the sponsors of a proposed law seeking to criminalize LGBTQ+ advocacy and impose longer jail terms for same-sex relations. George led a coalition last week to mount pressure on the police to tear down the billboard in Accra. That billboard was removed last Sunday. George hailed Wednesday's act led by his colleague MP by tweeting: "So long as they mount those billboards, we would bring them down." LGBT+ Rights Ghana, the organization that sponsored the billboards, condemned the attacks, saying they put the lives of LGBTQ+ community members in danger. "The tearing down of the billboards goes further to affirm the violence that is being meted towards us as LGBTQ Ghanaians with impunity from state and non-state actors," said Alex Kofi Donkor, director of LGBT+ Rights Ghana. "It is very scary for us as a community and even a democratic country that has a constitution that is supposed to protect all citizens and give right to freedom of life, of expression and of dignity." Donkor served notice that LGBT+ Rights Ghana will seek redress in court while giving assurance to the community to remain calm. "We plan on taking legal actions against the tearing down of the billboards. If you remember last year, our office space was raided and now it's the billboard and the introduction of a bill," he said. "To what extent do these people really want to go to incredibly undermine our lives as LGBTQ Ghanaians? We want to now pursue legal actions against this impunity that is on the rise and continuously increase and being meted out or targeted towards LGBTQ persons in Ghana." The fight for gay rights in Ghana will be an uphill battle as the West African country's parliament considers a law that will prosecute LGBTQ+ advocates. President Nana Akufo-Addo has also condemned same-sex marriage. North Korea is rushing to contain an outbreak of a malignant intestinal disease, state media reported this week, a month after the country acknowledged it is dealing with a COVID-19 outbreak. State media have not disclosed the name of the intestinal disease but say North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has sent medicines to combat an acute enteric epidemic in the western province of South Hwanghae. Enteric diseases are often acquired by consuming contaminated food or water but can also spread from person to person. They cause symptoms such as diarrhea, fever or cramps and can be deadly if left untreated. The South Korean government suspects the disease may be cholera or typhoid fever, according to a Unification Ministry background briefing quoted by local media. North Korea, which is impoverished and underdeveloped in many parts, has long seen periodic outbreaks of such diseases. South Korea has offered to help deal with the disease, but North Korea has not responded, the officials at the briefing said. The situation could present a major challenge for the North Korean government, which may not have enough resources to deal with two major disease outbreaks at the same time. The extent of the intestinal outbreak is not clear. State media reported Thursday that authorities have ordered all suspected cases to be quarantined. On Friday, they said quarantine facilities were being set up nationwide. Authorities have sent enough medicine for over 800 families suffering from the acute epidemic in South Hwanghae, according to the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). The countrys propaganda outlets have attempted to convey a sense of urgency and generosity on behalf of Kim, whose family, they say, personally helped prepare the medicines. The recipients of the unspecified medicine warmly cherished the benevolent image of Kim, said state media, comparing the North Korean leader to the greatest mother in the world. The people in Haeju City shouted, Long Live Comrade Kim Jong Un! and Long Live the Workers' Party of Korea! at the top of their voice, crying in gratitude, KCNA said. On May 12, North Korea acknowledged for the first time that it is dealing with a COVID-19 outbreak. The admission came more than two years into a worldwide coronavirus pandemic. Since then, North Korea has said its COVID-19 situation has vastly improved, though outside experts emphasize that even Pyongyang may not know the true extent of the outbreak. Instead of reporting confirmed coronavirus cases, North Korea has posted daily counts of fevered persons, possibly because the country does not have enough COVID-19 testing supplies. Since the middle of last month, North Korea has reported 4.58 million fever cases but only 73 deaths. If the fever cases were counted as confirmed COVID-19 cases, that would mean North Korea has achieved the worlds lowest COVID-19 fatality rate by far. Experts say that is not remotely believable, given North Koreas antiquated healthcare system and probable lack of effective COVID-19 treatments. Until very recently, North Korea also did not have COVID-19 vaccines. North Korea has repeatedly ignored offers of vaccines from COVAX, the U.N.-backed vaccine distribution effort. However, Gavi, the vaccine alliance that helps run COVAX, said earlier this month it understands North Korea has accepted an offer of vaccines from China and has started to administer doses. It offered no other details. In an unusually blunt statement earlier this month, the World Health Organization said it assumes North Koreas COVID-19 situation is getting worse, not better. Philippine President-elect Ferdinand Marcos Jr.s national security adviser-designate has urged a stop to the dangerous and deadly practice of red-tagging, or labeling government critics and activists as communists or terrorists. Clarita Carlos, a retired professor of political science, would become the first woman to hold the position of national security adviser (NSA) if confirmed, as expected, by July 1. Its a powerful post that oversees the countrys security and defense approach and is usually reserved for high-ranking military officials. To the extent of my mandate as NSA, I would like to stop red-tagging, Carlos said in a recent TV interview after her appointment was announced, adding that it was a lazy, counterproductive practice. Red-tagging in the Philippines is the practice by the military and police of branding human rights defenders, activists, journalists and other members of civil society who have been critical of the government. Some people who have been red-tagged have been harassed and have turned up dead. The United Nations, expressing concern about the practice, has said it posed a serious threat to civil society and freedom of expression. 'It is not productive' Carlos, if approved, will chair the National Security Council and be vice chair of the Anti-Terrorism Council. She advocates for a human security approach to solve the Philippines' decadeslong battle with a communist insurgency, the longest in Asia. Lets stop red-tagging because it is not productive. Lets put our energies on the ground, addressing inequalities, lack of opportunities, Carlos said. If you prevent these people from becoming journalists scientists, if you kill their future, they will hold guns. Carlos proposed plan, if she gets to implement it once in office, is a total reversal of President Rodrigo Dutertes policy, which saw a surge of red-tagging and the killing of activists totaling 318 people in 2021, according to a human rights group. In 2018, Duterte formed and poured money into funding the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) to counter the insurgency. The task force has been widely criticized for harassing activists, government critics and journalists. Empirical evidence shows that the military route never works, so we should stop it. We look stupid doing the same things that do not work. We should do what works, Carlos said. Human rights organizations have welcomed Carlos call to end red-tagging, but there are doubts she will get to have the last say on the matter. As an academic with a nonmilitarist mindset, we can give her the benefit of the doubt. We hope, though, that the traffickers of red-tagging will not outmaneuver her sensible position in the end, said lawyer Edre Olalia, president of the National Union of Peoples' Lawyers. Silence from Marcos, so far But Olalia, whose organization has worked with people who have been red-tagged, jailed or killed by government security forces, doubts Marcos will heed Carlos call. I doubt especially that [Marcos] has endorsed the NTF-ELCAC during the campaign, and he seems to be deafeningly silent on the issues of red-tagging and the Anti-Terrorism Act up to now. And he has to deal with many sponsors and practitioners of red-tagging around him, he said. Cristina Palabay, secretary-general of rights group Karapatan (rights in Filipino), called on Carlos to advocate the abolition of the controversial NTF-ELCAC. Aside from its notorious and dangerous red-tagging sprees, it has directed and incited several gross human rights violations numerous arrests and raids of progressive leaders and organizers and trumped-up charges against activists, Palabay told VOA. But the challenge for Carlos, Palabay said, is to stand her ground and heed the calls to end NTF-ELCAC and red-tagging amid the overall framework of policies of Marcos Jr. and the military. Similarly, Human Rights Watch called on Carlos to make good on her statement to end red-tagging. What remains uncertain is whether her new boss, and the Philippines armed forces, will allow her to do that, once she is in office, HRW Philippines researcher Carlos Conde said. The head of a news website close to Tunisia's Islamist-inspired Ennahdha party has been arrested over alleged links to a company accused of conspiring against the state, his lawyer said Friday. Lotfi Hidouri, editor-in-chief of Achahed, was placed in custody on Thursday over financial dealings between a firm which finances his site and Instalingo, a digital content provider, Samir Ben Amor told AFP. Local media say Instalingo, which has been under investigation since 2021, stands accused of "plotting against the security of the state" and inciting violence. Ennahdha was the leading force in Tunisia's parliament which was dissolved last July in a power grab by President Kais Saied. The lawyer said Hidouri had "no administrative authority" over the website that could justify his detention, which he condemned as "yet another crime" in the wake of Saied's power grab. A Tunisian military court on June 11 placed another journalist critical of Saied in custody after he made comments about the army during a television broadcast. The national journalists' union, the SNJT, has condemned authorities' attempts to "tame" media outlets and turn them into propaganda channels. Nigerian authorities in southwest Ondo state held a mass funeral Friday for victims of the massacre two weeks ago at a Catholic church. Authorities blame the Islamic State West African Province for the attack, which killed at least 40 worshippers and raised fears that the terrorist group is spreading from the north to other parts of Nigeria. Owo resident Onyekachi Ozulumba woke up early Friday morning, dressed up quickly and went to his elder brother's house. From there, they went to the mortuary to escort their mother's remains to the venue of the burial ceremony organized by the Ondo state Catholic diocese and state authorities. Their mother, 85, was at St. Francis Catholic church on June 5 when armed men opened fire and detonated explosives. Ozulumba said his mother was hit by an explosive. He collected pieces of her body on a flat piece of wood. At the venue, hundreds of people gathered to witness the funeral mass, including state and church officials. As the bodies of the victims arrived, an already tense hall was filled with voices crying. During the mass, church authorities denounced the attack and said the government must do more to protect citizens. "I call on President Buhari and our leaders in the federal government or state government to wake up, sit up and act up to secure lives and properties all over Nigeria.," said Catholic Bishop Emmanuel Badejo, one of the officiating clergymen. "How many more must die? Does life really have any value anymore with you?" Ondo state Governor Rotimi Akeredolu promised to improve security. "What has happened to us in Owo is indescribable, I'm short of words," he said. "We still have over 70 in the hospital, some have been discharged. I'm here before you to accept a failure of security, we have failed to defend these people." Nigeria is seeing increasing attacks by armed gangs as the country's general elections draw closer. Outgoing President Buhari promised to improve security when he was voted in seven years ago. The Nigerian parliament is calling for a state of emergency in Ondo state. Also, an armed security unit in southwest Nigeria known as Amotekun, supported by regional authorities, has vowed to keep people safe and go after perpetrators of the church shooting. A global agency combating illicit financing said Friday that Pakistan had substantially completed internationally agreed upon action plans to address their deficiencies to counter money laundering and funding to terrorist groups. The Paris-based Financial Action Task Force (FATF) in 2018 placed the South Asian nation on its gray list of countries with weak mechanisms, and Pakistan agreed to work with the agency to strengthen them. The placement made foreign firms more cautious about investing in Pakistan, which is dealing with a struggling economy and a balance-of-payment crisis. FATF President Marcus Pleyer told a news briefing Friday after its decision-making plenary session in Berlin that they reviewed Islamabads progress and concluded it had largely addressed two action plans, covering 34 items. The FATF has now recommended an on-site visit to check that Pakistans reforms are in place and can be sustained into the future, Pleyer said. Pakistan is not being removed from the gray list today. The country will be removed from the list if it successfully passes the on-site visit. Pleyer declined to discuss a date for the on-site visit but said it would take place before the next plenary session in October to enable FATF members to make an informed decision whether to remove Pakistan from the list. Pakistan has demonstrated that it is now pursuing terrorist financing investigations and prosecutions against senior leaders of U.N.-designated terrorist groups and pursuing money laundering investigations and prosecutions in line with its risk profile, the outgoing FATF president noted. Pleyer hailed the reforms as good for the stability and security of Pakistan and the region. They would ensure that authorities in Pakistan can more effectively" tackle money laundering and funding of terrorist groups, he added. Pakistan welcomed Fridays announcement by the global agency and hailed the authorization of the on-site visit as a final step for the country to exit from the FATFs gray list. A Foreign Ministry statement said Pakistan had covered a lot of ground in the anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-financing of terrorism (CFT) regime during implementation of FATF action plans. The engagement with FATF has led to the development of a strong AML/CFT framework in Pakistan and resulted in improving of our systems to cope with future challenges. Pakistans deposed prime minister Imran Khan, while responding to the outcome of FATFs plenary session, said it was his government that had set the stage for his countrys possible exit from the gray list. We not only averted blacklisting, but also completed 32 out of 34 action items. We submitted compliance report on remaining 2 items in April based on which FATF now declared Pak's Action Plan as completed, Khan wrote on Twitter. I am confident that prerequisite on-site visit of FATF team to confirm completed work on our action plan will pass successfully too, he added. An opposition-led parliamentary no-confidence vote ousted Khans nearly 4-year-old government in April, a move the former prime minister condemned as illegal and an outcome of a U.S.-instigated plot against him, charges Washington rejects. Pakistan actions In a significant move in April, a Pakistani court sentenced an anti-India Islamist cleric, Hafiz Saeed, to 33 years in prison after he was tried in two cases of terror financing. Saeed, the founder of the outlawed Lashkar-e-Taiba militant group and the head of its banned charity wing, Jamaat-ud-Dawa, has been designated as a global terrorist by the United States for allegedly playing a role in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks that killed more than 170 people. The sentencing of Hafiz Saeed is just one example of significant actions taken to curb terrorism, said Adam Weinstein, a research fellow at the U.S.-based Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft. Pakistan passed legislation to counter terrorism and most importantly enforced it," Weinstein told VOA. "This is why the FATF determined that Pakistan completed its action plans. Michael Kugelman, an expert on South Asian affairs at Washingtons Wilson Center, described FATFs approval of Pakistani efforts as a giant leap forward in its bid to exit the gray list. Facing a worsening economic crisis and having been stuck on the list for four years, a status that has some reputational costs and may deter some investors, this couldnt come at a better time for Pakistan. A FATF blacklist comprises countries considered noncooperative and supportive of terror financing as well as money laundering activities. Placement on that list triggers international economic sanctions and restrictions in the nations' dealings with foreign lending institutions. Iran and North Korea are the only two currently blacklisted countries. Dozens of people were killed in fierce fighting between residents backed by Somali government forces and al-Shabab militants in the town of Adado in central Somalia, witnesses and regional officials told VOA on Friday. Witnesses and Somali officials in the region said the fighting began when members of the terrorist group invaded the small town of Bahdo, about 60 kilometers east of Adado. Somali military spokesman Yabal Haji Aden told VOA that the militants began their attack with a suicide vehicle-borne explosive, detonated near the entrance of the town. That set off an intense street battle between the militants and the towns local militia, which was backed by units of Somali forces. They tried to detonate three explosives-laden vehicles ... one of [which] detonated when our soldiers hit it with a rocket-propelled grenade," the spokesman said. "They [then] abandoned the second one, and the third vehicle escaped. Galguduud regional Governor Ali Elmi Ganey said the joint forces killed about 47 fighters from the extremist group. The terrorists have tasted death, both inside and outside of the town. They left 47 dead bodies, guns and military ammunition, he said. Residents in the town and officials said three children, a well-known religious scholar and three soldiers were also killed during the fighting. Bahdo is known to have been a base for moderate Islamist scholars, the governor said, explaining that fighters belonging to the moderate Sufi Islamist militia known as Ahlu-Sunna Wal-Jamaa a group nominally aligned with Somalia's military in viewing al-Shabab extremists as an enemy were involved the fighting. Ahlu-Sunna Wal-Jamaa began a war against al-Shabab militants in late 2008 over sectarian differences but has also clashed with government forces over political differences and control of the central Somali town. In an interview with VOA, Ahmed Shire Falagle, information minister for Galmudug state, which includes the Galguduud administrative region, said the militants attack on the town did not come as a surprise. Our forces, those of Ahlu-Sunna and the residents, [were] tipped off prior to the al-Shabab attack," he said, adding that al-Shabab suffered about 100 casualties, including the dead and injured. After the fighting, local militia and government forces showed the bodies of some 30 dead militants. Al-Shabab has been fighting for years to dislodge the countrys central government and has targeted moderate Islamist groups. The group frequently carries out shootings and bombings at both military and civilian targets and has also attacked regional targets, especially in neighboring Kenya. Analysts said Friday's fighting was the deadliest in recent years for al-Shabab and came days after Somalia's president appointed a new prime minister, who has called the fight against al-Shabab a priority. Abdiwahid Isaq contributed to this report. Abortion providers in some places where the procedure could be banned if the U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade are bracing for a ruling by halting scheduling for the procedure, transitioning staff to help patients travel to other states and creating networks of clinics that will span across regions of the country. Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin, which operates three clinics that provide abortions in the state, is not scheduling the procedure beyond June 25 as it anticipates a late June decision reversing the landmark 1973 decision that guaranteed abortion rights nationwide. The organization in recent weeks has dedicated two staff members to help patients book appointments and figure out how to get to clinics. Whether clinics in Wisconsin will be able to provide abortions, though, has turned into a day-to-day question. "One of the hardest aspects of this is not knowing what day this decision will come down and what it will be," said Michelle Velasquez, the director of legal advocacy and services at Planned Parenthood Wisconsin. "The unknown has been difficult." It's a window into what abortion providers and access funds are planning in more than a dozen other states across the South and Midwest. In South Dakota this week, the state's only abortion clinic, also operated by Planned Parenthood, announced it had "paused" scheduling abortions beyond the end of the month. In Oklahoma, providers already stopped the procedure after a law was enacted to ban it. In Wisconsin, a law banning abortion has been on the books since 1849, but Roe v. Wade overrode it. While Roe's fall would likely spark a legal tussle over whether it is valid, Planned Parenthood does not want to put its staff at risk of prosecution. Velasquez said clinic staff wanted to provide abortions in Wisconsin up until the last minute it was legal, but also had to consider that scheduling appointments for dates when it could become illegal could create uncertainty and be "distressing" for patients. Velasquez acknowledged that the Supreme Court could release its decision as soon as next week, even while Planned Parenthood has appointments on the books. She said if that happened, Planned Parenthood would help those patients book appointments for abortions in nearby states, such as Minnesota and Illinois. Patients could still get counseling, lab work and ultrasounds in Wisconsin in the meantime. "We wouldn't leave patients, like, 'You're on your own,'" Velasquez said. "Even if we can't provide the medications or we can't do a procedure, we are absolutely able to help people find the care they need," she added. The strategy will inevitably put more pressure on providers in states in the region where abortion will still be legal, said Caitlyn Myers, an economics professor at Middlebury College who studies abortion access. "As hundreds of thousands of women flood out of these states, it is going to enormously tax the resources of these providers," she said. "I don't think they are prepared for this huge influx." It comes as the number and rates of U.S. abortions is on the rise after a long decline. Abortions increased from 2017-20, according to figures from the Guttmacher Institute, a research group that supports abortion rights. It counted more than 930,000 abortions in the U.S. in 2020. Clinics shuttering, like one did in Idaho recently, or halting scheduling show that a post-Roe reality has already arrived in many places. Myers said getting an appointment for an abortion may soon become "critical" across the country. Three times this year, South Africa has abstained from voting on United Nations resolutions condemning Russias invasion of Ukraine. Now, South Africas energy minister, Gwede Mantashe, has called for the country to purchase Russian crude oil, an act that would be a flagrant disregard of the sanctions against Vladimir Putins government put in place by the United States, United Kingdom and European Union. Opposition Democratic Alliance lawmaker Kevin Mileham said Mantashes call is ridiculous. Frankly, Mr. Mantashes comments and calls for South Africa to buy oil from Russia are misguided," Mileham said. "South Africas refining capacity is at an all-time low at the moment with the majority of our refineries shut down, so we have no way of refining oil purchased from Russia. Mileham said its easier and cheaper to purchase refined fuel from refineries overseas like Singapore, the Middle East, Nigeria, Europe. Weve seen a massive jump in the fuel price hike because of the Russian invasion of Ukraine," Mileham said. "Thats the first issue. The second is that the South African economy and the rand-dollar exchange rate is also unfavorable. And thats something that is directly attributable to government. "Government has failed to run our economy efficiently. Mileham added: "Weve seen an average of our 1.5-percent growth per annum and as a result. Were obviously an underperforming economy. And thats reflected in the rand/dollar exchange rate. The South African government did not comment on Mantashes statement. The minister of international relations and cooperation, Naledi Pando, has repeatedly said South Africa is not indifferent to what is going on in Ukraine but thinks that as a matter of urgency, there must be a cessation of hostilities and that dialogue and diplomacy must be employed. Foreign policy analyst Sanusha Naidu of the Institute for Global Dialogue said she doesnt know what the solution to the high fuel price is, but the South African government should be doing more to avoid an economic crisis. The fact of the matter is that South Africa has not done what it shouldve done at a structural level in terms of improving refining capacity, improving our own kind of capabilities, etc. We just havent woken up to the idea that we could have downstream, upstream activities because half of the problem is all politicized." Naidu said. "Its all about politicization, this is a problem, thats an issue. Mining analyst Peter Major says Mantashes call to consider buying Russias crude oil is an inane comment that ignores the plight of the Ukrainians and could reflect poorly on South Africa. It actually could have detrimental effects," Major said. "It could turn a lot of peoples good will away from us here if the party keeps making statements like that. I mean to be so biased, its just crazy. It doesnt help the country. It doesnt help the people. The Democratic Alliance is calling for taxes, which form part of the fuel price, to be reduced. Experts say the fuel price next month could reach an unprecedented $1.69 per liter. The U.N. refugee agency says thousands of survivors of a recent massacre in Burkina Faso are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance. The deadly attack by armed men on June 12 in the town of Seytenga sent nearly 16,000 people, mostly women and children, fleeing for their lives. The U.N. refugee agency reports they have arrived in Dori, a town in eastern Burkina Faso on the border with Niger and Mali. It adds more survivors of this attack are expected to arrive in the coming days. UNHCR spokesman Matthew Saltmarsh says the brutal attack by unknown assailants killed at least 79 people. He notes it is the deadliest single incident since more than 130 people were killed in a massacre in a nearby town a year ago. He says it marks a further escalation of violence against civilians in Burkina Faso. The new arrivals in Dori gave accounts of armed men going door-to-door to seek out and kill adult males, meaning that many witnessed the deaths of their husbands or fathers," Saltmarsh said. "Almost two-thirds of those who fled Seytenga are under the age of 18. Many have been sheltered by the host community and by displaced families already residing in Dori. However, he notes hundreds of others are sleeping rough by the roadside. Finding shelter to accommodate the new arrivals is difficult as Dori is teeming with people made homeless by escalating violence against civilians. Saltmarsh says Dori currently is home to nearly 76,000 displaced Burkinabe, as well as some 20,000 refugees from Mali. He says regional authorities and humanitarian organizations have begun relocating those without shelter to three existing sites in Dori and are preparing additional plots for future arrivals. UNHCR and partners are preparing to bolster supplies of emergency shelters and core relief items, including sleeping mats, soap, cooking utensils, for more than 1,000 families," Saltmarsh said. "UNHCR is also working to identify new arrivals with protection needs, such as children and survivors of sexual and gender-based violence and to get them access to appropriate care. The U.N. refugee agency is appealing for international support to meet the acute and growing needs of this bereaved population. It says only 20 percent of the $110 million appeal it has issued for Burkina Faso has been met. This, it says, is too little to run its life saving humanitarian operation. Burkina Fasos displacement crisis is one of the worlds fastest growing. Latest government figures put the number of internally displaced persons at 1.9 million. Editor's note: Here is a fast take on what the international community has been up to this past week, as seen from the United Nations perch. UN human rights chief won't seek second term U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet said Monday that she will step down when her term finishes at the end of August. The news was welcomed by China rights activists, who have criticized Bachelet for failing to more forcefully criticize Beijing's incarceration of nearly 2 million Uyghurs in Xinjiang, including during her recent visit to China. Activists Welcome UN Rights Chief's Decision to Step Down Truce eases Yemen violence, but hunger remains grave threat U.N. officials said Tuesday that a temporary truce in place across Yemen since April 2 has eased some hardships, but the country is still facing a dangerous food crisis in which 19 million people are going hungry. Hunger Stalks Yemenis as Truce Eases Some Hardships UK cancels controversial deportation flight to Rwanda On Tuesday night, Britain canceled its first deportation flight to Rwanda after a last-minute intervention by the European Court of Human Rights, which decided there was "a real risk of irreversible harm'' to the asylum-seekers involved. U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi has been among critics of the plan. "This is all wrong," Grandi told reporters Monday. UK Cancels First Flight to Deport Asylum Seekers to Rwanda In brief The heads of six U.N. humanitarian agencies called Thursday on the U.N. Security Council to renew the mandate allowing aid agencies to bring critical food and medical supplies into northwestern Syria from Turkey. The resolution authorizing the cross-border aid operation is due to expire on July 10. Russia has previously opposed renewing it and forced the council to gradually go from four crossing points to just one. The U.N. officials said the operation provides life-saving assistance to 4.1 million Syrians trapped in nongovernment-controlled areas. Damascus would like to see the cross-border operations end, saying all aid distribution should be through the government from inside the country. The U.N. has said such cross-line distribution is insufficient but would like to see it expanded. Senior U.N. officials continue to work with Kyiv and Moscow on getting some 20 million tons of Ukrainian grain blocked at a port in Odessa to international markets to ease the growing global food crisis. The drop in Ukrainian grain has particularly hurt parts of the Middle East and Africa and has dramatically driven up operating costs for the World Food Program. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell told reporters Friday that alternative routes and methods are being sought, "but certainly they are much less efficient than using big ships through the ports." U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said Thursday at the U.N. that Washington is looking at helping Ukraine build temporary silos along its border to prevent Russian troops from stealing grain and to make space for the upcoming winter harvest. The head of the U.N. mission in Afghanistan, Deborah Lyons, concluded her post this week. In a farewell statement, she said that when she accepted the job two years ago she could not have imagined the Afghanistan she is now leaving. Lyons said she is heartbroken, especially for the millions of Afghan girls who have been denied their right to education and for the talented women told to stay at home by the Taliban authorities. Her replacement is expected to be named soon. On June 23, the Security Council will hold its regular meeting on the situation in Afghanistan. Quote of note "We have not seen a single genocide or Holocaust, or anything of that nature, that has happened without hate speech. People do not recognize that what Hitler did with his Ministry of Propaganda that was headed by [Joseph] Goebbels, that really was hate speech at the highest level you can imagine. Official hate speech." Alice Nderitu, U.N. Special Adviser on Genocide, in remarks to reporters Friday ahead of the first International Day for Countering Hate Speech on June 18. What we are watching next week Monday, June 20, is World Refugee Day. The U.N. Refugee Agency, UNHCR, said this week in its Global Trends report that the war in Ukraine has pushed global displacement to over 100 million. Watch more here: World Refugee Day: More than 100 Million People Seek Safety Worldwide The U.S. Department of Commerce is investigating the possible circumvention by Vietnamese suppliers of anti-dumping and anti-subsidy taxes on wooden kitchen and bathroom cabinets imported from Vietnam that used Chinese-made components covered under the U.S. tariff regime. The department launched the probe after the American Kitchen Cabinet Alliance filed circumvention inquiry requests on April 22. The AKCA, a trade group representing U.S. wood-cabinet manufacturers, requested rulings on cabinets labeled made in Vietnam. The departments investigation, announced in the June 10 Federal Register, is looking into whether wooden cabinets from Vietnam and Malaysia include components imported to those countries from China. If the final products exported to the U.S. are found to include Chinese components, the finished products would be subject to trade remedy measures such as taxes that the U.S. applies to similar products exported directly from China. The Commerce Department will have to issue final conclusions within 300 days of launching its probe, although the investigation could be extended to conclude not more than 365 days after the launch, according to the website Vietnam News. According to a spokesperson for the U.S. International Trade Commission, This matter is before the Department of Commerce, and the commission does not comment on Commerce matters. Speaking at a recent conference on woodwork, Nguyen Pham Nhu Ha, of Vietnams Customs Control and Supervision Department under the General Department of Vietnam Customs, said that over the past few months, the department has seen a surge in woodwork exports to the United States, according to The Saigon Times. Ha said some Vietnamese firms have imported veneer and plywood from China, then attached Made in Vietnam labels to the end product, while others have bought wooden parts from China for assembly in Vietnam and then exported the products as Vietnamese-made. Such a sophisticated circumventive trade method has taken customs authorities time to investigate and collect evidence, Ha said. In response to a request for comment by VOA Vietnamese, Vietnams Trade Remedies Department (TRAV) under the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MOTI) referred to statements on its websites saying that it recommended producers and exporters of wood cabinets study the U.S. anti-circumvention regulations and investigation procedures. The Vietnamese authorities also asked the producers and exporters to fully comply with any U.S. requests to provide information while working with the TRAV. Tran Quoc Thuan, a lawyer in Ho Chi Minh City and former deputy director of Vietnams Office of the National Assembly, told VOA Vietnamese that although Vietnam and the U.S. maintain a good relationship, the Vietnamese government and its exporters need to take this investigation seriously and review their practices of importing and exporting wood products. Tran added that the companies must abide by the laws as well, not only with wood companies but also businesses which import materials from countries that are deemed as hostile nations by the U.S. The U.S. issued an order to impose anti-dumping and anti-subsidy taxes on wood cabinets originating from China in February 2020 after the U.S. International Trade Commission in April 2019 determined that there was a reasonable indication that a U.S. industry is materially injured by reason of imports of wooden cabinets and vanities from China that are allegedly subsidized and sold in the United States at less than fair value. The anti-dumping tax ranges from 4.37% to 262.18% while anti-subsidy tax rates can vary from 13.33% to 293.45%, according to the U.S. International Trade Administration. The enforcement of U.S. trade law was a key focus of President Donald Trumps administration during a trade war with China, according to the U.S. trade agency. Since February 2020, as a result of the U.S. taxes, exports of wood cabinets from China to the U.S. have fallen by 54%, from $2.5 billion to $1.6 billion, according to Viforest, which represents wood companies in Vietnam. During the same period, Vietnamese exports of wood products to the U.S. increased by more than 130%, from $1.37 billion to $2.7 billion. At the same time, imports of these products from China to Vietnam increased from $232 million to $810 million, according to the association as quoted by Woodworking Network. Do Xuan Lap, CEO and president of Tien Dat Furniture and chairman of Viforest, told Vietnams Cong Thuong news website on June 13 that the U.S. investigation will harm Vietnams woodworking industry. If the investigation finds that Chinese-made components were part of Vietnamese cabinets exported to the United States, the U.S. will impose the same tariffs on the products from China, he said. According to Viforest, the U.S. market accounts for 68% of Vietnams export turnover and wood products. After the U.S. imposed anti-dumping duties on Chinese-made kitchen cabinets and bathroom cabinets in 2020, U.S. buyers began ordering the items from Vietnam, where many Chinese factories were relocating, Do said. Vietnams exports of wood and wood products to the U.S. were valued at $8.77 billion in 2021, an increase of 22.4% compared with $6.97 billion in 2020, according to Viforest. In 2021, Vietnams total exports of wood and wood products were $14.8 billion, an increase of 19.7% compared with 2020 at $12.37 billion, according to Vietnams General Statistics Office. For many Hong Kongers, their city has always been distinct from China. Government, laws, language, schooling, cuisine, culture, outlook you name it, all different. And that sense, coupled with continuing political changes, propelled many Hong Kongers to emigrate after the 2019 pro-democracy protests when Beijing implemented the far-reaching Hong Kong version of Chinas National Security Law. Even in the law that tightens Beijings control over the former British colony, Hong Kong is different. Belle, an artist, left Hong Kong for New York last year. Her work is now part of show called Wandering Hong Kong mounted by the Lion Rock Cafe in lower Manhattan near Chinatown. The exhibition, which runs through Sunday at the Sohotel pop-up space on Broome Street, explores what it means to be wandering defined as a life with no place to settle down, needing to move around in promotional material. An art teacher and full-time artist in Hong Kong, Belle met her boyfriend during the 2019 Hong Kong protests. But as the movement went on, we realized there are concerns, there is something there that we cannot draw. Or we can draw it, but we cannot show it. So, whats the point? That just got many of us to thinking: Whats the next step for us?" said Belle, who asked VOA Mandarin not to use her real name to avoid attracting Beijings attention. For Belle and her boyfriend, the next step meant heading to New York City. Understanding through art In New York, she joined Lion Rock Cafe, an organization modeled on a French salon with no fixed location but a focus on deepening understanding and solidarity between the United States and Hong Kong through arts and culture, according to its website. Lion Rock Cafe is now hosting the exhibition Wandering Hong Kong, a show of art by Belle and other Hong Kong artists who belong to a diaspora perched throughout the U.S., U.K., Taiwan and Canada. "Wandering Hong Kong" exhibited dozens of works in various media paintings, installation art and videos. The shows organizer told VOA Mandarin that since 2019 more than 100,000 Hong Kongers have emigrated or gone into exile to avoid living under Beijings rule. "Hong Kongers have become a vagrant group," said Tom, who asked that his real name not be used. "We want to express this wandering mentality, simply saying that there is no home, or the feeling of leaving home, and express it with art, and let Hong Kong artists freely express some of their ideas and works of art in this free land." "It was shocking," Tom said. "Some political dissidents have the strongest feelings of wandering, and they can empathize with it the most. So when they use art to express it, through some patterns and their works, they can better feel the feeling of leaving Hong Kong with some burdens, regrets, some apprehensions, and maybe some worries about the future. Those emotions are also reflected in the works." Saying goodbye Tommy, another Hong Konger who is now a New York artist, was inspired by the moment he said goodbye to family and friends, according to Tom. Tommys work reflects the three very deep and formal bows many Hong Kongers made rather than voicing farewell. Belle said, The feeling of leaving my hometown, I would say, is complicated. Its hard to express with a few words, because its so much mixed feelings and emotions into that decision. Would she return? Belle replied that at this moment, we are not sure if it would be a good choice, a good decision to ever go back to Hong Kong. Days of heavy rain at the beginning of monsoon season have caused widespread flooding in northeastern Bangladesh, leaving millions stranded and vast areas inundated, officials said Friday. Major rivers in the two northeastern districts of Sylhet and Sunamganj have swollen to dangerously high levels because of heavy downpours, according to data from the countrys Flood Forecasting and Warning Center. The whole region is facing power outages, and almost all schools have been converted to makeshift flood shelters. State officials said flights at Osmani International Airport in Sylhet, the regions only airport, had been suspended because of floodwater approaching the runway. The government has deployed members of the armed forces across the region to speed up flood rescue and relief efforts, while education officials indefinitely suspended the nation's largest secondary school exam, which was slated for Sunday. The deluge has come on the heels of a pre-monsoon flood that ravaged the same northeastern region just a month ago, submerging 70% of Sylhet and 60% of neighboring Sunamganj, leaving at least 10 people dead and more than 2 million stranded. Records surpassed Jahangir Hossain, deputy commissioner of Sunamganj district, told VOA the latest flooding had submerged a large part of the Sylhet-Sunamganj highway, thwarting relief and rescue operations. "The severity of the flood in my district has surpassed all the past records," he said. "Sunamganj is practically cut off from the rest of the country. According to the flood warning center, water in the Sunamganj regions main Surma River was flowing 120 centimeters above the danger mark on Friday. Sirajul Islam, who heads a trade association in the regional capital of Sunamganj town, called the floods the worst he'd seen in 20 years. We have to shut down all of our stores as floodwater has entered there. Besides, there is no electricity. The mobile network is also not working, Islam told VOA, adding that shop closures exacerbated the problem of dispensing basic goods and medicine. In Sylhet, the Surma River was flowing 70 centimeters above the danger level on Friday, according to the flood warning center. A large part of Sylhet city, an administrative seat, was inundated, with at least 10 neighborhoods covered with knee-deep water. Sylhet city resident Pradip Chandra Das, 47, said floodwater had been entering his house since Thursday morning. "At one point it became waist-deep and all of our household things, including furniture, fridge, got submerged and destroyed," said Das. "We left the house and moved to my relatives house at Haldarpara. Sylhet Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Mojibur Rahman told VOA that Companyganj and Gowainghat with the two hardest-hit subdistricts of Sylhet. Those two areas got detached with other parts of the country because of floodwater," he said. "Armies are deployed there to airlift or ferry relief material through boats. We are trying everything from our administration to help the flood-affected people. Possible causes Flood center chief engineer Arifuzzaman Bhuiyah said that although some flooding is normal at the outset of monsoon season in Bangladesh, this year is different. This year, the situation is more severe as there was a massive and unprecedented pre-monsoon flood just a month ago, and it had taken place in the same northeast region, so people were already affected there, he said. Bhuiyah said 2,500 millimeters 2.5 meters or 8.2 feet of rain had been recorded in the upstream Indian region of Assam and Meghalaya over the last three days alone. "This is the highest amount of rain recorded in that region in the last 122 years," he said. "The runoff water from that heavy rain flowed down the Himalayan hills to Bangladeshs northeastern plains and caused this flood. Bhuiyah estimated that almost 80% of the northeastern region was under floodwater. The weather forecast says the heavy rain will continue for the next 72 hours, which means the situation will only get worsened, he added. Md Serajul Islam and Mohammad Mohsin contributed to this report from Sylhet and Sunamganj districts. After all-night talks, members of the World Trade Organization early Friday reached a string of deals and commitments aimed at limiting overfishing, broadening production of COVID-19 vaccines in the developing world, improving food security and reforming a 27-year-old trade body that has been back on its heels in recent years. WTO Director-General Nzogi Okonjo-Iweala, after a pair of sleepless nights in rugged negotiations, concluded the WTOs first ministerial conference in 4 1/2 years by trumpeting a new sense of cooperation at a time when the world faces crises like Russias war in Ukraine and a once-in-a-century pandemic that has taken millions of lives. The package agreements you have reached will make a difference to the lives of people around the world, said Okonjo-Iweala, landing what she called an unprecedented package of deliverables after 15 months in the job. The outcomes demonstrate that the WTO is in fact capable of responding to emergencies of our time. The agreements could breathe new life into a trade body that faced repeated criticism from the administration of former U.S. President Donald Trump, which accused the WTO of a lack of fairness to the United States and was caught in a growing economic and political rivalry between the U.S. and China. In recent years, Washington has incapacitated the WTOs version of an appeals court that rules on international trade disputes. The WTO operates by consensus, meaning that all of its 164 members must agree on its deals or at least not get in the way. The talks at times took place in backrooms or inside chats because some delegates didnt want to be in the same space as their counterparts from Russia as a way to protest President Vladimir Putins invasion of Ukraine, which has had fallout far beyond the battlefield, such as on food and fuel prices. Among the main achievements Friday was an accord, which fell short of early ambitions, to prohibit both support for illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and for fishing in overtaxed stocks in the worlds oceans. It marked the WTOs first significant deal since one in 2013 that cut red tape on treatment of goods crossing borders and arguably one of its most impactful. WTO members have for the first time, concluded an agreement with environmental sustainability at its heart, Okonjo-Iweala said. This is also about the livelihoods of the 260 million people who depend directly or indirectly on marine fisheries. The WTO chief said the deal takes a first step to curb government subsidies and overcapacity too many operators in the fishing industry. More controversial was an agreement on a watered-down plan to waive intellectual property protections for COVID-19 vaccines, which ran afoul of advocacy groups that say it did not go far enough and could even do more harm than good. The TRIPS waiver compromise will contribute to ongoing efforts to concentrate and diversify vaccine manufacturing capacity so that a crisis in one region does not leave others cut off, Okonjo-Iweala said of the waiver of intellectual property protections. U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai hailed a concrete and meaningful outcome to get more safe and effective vaccines to those who need it most. This agreement shows that we can work together to make the WTO more relevant to the needs of regular people, she said in a statement. Her announcement a year ago that the U.S. would break with many other developed countries with strong pharmaceutical industries to work toward a waiver of WTO rules on COVID-19 vaccines served as an impetus to talks around a broader waiver sought by India and South Africa. But some advocacy groups were seething. Aid group Doctors Without Borders called it a devastating global failure for peoples health worldwide that the agreement stopped short of including other tools to fight COVID-19, including treatments and tests. The conduct of rich countries at the WTO has been utterly shameful, said Max Lawson, co-chair of the Peoples Vaccine Alliance and head of inequality policy at Oxfam. He said the European Union, United States, Britain and Switzerland blocked a stronger text. This so-called compromise largely reiterates developing countries existing rights to override patents in certain circumstances, Lawson said. Indian Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, whose tough negotiating stance had frustrated some developed countries during the talks, said the ministerial meeting was a big boost for multilateralism and showed progress on issues like fisheries that have been lagging for decades. India is 100% satisfied with the outcome, he told reporters in Geneva. I am not returning to India with any worries. The meeting also agreed to lift export restrictions that have weighed on the U.N.s World Food Program, which is trying to offset the impact of rising food prices and fallout from the war in Ukraine on shipments of wheat, barley and other food staples from the country that is a key producer. Human Rights Watch (HRW) says Russia is causing casualties and suffering among civilians in its war against Ukraine by using antipersonnel landmines that have been banned internationally. In a report published on June 16, HRW says that while both Russia and Ukraine have used anti-vehicle mines, Russia is the only party to the conflict that is documented to have used banned antipersonnel mines that are injuring civilians as well as disrupting food production. The report, titled Landmine Use in Ukraine, describes seven types of antipersonnel mines documented to have been used by Russian forces in Ukraine since the invasion began on February 24. The 19-page report says Ukraine appears to be respecting its obligations as a signatory of the international treaty prohibiting antipersonnel mines that Kyiv ratified in 2005. Russias brazen use of antipersonnel mines in a country that has explicitly prohibited these weapons is unprecedented and deserves strong global condemnation, said HRW's Steve Goose. Antipersonnel landmines should never be used due to their inevitable and long-term threat to civilian life and livelihoods, he said. Russia, which has not responded to the HRW report, is not a party to the 1997 Mine Ban Treaty that has been ratified by 164 countries. Besides forbidding the use of such weapons, the treaty also requires the destruction of stock, clearance of mined areas, and assistance to victims. The report says that Russia even used its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine to test in combat several types of landmines newly produced by state-owned manufacturers. One such mine, first produced in 2021, is particularly vicious, HRW said. The POM-3 antipersonnel mine launches to a height of 1 to 1.5 meters when activated, before detonating midair and spreading shrapnel lethal up to about 16 meters away. Its seismic fuse makes it prone to detonate when approached. The mine has a timer that allows it to self-destruct after a certain period. Because of the use of landmines by the Russian invaders, agricultural production in Ukraine has also been impacted, as the use of farm vehicles in fields and on rural paths and roads has become risky. The report quotes statements by local residents in the Kharkiv region as saying that retreating Russian forces failed to clear the mines they had laid, mark the area, or warn locals to avoid the mine fields, prompting at least one incident in which a farm worker was wounded. HRW said it has also documented the use by Russian forces in Ukraine of victim-activated booby-traps, which are prohibited by international treaties. The report urges Moscow to immediately stop the use of antipersonnel mines in Ukraine. It also calls on Ukraine to ensure that its forces continue to respect their obligations under the Mine Ban Treaty. Developing and producing landmines that most countries have rejected is a morally reprehensible investment, Goose said. Mines set to self-destruct at random intervals only increase the risk of civilian harm, especially for deminers tasked with safely destroying them. KIGALI, Rwanda (AP) With fresh coats of paint and streets swept clean, Rwanda's capital is preparing for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Summit, which will bring leaders of the 54-nation group of mostly former British colonies whose relevance is sometimes questioned. President Paul Kagame will host Prince Charles, U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson and scores of world leaders in a glittering summit, which takes place between June 20 and 25, that he hopes will promote this East African country's standing. The summit is an opportunity to highlight Rwanda's stability and relative prosperity under Kagame's rule. It also will focus attention on Rwanda's widely criticized deal with Britain to deport asylum-seekers from the U.K. to Rwanda. Legal challenges stopped a flight that would have brought the first group just days before the summit. The Commonwealth is a bloc of many developing nations but includes richer ones such as Singapore and Australia. Members range from established democracies such as Canada to more authoritarian ones like Rwanda itself. Homeless people and sex workers have recently been removed from Kigali's streets as the government detained them ahead of the summit, according to Human Rights Watch. What do the Commonwealth's countries have in common aside from their colonial past? Where is the bloc's voice in international affairs? And how does Africa, a continent of 1.3 billion people, benefit? Climate change, and how to rebuild the global economy facing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine, will be high on the summits agenda, organizers say. The event also will discuss business, civil society, youth and gender issues. Rwanda, a former Belgian colony now ruled by an Anglophile leader, seeks to show how the country of 13 million people has progressed since the genocide in 1994. It is the sixth African country to host the Commonwealth's biennial summit since 1971. Neighboring Uganda hosted the summit in 2007. Commonwealth summits in Africa have been noteworthy. The 1979 gathering in Zambia helped to bring an end to white minority rule in Rhodesia, which became majority-ruled Zimbabwe in 1980. The 1991 summit in Zimbabwe saw the Commonwealth increase international pressure to bring an end to South Africa's racist system of apartheid. The Commonwealth is relevant, but the question is to whom? Do governments get political capital out of it? You profile your country, you profile your name," said Mwambutsya Ndebesa, a political historian at Uganda's Makerere University. You can derive political legitimacy out of hosting such an event." That rare opportunity is why countries such as Rwanda appear eager to spend their meager resources" to host the summit, he said. Rwandan authorities said they would spend roughly $10 million improving infrastructure ahead of the summit, which was initially scheduled to happen in 2020 but was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Hotels and restaurants are fully booked, ensuring the summit's popularity among some Rwandans. The bottom line is to showcase what products we Africans have, and visitors will always come back to buy or invest," said teacher Agnes Nadin. This is the beauty as CHOGM attracts a big gathering. But others who spoke to The Associated Press were less enthusiastic, asking what the Commonwealth means for Africans. The former masters underlying motivation is not good governance in Africa or improvement on the human rights platform but influence-seeking, said Dias Nyesiga, a business consultant in Kigali. The Commonwealth should establish a peer-review mechanism of steps each member should take to achieve the bloc's values, including good governance and the protection of human rights, he said. The Commonwealth would be more influential if it worked boldly to address global challenges such as the consequences of pandemics, said Eric Ndushabandi, a professor of political science at the University of Rwanda. Representing 2.5 billion people, the Commonwealth notably monitors elections among member countries and makes recommendations in its reports. The bloc has suspended member states in response to events deemed to be in violation of its values. Nigeria was suspended for years after a harsh military government executed environmentalist Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight others in 1995. Zimbabwe left the bloc in 2003 as President Robert Mugabe's government faced criticism over disputed elections and seizures of farms owned by white people. Zimbabwe's current government now seeks readmission, and analysts say President Emmerson Mnangagwa is pushing for greater international legitimacy after taking power from Mugabe in 2017. Zimbabwe remains under international sanctions. Mnangagwa sees it as politically expedient to be added back into the Commonwealth because in as much he has been described as worse than Mugabe, he wishes to be seen as a good global citizen," said Zimbabwean political analyst David Chikwaza. The Commonwealths association is something he believes will cement his mantra of reengagement. The Commonwealth undermines its influence by appearing to be more of a nostalgic political group rather than a trading bloc, Chikwaza said. Commonwealth leaders at a summit in 2018 pledged to boost trade within the bloc to $2 trillion by 2030. But trade between Britain and Commonwealth countries was so low by 2020 that the bloc accounted for only about 9% of the U.K.s total trade, with the value of exports to the Commonwealth falling by 16% between 2019 and 2020, according to the U.K.s Office for National Statistics. With China now Africas leading trade partner, the U.K.s political influence in its former colonies has waned. In Zimbabwe's capital, Harare, a mountain-top parliamentary building erected by the Chinese is set to replace the Victorian-style chamber. Edson Sangwa, a Zimbabwean vendor of cheap electronics and children's toys imported from China, quipped: What is the Commonwealth? We know China! ___ Muhumuza reported from Kampala, Uganda. Farai Mutsaka in Harare, Zimbabwe, contributed. Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy applauded the European Commissions recommendation to grant Ukraine candidate status for European Union membership, while Russian President Vladimir Putin slammed the West and dismissed sanctions imposed on Moscow as stupid. Putin spoke Friday at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, where he accused the West of colonial arrogance and trying to crush Russia with sanctions. Putin said the "special military operation" in Ukraine will continue, and he emphasized Russia's sovereignty and strength when faced with what he called Western hostility. The West has fundamentally refused to fulfill its earlier obligations, it turned out to be simply impossible to reach any new agreements with it," Putin said. "In the current situation, against a backdrop of increasing risks for us and threats, Russia's decision to conduct a special military operation was forced - difficult, of course, but forced and necessary." Putin said the U.S. is trying to change the course of history, and he accused the West of fanning anti-Russian sentiment and of "active military appropriation of Ukrainian territory." He spoke as Russia continued its offensive in Ukraines eastern Donbas region. Ukraines military said Friday the attacks continue in the key cities of Sloviansk and Sievierodonetsk. Russia and its allies say they control about half of Donetsk and nearly all of Luhansk, the two regions that make up the Donbas. Sievierodonetsk and surrounding villages are in the last part of Luhansk that Ukraine still holds. Ukraine joining EU? The head executive of the European Union said Friday that Ukraine should be formally considered for candidate status. "We all know that Ukrainians are ready to die for the European perspective, said Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission's president. "We want them to live with us the European dream. Early Friday, Zelenskyy tweeted that he commends the decision, adding, Its the 1st step on the EU membership path thatll certainly bring our Victory closer. The recommendation is the first step in the long process of becoming a member of the 27-nation bloc. EU leaders will meet later this month to consider the commissions recommendation. The commission also recommended candidacy for Moldova, though not for Georgia. Russia's foreign ministry accused Brussels of "manipulating" Ukraine, according to Russian news agencies. "We see how for many years the Western community has been manipulating the idea of some kind of involvement of Ukraine in their integration structures," Russian Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova was quoted as saying. Natural gas cuts France is the latest country to be completely cut off from Russian natural gas. Moscow also has reduced supplies by half to Italy and Slovakia. In addition, Germany and Austria have also been hit. Europe gets about 40% of its gas from Russia. The European nations are stockpiling their reserves to prepare for winter. They use less gas during the summer because buildings dont need to be heated. The EU wants its members to have their gas storage at 80% capacity, at least, by November. Russia previously cut off natural gas to Poland, Bulgaria, Finland, the Netherlands and Denmark. Biden willing to pay 'political price' President Joe Biden says hes willing to pay a political price for his support for Ukraine. The United States imposed tough sanctions on Russia for invading Ukraine and gas prices have skyrocketed since. In an interview Thursday with The Associated Press, Biden said he is making decisions as commander in chief and not as a politician. I'm the president of the United States, he said. It's not about my political survival. It's about whats best for the country. Biden said there could be chaos in Europe if Russia keeps moving deeper into the continent without being challenged. Foreign leaders visit Ukraine French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi and President Klaus Iohannis of Romania visited Kyiv on Thursday in a show of support for Ukraine amid its battle to fend off Russia's invasion. "It's an important moment. It's a message of unity we're sending to the Ukrainians," Macron said. Air raid sirens blared as their visit began. After the talks between the four leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the four signaled that Ukraine would be offered candidate status in the economic bloc. "My colleagues and I have come here to Kyiv today with a clear message: Ukraine belongs to the European family," Scholz said. Dmitry Medvedev, the former Russian president who is now deputy head of the Kremlin Security Council, dismissed the European leaders as "connoisseurs of frogs, liver and pasta" and said their visit brought no benefit. "Again they promised EU membership and old howitzers, slammed down some vodka and, like 100 years ago, took the train home," he tweeted. "And that's all good. It's just that this doesn't bring Ukraine any closer to peace. And the clock is ticking." But in his nightly video address, Zelenskyy said it was important for him to hear that the European leaders "agree the end of the war and peace for Ukraine should be as Ukraine sees them." He said Ukrainians will continue to fight for their land. The Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse contributed some information for this report. PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA Dozens of refugees camped outside the United Nations refugee agency office say they have been living in South Africa for two decades, but now they no longer feel safe. Most are from the Democratic Republic of Congo, where they escaped war. But increasingly, they say theyve had their small businesses looted, homes robbed and been personally attacked amid growing waves of xenophobia. Lillian Nyota has been a refugee in South Africa since 2001. We ran away from our country, running from tribulations, she said. We came here in South Africa, we found more trouble, more tribulations. Because xenophobic attack is real, xenophobia is real, no one can deny it. It's real. South Africa is home to more than 250,000 asylum seekers. Nyotas group said theyve moved from community to community, but violence eventually follows. She said theyre now asking that the United Nations refugee agency move them to a safe third country. Any place that they can take us that way we can be safe with our families, Nyota said. We can live and move on with our lives so that our children can go to school. Xenophobic violence has become increasingly pronounced in South Africa with bursts of riots and murders since 2008. Earlier this year, amid a wave of anti-migrant marches, a Zimbabwean man was killed in a Johannesburg township, authorities say because of his nationality. Experts blame the problem on the countrys history of violence, socioeconomic issues and growing anti-foreigner politics. Silindile Mlilo, a researcher at the University of Witwatersrand, said with xenophobic violence, there is usually no differentiation between refugees or asylum-seekers. If government is not seen as doing anything, it also discourages migrants and refugees who are in the country, because it's like, is it safe for me? Mlilo said. Resettlement is not an option for most refugees. The U.N. refugee agency, UNHCR, said only 1 percent of refugees globally are moved from one host country to another for exceptional circumstances. Laura Padoan, spokesperson for UNHCR South Africa, said its only the most vulnerable refugees who are typically eligible for resettlement. That can be survivors of sexual or gender-based violence. It can be women and children at risk, people at risk because of their religious persecution, Padoan said. We really urge these refugees to take up the offer of local integration or repatriation, because no one wants to see people living out on the street. But these refugees outside her office maintain re-integration is not an option and say they will stay camped there until theres a plan for them to leave South Africa. On this edition of Livetalk, we are continuing the conversation around rising political violence following the alleged murder of two opposition Citizens Coalition for Change activists by suspected Zanu PF members. The ruling party denies the charges. For perspective, we talk to political analysts - Professor Ricky Munyaradzi Mukonza and Difa Dube. We also talk to listeners. Alison Willmore is a film critic for New York magazine and Vulture. Formerly, she was the only critic at BuzzFeed News, the first TV editor at IndieWire, and the host of Filmspotting: SVU. Photo: Nick Wall/20th Century Studios Nancy Stokes, the retired teacher and recent-ish widow played by Emma Thompson in Good Luck to You, Leo Grande, has a very bourgeois freakout not long after meeting the sex worker the film is named for. She hired Leo (Daryl McCormack), but having found herself actually with him in a hotel room, she cant help but nervously rattle off ways in which hes possibly being exploited to his increasingly amused face. Maybe youre an orphan! she yelps. Perhaps you grew up in care, and youve got very low self-esteem. You could have been trafficked against your will you cant tell just by looking at somebody! He denies each dire scenario, finally informing her solemnly that hes saving up for college. Oh! Oh, how wonderful, she responds, relieved, before realizing that hes teasing her. The possibility that Leo could be doing his job by choice rather than due to coercion is something Nancy has trouble wrapping her head around, and doesnt entirely want to anyway. As she explains in a rush of shame masked by self-deprecation, shes never had an orgasm (Im not expecting one, so you can relax). Her husband died two years ago, and Leo will be the second man shes ever been with, but whatever rush of bravado and curiosity led her to book him has evaporated now that the moment has arrived. If she could convince herself that Leo was a victim, shed have an excuse to send him away without chickening out. As he observes, she talks about the sex that she has planned to have as though its an ordeal to be gotten through, which is what it seems to have been for most of her life. Good Luck to You, Leo Grande is a boundlessly generous and frequently surprising two-hander from director Sophie Hyde (Animals) and written by comedian Katy Brand. Its about a middle-aged woman trying to convince herself that eroticism is not something that has passed her by that she has a groove to get back. But its also, more radically, a case for sex work not just as a profession owed the same protection and respect allotted to any other, but as a means for someone to be liberated in getting in touch with their own wants. Nancy has more baggage than a transatlantic flight, all accrued over several decades of living in a world that still tends to judge women for being sexual outside the boundaries of hetero monogamy, to look down on them for not being adequately sexual within those borders, and to scorn them for having desires when theyre not or no longer regarded as desirable themselves. Even in a scenario in which shes paying for a service, she apologizes for her age and lack of experience, as if shes on a blind date with someone she believes to be out of her league. Leo has to ease her into centering herself in their interactions, something thats made possible by the clarity of terms of their meeting, and by his reassurances that his willingness can be counted on. Good Luck to You, Leo Grande is one of two movies this year that take place primarily in a hotel room and deal with a middle-aged white English woman discovering her sensuality with the help of a handsome Black man a situation thats hardly devoid of baggage itself when it comes to fetishization and sexual stereotypes. But while George Millers Three Thousand Years of Longing, which comes out at the tail end of summer, leans into exotification with a kamikaze commitment, Good Luck to You, Leo Grande attempts to see its two leads as the humans they are while also giving us glimpses of the types they might be tempted to see each other as. This works because of the performances, with Thompson characteristically great brittle, vulnerable, terrified, blustery, clenched tight as Nancy, a woman youre invited to feel empathy for without always sympathizing with, especially when she cant help but pry into Leos background against his will over the course of their successive meetings. But its McCormack, an Irish actor coming off a run on Peaky Blinders, whos the revelation. His is the kind of ambiguous beauty that tends to get actors cast in movies about futures where bigotry has been magically eliminated because everyone is multiracial and, coincidentally, hot like burning. Good Luck to You, Leo Grande leans into this quality by having Leo come across almost like an envoy from a more enlightened time, with a belief in what he does thats downright utopian. His reassuring certainty turns out to be as much of a front as Nancys chattiness despite his confidence, not everyone in his life has embraced his calling. The film consists almost entirely of Leo and Nancy in a series of rooms together, which feels less play-like than deliberately curtailed in its focus. Hyde likes to linger on her actors when their characters are alone, and early in the movie, as Nancy tries to calm herself in the bathroom, Leo futzes around trying to decide on the right amount of skin and appropriate pose with which to greet her when she comes back out. Its funny, not because either of them are ridiculous, but because there can be an absurdity in making an effort to be sexy that doesnt actually negate the sexiness unless someone gets defensive. Showing Leo trying to figure out how to perform being an object of desire is one of the many ways the movie allows him to be more than just that. So much of Good Luck to You, Leo Grande is about trying to reach the kind of comfort where you can laugh, and ask to change positions because of a cramp, and be open about whether or not you had an orgasm without a sense of stigma or failure. Its a talky movie by nature, but theres a gloriousness to the way that, after pushing its sex scenes offscreen for most of the runtime, it finally offers a burst of frank, joyous, unfettered fucking. Its as though the characters have earned it hell, it feels as though those of us watching have too. Evil; Ms. Marvel; Spiderhead. Photo: Paramount+, Disney+, Netflix Its summer, baby! Vacation time is in the air. Three-day weekends are coming in hot and so are the temperatures the three-digit temps are blinding. So while soaking up the sun is a great idea, you might want some time inside to relax and recharge. You might as well use that time wisely by catching up on pop culture. What was the movie that changed Andys life that people are meming heavily online? Whats Chris Hemsworths most dynamic role yet? Also, did we mention you could watch a music festival from your couch? Theres a lot to stream and watch this weekend, so let us fill you in. Movies (in Theaters) Lightyear The summer of Keke Palmer starts now. Ahead of seeing her in Jordan Peeles Nope, you can meet Palmers Izzy Hawthrone, a plucky, aspirational Space Ranger who crosses paths with Buzz Lightyear, the human (the character?) not the toy, voiced by Chris Evans. Available to watch in theaters Jurassic World Dominion Is this movie good? Absolutely not. Do Laura Dern, Sam Neill, and Jeff Goldblum look phenomenal? Yes. And we all know theyre the main reason people are flocking to see this in theaters. Dinosaurs are running amok, Chris Pratt is still doing the damn hand thing, and yes, youll see countless callbacks to Jurassic Park because what else are these movies for? Available to watch in theaters Cha Cha Real Smooth Cooper Raiffs first film, Shithouse, was about a young man terrified of college, and now, Raiffs second film, Cha Cha Real Smooth, is about a young graduate terrified of life. Hes a smol boy making films about and for smol boys. Now with a bigger budget and cast, Cha Cha Real Smooth co-stars Dakota Johnson as a single mother whom Raiffs character starts to have feelings for. Movies (Streaming) Spiderhead If you, like TikTok, cant get enough of Miles Teller postTop Gun: Maverick, Spiderhead is here for you. Also directed by Maverick director Joseph Kosinski, his latest film adapts a George Saunderss short story in which scientists experiment on willing inmates in unusual ways. In Spiderhead, Teller plays an inmate, alongside Jurnee Smollett, that Chris Hemsworths eccentric tech bro (are there any other kinds of bros these days?) works on. Available to stream on Netflix Good Luck to You, Leo Grande You may have seen Emma Thompson donning heavy prosthetics and perfecting her weight-lifting skills in the new Matilda the Musical trailer, but in Good Luck to You, Leo Grande, Thompson literally and figuratively strips down. Thompson stars as a widow looking for a sexual awakening a.k.a. her late husband never made her orgasm as she meets sex worker Leo Grande (Daryl McCormack), who helps her open up also literally and figuratively a new side of her. Available to stream on Hulu The Worst Person in the World The Worst Person in the World was the belle of the film world in 2021 after its debut at Cannes. Now on Hulu, director Joachim Triers last film in his Oslo trilogy tells the life of Renate Reinsves Julie. Following her from job to job, relationship to relationship, Triers film explores a new kind of coming of age the bridge between your wistful 20s to your 30s. Plus, in honor of Fathers Day, there are plenty of daddy issues to unpack for you here. Because why deal with your own when you can dissect Julies! Available to stream on Hulu RRR RRR has been gaining traction online and in theaters since it was released in March of this year. And why wouldnt it? Its got thrilling action, a fantastic dance sequence, and a great duo Ram Charan and N. T. Rama Rao Jr. at its center. The film is widely accessible on Netflix, but if you want the joy of a reactive audience, RRR is getting a rerelease in a few select theaters. TV Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival Attending a music festival from the comforts of my couch sounds like a beautiful luxury. Not having to worry about COVID-19? Not having to stand all day? Or travel! So, for those of us not in Tennessee, Hulu is livestreaming select performances from the three-day music fest for subscribers. J. Cole, Machine Gun Kelly, Flume, 21 Savage, Wallows, and Arlo Parks are just a handful of artists you can see from your living room. Heres the whole scheduling rundown. Available to stream on Hulu Ms. Marvel If you dont like Ms. Marvel, Id have to assume you hate joy. Sure, the teenage hero skews to a younger crowd, but the series is fun, vibrant, hilarious, and easily the best MCU television show to come through the Disney+ machine. Plus, Iman Vellani as Kamala Khan is a literal star in the making. Available to stream on Disney+ Queer As Folk Do I wish Peacocks reboot of Queer As Folk didnt revolve around the tragedy of a club shooting? Yeah. Its a bit of a bleak start for a queer show meant to inspire joy, but its the shows commitment to properly exploring these vibrant characters that make Queer As Folk worthwhile. Available to stream on Peacock The Summer I Turned Pretty Adapted from Jenny Hans novel of the same name (the author of To All the Boys Ive Loved Before), Prime Videos latest series is yes, you guessed it a teenage love story. Starring Lola Tung as Isabel Belly, The Summer I Turned Pretty follows Belly as she, her brother, and her mother visit her mothers best friend Susannah and sons at Cousins Beach the summer Belly turns 16. A.k.a. she catches the attention of the two sons and is then caught in a love triangle between them. Its a weird premise if you think about it harder than two seconds, but thats YA for you. Available to stream on Prime Video Evil Seasons 13 Evil is probably the coolest show you may not be watching, so now is the perfect time to dive in. Its spooky, weird, and sexy. Katja Herbers and Mike Colter star as a supernatural-finding duo Herbers as the forensic psychologist and Colter as a researcher and assessor of exorcisms in the midst of training to be a priest. Season three premiered just this week with weekly Sunday releases for the continuation of its run. Available to stream on Paramount+ Rutherford Falls Seasons 12 Peacock may not be a powerhouse streamer yet, but its comedies do really hit. Back with its second season, Rutherford Falls is only getting better. Ed Helms and Reagan Wells star as best friends. Helms plays Nathan Rutherford as he tries to unpack the full truth of his ancestors history while Wellss character works to expand the citys Minishonka Cultural Center. The show nicely weaves heavy topics of marginalization and privilege with big humor and heart. Available to stream on Peacock Love, Victor Seasons 13 Back when Love, Victor was announced, the queer series was supposed to debut on Disney+, but it quickly got shifted onto Hulu Disneys edgier streaming sister. Now, in its final season, Disney+ is saying Hi, gay! by dropping all three seasons of Love, Victor on its platform. Its an awfully weird strategy, but with that aside, if you want a syrupy-sweet queer show to binge through post-Heartstopper, the students at Creekwood High are a cute pairing. The Wonder Years Speaking of Hulu and Disney+, another gem just dropped on Disney+ is the ABC reboot of The Wonder Years. Don Cheadle narrates the series as he recounts his character Dean Williamss younger years (played by Elisha Williams) coming-of-age in 1960s Montgomery, Alabama. The Umbrella Academy Seasons 12 Why Netflix chose to drop the new season of The Umbrella Academy after the long weekend beats me. At least it gives fans or newbies the chance to catch up with the Elliot Pageleading show of extremely dysfunctional superheroes. Seriously, it is a wonder how the members of The Umbrella Academy are still standing season after season. The show itself isnt quite as tightly made as MCU, DC, or even The Boys, but hey, at least its a different spin on the idea of super-powered people. Placeholder while article actions load Although U.S. public-school students faced plenty of challenges during the pandemic, most of them could at least count on one benefit: a free lunch. Waivers issued by the federal government in 2020 have enabled schools to serve meals free of charge to all students, regardless of family income. With the waivers set to expire later this month, many of those kids are now at risk of going hungry. For the sake of their health and education, its imperative for Congress to step in. Prior to the pandemic, students from families with incomes at or below 130% of the federal poverty line qualified for free meals, while those with incomes at or below 185% of the poverty line received lunch at a reduced rate, thanks to the National School Lunch Program. In the last full school year before Covid, more than half of the countrys 50 million public-school students were eligible for such benefits. In response to the coronavirus, the Department of Agriculture made numerous temporary changes to this system, including waiving income-eligibility rules, providing higher reimbursements to schools, and expanding a program that offers meals during the summer. The government also eased restrictions on the foods schools can buy and serve, which helped districts to cope with shortages of everything from chicken nuggets to milk. Due in part to a decline in enrollment, public schools actually served fewer lunches overall in the most recent school year than they did before the pandemic but the proportion of children who ate for free increased by more than 20 percentage points. Advertisement With many districts still dealing with supply-chain problems, school leaders had reason to assume that Congress would extend the waivers beyond their June 30 expiration date. But a spending bill passed in March failed to do so. The issue has since become a source of partisan finger-pointing. Politics aside, students will suffer the consequences. To comply with pre-pandemic regulations, districts may be forced to curtail free summer-meal programs, potentially jeopardizing access to food for 7 million children. Restoring income-eligibility rules would compound the administrative burden on schools, which now must scramble to process applications from families who havent submitted them in more than two years. With many schools already closed for the summer, low-income students who havent yet filed the paperwork could go hungry when they return to the classroom in the fall. That would be an avoidable mistake. Even beyond its immediate benefits, the school-lunch program reduces food insecurity among low-income households, lowers obesity rates, and improves students overall well-being. It also improves classroom behavior and academic performance, since studies show that hunger impedes concentration and harms mental health. Its no surprise that the program is popular among voters across the political spectrum; polling during the pandemic suggests that a majority supports making universal free meals permanent. Advertisement Policy makers should take notice. Creating a new free-lunch entitlement for all students, including those from affluent families, risks siphoning away resources from critical educational priorities aimed at disadvantaged youth. Yet maintaining uninterrupted access for students who cant afford it is a basic government responsibility. The wisest course is for Congress to extend the waivers for the upcoming school year, while requiring states to submit a plan for transitioning back to normal in 2023. Lawmakers should also expand the programs Community Eligibility Provision, which allows schools with high numbers of disadvantaged students to provide free meals for all, a targeted approach that reduces paperwork and combats the stigma poorer students experience but avoids larding benefits on the rich. Meanwhile, President Joe Bidens administration should reform the program to reduce the burden it places on schools for instance, by simplifying the enrollment process for students from families that already receive federal welfare benefits. More than two years since schools first closed their doors, Americas students are still struggling to recover. It shouldnt be asking too much to ensure that they all have enough to eat. More From Bloomberg Opinion: Food Supply Is a National-Security Issue: Amanda Little The Food Crisis Is Bad. US Crop Insurance Makes It Worse: Adam Minter How History Blazed the Trail to Baby Formula: Stephen Mihm 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 Russian gas has been attractive to Europe because it was easy to transport and almost always available. Its role has grown in recent years as some European countries moved to end coal and nuclear power generation and their domestic gas production declined. Russian state-controlled company Gazprom was supplying about a third of all gas consumed in Europe, until the war in Ukraine prompted the region to rethink its energy security strategy. 1. What changed as a result of the war? After Russia invaded Ukraine, the European Union drew up a plan to cut gas imports from Russia by two-thirds by the end of 2022. Russia, after suffering punishing sanctions, hit back, with President Vladimir Putin signing a decree demanding that all buyers from unfriendly countries pay in rubles starting from April. They would have to open special accounts with Russias Gazprombank JSC, in foreign currency and rubles, to handle their payments. Buyers in Poland, Bulgaria, Denmark, Finland and the Netherlands refused to abide by the new terms and had their gas cut off. Later, Russia also slashed supplies via its biggest pipeline to the continent, cutting shipments even to those who found workarounds to the new payment order. As a result, customers in Germany, Italy, France and Austria didnt get all the gas they asked for. Advertisement 2. How did Russia become so significant? With its vast Siberian fields, Russia has the worlds largest reserves of natural gas. It began exporting to Poland in the 1940s and laid pipelines in the 1960s to deliver fuel to and through satellite states of what was then the Soviet Union. Even at the height of the Cold War, deliveries were steady. But since the Soviet Union broke up, Moscow and Kyiv have quarreled over pipelines through Ukrainian territory, prompting Russian authorities to find other routes. 3. How vulnerable is Europe? A supply crunch in 2021 offered an insight into Europes reliance on gas from Russia, with benchmark prices more than tripling. Stockpiles in the EU fell to a record low, with heavy maintenance taking place in North Sea fields and supplies of liquefied natural gas redirected to meet soaring demand in Asia. In 2022, with Russian supplies under threat, European LNG imports were pushed to full throttle, domestic producers promised to keep output as high as possible and EU buyers tapped new supplies from Africa to Central Asia and used more renewables. Yet Russian volumes were still too large to fully replace in the short term. In mid-June, flows through the Nord Stream pipeline -- the biggest link from Russia to the EU -- fell by about 60%, forcing utilities to tap reserves normally used during the peak winter season. Advertisement 4. How vulnerable is Germany? Germany, the EUs powerhouse, has been scaling back its use of coal and nuclear power and relies on Russian gas for just over a third of its needs. The country, which lacks LNG facilities, is now rushing to build those and secure supplies of the super-chilled fuel, and aims to wean itself off Russian gas by mid-2024. It also sends some gas to Poland, which according to Gazprom is of Russian origin, meaning that a potential standoff between Moscow and Berlin would hurt several countries at once. 5. Which other countries are exposed? Land-locked nations in eastern and central Europe are more vulnerable to Russian gas disruption as they have fewer alternative options compared with western and southern European nations. Russian supplies accounted for about 40% of Italys demand in 2021, but that country has been scouring the globe for replacements and has secured new agreements with suppliers, particularly in North Africa. Some smaller gas buyers like Finland, which has also been deprived of Russian gas, are planning to use floating LNG terminals. Poland, which generates most of its electricity from coal, invested in a new gas pipeline from Norway, set to start flows in October, while Bulgaria plans to increase Azeri gas imports in 2022 with the opening of a spur from Greece, a country that can also supply LNG. Advertisement 6. What role does Ukraine play? About a third of Russian gas flowing to Europe normally passes through Ukraine. Supplies via the country have been curbed since May 11 after a transit point was put out of service amid fighting in the eastern part of the country. Prior to the cuts, Ukraine had been expecting to earn at least $7 billion from transit fees under a five-year transit deal in December 2019. 7. How has Russia disrupted the market before? In 2006 and 2009, disputes with Ukraine over pricing and siphoning of gas led to cutoffs of Russian supplies transiting through the country. The second shutdown lasted almost two weeks in the dead of winter. Slovakia and some Balkan countries had to ration gas, shut factories and cut power supplies. Since then, the most vulnerable countries have raced to lay pipelines, connect grids and build terminals to import LNG shipped from as far as Qatar and the U.S. Advertisement 8. What supply networks are there? Outside supplies, mostly from Russia, Norway and Algeria, account for about 80% of the gas the EU consumes. Germany imports much of its gas via a pipeline under the Baltic Sea called Nord Stream, which has been fully operational since 2012. (A further pipeline, Nord Stream 2, was completed in late 2021 but became entangled in politics and is now firmly on ice.) Belgium, Spain and Portugal face the problem of low storage capacity, as does the UK, which is no longer part of the bloc and closed its only big gas storage site. The continent has a mass of pipelines but many cross several borders, creating plenty of possible choke points, while some nations still lack connecting links. More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com 2022 Bloomberg L.P. GiftOutline Gift Article Placeholder while article actions load The most important comments from the third public hearing this month of the House Jan. 6 committee came right at the end. After the panel heard testimony detailing the efforts to pressure Vice President Mike Pence to illegally try to overturn the election, former Judge J. Michael Luttig pointed out that even now, Trump and his allies and supporters are a clear and present danger to American democracy. Thats because to this very day, the former president and his allies and supporters pledge if they lost next time they would attempt to overturn that 2024 election but succeed in 2024 where they failed in 2020. Luttig, who advised Pence prior to Jan. 6, continued: I dont speak those words lightly. I would have never spoken those words ever in my life, except that thats what the former president and his allies are telling us. The committees hearings have done an excellent job for the most part in reminding us that, for all the details, what this is really about is an effort by a president of the United States to unlawfully overturn an election and, therefore, to overthrow the government and the constitutional order. And as Luttig emphasized, the threat continues. Advertisement The trick for the committee is to keep this main point in the forefront, while also telling the full story that goes with it and including enough fascinating details to keep the attention of key audiences. As political scientist Shana Kushner Gadarian says, the tactic of focusing on one person at a time in these committee hearings Trump, Pence, [John] Eastman to build the narrative is very smart. In addition, members of the committee have been willing to defer to others to allow the story to flow clearly. After three hearings, weve only heard from four of the nine members. I cant underline strongly enough how extraordinary it is for the other five each one of them an ambitious politician to sit silently through hours of live TV coverage, all for the benefit of the committee as a whole. In the session on Thursday, California Democrat Pete Aguilar led the questioning but turned over the floor to a committee staff lawyer for a good part of the session. That allowed Aguilar to point out that the committee has a bipartisan staff: The lawyer was a Republican who served in the George W. Bush administration. Advertisement No one who is fanatically loyal to Donald Trump is going to be impressed that the committee is functioning in a bipartisan way or that the damning evidence comes from people from the former presidents administration. The true believers simply dismiss the Republican participants in the hearings as RINOs Republicans in name only. But the panel should and certainly may impress open-minded Republicans who are skeptical of Trump but also wary of House Democrats as well as folks in the neutral media trying to assess how seriously to take the proceedings. And perhaps it will impress Justice Department prosecutors. I remain convinced that the committee erred badly in waiting so long to hold these hearings, and in spending so little time on the public portion of the case. Yes, given the model theyve chosen, theyve done an excellent job. And had they gone into public hearings back in February, or last November, they would have been working with a much smaller base of information. We wouldnt have had some of the blockbuster testimony. So there are some advantages of having waited. Still, theres at least some evidence that the hearings are producing information now that could have been available six months ago. New evidence is breaking every single day now, committee member Jamie Raskin says. Suddenly a lot of people want to tell the truth. Perhaps thats just a coincidence. But as weve seen in other investigations, once some people talk, the incentives change for everyone else to get their perspective on the record. That process could have happened months ago. Advertisement On top of that, reporters get new leads to follow. Theres even a chance that the process can (as it did during Watergate) spark a race by the participants to prosecutors to cut the best deal before someone else does. But even without that airing the investigation has generally found a good way to generate new information. All of that was delayed in the months we were waiting for hearings. Even in the deadly serious business of investigating an attempt to overthrow the government, hearings can provide light moments, giving us entertaining characters some sympathetic, some not at all and memorable phrases and anecdotes. We heard on Thursday that Pence reacted to Trump lawyer John Eastmans suggestions that he break the law by saying it was rubber room stuff. More appears to be left on the cutting-room floor. Referring to White House lawyer Eric Herschmann and presidential son-in-law Jared Kushner, my Bloomberg colleague Timothy L. OBrien was surely correct to point out the contrast between Herschmanns clear, principled testimony and the smug, scurvy testimony from Kushner that those worried about illegalities were whining. Advertisement But that contrast would have been so much more notable had we had live testimony rather than taped highlights from both Herschmann and Kushner. This wasnt going to happen given the schedule the committee set a choice it could have made differently. Such criticisms aside, what the committee is presenting continues to be devastating. Thursdays hearing detailed how Trump and his allies were committed to using methods of trying to overturn the election that were obviously contrary to the law, and that they knew and simply didnt care. Earlier in the week, we heard how they also knew, and didnt care, that their accusations of fraud were not true. We learned again, too, just how close the nation came to an even worse disaster on Jan. 6 that the mob stirred up by Trump came within only 40 feet of Pence and his security escort as they fled to safer ground. Advertisement Its still almost hard to believe that it all happened. And that many Republicans are running in 2022 and already for 2024 on a platform of making sure theyll finish the job next time. For weekend reading, here are some of the best items from political scientists this week: Sarah Binder at the Monkey Cage on the Jan. 6 committee and what the point is in having hearings at all. Matthew Green at Mischiefs of Faction on the House Freedom Caucus. Matt Grossmann talks with Edward Miller about the John Birch Society. Tamar Mitts and Jack Snyder on the effect of being kicked off Twitter. Matthew Shugart on Israels coalition government. This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners. Jonathan Bernstein is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering politics and policy. A former professor of political science at the University of Texas at San Antonio and DePauw University, he wrote A Plain Blog About Politics. More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com/opinion 2022 Bloomberg L.P. GiftOutline Gift Article Placeholder while article actions load After decades of declining power, US workers are showing renewed resolve. Employees at unionized companies authorized strikes last year at a rate rarely seen in recent times, and nonunion workers are voting with their feet, fueling a labor market reckoning thats become known as the Great Resignation. The question is whether this amounts to a significant shift in the employee-employer power balance or just a blip. 1. How are workers showing resolve? There were strikes in 2021 at unionized workplaces including those of Deere & Co. and Kellogg Co., non-union walkouts at companies such as Activision Blizzard Inc. and McDonalds Corp., and high-profile unionization campaigns at top US companies, including a landmark victory at a Starbucks Corp. store in Buffalo, New York. This year, tech workers at the New York Times, staff at more than 100 additional Starbucks cafes and thousands of employees at an Amazon.com Inc. warehouse in the New York City borough of Staten Island voted to unionize. (Workers at another Amazon warehouse nearby voted down the idea.) As part of the Great Resignation -- or the Great Reassessment, depending on whom you ask -- a record 4.54 million workers left their jobs in November, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which tracked historically elevated quits levels throughout 2021. Advertisement 2. What explains the Great Resignation? Anthony Klotz, an associate professor of management at Texas A&M University who is credited with coining the term, says the pandemic inspired epiphanies about family time, remote work, commuting, passion projects, and life and death. Resignation rates were highest in health care, technology and other fields that experienced extreme increases in demand due to the pandemic, likely leading to increased workloads and burnout, according to Ian Cook, a vice president at Visier Inc., a Vancouver-based human resource analytics software company. 3. How had labors power declined? Since the 1980s, and most acutely since the last recession ended in 2009, wage growth lagged while corporate profits soared. That means workers share of the fruits of economic output fell. The 250,000 or so American workers who earn the federal minimum wage have been stuck at $7.25 an hour since 2009. And the US remains an outlier among advanced economies for not requiring employers to provide paid parental leave, vacation time or sick leave. Advertisement 4. What caused that decline? The increased automation of some jobs, and the outsourcing of others to places in the world where pay is low, are two factors. Another is a drop in union membership. When the American Federation of Labor merged with the Congress of Industrial Organizations to form the AFL-CIO in 1955, more than one in three American workers had union jobs. As the US economy shifted from manufacturing to services, and labor law tilted toward employers, unions lost ground. More than half of US states have so-called right-to-work laws, which say employees cant be forced to fund a union. In 2021, 10.3% of workers in the US belonged to a union, down from 20.1% in 1983, when comparable data collection began. 5. Why do unions matter so much? By negotiating collectively, unions can generally secure higher pay, greater benefits and safer work conditions than individuals haggling on their own behalf. Union workers earn about $200 more per week on average than non-union workers -- $1,169 versus $975 in 2021, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics -- and have better retirement pay and health insurance. Studies have shown that unions also help raise pay for non-union workers by setting a higher prevailing wage. Critics of unionization say that its a relic from the days of assembly-line factories, and that the salaries of union members come at the expense of fewer overall jobs. Advertisement 6. Whats the outlook? Despite the wave of activism in 2021, the share of private-sector workers who belong to a union fell by 0.2 percentage point, to 6.1%. In the US Congress, what would be the biggest piece of pro-worker legislation in decades is stalled, as advocates in the Democratic Party struggle to assemble the 60-vote supermajority required to advance bills in the Senate. The legislation would, for the first time, empower the National Labor Relations Board to impose monetary penalties against labor law violators. President Joe Biden, who has called himself the most pro-union president in US history, publicly supported Amazon workers seeking to unionize, appointed union advocates to key positions and sought ways to use executive power to advance organizing. More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com 2022 Bloomberg L.P. GiftOutline Gift Article Placeholder while article actions load GENEVA After all-night talks, members of the World Trade Organization early Friday reached a string of deals and commitments aimed at protecting stocks of ocean fish, broadening production of COVID-19 vaccines in the developing world, improving food security and reforming a 27-year-old trade body that has been back on its heels in recent years. WTO Director-General Nzogi Okonjo-Iweala, after a pair of sleepless nights in rugged negotiations, concluded the WTOs first ministerial conference in 4-1/2 years by trumpeting a new sense of cooperation at a time when the world faces crises like Russia's war in Ukraine and a once-in-a-century pandemic that has taken millions of lives. The package agreements you have reached will make a difference to the lives of people around the world, said Okonjo-Iweala, landing what she called an unprecedented package of deliverables after 15 months in the job. The outcomes demonstrate that the WTO is in fact capable of responding to emergencies of our time. Advertisement There were tears of joy and hugs exchanged, applause echoed through the WTOs concrete halls and many ministers broke out into renditions of Happy Birthday to celebrate belatedly the Monday birthdays of Okonjo-Iweala and Indian Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal after the deals were finalized. The agreements could breathe new life into a trade body that faced repeated criticism from the administration of former U.S. President Donald Trump, which accused the WTO of a lack of fairness to the United States, and was caught in a growing U.S. rivalry with China. In recent years, Washington has incapacitated the WTOs version of an appeals court that rules on international trade disputes. The WTO operates by consensus, meaning that all its 164 members must agree on its deals or at least not get in the way. The talks at times took place in backrooms or in side chats because some delegates didnt want to be in the same space as their counterparts from Russia as a way to protest President Vladimir Putins invasion of Ukraine, which has had fallout far beyond the battlefield, such as on food and fuel prices. Advertisement Among the main achievements Friday was an accord, which fell short of early ambitions, to prohibit both support for illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and for fishing in overtaxed stocks in the worlds oceans. It marked the WTOs first significant deal since one in 2013 that cut red tape on treatment of goods crossing borders and arguably one of its most impactful. WTO members have for the first time, concluded an agreement with environmental sustainability at its heart, Okonjo-Iweala said. This is also about the livelihoods of the 260 million people who depend directly or indirectly on marine fisheries. She said the deal takes a first step to curb government subsidies and overcapacity too many operators in the fishing industry. But India and some allies won concessions that scrapped an entire chapter from a proposal that could have threatened some types of subsidies favoring small-scale, artisanal fishing. Advertisement The fisheries agreement, which focused on subsidies for types of fishing that are unsustainable or illegal, came with a late addition that will limit its validity to four years unless new rules to fight overcapacity and overfishing are addressed. That was a clause sought by some African, Caribbean and Pacific Island countries. More controversial was an agreement on a watered-down plan to waive intellectual property protections for COVID-19 vaccines, which ran afoul of advocacy groups that say it did not go far enough and could even do more harm than good. But Okonjo-Iweala said the waiver of intellectual property protections will contribute to ongoing efforts to concentrate and diversify vaccine manufacturing capacity so that a crisis in one region does not leave others cut off. U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai hailed a concrete and meaningful outcome to get more safe and effective vaccines to those who need it most. Advertisement Her announcement a year ago that the U.S. would break with many other developed countries with strong pharmaceutical industries to work toward a waiver of WTO rules on COVID-19 vaccines served as an impetus to talks around a broader waiver sought by India and South Africa. But some advocacy groups were seething. Aid group Doctors Without Borders called it a devastating global failure for peoples health worldwide that the agreement stopped short of including other tools to fight COVID-19, including treatments and tests. The conduct of rich countries at the WTO has been utterly shameful, said Max Lawson, co-chair of the Peoples Vaccine Alliance and head of inequality policy at Oxfam. He said the European Union, United States, Britain and Switzerland blocked a stronger text. This so-called compromise largely reiterates developing countries existing rights to override patents in certain circumstances, Lawson said. Advertisement Big pharmaceutical companies werent happy that the vaccine waiver was approved, arguing that it sends a negative message to researchers and innovators who developed COVID-19 vaccines with blistering speed. The decision is a disservice to the scientists that left no stone unturned and undermines manufacturing partnerships on every continent, said Thomas Cueni, director-general of the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations. Goyal, the Indian minister whose tough negotiating stance had frustrated some developed countries, said the ministerial meeting was a big boost for multilateralism and showed progress on issues like fisheries that have been lagging for decades. India is 100% satisfied with the outcome, he told reporters in Geneva. I am not returning to India with any worries. Ministers also agreed to avoid imposing some export restrictions that have weighed on the U.N.s World Food Program, which is trying to offset the impact of rising food prices and fallout from the war in Ukraine on shipments of wheat, barely and other food staples from the key producing country. GiftOutline Gift Article Placeholder while article actions load RIO DE JANEIRO Federal police said Friday that human remains found in Brazils remote Amazon have been identified as belonging to British journalist Dom Phillips, who went missing almost two weeks ago along with a Brazilian Indigenous expert in a case that drew world attention. Are you on Telegram? Subscribe to our channel for the latest updates on Russia's war in Ukraine. ArrowRight Additional remains found at the site near the city of Atalaia do Norte have not yet been identified but are expected to belong to Indigenous expert Bruno Pereira, 41. The pair were last seen June 5 on their boat on the Itaquai river, near the entrance of the Javari Valley Indigenous Territory, which borders Peru and Colombia. The confirmation (of Phillips remains) was made based on dental examinations and anthropological forensics, Federal Police said in a statement. Work is ongoing for a complete identification of the remains so we can determine the cause of death, and also the dynamics of the crime and the hiding of the bodies. Advertisement The remains were found Wednesday after fisherman Amarildo da Costa de Oliveira, nicknamed Pelado, confessed he killed Phillips, 57, and Pereira, and led police to the site were the remains were found. He told officers he used a firearm to commit the crime. Police also arrested Pelados brother, fisherman Oseney da Costa de Oliveira. The remains had arrived in the capital city of Brasilia on Thursday for forensics to work. The area where Phillips and Pereira went missing has seen violent conflicts between fishermen, poachers, and government agents. Federal police said others may have participated in the crime but that organized criminal groups did not appear to be involved. UNIVAJA, the local Indigenous association for whom Pereira was working, criticized that conclusion. It said in a statement the investigation had not considered the existence of a criminal organization financing illegal fishing and poaching in the Javari Valley Indigenous Territory. Advertisement That was why Bruno Pereira became one of the main targets of this criminal group, as well as other UNIVAJA members who received death threats, the statement said. President Jair Bolsonaro, a frequent critic of journalists and Indigenous experts, has drawn criticism that the government didnt get involved fast enough. Earlier, he criticized Phillips in an interview, saying without evidence that locals in the area where he went missing didnt like him and that he should have been more careful in the region. His main adversary in Octobers election, former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, said in a statement that the killings are directly related to the dismantling of public policies of protection to Indigenous peoples. It is also related to the current administrations stimulus to violence, said da Silva, who leads in opinion polls. Advertisement The efforts to find the pair were started by Indigenous peoples in the region. Indigenous people who were with Pereira and Phillips have said that Pelado brandished a rifle at them on the day before the pair disappeared. Official search teams concentrated their efforts around a spot in the Itaquai river where a tarp from the boat used by the missing men was found. Authorities began scouring the area and discovered a backpack, laptop and other personal belongings submerged underwater Sunday. Authorities have said a main line of the police investigation into the disappearances has pointed to an international network that pays poor fishermen to fish illegally in the Javari Valley reserve, which is Brazils second-largest Indigenous territory. Pereira, who previously led the local bureau of the federal Indigenous agency, known as FUNAI, took part in several operations against illegal fishing. In such operations, as a rule the fishing gear is seized or destroyed, while the fishermen are fined and briefly detained. Only the Indigenous can legally fish in their territories. Advertisement While some police, the mayor and others in the region link the pairs disappearances to the fish mafia, federal police have not ruled out other lines of investigation, such as drug trafficking. The case has put a global magnifying glass on violence in the Amazon. Earlier on Friday, U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price said Phillips and Pereira were murdered for supporting conservation of the rainforest and native peoples there. We call for accountability and justice we must collectively strengthen efforts to protect environmental defenders and journalists, Price said. Protests calling for justice for Phillips and Pereira are scheduled to take place in several Brazilian cities over the weekend. GiftOutline Gift Article Placeholder while article actions load There were also people aboard from Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Bolivia, Peru, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador and Venezuela. Are you on Telegram? Subscribe to our channel for the latest updates on Russia's war in Ukraine. Are you on Telegram? Subscribe to our channel for the latest updates on Russia's war in Ukraine. Agents found the truck parked on the side of a road in the southern state of Chiapas, which borders Guatemala. There were so many migrants they were dangling their legs off the roof of the freight container. In an unusual move for whats been an unusual takeover bid for Twitter by the worlds richest man, Tesla CEO Elon Musk met virtually with the social platforms employees on Thursday (US time), even though his $US44 billion ($62.4 billion) offer has not yet been completed. Trust is as trust does. I tend to be extremely literal in what I say... One does not (need) to read between the lines. One can simply read the lines, Musk said in the meeting, according to a tweet from Nola Weinstein, Twitters global head of brand experiences and engagement. Elon Musk appeared at a virtual meeting with Twitter staff this week. Credit:AP Weinstein did not immediately respond to a message for further comment and she subsequently deleted all her tweets about the meeting. Twitter declined to comment. Musk, according to multiple news reports, also addressed possible layoffs at the company, saying that, right now, costs exceed revenue. Thats not a great situation. Revivals are risky. Resuscitating a series in the hope of recreating the magic that once distinguished it might entice nostalgic former fans and attract new ones. Or it could tarnish the legacy of a once-loved show, leaving a sour aftertaste. Weve recently seen a flood of revivals, with mixed success, as the streaming services, in particular, have scoured back-catalogues in search of content to woo subscribers. Among them are Back to the Rafters, Gilmore Girls, Will & Grace and the Sex and the City sequel, And Just Like That... No one is likely to revive a show that wasnt initially popular, but the stakes are especially high when the original was a global success that launched international careers and was admired for its insightful view of political life. Scandi Noir crime shows had already excited the world when Borgen (2010-13) propelled Danish television into a different sphere of drama. Over three gripping seasons, it followed the professional and private challenges of Birgitte Nyborg (Sidse Babett Knudsen), who became Denmarks first female prime minister. In the first three seasons of Borgen, Birgitte Nyborg (Sidse Babett Knudsen) was Denmarks first female prime minister; now shes foreign minister under a wily new PM. Credit:Mike Kolloffel / Netflix Continuing under creator and co-writer Adam Price, the audacious and discernibly darker fourth season, Borgen: Power and Glory (Netflix), picks up a decade on with the protagonist as foreign minister in a government headed by wily new female prime minister Signe Kragh (Johanne Louise Schmidt). The new series, neatly described by The New York Times as less West Wing, more House of Cards, sees the return of a number of familiar faces. On the home front, Birgitte maintains an amicable relationship with her ex-husband, Phillip (Mikael Birkkjaer), while their son, Magnus (Lucas Lynggaard Tonnesen), has grown up to become an environmental activist who isnt afraid to challenge his mother. Blackout warnings for the eastern seaboard have been lifted after the energy grid chief assured the public that enough power supply had come back online over the past 48 hours to meet expected demand over the weekend. The reprieve for households came as NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet declared Australia would need gas from the states controversial Narrabri project as soon as possible. His Victorian counterpart, Daniel Andrews, said he was also willing to consider new gas projects while reaffirming his governments ban on coal seam gas extraction. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (centre) with NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet (left) and Victorias Daniel Andrews at a national cabinet meeting on Friday. Credit:Rhett Wyman They were speaking after premiers and chief ministers joined Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Friday for the first meeting of national cabinet since Labor took power, agreeing to set up reviews into health funding and skills policy. The meeting, which also discussed the energy crisis, ended without revealing any new measures to shore up supply or bring down prices. Soaring coal prices and multiple plant failures meant 25 per cent of coal-fired power capacity was offline, forcing the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) to take the unprecedented step of suspending the National Electricity Market on Wednesday so it could command when and where electricity supply should be directed. Washington: Donald Trump put his own vice presidents life at risk by embracing an elaborate plot to overturn the 2020 election, despite knowing the plan was unlawful, a Congressional hearing on the US Capitol attack has been told. On the third public hearing into last years riots, the January 6 committee focused on the pressure put on then vice president Mike Pence to stop Joe Bidens election victory from being certified. It zeroed in on just how close Pence came to being attacked by angry Trump supporters. Donald Trump and rioters on January 6. Credit:AP Chilling video played during the hearing showed the rioters some of whom had erected makeshift gallows chanting Hang Mike Pence as they stormed the Capitol. At 2.24pm on the day of the attack, about 10 minutes after protesters breached the first window, Trump tweeted: Mike Pence didnt have the courage to do what should have been done to protect our country and our constitution USA demands the truth! CCTV: Since the beginning of this year, China, as the rotating chair of BRICS, has successfully held many activities despite the impact of COVID-19. As we understand, the relevant activities will run throughout the year. Can you share with us BRICS progress and its significance under Chinas chairship? Wang Wenbin: As you said, this year is indeed the BRICS China Year. Thanks to the active support of all sides, China has successfully held over 70 meetings and events so far this year, covering political, security, economic, trade, financial, people-to-people and cultural fields as well as sustainable development and public health. These activities have enabled important progress in BRICS cooperation in various sectors. The tangible outcomes have enriched BRICS cooperation and laid a solid foundation for the 14th BRICS Summit. Since the inception of the BRICS cooperation mechanism 16 years ago, BRICS countries have stood the test of changing international landscape and become an important force to be reckoned with on the international stage. As our world faces drastic changes and a pandemic both unseen in a century and enters a new period of volatility and transformation, it is all the more important to deepen BRICS cooperation, and emerging markets and developing countries have a stronger desire to participate in BRICS cooperation. China is ready to work with other BRICS members and emerging markets and developing countries to act on the BRICS spirit of openness, inclusiveness, cooperation and win-win results, deepen the BRICS partnership under the theme of Foster High-quality BRICS Partnership, Usher in a New Era for Global Development, and discuss ways to conduct BRICS Plus cooperation at higher levels, in wider areas and in larger scope, so as to inject more BRICS strength into global development and more positive energy into a world facing turbulence and challenges. Associated Press of Pakistan: In a recent interview with Chinese media, Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif spoke highly of China-Pakistan relations. He also said that China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is manifestation of the two sides mutual benefit and win-win cooperation. Do you have any response? Wang Wenbin: China highly appreciates the remarks made by Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif. As the Prime Minister said, China and Pakistan are two great friends, and we have been together for more than seven decades through thick and thin. No matter how the international landscape may evolve, China-Pakistan all-weather strategic cooperative partnership will always be rock-solid and unshakable. Over the years, guided by the principles of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, China and Pakistan have advanced the development of CPEC, which has contributed to economic development and peoples livelihood in Pakistan, and made important contributions to regional connectivity and economic integration. CPEC has been widely commended and endorsed by people of all sectors. China stands ready to work together with Pakistan to carry forward the traditional friendship, strengthen strategic communication, enhance strategic mutual trust, deepen practical cooperation across the board, promote safe, smooth and high-quality CPEC cooperation, and unleash CPECs potential in accelerating growth and improving peoples wellbeing. We will continuously consolidate the ironclad friendship between China and Pakistan, advance the building of a China-Pakistan community with a shared future, and enable China-Pakistan cooperation to provide more robust vitality for the development and revitalization of the two countries and the region. Prasar Bharati: According to news agency PTI, China has put a hold on a US-India joint proposal to list an individual as a global terrorist. My question is, can you share what were the considerations for China to put this hold? Wang Wenbin: First I would like to say that China opposes all forms of terrorism. Chinas actions at the UN Security Council 1267 committee are always consistent with relevant rules and procedures. China will continue to conduct its work in a constructive and responsible manner. Shenzhen TV: According to reports, the US Federal Communications Commission said recently that two-thirds of applications to reimburse US carriers for removing equipment from Chinese companies such as Huawei and ZTE were found to be materially deficient. The cost estimated to replace the equipment is $5.3 billion, much higher than the $1.9 billion budget Congress set aside last year. Do you have any comment? Wang Wenbin: I have taken note of relevant reports. I have also read comments that the US companies that cannot get reimbursement will have a hard time and may have to replace the equipment at their own cost. Some US politicians, driven by selfish interest, overstretch the concept of national security and mobilize state power to wantonly suppress certain Chinese companies. But ultimately, the US business community and ordinary Americans will have to swallow the bitter fruit. As facts have shown time and again, the US has constantly sought to politicize, instrumentalize and weaponize economic cooperation. It has intimidated, cajoled and coerced other countries into banning Chinese companies equipment to build what it calls small yard, high fence. This has not only severely hurt the interests of Chinese companies, but also gravely undermined the interests of the US itself and seriously affected the stability of global industrial and supply chains. China firmly opposes it. These unpopular moves of the US politicians will end in failure. It is hoped that the US will mend its ways as soon as possible, stop the erroneous acts that harm others without benefiting itself, and provide an open, fair, just and non-discriminatory market environment for Chinese companies. Bloomberg: We reported the last day or so that the US is looking to arrange a phone conversation between President Xi and Biden. Do you have any comment on these reports? Wang Wenbin: I dont have any information on what you mentioned. PTI: You have elaborated on Chinas stand on this issue which my colleague raised about listing of terrorists. Do you think that this particular issue is going to set China and India apart? Secondly, about the announcement today of the BRICS Summit on June 23, what exactly are the main issues that the summit is going to discuss? And also, there is a mention of the emerging countries other than BRICS taking part in the High-level Dialogue on Global Development on June 24. Can you please name them? How many countries and what are those countries that are taking part in this dialogue? Wang Wenbin: On the listing of the person you mentioned, I just stated Chinas position. On China-India relations, our attitude is consistent and clear. We hope the Indian side will work with us for the sound and steady development of bilateral relations. As to the BRICS Summit, we have announced this morning that President Xi Jinping will host the 14th BRICS Summit and the High-level Dialogue on Global Development and attend the opening ceremony of the BRICS Business Forum. I would like to take this opportunity to share more information with you. BRICS is an important cooperation mechanism for emerging markets and developing countries and a South-South cooperation platform with global influence. As the rotating BRICS chair for this year, China looks forward to working with fellow BRICS members to further deepen and substantiate BRICS cooperation, cement the BRICS strategic partnership, draw up a new blueprint for BRICS cooperation, and make greater contributions to safeguarding peace and stability and promoting development and prosperity by hosting the 14th BRICS Summit under the theme of Foster High-quality BRICS Partnership, Usher in a New Era for Global Development. Apart from the 14th BRICS Summit, President Xi Jinping will also host the High-level Dialogue on Global Development. The theme of the Dialogue is Foster a Global Development Partnership for the New Era to Jointly Implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Other than BRICS leaders, the meeting will also be attended by leaders of emerging markets and developing countries. China looks forward to discussing development with all parties, express the common aspiration of developing countries, call on and work on the international community to put development issues high on the agenda, and contribute wisdom and pool strength for accelerating the implementation of 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and fostering a global community of development with a shared future. President Xi Jinping will also attend the opening ceremony of the BRICS Business Forum and deliver a keynote speech. He will elaborate on Chinas position and propositions on major and pressing issues facing the world and chart the course forward for business cooperation. As to which foreign leaders will attend the Dialogue, China is having close communication with relevant parties. We will release information when appropriate. Global Times: According to reports, Taiwans foreign affairs office admitted in a statement that it had long been the islands practice to employ public relations companies in the US to help consolidate Taiwan-US ties. The DPP authorities have paid $140,000 in service fees to political lobbying agents for pulling strings to get former US leader to receive Tsai Ing-wens phone call. They also paid lobbyists to organize the attendance by Taiwans representative at the inauguration of US government officials. Do you have any comment? Wang Wenbin: Weve noticed that the Taiwan authorities only admitted to this and disclosed the figures after being probed by the press. In fact, this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the big bucks paid to the US. According to media reports, US politicians like former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo pocketed $150,000 for a four-day visit to Taiwan. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham openly asked the Taiwan authorities to buy Boeing airplanes worth $8 billion while visiting Taiwan. How much of Taiwan peoples hard-earned money have the DPP authorities squandered for such activities? The DPP authorities wouldnt even dare disclose a complete list of payments. The US says others are engaged in political infiltration against the US. What then is the USs attitude over these activities? Will it take punitive action against them? Prasar Bharati: You mentioned that there was something related to the procedures regarding the listing of global terrorists under the UN Security Council 1267 committee. Can you elaborate a little bit on this? Wang Wenbin: I have made Chinas position clear. Im not going to repeat myself. Hubei Media Group: The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) just released a report on the mission to Japan in March by its Task Force established to review Japans discharge of the nuclear-contaminated water from Fukushima. Do you have any comment? Wang Wenbin: We have noted the IAEA report and are looking at it. The initial impression is that the report is focused on assessing whether Japans Nuclear Regulation Authoritys review and approval process is conducted in accordance with the relevant IAEA international safety standards. No conclusion has been reached yet. At the same time, the report put forward suggestions for improvement with regard to the responsibilities of the government, the authorization process, source monitoring and environmental monitoring, and involvement of interested parties. Judging from the two reports the IAEA has released so far, we can see that the international communitys concerns over the reliability of data on the nuclear-contaminated water, the efficacy of the treatment system and the uncertainty of environmental impact are indeed well-founded. Regrettably, however, the Japanese side has yet to offer any thorough and convincing explanation on these accounts. When the IAEA Task Force was still working on its mission and no conclusion has been reached, the Japanese side forcibly pushed forward the review process for its ocean discharge plan and even started building facilities for that purpose. Such acts that disregard other parties concerns and attempt to create a fait accompli are extremely irresponsible. China once again urges the Japanese side to take seriously the legitimate and justifiable concerns of the international community and the Japanese people and have full consultation with relevant international institutions and stakeholders including its neighboring countries to seek a proper way of handling the nuclear-contaminated water and stop pushing forward the ocean discharge plan. It needs to be pointed out that updating countries unilaterally on its preparation for the discharge does not count as full consultation, but an attempt to impose its wrong decision on others. Not long ago, China and Russia provided to Japan a joint list of technical questions which was also disseminated at the IAEA. The sheet includes many questions over Japans ocean discharge plan from scientific and technical perspective. Japan needs to look into that in a responsible manner and give an answer as soon as possible to address our concerns. Bloomberg: Ambassador Nicholas Burns made some comments yesterday at a panel discussion he was on. He said that Chinas COVID-zero policies are chilling foreign investment in China. Do you have any comment on that? Wang Wenbin: First, I would like to say that the reason why China adopted the dynamic zero-COVID approach is that we put the 1.4 billion peoples lives and health before anything else. Its a testament to the governance philosophy of the CPC and the Chinese government, which is to give top priority to protecting our people and their lives. For over two years since the start of the pandemic, the infection rate and mortality rate of China remain the lowest in the world. Whereas the average life expectancy in some developed countries, such as the US, declined during the pandemic, Chinas average life expectancy has steadily gone up in the past two years. A research paper of Nature Medicine estimated that if China stops putting up a tough fight over COVID as some other countries did, it may lead to more than 112 million infections and nearly 1.6 million deaths. Thats why we say Chinas epidemic prevention and control policy is science-based, correct and effective, a responsible thing it has done for its people. Second, Chinas COVID containment measures are constantly adjusted to better respond to the latest developments in the COVID situation, which have proven to be effective. We have gone through four stages: emergency response to sudden outbreaks, exploratory practices of normalized prevention and control, whole-chain precision prevention and control, and integrated prevention and control. Each outbreak handled provided experience for further improvement. At the current stage, we focus more on science-based and precise measures for dynamic zero-COVID scenario. As you may see, the overall epidemic metrics in China have been stable. We have effectively brought virus transmission under control in Shanghai and other places, where life and work are going back to normal. Facts have proven that the existing anti-epidemic protocols can help to achieve the dynamic zero-COVID goal. Chinas COVID policy suits its national reality and can stand the test of history. Third, thanks to Chinas science-based, precise and effective epidemic prevention and control measures, China has not only mitigated the impact of the coronavirus on economic and social development to the greatest extent, but achieved steady economic growth. According to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics, Chinas economy has gradually emerged from the shadow of COVID-19, with major indexes showing better performance in May. Chinas economy has shown momentum of recovery. Chinas foreign trade went up 8.3% and FDI expanded 17.3% year-on-year in the period from January to May. During the same period, investment from the Republic of Korea, the US, and Germany climbed by 52.8%, 27.1% and 21.4% respectively. These specific figures reflect foreign investors genuine interest in investing in China and confidence in Chinas socioeconomic development. Its clear evidence that effective COVID response provides a good foundation for socioeconomic development and an important condition for fostering a favorable business environment. We are fully confident in ensuring effective COVID control, stable economic performance and safe and secure development. Bloomberg: The US is looking to announce a new infrastructure plan at the upcoming G7 meeting which appears intended to counter Chinas Belt and Road Initiative. Do you have any comment on this? Wang Wenbin: Global infrastructure development requires cooperation, mutual support and complementarity between all countries, instead of confrontation against or replacement of each other. The US initiative misuses countries shared aspiration for common development and win-win cooperation. It is driven by zero-sum mentality and a desire to stoke confrontation. That would hardly get any support. China believes that the room for cooperation is broad enough for global infrastructure cooperation. There is no such thing as different initiatives countering or replacing each other. The world needs more bridges to be built rather than torn down, more connectivity rather than decoupling or building fences, and mutual benefits rather than isolation and exclusion. China welcomes all initiatives that can help pool synergy and promote global infrastructure development. Any calculation to advance geopolitics in the name of infrastructure development will win no support and will never succeed. We were just in the midst of a blizzard. Soon though, we'll see the first signs of spring. 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. Reading, PA (19601) Today Mostly cloudy and muggy with a few showers and a thunderstorm in the morning, then some afternoon sunshine and turning less humid late in the day. . Tonight Becoming mostly clear, cooler, and comfier. The Eurovision Song Contest has revealed it is unlikely to stage the event in the winning country of Ukraine next year, and has said it is discussing with the BBC to "potentially host the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest in the United Kingdom". You can see the organisation's statement in full here: "Following their win at the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) in May the EBU has been exploring options for the hosting of next year's competition with Ukraine's public broadcaster UA:PBC, who previously staged the event in 2017 and 2005. It has become a well-known tradition that the winner of the Eurovision Song Contest hosts the competition the following year, providing certain criteria including ensuring the viability of staging the event and the safety of all stakeholders, including the public, are met. "Given the ongoing war since the Russian invasion of this year's winning country, the EBU has taken the time to conduct a full assessment and feasibility study with both U:PBC and third-party specialists including on safety and security issues. The Eurovision Song Contest is one of the most complex TV productions in the world with thousands working on, and attending, the event and 12 months of preparation time needed. "Following objective analysis, the Reference Group, the ESC's governing board, has with deep regret concluded that, given the current circumstances, the security and operational guarantees required for a broadcaster to host, organize and produce the Eurovision Song Contest under the ESC Rules cannot be fulfilled by UA:PBC. "The EBU would like to thank UA:PBC for their wholehearted cooperation and commitment in exploring all scenarios in the weeks since Kalush Orchestra's win on 14 May in Turin and share their sadness and disappointment that next year's Contest cannot be held in Ukraine. "The EBU has been supporting UA:PBC across a whole range of areas since the invasion. We will ensure that this support continues so UA:BC can maintain the indispensable service they provide to Ukrainians. As a result of this decision, in accordance with the rules and to ensure the continuity of the event, the EBU will now begin discussions with the BBC, as this year's runner up, to potentially host the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest in the United Kingdom. "It is our full intention that Ukraine's win will be reflected in next year's shows. This will be a priority for us in our discussions with the eventual hosts." Bertolt Brecht's The Good Person of Szechwan will be staged in Sheffield next spring with a brand new production to mark the play's 80th anniversary, before transferring to London. Adapted by Nina Segal (In The Night Time [Before The Sun Rises]) and directed by Anthony Lau (Anna Karenina), the piece was commissioned by English Touring Theatre and co-produced by ETT with Sheffield Theatres and Lyric Hammersmith. Lau, who is also RTYDS associate artistic director of Sheffield Theatres, said: "As the cost of living rises to dangerous levels and the number of billionaires in the world grows, Brecht's play about capitalism's relationship with morality is fiercely resonant. He examines these ideas with humour and playfulness, to better shed light on the tragedy and seriousness of a world where everyday kindness is disintegrating. "I am hugely excited to revive Brecht's masterpiece alongside Nina Segal, the adaptor of this new version, and Georgia Lowe, the designer. They are both artists whose imagination, rigour and sense of mischief will inject new impetus to this production. "Performed by a company of actors predominantly of East Asian heritage, audiences can look forward to a freewheeling story of gods, goodness and greed." The play follows three gods who look to justify humanity's existence by searching for just one honest person in the world. It centres around penniless Shen Te and explores what happens when she is gifted with a life-changing amount of money. The production will also feature lighting design by Jessica Hung Han Yun. Casting (by Jacob Sparrow) and additional creative team members will be announced at a later date. The Good Person of Szechwan runs from 11 March until 1 April 2023 at the Crucible Theatre, with a press night scheduled for 15 March. It will then transfer to London's Lyric Hammersmith Theatre from 15 April to 13 May 2023, officially opening on 20 April. WINNIPEG BEACH The rod twitches lightly and Eric Labaupa jumps out of his seat. The telltale sign of a nibble. He pulls up to set the hook and starts reeling. WINNIPEG BEACH The rod twitches lightly and Eric Labaupa jumps out of his seat. The telltale sign of a nibble. He pulls up to set the hook and starts reeling. "Ah, its just a small one," he says, the excitement dropping from his voice before the fish breaks the surface. When youve been fishing as long as Labaupa, its easy to tell when youve got a keeper on the line. After a photo and a quick inspection, he tosses the young sauger back into the murky brown water. Today, hes on the hunt for walleye or pickerel, as the mild freshwater fish is often marketed. RUTH BONNEVILLE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS On a recent sunny day on Lake Winnipeg, the key ingredient to Eric Labaupas Ginataan na Walleye started out elusive. Walleye is the ideal local substitute for one of his favourite meals: Ginataan na Isda. In the Philippines, the dish, which means "done with coconut milk" in Tagalog, is typically made with milkfish or tilapia poached in coconut milk and aromatics. Its a calm sunny day on Lake Winnipeg, but so far the key ingredient is proving elusive. Walleye are usually an easy catch in the lakes south basin this time of year, when their appetites are on overdrive after the spring spawn. Click to Expand For the love of home cooking Homemade is a regular feature celebrating recipies and home cooking in Manitoba. This fall, the Free Press is publishing a community cookbook of the same name to mark the papers 150th anniversary. Visit wfp.to/homemade to find out more about the project and join our Facebook group for discussions, recipe swapping and event updates. There are a handful of boats on the water and no one seems to be having much luck. Labaupa consults a map and adjusts his fish finder before disengaging the electric anchor and scooting off to a new spot. Its OK that the fish arent biting. The chase is part of the fun. "If you caught fish every time, I dont think Id be as addicted," he says. Labaupa, 43, was practically born fishing. A famous family story is the time his dad, Franco, took his infant son out to St. Norbert for a fishing trip. Franco and his friend spent the day casting off the riverbank, while baby Eric hung out in the car, safe from the swarms of mosquitoes. "They would take turns coming up to the car to check on me he got in trouble for that," Labaupa says, laughing. "But thats how addicted he was and I guess I just fed off of that." RUTH BONNEVILLE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Patience is rewarded, most of the time. If you caught fish every time, I dont think Id be as addicted, says Eric Labaupa. From that point on, nearly every weekend of his childhood was spent fishing on the Red River with Franco. The Saturday morning wake-up call came at 6 a.m. and Labaupa would fall back asleep in the minivan on the way to their destination Maple Grove, North Perimeter Park and Lockport were frequent haunts. His mom and younger sister often joined in and the family would while away the hours on the shore (Franco refused to get a boat for fear of capsizing). If the fish were biting, they enjoyed their haul for dinner that evening. Walleye, spiced with ginger and tamarind, was a prized catch. Fishing is still a family affair for Labaupa; although, outings usually start a tad later these days, "Im more a crack-of-nine guy now," he says. His wife and three kids are all talented anglers and his social media feed is full of family members posing with giant catfish, goldeye and pike pulled from local waterways (his handle, @eric_onthe_red, is an homage to his favourite river). RUTH BONNEVILLE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS A famous Labaupa family story is the time his dad took infant son Eric out to St. Norbert for a fishing trip, leaving him in the car and checking him periodically. Thats how addicted he was and I guess I just fed off of that, says Labaupa. Labaupa has also managed to turn a beloved pastime into a career. Back in the boat, he points out the lures, lifejackets, rods and fishing electronics he promotes as a sales representative for different outdoor brands. The kit is a far cry from the makeshift stick and bobber he learned to fish with. His hat and shirt are emblazoned with the logo for his angling media company, Kickerfish, and he runs and competes in tournaments across the province. Five years ago, Labaupa founded the Filipino-Canadian Anglers Association of Manitoba with hopes of making the local fishing scene a more welcoming place. The group was a direct response to the alienation he felt in other associations. "They were some of the worst experiences, you go there (to learn) and youre not welcome at all," he says. "It was very hard to win them over, it wasnt fun." RUTH BONNEVILLE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS For members of the Filipino community in Manitoba, fishing is a huge thing, if you dont fish youre almost looked at like youre weird, Eric Labaupa says. Today, the membership includes more than 200 households with interest growing in other provinces. Its just a fraction of the provinces large Filipino fishing community. "Its a huge thing, if you dont fish youre almost looked at like youre weird," Labaupa says. "The Philippines are all islands, so the water is in our blood. It just comes naturally to us over here." By the end of our day on the lake, there are three suitably sized walleye in the well and a dozen or so smaller fish that have been caught and released. Its more than enough meat for Ginataan na Walleye. RUTH BONNEVILLE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Eric Labaupa has turned a beloved pastime into a career as a sales representative for different outdoor brands and via his angling media company, Kickerfish. Labaupa preps the ingredients for the dish ginger, onion, Thai chilies and greens with chef-like precision, wiping down his stove and kitchen counter in between each step. Its a habit he picked up during one of his previous careers as a sous chef. Prior to becoming a champion angler and fishing influencer, Labaupa worked in animation, served as a reservist with the army, cooked at a fly-in fishing lodge in northern Ontario, ran campaigns for local politicians and spent more than a decade in youth corrections. The latter is what prompted him to look for a lighter line of work. RUTH BONNEVILLE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Eric Labaupa cooks up the walleye he caught for his favourite family walleye recipe at his home. "Its a very dark place," he says of working at the Manitoba Youth Centre. "There was a suicide epidemic going on and so for my mental health, I dediced to chase the dream." Standing over the pot of boiling coconut milk and lightly fried fish, Labaupa is back where that dream started preparing a meal for his family with the spoils of another day spent doing what he loves. Fittingly, like everything else, Ginataan na Walleye is a recipe he learned from his dad. Ginataan na Walleye Submitted by Eric Labaupa Ingredients 1/2 of a red onion, sliced 6 cloves garlic, pressed One finger of ginger, peeled and sliced 2 cans (700 ml) coconut milk 6 red Thai chili peppers, whole One bunch of yu choy or spinach (or other green) 2 tbsp fish sauce (patis) 2 whole walleye, cleaned, scaled and cut into steaks 1 tbsp sea salt Cooking oil Directions The Free Press | Newsletter Try our Dish The latest on food and drink in Winnipeg and beyond from arts writers Ben Sigurdson and Eva Wasney. Dish arrives in your inbox every other Friday. See sample. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. RUTH BONNEVILLE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS In the Philippines, Ginataan na Isda which means done with coconut milk in Tagalog is typically made with milkfish or tilapia poached in coconut milk and aromatics. Salt the walleye steaks in a bowl, ensuring the salt is rubbed in to all the pieces. Allow to sit for 10-15 minutes so the fish can absorb the salt. Heat cooking oil in deep frying pan or wok. Fry the fish until lightly browned on all sides. Remove from oil and drain by placing on a rack or on paper towel on a dish. In a medium-sized pot, heat two tablespoons of cooking oil. Saute the onions, garlic, and ginger until they are aromatic. Add the coconut milk and chili peppers and bring to a light boil. Lower the heat and simmer until the coconut milk reduces to slightly thick consistency. An option is to add some water or fish/lobster stock to create the desired consistency and flavour. Avoid breaking the peppers to achieve some heat without being overpowering. Of course, you can slice or break them up to make the dish spicier. Add two tablespoons of fish sauce and adjust to taste. Add the walleye steaks and yu choy, cover and simmer for five minutes. Serve with jasmine white rice or whatever your rice preference is. eva.wasney@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @evawasney VESTAVIA HILLS, Ala. (AP) The 70-year-old visitor had previously attended some services at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church before police say he showed up for a potluck dinner, pulled out a handgun and fatally shot three of the elderly participants, one of whom died in his wife's arms as she whispered words of love in his ear. Church members console each other after a shooting at the Saint Stevens Episcopal Church on Thursday, June 16, 2022 in Vestavia, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill) VESTAVIA HILLS, Ala. (AP) The 70-year-old visitor had previously attended some services at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church before police say he showed up for a potluck dinner, pulled out a handgun and fatally shot three of the elderly participants, one of whom died in his wife's arms as she whispered words of love in his ear. Church members were spared further violence Thursday evening when one of them rushed the gunman, struck him with a chair and held him until police arrived, a former pastor said. The suspect, Robert Findlay Smith, was charged with capital murder Friday, the Jefferson County district attorney announced. The baffling violence in a wealthy suburb of Birmingham stunned a community known for its family-centered lifestyle. It also deepened the unease in a nation still reeling from recent slaughter wrought by gunmen who attacked a Texas school, a New York grocery store and another church in California. Why would a guy whos been around for a while suddenly decide he would go to a supper and kill somebody? said the Rev. Doug Carpenter, St. Stephen's pastor for three decades before he retired in 2005. It doesnt make sense. All three shooting victims were members attending a monthly dinner at the church, said Carpenter, who still attends Sunday services there but wasn't present Thursday night. A Facebook post referred to the gathering as a Boomers Potluck. Church members gather for a prayer circle after a shooting at the Saint Stevens Episcopal Church on Thursday, June 16, 2022 in Vestavia, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill) Carpenter said one victim's wife and other witnesses recounted what had happened. They said a man who introduced himself only as Mr. Smith sat at a table by himself as he'd done while visiting a previous church dinner. People tried to speak to him and he was kind of distant and very much a loner, Carpenter told The Associated Press by telephone. At Thursday's dinner, church member Walter Bartlett Rainey invited the visitor to join his table, Carpenter said, but the man declined. He said Rainey's wife noticed the visitor wasn't eating. Police barricade off the area after a shooting at the Saint Stevens Episcopal Church on Thursday, June 16, 2022 in Vestavia, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill) Linda Rainey said he didnt have any food and she offered to fix a plate for him, and he turned that down, said Carpenter. Soon afterward, Carpenter said, the man drew his gun and opened fire shooting Walter Rainey and two other church members. Carpenter said another member, a man in his 70s, grabbed a chair and charged the gunman. He hit him with a folding chair, wrestling him to the ground, took the gun from him and hit him in the head with his own gun, Carpenter said. Residents walk home form a local store as police barricade off the area after a shooting at the Saint Stevens Episcopal Church on Thursday, June 16, 2022 in Vestavia, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill) Church members held the suspect until police arrived, police Capt. Shane Ware said. A police mugshot showed Smith with a blackened left eye and cuts to his nose and forehead. The person that subdued the suspect, in my opinion, was a hero," Ware told a news conference Friday, saying that act was extremely critical in saving lives." Rainey, 84, died at the scene. His wife of six decades wasn't harmed. Police Capt. Shane Ware talks about a fatal shooting at a church during a news conference in Vestavia Hills, Ala., on Friday, June 17, 2022. Authorities say two people were shot to death and a third was wounded during an evening gathering at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church when a man pulled out a handgun and began firing. (AP Photo/Jay Reeves) We are all grateful that she was spared and that he died in her arms while she murmured words of comfort and love into his ears, Rainey's family said in a statement. Police said Sarah Yeager, 75, of Pelham, died soon afterward at a hospital, and an 84-year-old woman died Friday. Police didn't release her name, citing the family's request for privacy. Ware said Smith and the three victims were all white. He said police are investigating what motivated the suspect, who occasionally attended services at the church. Authorities executed a search warrant Friday at Smith's home, less than 3 miles (5 kilometers) away. This booking photograph released by the Jefferson County Jail in Birmingham, Ala., shows Robert Findlay Smith, who was charged with capital murder on Friday, June 17, 2022, in a shooting that killed three people at an Alabama church. (Jefferson County Jail via AP) Records from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives show Smith is a licensed gun dealer whose business is listed at his home address. Court records show Smith filed a lawsuit in 2008 against Samford University, a private university in metro Birmingham, alleging campus security wrongly detained him and accused him of impersonating a police officer. Vestavia Hills Mayor Ashley Curry told reporters his close-knit, resilient, loving community was rocked by this senseless act of violence. It's home to nearly 40,000 residents, most of them white, including many businesspeople, doctors and lawyers who work in Birmingham. The churchs pastor, the Rev. John Burruss, said in a Facebook post that he was in Greece on a pilgrimage and trying to get back. This booking photograph released by the Jefferson County Jail in Birmingham, Ala., shows Robert Findlay Smith, who was charged with capital murder on Friday, June 17, 2022, in a shooting that killed three people at an Alabama church. (Jefferson County Jail via AP) The Rev. Rebecca Bridges, the associate rector, led an online prayer service on the church's Facebook page Friday morning. She prayed not only for the victims and church members who witnessed the shooting, but also for the person who perpetrated the shooting. 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 pray that you will work in that persons heart, Bridges said. And we pray that you will help us to forgive. Bridges, currently in London, alluded to other recent mass shootings as she prayed that "our culture will change and that our laws will change in ways that will protect all of us. Thursdays shooting happened just over a month after one person was killed and five injured when a man opened fire on Taiwanese parishioners at a Southern California church. It also came nearly seven years to the day after an avowed white supremacist killed nine people during Bible study at Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina. A message posted by St. Stephens said it would hold Sunday services, adding: We will gather at the Table that has taught so many that love is always breaking through in this world, no matter what we experience, whether it be doubt, anger, loss, grief, or death but yet also joy and life." ___ AP writer Russ Bynum in Savannah, Georgia, contributed to this story. The existence of ghosts is uncertain. Ghost signs? Those are real. In Winnipegs Exchange District, theyre easy to spot: fading advertisements for faded firms, splashed across century-old buildings in paint that isnt quite ready to disappear just yet unfinished business for finished businesses. The existence of ghosts is uncertain. Ghost signs? Those are real. In Winnipegs Exchange District, theyre easy to spot: fading advertisements for faded firms, splashed across century-old buildings in paint that isnt quite ready to disappear just yet unfinished business for finished businesses. At 281 McDermot Ave., three ghost signs refuse to go to the grave, and Matt Cohen and Craig Winslow refuse to let them. JON DUENAS PHOTO Artist Craig Winslow in front of a ghost sign in Portland. On Friday night, the duo will flick on a set of projectors to illuminate the huge ads in what they call the worlds first permanent ghost sign installation, overlooking Old Market Square each night from sunset until midnight. Grim reaper be damned. JUSTIN SAMANSKI-LANGILLE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Matt Cohen poses in front of one of the building murals which will feature in several rooftop events highlighting the citys faded ghost signs. Cohen, a Winnipeg marketing professional, has been obsessively cataloguing the citys surviving wall-based advertisements for a decade. In 2016, he first heard of Winslow, who was working on reviving ghost signs across the United States using light projection. The two connected, and a few months later, Winslow was in Winnipeg to breathe new life into five ghost signs for a single night. "Its a way to explore history in a dynamic, non-invasive way," says Winslow, born in Portland, Maine and based in Portland, Ore. The latest project will illuminate three signs all on the same wall, with each successive ad painted overtop an older one in what they call a "palimpsest" writing material used more than once after earlier work has been erased or covered up. In the case of the building at 281 McDermot Ave., the palimpsest reveals a nesting doll of shifting corporate fortunes. Its a way to explore history in a dynamic, noninvasive way. Craig Winslow Per Cohens research: In 1876, a man named D.W. Stobart, a British coal merchant, founded Stobart, Eden and Company, a dry goods distributor. The company was a smashing success, competing with the biggest wholesalers on the Prairies. In 1903, the future looking bright, the company by then known as Stobart, Sons and Company broke ground on its McDermot Avenue warehouse. In 1907, new storeys were added to the building to service the companys growing manufacturing side. A painter scaled the wall and in a bold uppercase marked the territory: STOBART, SONS & CO. SUPPLIED Stobart sign East Side By 1914, with Eatons and the Hudsons Bay Company and Sears finding great fortune with their mail-order business models, the stewards of 281 McDermot shifted gears, rebranding as the Christie Grant Company, emphasized with what else but a fresh paint job. "They launched about one month before the start of World War 1," says Cohen. Poor timing: by 1921, Christie Grant was in the corporate graveyard. The next business to move into the building was the Toronto-based Barber-Ellis Envelope Manufacturers, who didnt mail it in until the 1980s. All three signs are still somewhat visible. But Cohen and Winslow were interested in highlighting them individually, so their projections will cycle through each. MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS The ghost sign on the side of 281 McDermot Ave. Winslow refers to this type of project as "augmented restoration" because it doesnt make any physical changes to the historic ads, but enhances them in such a way that shows viewers what they would have looked like before time took its toll. "Were highlighting a moment in time, and in ways these feel like time portals," he says. "It tells a rich story." The artist has also developed an augmented reality app that allows users to virtually overlay "a fresh coat" of paint over the signs, at any time of day. Were highlighting a moment in time, and in ways these feel like time portals... It tells a rich story. Craig Winslow Funding for the project ($10,000) was split between the city and the province, says Cohen, who hopes to establish more ghost sign installations in the future. For now, though, Cohen and Winslow will focus on the three layers of history coating the northeastern wall of 281 McDermot Ave. During the Winnipeg Jazz Festival celebrations at Market Square Friday night, the projectors will turn on and the ghosts will come back from the dead, forever. "Or at least until the bulbs run out," Cohen says. ben.waldman@winnipegfreepress.mb.ca 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. WINNIPEG - A 92-year-old retired priest has been charged after a decade-long investigation into the Fort Alexander Residential School in Manitoba. WINNIPEG - A 92-year-old retired priest has been charged after a decade-long investigation into the Fort Alexander Residential School in Manitoba. Arthur Masse faces one count of indecent assault in relation to a 10-year-old girl who was a student at the school, RCMP said Friday. The alleged offence took place between 1968 and 1970 when Masse was an employee at the school. Father Arthur Masse (La Societe historique de Saint-Boniface) The school was opened in 1905 in the community of Fort Alexander, which later became the Sagkeeng First Nation. It closed in 1970. Chief Derrick Henderson said the arrest has opened old wounds. "People were talking about this for many years. Did society believe them?" Henderson said. "Thats what is always the most difficult thing." RCMP were notified of allegations of sexual abuse at the residential school in 2010. Officers interacted with more than 700 people across North America throughout the investigation and obtained 75 victim and witness statements. More than 80 investigators were involved. Police have said the investigation meant reviewing archived records of the school, including student and employee lists. Archives of the Missionary Oblate Sisters The Fort Alexander Indian Residential School was built on land on the Fort Alexander Reserve, now the Sagkeeng First Nation, in southeastern Manitoba in 1905. RCMP Sgt. Paul Manaigre said the emotional trauma experienced by victims can continue even after many years. It was still present as officers investigated, he said. Manaigre said the investigation found a possibility of other victims and other perpetrators at the residential school. But with the passage of time, some people have died, there was not enough evidence, or victims did not want to pursue charges, he said. "This is a traumatizing experience. Some of them don't want to relive it," he said. "We understand." Masse was arrested at his home in Winnipeg. He is to appear in court on July 20. The Southern Chiefs Organization called on law enforcement to investigate and reinvestigate all claims around residential schools. A charge has been laid after a decade-long investigation into allegations of abuse at a residential school in Manitoba. The province confirmed Thursday a person was charged with one count of indecent assault on a female related to the investigation into the former Fort Alexander Residential School northeast of Winnipeg.The RCMP logo is seen outside Royal Canadian Mounted Police "E" Division Headquarters, in Surrey, B.C., on Friday April 13, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck Masse was part of the Catholic religious order called the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate. Rev. Ken Thorson of the OMI Lacombe Canada said the Oblates condemn all instances of sexual abuse and are "deeply sorry" to any survivors who were harmed. Thorson said in an email that the order is committed to participating in the investigation and will co-operate fully in legal proceedings. Information compiled by the Societe historique de Saint-Boniface, an archive in Manitoba, said Masse was born in Ferland, Sask., in 1929. His first post was at the Fort Frances residential school in northern Ontario, where he stayed until 1957. He later returned to that school in 1970 and oversaw the student residence until it closed four years later. Masse worked at a number of other schools during his time away from Fort Frances. RCMP said retired priest Arthur Masse, shown in this handout image, faces one count of indecent assault in relation to a 10-year-old girl who was a student at the Fort Alexander Residential School in Manitoba. He is pictured here around the year 1972.THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Archives of the Societe historique de Saint-Boniface*MANDATORY CREDIT Minegoziibe Anishinabe First Nation Chief Derek Nepinak said Masse also spent time at the Pine Creek Residential School northwest of Winnipeg and was "notorious" there. The Fort Alexander school also had a reputation for severe abuse. Survivors told the Truth and Reconciliation Commission about starvation, sexual abuse and harsh discipline. Children from nearly two dozen First Nations attended the school for about 10 months of the year. Sagkeeng First Nation recently discovered 190 anomalies during its search for unmarked graves near the school using ground-penetrating radar. 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. Initial data shows the irregularities fit some of the criteria for graves, but the community leadership has said more information is needed. Henderson said he was taken aback when he learned of the arrest Thursday. He remembered the retired priest attending hockey games and other community events. He said while reliving pain has been difficult, it is important for the truth to come out. "This is another step in that story, another chapter in that story of the abuse in residential schools. The Indian Residential Schools Resolution Health Support Program has a hotline to help residential school survivors and their relatives suffering trauma invoked by the recall of past abuse. The number is 1-866-925-4419. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 17, 2022. WINNIPEG - A charge has been laid after a decade-long investigation into allegations of abuse at a residential school in Manitoba. The residential school of Fort Alexander and surrounding buildings and houses are shown in this handout image provided by the archives of the Societe historique de Saint-Boniface. The province confirmed Thursday a person was charged with one count of indecent assault on a female related to the investigation into the former Fort Alexander Residential School northeast of Winnipeg.THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Archives of the Societe historique de Saint-Boniface*MANDATORY CREDIT* WINNIPEG - A charge has been laid after a decade-long investigation into allegations of abuse at a residential school in Manitoba. The province confirmed Thursday a person was charged with one count of indecent assault on a female related to the investigation into the former Fort Alexander Residential School northeast of Winnipeg. Manitoba RCMP did not comment on the charge but said police have made an arrest in the investigation and would release more information Friday morning at a news conference in Winnipeg. The RCMP release warns the information to be discussed could be upsetting or traumatizing. The school was opened in 1905 in the community of Fort Alexander, which later became the Sagkeeng First Nation, and closed in 1970. Mounties have said that officers with the major crime unit began looking into the residential school in 2010 and a criminal investigation began the following year. Police have said the investigation involved reviewing archived records of the school, including student and employee lists. Officers have also interviewed more than 700 people across North America. Mounties said last year that RCMP were waiting on advice from the provinces Crown prosecutors regarding charges. 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. Sagkeeng First Nation recently discovered 190 anomalies during a search near the Fort Alexander school using ground-penetrating radar. Initial data shows the irregularities fit some of the criteria for graves, but the community leadership has said more information is needed. The Fort Alexander school had a reputation for abuse. Survivors told the Truth and Reconciliation Commission about starvation and harsh discipline. Children from nearly two dozen First Nations attended the school for about 10 months of the year. The commissions final report said Phil Fontaine, former grand chief of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs and a past national chief of the Assembly of First Nations, put experiences at residential schools on the national agenda in 1990 when he disclosed his own sexual abuse at the Fort Alexander school. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 16, 2022. CALGARY - Industry watchers expect WestJet to remove routes from the Toronto-Montreal-Ottawa triangle as part of the airline's new strategy to focus future growth on Western Canada. A WestJet flight from Calgary arrives at Halifax Stanfield International Airport in Enfield, N.S. on Monday, July 6, 2020. Industry watchers expect WestJet to remove routes from the Toronto-Montreal-Ottawa triangle as part of the Calgary-based airline's new strategy to focus future growth on Western Canada. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan CALGARY - Industry watchers expect WestJet to remove routes from the Toronto-Montreal-Ottawa triangle as part of the airline's new strategy to focus future growth on Western Canada. But far from being a downsizing, experts say WestJet's latest move is actually a "growth story" that will see the Calgary-based airline bulk up its fleet and add service to more communities across the West. On Thursday, the WestJet Group which is owned by Onex Corp. announced a plan to shift its resources in the wake of a strategic review of the company's operations. Chief executive Alexis von Hoensbroech, a former Austrian Airlines CEO who assumed the helm at WestJet in February, said the airline is at a turning point as it grapples with pent-up travel demand in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, inflation, spiking oil prices and staffing shortages at airports. Von Hoensbroech said to ensure its future success, WestJet has decided to focus its future investments on Western Canada, where it has a large portion of the market share and enjoys a reputation as the "home-team carrier." We will deploy our aircraft where they can be of greatest service to Canadians, von Hoensbroech said in a release. While we will be investing the majority of our fleet in the West, as a national airline we will maintain a significant presence in the Eastern provinces, primarily through direct connections to our Western cities." The announcement comes after WestJet has spent more than a decade adding routes to central and Atlantic Canada in an effort to go head-to-head with Montreal-based Air Canada. WestJet also went from a single-ticket class, budget airline to one that offers business travel options and "premium economy" fares as well as long-haul, trans-Atlantic service with its fleet of Boeing 787 Dreamliners. But in an interview, Calgary-based independent aviation analyst Rick Erickson said trying to compete with Air Canada by emulating it may have proved too challenging. "I think what theyve bumped up against is, Air Canada is a juggernaut. Theres no ifs, ands or buts about it, Erickson said. Air Canada has a "vice-like grip" on Eastern Canada, Erickson said, adding he expects to see WestJet "truncate" the number of routes it offers out of Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa, while bulking up its offerings out of cities such as Calgary, Vancouver and Winnipeg. "Theyve taken a very pragmatic approach, and theyve said look, lets go back to our roots, lets go back to what our strengths are,' " he said. "I think they're going to attempt to build a fortress in the West." WestJet is not going to be pulling out of eastern Canada, simply adopting a philosophy of "win where you can win," said Robert Kokonis, president and managing partner of Toronto-based aviation consultancy AirTrav Inc. He pointed out that WestJet's announcement doesn't mean a shrinking of Canada's second-largest airline. In fact, he said it could pave the way for future growth, noting that WestJet also said Thursday it is planning a "significant" additional order of narrow-body aircraft beyond the 30 new Boeing Max airplanes the company is already slated to take delivery off over the next few years. "I also think this is very good news for Alberta, as it really helps to reinforce Albertas growth as a real aviation, business and economic centre," Kokonis said. WestJet said Thursday it will maintain its current premium offerings, with a focus on strengthening its premium leisure segment and corporate premium in the West. The focus of WestJets regional fleet of De Haviland Q400 aircraft will be shifted and rightsized to focus on Western Canada. 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 airline will also pause further investments in its wide-body fleet of Dreamliners for now. It said route and network changes as a result of Thursday's announcement will be phased in over time, with most taking effect by next summer. WestJet's acquisition of Sunwing Airlines, which is still pending, is expected to help the company enhance its leisure and vacation offerings. Karl Moore, associate professor with the Desautels Faculty of Management at McGill University in Montreal, said WestJet's strategy shift is the result of a new CEO who is looking at the company's operations "with fresh eyes" and questioning why WestJet is trying to compete on routes that are essentially locked up by Air Canada. I think he (von Hoensbroech) is looking at 'what are our strengths, what are their strengths,' and hes made some guesses about it," Moore said. "I think hes made the right guess but again, we dont know what the future holds until it unfolds. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 17, 2022. MONTREAL - A growing swath of Canadian companies are no longer requiring employees to be vaccinated to come to work, as corporate policies ease in step with public health guidelines. A growing swath of Canadian companies are no longer requiring employees to be vaccinated to come to work, as corporate policies ease in step with public health guidelines. A group of men walk along Wellington Street in the financial district in Toronto on Wednesday, September 29, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Evan Buhler MONTREAL - A growing swath of Canadian companies are no longer requiring employees to be vaccinated to come to work, as corporate policies ease in step with public health guidelines. Governments have been loosening COVID-19 restrictions, with Ottawa allowing airline and railway workers as well as passengers to climb on board without being jabbed starting Monday. Canada's big banks and four largest accounting firms have all rolled back their corporate vaccine mandates for employees as they return to the office. The two biggest railways are doing likewise, as is Air Canada. The country's largest airline said in an email it is recalling nearly 600 employees less than two per cent of its staff who were on unpaid leave for more than seven months due to a requirement that aviation workers be inoculated. Not all big employers are on board, however. Sun Life Financial Inc. said mandatory vaccination for tens of thousands of in-office workers remains in place for now. "Our employees continue to have flexibility and choice on whether they work at an office, from home, or both. We want everyone to feel comfortable coming into our offices," spokeswoman Nadine Jahangir said in an email. Kathleen Chevalier, an employment and labour lawyer at Stikeman Elliott, says the trend toward dropping vaccine mandates marks a response to shifts in provincial and federal rules as well as growing comfort with shared indoor spaces. However, nixing such an arguably intrusive rule doesn't rule out reimposing it. "You can only mandate the policies or any type of action by an employer if the circumstances really justify it. So taking it away doesn't necessarily, from a legal perspective, make it harder to bring it back if you have that underlying justification," Chevalier said in an interview, citing worker health. 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. "From an employee relations perspective, though, that might be a different kettle of fish." Some companies have caveats on their scrapped vaccine mandates. Ernst & Young Inc. employees must show evidence of full vaccination if requested by clients, said spokeswoman Victoria McQueen. The horizon for scrapping the policies has been a long one, with PwC Canada lifting the vaccine mandate for its 7,300 employees on April 13 and KPMG only following suit for its 8,700 workers on Thursday. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 17, 2022. Companies in this story: (TSX:AC, TSX:SLF) WASHINGTON (AP) The Securities and Exchange Commission moved closer Friday to a final rule that would dramatically alter what public companies tell shareholders about climate change both the risks it poses to their operations and their own contributions to the problem. FILE - A chemical fire burns at a facility during the aftermath of Hurricane Laura, Aug. 27, 2020, near Lake Charles, La. The Securities and Exchange Commission moved closer Friday, June 17, 2022, to a final rule that would dramatically change what public companies tell shareholders about climate change. Companies would also have to disclose risks related to the physical impact of storms, drought and higher temperatures brought on by global warming. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip, File) WASHINGTON (AP) The Securities and Exchange Commission moved closer Friday to a final rule that would dramatically alter what public companies tell shareholders about climate change both the risks it poses to their operations and their own contributions to the problem. Public comment on the proposal has now closed, with more than 10,000 comments submitted since March by companies, auditors, trade groups, lawmakers, individuals and others. Comments ranged from concerns about the costs involved for companies getting up to speed, the SECs authority to regulate such data and praise that the nations top financial regulator was moving to make mandatory the reporting of climate-risks data. If enacted, public companies in their annual reports and stock registration statements would have to report their greenhouse-gas emissions. The largest companies would also have to disclose emissions data related to their suppliers and reveal whether their climate-related risks are material to investors. For example, the SEC's rule would force companies to disclose in annual statements whether climate change is expected to affect more than 1% of a line item and explain how. That's incredibly granular, said Margaret Peloso, a partner at Vinson & Elkins focused on climate change risk management and environmental litigation. Its a lot more detailed than many other financial reporting requirements. Companies would also have to report on the physical impact of storms, drought and higher temperatures brought on by global warming. They would have to explain how extreme weather events affect their finances, lay out plans for reducing climate risks and outline any progress made in meeting climate-related goals. Its correcting a market problem... which is that investors dont currently have all the information they need about climate risk in order to make their investment decisions, said Alex Thornton, senior director of tax policy at the Center for American Progress. But Republicans who oppose the SECs measure insist climate disclosures should remain voluntary. In May, a group of Republican governors including Texas Governor Greg Abbott and Arizonas Doug Ducey wrote that the rule forces investors to view companies through the eyes of a vocal set of stakeholders, and added that it would unduly penalize oil and gas companies. In a March statement, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce called the proposal overly prescriptive, saying that as written, the rule would limit companies ability to provide information that shareholders and stakeholders find meaningful. Auditing firms, trade groups and some lawmakers have repeatedly pointed to the proposal's inclusion of companies' indirect effects on the climate known as Scope 3 emissions as a thorny area to report on. Attorneys and auditors say the information could be difficult to obtain for companies with international suppliers or suppliers that are private companies. One of the biggest concerns about requiring Scope 3 emissions is the fact that the data is not controlled or possessed by the disclosing company, the Bipartisan Policy Center said. It added that the SEC gave scant reasons for how the benefits of requiring its disclosure outweigh what will likely be an extraordinarily costly process. But proponents say having detailed information on indirect emissions is critical to understanding how companies affect the climate. Many public companies already release data on their emissions, as investor interest for such information has risen in recent years. The SEC issued voluntary guidance in 2010 for how companies can report information about climate change. In 2020, more than 90% of S&P 500 companies published sustainability reports, according to the Governance and Accountability Institute. The SECs climate disclosure rule would standardize what public companies report. It would also require them to seek independent certification for some reporting, which would provide investors with much more reliable information than what's currently disclosed, environmental attorneys, auditors and climate-data software companies say. Theres a mega trend of demand for this information, said Tim Mohin, chief sustainability officer of Persefoni, a startup that uses artificial intelligence for carbon accounting. Yet current emissions data that companies report through a patchwork of disclosures is not uniform in quality or timeliness, he said. The SEC rule is a major cleanup action, Mohin said. He previously worked in the Environmental Protection Agency and Senate on environmental policy. Climate activists, sustainable finance proponents and investors have long advocated for mandatory emissions reporting required of all companies. Once finalized, the U.S. would join a growing number of countries including the U.K. and Japan that are requiring large companies to disclose such information. The European Union is finalizing its reporting standards. But the SECs proposed rule is far from certain. Opponents, including conservative trade groups, Republican lawmakers and others have questioned whether regulating emissions-related data falls under the SECs purview. As a result, attorneys say any finalized rule would almost certainly be challenged in court on the question of the commission's jurisdiction. The SEC estimates staying compliant with the new rule will cost an additional $420,000 a year on average for small public companies and $530,000 a year for larger ones. But costs will vary based on how much companies are already disclosing and factors like how much of the accounting can be done in-house, experts say. 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. Supporters of the rule hope mandated emissions disclosures will force companies to reduce their climate impacts and guide investors away from companies that do not take steps to reduce their emissions. But some commenters have questioned whether investors would be able to make sense of the volume of information being asked. The accounting firm Deloitte said the level of detail asked in financial disclosures "may risk confusion among investors. But it praised the commission for having based the proposal on the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures, a group established by G20 countries to standardize climate-related financial reporting. Its going to be a learning curve for a lot of companies that are going to have to bring new people on board and are going to have to purchase new systems and processes. So thats significant, said Mohin, of climate-accounting startup Persefoni. If enacted, the SECs measure would be a victory for President Joe Bidens largely stalled climate agenda, a point agreed upon by critics and supporters alike. After the commission responds to the comments submitted, it will draft a final rule which will need approval from a majority of the 4-person commission. It is a really important piece in how the Biden administration is thinking about climate policy, said Peloso of Vinson & Elkins. She said that would likely motivate the commission to finalize it by the end of the year. TORONTO - The Competition Bureau has expanded on its opposition to Rogers Communications Inc.'s proposed $26-billion takeover of Shaw Communications in new submissions to the Competition Tribunal ahead of weeks of hearings scheduled to being this fall. A woman holds two cellphones in this photo illustration, Monday March 29, 2021 in Chelsea, Quebec. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld TORONTO - The Competition Bureau has expanded on its opposition to Rogers Communications Inc.'s proposed $26-billion takeover of Shaw Communications in new submissions to the Competition Tribunal ahead of weeks of hearings scheduled to being this fall. In legal filings released after markets closed, the agency challenged Rogers' claims about efficiencies and said acquiring its closest competitor is anticompetitive that will harm consumers though higher prices, lower quality services and lost innovation. 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 also argues that the proposed sales of Shaw's Freedom Mobile service is "not an effective remedy" because it won't replace growing competition Shaw Mobile would deliver in Alberta and British Columbia and would make Freedom Mobile "a subsequently weaker competitor" than it would have been except for the deal. The bureau said the efficiencies Rogers claims the deal will create are insufficient to outweigh and offset the anticompetitive effects and are "speculative, unproven and unlikely to be achieved ... or are grossly exaggerated." It says stated efficiencies are based on "unrealistic assumptions and flawed methodologies." The Competition Bureau also said a subsequent increase in prices will result in the transfer of wealth from low- and moderate-income groups to shareholders including ultrarich members of family ownership groups of the companies. Five weeks of hearings are scheduled to begin the week of Nov. 7, followed by written and oral arguments. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 17, 2022. Companies in this story: (TSX:RCI.B, TSX:SJR.B, TSX:T, TSX:BCE) BRUSSELS (AP) The European Union's executive arm on Friday recommended making Ukraine a candidate for EU membership, a morale booster and a first step on what is expected to be a long road for the war-torn country to join the 27-nation bloc. French President Emmanuel Macron, left, shakes hands with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the Mariyinsky Palace in Kyiv, Ukraine, Thursday, June 16, 2022. Four European leaders, of France, Italy, Germany and Romania, made a high-profile visit to Ukraine, where they were saw the ruins of a Kyiv suburb on Thursday and denounced the brutality of a Russian invasion that has killed many civilians. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko) BRUSSELS (AP) The European Union's executive arm on Friday recommended making Ukraine a candidate for EU membership, a morale booster and a first step on what is expected to be a long road for the war-torn country to join the 27-nation bloc. If Ukrainians were under any illusion that the European Commission's positive assessment would mean fast-track EU membership, their hopes of quickly joining the club were dashed. Starting accession negotiations is further down the line," said Oliver Varhelyi, the EU Commissioner for the bloc's enlargement. Once conditions are met, then we will have to come back and reflect on it ... This is not for today." The European Commission delivered its proposal to award Ukraine candidate status after an analysis of answers to a detailed questionnaire. The Ukrainian government applied for EU membership days after Russia invaded the country on Feb. 24. Ukrainians are ready to die for the European perspective, commission President Ursula von der Leyen said wearing clothes in the yellow and blue of the Ukrainian flag. We want them to live, with us, the European dream. The leaders of the bloc's existing members are scheduled to discuss the recommendation during a summit next week in Brussels. The European Commissions endorsement, while a strong sign of solidarity with Ukraine, is likely to take years or even decades to materialize into EU membership. Its even possible that the candidate status will eventually be revoked if the reforms requested by the bloc to align with EU standards are not put in place. France's President Emmanuel Macron, right, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis, left, Prime Minister of Italy Mario Draghi, center, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, second left, and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Kyiv, Thursday, June 16, 2022. The leaders of four European Union nations visited Ukraine on Thursday, vowing to back Kyiv's bid to become an official candidate to join the bloc in a high-profile show of support for the country fending off a Russian invasion. (Ludovic Marin, Pool via AP) Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, who had been skeptical about Ukraines membership bid, embraced the proposal. I think the commission has found a good compromise. There is a lot more homework in the field of the economy, but also in the field of the rule of law, in the field of tackling corruption. Rutte said. So this is the first step of many. But the Netherlands has decided with full conviction to follow the commissions advice. Along with Ukraine, the European Commission also recommended giving neighboring Moldova EU candidate status. The commission also reviewed Georgias application but said the Caucasus nation first needs to fulfill a number of conditions. Adding new members requires unanimous approval from all EU member nations. They have expressed differing views on how quickly to add Ukraine to their ranks. Ukraines bid received a boost when the leaders of France, Germany, Italy and Romania visited the country Thursday and vowed to back its candidacy. To be admitted, potential newcomers need to demonstrate that they meet standards on democratic principles and they must absorb about 80,000 pages of rules covering everything from trade and immigration to fertilizers and the rule of law. Before Russias invasion, the Commission repeatedly expressed concern in recent years about corruption in Ukraine and the need for deep political and economic reforms. Yes, Ukraine deserves a European perspective. It should be welcomed as a candidate country, on the understanding that important work remains to be done, von der Leyen said Friday. The entire process is merits-based. It goes by the book and therefore, progress depends entirely on Ukraine. Ukraine currently has an association agreement with the EU, aimed at opening Ukraines markets and bringing it closer to Europe. It includes a far-reaching free trade pact. Von der Leyen said that due to the 2016 agreement, "Ukraine has already implemented roughly 70% of the EU rules, norms and standards. It is taking part in many important EU programs," she continued. "Ukraine is a robust parliamentary democracy. It has a well-functioning public administration that has kept the country running even during this war. Von der Leyen said Kyiv should continue to make progress in the fields of rule of law and fighting corruption. She also cited the need to speed up the selection of high court judges. Expediting Ukraines application by declaring it an official candidate would challenge the EUs normal playbook for adding members. The degree to which Ukraines request for a fast-track accession represents a change in the EUs standard operating procedure is evident from the experiences of other aspiring members. Turkey, for example, applied for membership in 1987, received candidate status in 1999, and had to wait until 2005 to start talks for actual entry. Six Western Balkan countries Serbia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Albania, Bosnia and Kosovo have been in the EU waiting line for years. At their June 23-24 summit, EU heads of state and government therefore face a delicate balancing act: signaling to Ukraine that the door is ajar while reassuring other aspiring members and some of the blocs own citizens that they arent showing favoritism to Kyiv. 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. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Friday he was grateful to the Commission's recommendation to put his country and Moldova on the membership path. He called it "the first step on the EU membership path thatll certainly bring our victory closer. Zelenskyy added that he expected a positive result from the EU summit in Brussels. ___ Dusan Stojanovic contributed from Belgrade. ___ Follow AP's coverage of the Ukraine war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine RED LODGE, Mont. (AP) As punishing floods tore through Yellowstone National Park and neighboring Montana communities, the state's governor was nowhere to be seen. A house sits in Rock Creek after floodwaters washed away a road and a bridge in Red Lodge, Mont., Wednesday, June 15, 2022. (AP Photo/David Goldman) RED LODGE, Mont. (AP) As punishing floods tore through Yellowstone National Park and neighboring Montana communities, the state's governor was nowhere to be seen. In the immediate aftermath, the state issued a disaster declaration attributed to the Republican governor, but for some reason it carried the lieutenant governors signature. It wasnt until Wednesday more than 48 hours after the flood hit the state that Gov. Greg Gianfortes office acknowledged he was out of the country, though it wouldnt say exactly where he was, citing unspecified security concerns. Patrick Sipp, co-owner of Flying Pig Adventures, pets his dog, Bonnie, as employees Jackson Muller, right, and Christie Davis sit in a raft while Yellowstone National Park is closed due to historic flooding in Gardiner, Mont., Wednesday, June 15, 2022. "We're definitely a resilient company, we've got a very tough crew," Sipp said. "But it's devastating. You just hate seeing stuff like that in the community. We're just hoping that we can get back out there relatively soon." (AP Photo/David Goldman) Gianforte finally returned on Thursday night from what his office said was a vacation with his wife in Italy. But he found himself facing a torrent of criticism for not hurrying home sooner and for not telling the public his whereabouts during the emergency. In a moment of unprecedented disaster and economic uncertainty, Gianforte purposefully kept Montanans in the dark about where he was and who was actually in charge, said Sheila Hogan, executive director of the Montana Democratic Party. Gianforte, 61, is a tech mogul elected governor two years ago. He made headlines when he body-slammed a reporter the day before winning a seat in Congress in a 2017 special election. He initially misled investigators about the attack but eventually pleaded guilty to misdemeanor assault. While Gianforte was away, Montana's lieutenant governor served as acting governor. And in Gianforte's defense, his office said he was briefed regularly about the flooding, which caused widespread damage to small communities in the southern part of the state and had threatened to cut off fresh water to Billings, the states largest city. Harley Holmes, 8, right, helps her bother, Creek, 3, put his shoes on as the family packs up to leave their home left damaged by severe flooding in Fromberg, Mont., Friday, June 17, 2022. (AP Photo/David Goldman) But Gianfortes critics seized on his mysterious disappearance and started the mocking social media hashtag #WhereIsGreg. Montanans and others traded wisecracks about Gianforte and the Appalachian Trail a reference to former South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford, who disappeared in 2009 and had his staff tell reporters he was hiking the Appalachian Trail while he was actually having a tryst with his lover in Argentina. Montana reporters started asking more questions after noticing Lt. Gov. Kristen Juras signature on the flood-disaster declaration. Truthfully, it speaks for itself. It just does, Democratic U.S. Sen. Jon Tester of Montana said of the governor's AWOL status as he toured flood damage in Red Lodge on Friday. When youre in public service, there are things that take precedent, and this is pretty important. Gianforte finally toured the flood zone Friday but didn't address his absence. He instead encouraged visitors to still come to the Yellowstone region. Medications sit in mud on the floor of a home damaged by severe flooding in Fromberg, Mont., Friday, June 17, 2022. (AP Photo/David Goldman) Heres a very simple message for people that have planned trips to Yellowstone Park: Were open. Youve got to come. Theres so much to do in Montana," he said. "The vitality of our communities depend on it, and your families need what we have in Montana." The floods washed away roads, bridges and houses and closed all of Yellowstone, threatening some of the communities on the park's outskirts that depend heavily on tourists visiting one of America's most beloved natural attractions. Yellowstone officials said they could reopen the southern end of the park as soon as next week, offering visitors a chance to see Old Faithful and other attractions. But the northern entrances in Montana, which lead to the wildlife-rich Lamar Valley and Tower Fall, could be closed all summer, if not longer. 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. Scott Miller, a commissioner in Carbon County, where flooding heavily damaged the town of Red Lodge and other areas, said Friday that he had been able to contact the governor by phone when he needed to and that the state did not neglect any duties. The fact that the governor has been on vacation theres been no hiccups, Miller said. Thats why you have people in your cabinet. In Red Lodge, Tester hesitated to criticize the governor, acknowledging he was in Washington this week working on a bill for veterans. Some could say, Jon, why didnt you come back Tuesday or Wednesday? Tester said. These are hard situations. I dont know what his circumstances were. ... Ive got a decent working relationship with the governor and want to continue that. ___ Hanson reported from Helena, Montana. Associated Press journalists Brian Melley in Los Angeles, Mead Gruver in Cheyenne, Wyoming, and Lindsay Whitehurst in Salt Lake City contributed to this report. OTTAWA - The federal Liberals tabled a bill Friday that seeks to eliminate "self-induced extreme intoxication" as a legal defence for violent crimes, after the Supreme Court struck down a similar provision in May. Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada David Lametti rises during Question Period, Thursday, June 2, 2022 in Ottawa. Liberal Justice Minister David Lametti is expected to table a bill as early as Friday that would respond to a Supreme Court ruling to allow voluntary extreme intoxication as a defence for serious crimes.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld OTTAWA - The federal Liberals tabled a bill Friday that seeks to eliminate "self-induced extreme intoxication" as a legal defence for violent crimes, after the Supreme Court struck down a similar provision in May. Bill C-28, introduced by Justice Minister David Lametti, would add new language to the Criminal Code that creates criminal liability when a person who commits a violent crime is "in a state of negligent self-induced extreme intoxication." For a person to be found liable for their actions under the drafted update of Section 33.1 in the code, prosecutors would need to establish that they were criminally negligent. The court would need to consider whether a reasonable person in that situation could have foreseen the risk that ingesting intoxicating substances could "cause extreme intoxication and lead the person to harm another person." The specific circumstances of the case would factor into the analysis, such as the substance itself and the quantity that was consumed, the person's state of mind at the time and anything they may have done to mitigate such a risk. "Extreme intoxication" is defined in the bill as intoxication that renders a person unaware of, or incapable of consciously controlling, their behaviour. It is not a presumed defence, meaning that the test would only apply if a defendant specifically raises it. This has only ever happened a handful of times, Lametti said. It would not apply to the vast majority of cases where drugs or alcohol are involved and "almost never" in situations where only alcohol was consumed. "This is not about being really drunk or really high," he said, repeating several times: "Being drunk or high is not a defence for committing criminal acts like sexual assault." Marci Ien, the Liberal minister for women and gender equality and youth, told reporters the government has been increasingly concerned about online misinformation suggesting that the recent Supreme Court decision meant that being drunk could be a defence for sexual assault. She cited social media posts with hundreds of thousands of likes and views, including one that suggested "rape is now legal if you're intoxicated." Lametti said one of the motivations for closing the gap in the law so quickly was to address some of the rising fear and confusion around the decision. "You don't want someone to think, 'Oh, I can have a few drinks and do whatever the blank I want,'" he quipped. In its unanimous May ruling, the Supreme Court made it clear that being drunk will never get someone off the hook for a violent crime. Justice Nicholas Kasirer wrote in the decision that under the previous wording of Section 33.1, convicting someone for how they behave in a state of automatism, or when they are too intoxicated to stay in control of themselves, violates principles of fundamental justice. The wording had been added by the Liberal government of Jean Chretien in 1995, in response to a 1994 Supreme Court decision that acquitted a man of sexual assault because he was blackout drunk at the time of the offence. But it failed the constitutional test because a person could be convicted without the prosecution having to prove that they acted voluntarily or that they ever intended to commit a crime even though a "guilty action" and a "guilty mind" must ordinarily be present for someone to be found criminally responsible. On that basis, the court upheld two acquittals of men who committed violent acts after voluntarily consuming drugs, and ordered a new trial in a third, similar case. Some groups expressed concern about the court ruling, with Kerri Anne Froc of the National Association of Women and the Laws steering committee urging action to rectify a gap in the criminal justice system and protect women and children, often the victims of these crimes. The court suggested Parliament could enact new legislation to update the language of the Criminal Code in such a way that "extremely intoxicated" people could still be held accountable for their violent crimes. Lametti's office reacted with what he called "lightning speed," consulting with stakeholders, court interveners and members of Parliament to come up with a solution that could get broad support. 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. Pam Hrick, the executive director and general counsel of the Women's Legal Education and Action Fund, appeared alongside ministers at Friday's news conference and praised the government's "thoughtful, nuanced and constitutional response." Asked whether he expects the bill to be passed by unanimous motions before the House of Commons and Senate rise next week for a summer break, Lametti said he is optimistic. "There is a point of agreement here, and I hope we can move this forward." The NDP's justice critic, Randall Garrison, said in a statement that his party will push to have the bill passed quickly. The Conservatives say they are still reviewing the legislation. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 17, 2022. OTTAWA - An Ottawa police officer says this Canada Day will be "unprecedented and unique" with a never-before-seen security posture as the main events take place off Parliament Hill and protests are planned throughout the day. People cheer during Canada Day celebrations on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Sunday, July 1, 2018. This year will see an "unprecedented and unique Canada Day" with a never-before-seen security posture in the city, says an Ottawa police officer on condition of anonymity at a technical briefing for media on Friday. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang OTTAWA - An Ottawa police officer says this Canada Day will be "unprecedented and unique" with a never-before-seen security posture as the main events take place off Parliament Hill and protests are planned throughout the day. Police are aware of the demonstrations and are planning accordingly, said the officer. Canadian Heritage and police held a technical briefing Friday on their plans for July 1. Media were only allowed to participate on the condition that officials not be named. Ottawa and Gatineau police discussed their security plans as groups opposed to COVID-19 restrictions are pledging to demonstrate throughout downtown Ottawa and Parliament Hill. A signboard with information for upcoming Canada Day celebrations on Parliament Hill is seen in front of Centre Blocks Peace Tower in Ottawa on Friday, June 17, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang While Ottawa police will protect everyone's right to lawfully and peacefully demonstrate, "we will not allow for the conditions that led to the unlawful protests in February to reoccur," the officer said, referring to the Freedom Convoy protest that gridlocked downtown streets for three weeks. The police service is applying lessons learned from the convoy protest and more recent rallies to build its plan and expects that staffing and resource requirements will be significant this year, the officer said. At the request of the city, police will also continue to prohibit vehicle-based protests in the areas "in and around places of national significance," said the officer. The Canadian Press reported Thursday on "freedom" protests against COVID-19 restrictions planned for this summer in Ottawa. An organizer says his group, Veterans for Freedom, plans to set up a semi-permanent camp east of Ottawa called "Camp Eagle'' and hold events in the city all summer. When asked Thursday about these protests, police directed a reporter to ask questions at the Friday briefing where answers could not be attributed. This year marks the first time that Ottawa police will be the police of jurisdiction for the main Canada Day event, said the officer at the briefing. Gatineau police have also developed plans to be able to face all possible situations and will have enough staff to respond to various scenarios, said an officer in the Quebec city. 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. For the first time in 50 years, Ottawa's Canada Day celebrations will be moved off Parliament Hill, with main events largely taking place in LeBreton Flats Park in the city, along with events taking place in Place des Festivals Zibi in Gatineau, said Canadian Heritage. Ottawa police will get support from other municipal, provincial and federal police services, but will not discuss what services or level of support it is getting, the officer said. "We have the capability to deal with any unlawful or disruptive behaviour swiftly." This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 17, 2022. --- This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Meta and Canadian Press News Fellowship. OTTAWA - Canada's spy service has failed to make the crucial process of applying for court warrants a specialized trade that requires training, experience and investment in people, a new watchdog report says. CSIS coasters are pictured in Ottawa in a 2011 photo. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO, CSIS *MANDATORY CREDIT* OTTAWA - Canada's spy service has failed to make the crucial process of applying for court warrants a specialized trade that requires training, experience and investment in people, a new watchdog report says. The report by the National Security and Intelligence Review Agency calls for fundamental changes to the relationship between the Canadian Security Intelligence Service and its legal counsel at the Department of Justice. The reviewers heard repeated concerns that systemic problems rooted in governance and cultural issues risk creating an intelligence service incapable of fulfilling its mandate. A federal judge called for the comprehensive review in 2020 after ruling CSIS failed to disclose its reliance on information that was likely collected illegally in support of warrants to probe extremism. Federal Court Justice Patrick Gleeson found the spy service breached its duty of candour to the court, part of a long-standing pattern. The review agency describes an intelligence service and its counsel struggling to find ways to meet their legal obligations, including to the Federal Court. "Addressing these challenges is in the urgent public interest," the report says. "Though CSIS and Justice have made improvements, difficulties are still evident." The federal government has agreed with the vast majority of the review agency's 20 recommendations. The review was led by agency members Marie Deschamps, a former Supreme Court justice, and Craig Forcese, a University of Ottawa law professor who specializes in national security. They drew upon dozens of confidential interviews with CSIS and Justice employees whose perspectives helped ground insights from documents and formal briefings. The Federal Court oversees the issuance of warrants that allow CSIS to undertake intrusive measures such as electronic surveillance. The spy service's duty of candour to the court hinges on disclosure of information about the credibility of sources who supply information used in the warrant application, as well as relevant details about the broader context of the warrant and how it will be executed. "Despite past attempts at reforms the current warrant process adopted by CSIS and supported by Justice, the warrant process has repeatedly failed to meet these candour obligations," the report says. "Many reforms appear to have contributed to the bureaucratic complexity of the warrant process, without addressing candour issues." Among the review agency's findings: CSIS has a history of quick reforms, followed by neglect, high turnover of personnel leading to a loss of institutional knowledge, and inadequate resources; CSIS policies had not kept pace with operational reality, as they are often vague, dated, overlapping and contradictory; players involved in the warrant process did not have a common understanding of the rationale for each of the of steps in the warrant application scheme; CSIS has struggled to ensure all information concerning the credibility of sources is properly included in warrant applications, and service officers involved in the early stages do not clearly understand the legal expectations surrounding the duty of candour; and deficient information-management systems related to human sources at CSIS have resulted in important omissions, violating duty of candour obligations. The review agency also found that CSIS's learning and development branch had not received sufficient resources to develop and administer comprehensive training programs, particularly for specialized areas not covered by the training given intelligence officers early in their career. The reviewers also "heard and read much about very low morale at CSIS" a central concern not only to employees but also seen in resignation and retirement exit interviews. "There are likely many reasons for this morale problem. The systemic and governance issues in the warrant process are part of them," the report says. The review concludes that repeated failures concerning the duty of candour "are both caused by, and cause, deep-seated cultural and governance patterns. This vicious cycle has compounded the challenges of reform in the warrant acquisition process." The report also says the manner in which Justice has provided legal advice to the intelligence service "does not always meet the needs of CSIS operations." It recommends several changes, including that Justice "must clearly and unequivocally communicate advice on the unlawfulness of client conduct, whether criminal or otherwise." 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 says cherry-picked or paper-based reforms that mask without addressing the challenges will suffer the fate of previous reforms: "the problems will continue." "The time has come for CSIS and Justice to face the harsh reality of potential failure to fulfil their mandates if they do not succeed with concrete governance, cultural and process change." Among the federal commitments outlined in a response to the report is Public Safety Canada's plan to develop an enhanced vetting process for warrant applications that "provides a meaningful challenge function without adding undue complexity or delay." The review agency says a true, independent challenge procedure will strengthen the warrant vetting process and enhance ministerial accountability. The agency plans to review this new unit in two years, as part of a subsequent, broader review of the implementation of the report's recommendations. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 17, 2022. The City of Winnipeg has removed the mask mandate for employees, including transit drivers and staff at facilities such as swimming pools and libraries. The City of Winnipeg has removed the mask mandate for employees, including transit drivers and staff at facilities such as swimming pools and libraries. Chief administrative officer Michael Jack sent a notice to staff Thursday afternoon. "In consultation with our emergency management staff, along with our health and safety branch, we are making immediate adjustments to a couple of our health and safety procedures, including rescinding the mandatory mask requirement and moving to a mask recommendation for staff working within city facilities and in city vehicles," the notice says. 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. Councillors, including Jeff Browaty, had said it was time to remove the mask mandate for staff. Members of the public have not been required to wear masks on buses and in city facilities since mid-March. Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 500 had filed a grievance against the mandate, arguing the mask mandate applied only to staff and not citizens. "Essentially, were saying pick a lane. If were going to require masks (for staff indoors), then everyone should have to wear mask. You cant pick and choose that some have to (when) others dont mask if (theyre) in close vicinity with other people," president Gord Delbridge told the Free Press earlier this week. The city also decided to deactivate its emergency operations centre for COVID-19, the CAO said. "I want to assure you that will we continue to monitor the latest developments on the COVID-19 front and will not hesitate to reactivate the (operations centre) and adjust operations based on the latest public health advice to keep employees and residents safe," the notice to staff says. Clandestine churches that formed in southern Manitoba to evade COVID-19 public-health orders are still holding services, with signs one might seek tax-exempt charitable status, the Free Press has learned. Clandestine churches that formed in southern Manitoba to evade COVID-19 public-health orders are still holding services, with signs one might seek tax-exempt charitable status, the Free Press has learned. At least two groups held regular Sunday services in farm sheds or machinery shops in the Rural Municipality of Stanley amid capacity limits for indoor gatherings and face mask and vaccine mandates. Known as "shed churches," both have carried on meeting since the province lifted all of its remaining COVID rules in March, a source said. Located south of Winkler, the Christian churches were an open secret in the region, where residents still refer to them by nicknames based on the farm owners last names. JOHN WOODS / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Known as shed churches, both have carried on meeting since the province lifted all of its remaining COVID-19 rules in March, a source said. One of the property owners, near the village of Reinland, declined to discuss whether his farm has been used for church services. "If weve learned anything, its to keep cards close, and well keep doing that," he said. The man said he "wouldnt be comfortable" indicating whether the church has become permanent. "We do what we feel were led to do," he said. If weve learned anything, its to keep cards close, and well keep doing that. Property owner Formally, the other group calls itself Country Harvest Church, with sources saying it has held services on a farm near the hamlet of Haskett, just west of Highway 32 close to the Canada-U.S. border. In an online audio recording of a Feb. 27 service, a leader told members the church is trying to find a new home, a "big challenge." Country Harvest is planning to elect a board of elders, according to its website and recordings of weekly sermons. One role is a treasurer who can "follow the donors wishes" and prepare financial statements in line with "practices for charitable organizations," states the website, which doesnt list the names of pastors, an address or a phone number for the church. JOHN WOODS / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Located south of Winkler, the Christian churches were an open secret in the region, where residents still refer to them by nicknames based on the farm owners last names. Churches that register as non-profits with Ottawa are exempt from federal income and municipal property taxes. "Boards of elders are the things you see in established churches," said Prof. Neil McArthur, director of the University of Manitobas Centre for Professional and Applied Ethics. "It indicates they want to be a real church." McArthur predicted "the public reaction is going to be quite negative" if the Canada Revenue Agency was to grant charitable status to a church that formed in defiance of COVID-19 rules. However, Canadians have the right to form churches, and they shouldnt be penalized "because something isnt popular," the ethicist said. "Cooler heads should prevail," said McArthur. JOHN WOODS / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS A sign for Haskett, just south of Winkler. The Country Harvest Church has held services on a farm near the hamlet, just west of Highway 32 close to the Canada-U.S. border, sources say. In December, sources told the Free Press the farms were holding services attended by worshippers numbering from dozens to hundreds, and that some participants were not wearing face masks or gathering in small cohorts. Related Items Click to Expand Articles Dec 9, 2021: Clandestine churches popping up in farm sheds and machine shops in southern Manitoba Brenda Suderman Winkler and Stanley were at the epicentre of public opposition to COVID-19 health orders and mask and vaccine mandates, which caused a divide in the communities. Stanley had the lowest vaccination uptake of Manitoba municipalities, followed by Winkler. Anti-mandate sentiment popped up during recordings of some Country Harvest services. On May 8, worshippers were asked to pray for a woman who went to a hospital with "double pneumonia." "While theyre waiting in the room, the doctor came in with a syringe and said, Were going to give you your first dose of a vaccine, and she said, No, youre not," said a man leading announcements. Some worshippers applauded as he described the womans refusal. JOHN WOODS / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Shed churches have been a topic of gossip locally, but few people are comfortable talking publicly about them. Recordings also reveal how the church is becoming established in the community. At a May 15 service, members were asked to volunteer for a food ministry, and they were told of the churchs efforts to help Ukrainian refugee families in Manitoba. Country Harvest Church has a rotation of pastors, who mostly appear to be from Winkler-area ministries or other churches. A preacher identified in a recording told the Free Press "a lot of people got hurt" during the pandemic. "Some people made changes and others went back to their home church," he said. "It was essential that people be there for each other, mentally. I hope weve learned not to be mean with each other." It was essential that people be there for each other, mentally. I hope weve learned not to be mean with each other. Preacher The pastor said "theres a lot of house churches now," before telling a reporter he doesnt want to be in a newspaper and he wants to focus on community efforts to move past the division. Another preacher named during a sermon said hes "not the right person" to talk about Country Harvest. Before he hung up, he declined to identify the person or people who run the church. An email to Country Harvest Church and messages left for the farms owners were not returned. The CRA didnt respond to a Free Press request for comment before press time. It is unclear if provincial health inspectors or police received complaints about either church when public-health orders were in effect. It doesnt appear any tickets were issued. Neither church nor the property owners are listed in the provinces enforcement reports. JOHN WOODS / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS A farm just south of Winkler. It is alleged that churches have been popping up in farms in southern Manitoba. Shed churches have been a topic of gossip locally, but few people are comfortable talking publicly about them. Pastors from several established churches in and around Winkler declined to comment. Winkler Mayor Martin Harder said he is aware of two shed churches in Stanley that are still meeting. Both were "fairly significant in their gatherings," he said. Harder said he "hated to see" the divide that arose during the pandemic. In an earlier interview, he said the damage to some relationships is "pretty deep," and some people might find it it difficult to return to the churches they left. Rev. Erik Parker, who was outspoken about churches that breached public-health orders, suggested there may be no going back for people who joined a shed church based on opposition to mandates. "For most of those folks, the big thing about going back is you have to admit you were wrong," said Parker, pastor at Winnipegs Sherwood Park Lutheran Church. "You cant pretend nothing happened. Theres a big rift between people." For most of those folks, the big thing about going back is you have to admit you were wrong. Rev. Erik Parker Stanley Reeve Morris Olafson said he doesnt keep track of shed churches. He said the church near Haskett Country Harvest is no different from any other spinoff. "I wouldnt call it a pandemic church. Id call it an offshoot that wanted to do their own thing," said Olafson. In the neighbouring RM of Rhineland, Reeve Don Wiebe said he isnt aware of any new churches registering with the municipalitys office. "Apparently, there were some informal gatherings. But I am not aware that they have continued," he wrote in an email. Parker said its not easy for a church to make the transition from a "temporary community" to a permanent one. JOHN WOODS / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS A farm just south of Winkler. In December, sources told the Free Press the farms were holding services attended by worshippers numbering from dozens to hundreds, and that some participants were not wearing face masks or gathering in small cohorts. "Its relatively easy to rent a hall or find a barn and have a gathering, but to transition to a formally organized church you usually need the support of a formal denominational structure," he said, adding the benefits of such a structure, especially when seeking charitable status or purchasing property, include funding and direction. "You have to come up with a lot of money and enough families to make a go of it," he said. The main reason a church seeks charitable status is the ability to provide tax receipts to donors, said lawyer Leilani Kagan, a partner in the tax and estate-planning group at Thompson Dorfman Sweatman in Winnipeg. To meet the federal governments public benefit test, applicants must show their purpose and activities are charitable at law, they are financially sustainable and a board of elders is qualified, among other things. "The application process itself is quite a lot of work," said Kagan. "They have to prove they are advancing a religion, and they would have to describe how they are doing it. "The application process itself is quite a lot of work... They have to prove they are advancing a religion, and they would have to describe how they are doing it." Leilani Kagan During background checks on applicants, CRA staff search the internet for things such as social media profiles or news articles, she said. On its website, the CRA says applicants can be rejected if an organization is found to be set up for "illegal purposes or for purposes that are contrary to public policy." chris.kitching@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @chriskitching 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. A 27-year-old man shot by RCMP after a highway chase outside Portage la Prairie once claimed it was his goal in life to keep police busy as long as he was able to, according to court records. A 27-year-old man shot by RCMP after a highway chase outside Portage la Prairie once claimed it was his goal in life "to keep police busy as long as he was able to," according to court records. David Frank Burling was taken to hospital in stable condition after he was shot just east of Portage on the Trans-Canada Highway, sometime after 4 a.m. Wednesday. Police allege Burling had stolen two all-terrain vehicles from Enns Brothers in Portage, and was fleeing in a pickup truck and trailer when he rammed an RCMP vehicle several times and attempted to run it off the road. After the RCMP vehicle became pinned between the pickup truck and trailer, an officer got out of the vehicle. He then fired several shots at the pickup as it swerved toward him, according to police. Burling has been charged with attempted murder, assaulting a police officer with a weapon, flight from police, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, possession of stolen property, and two counts of theft over $5,000. MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES A pickup and a trailer full of ATVs sits in the middle of Saskatchewan Avenue East in Portage la Prairie Wednesday. David Frank Burling has been charged with attempted murder, assaulting a police officer with a weapon, flight from police, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, possession of stolen property, and two counts of theft over $5,000. Court records show Burling has a lengthy criminal record dominated by auto-theft related offences, including three prior convictions for flight from police. In May 2020, Burling pleaded guilty to nearly a dozen vehicle-theft related charges involving six incidents spanning nearly two years. "This has got to stop," provincial court Judge Heather Pullan said at the time. "Its been a one-man crime wave for two years." Pullan sentenced Burling to the equivalent of 27 months in custody and two years supervised probation. She also prohibited him from driving for eight years. Related Items Click to Expand Articles Jun 15, 2022: RCMP officer shoots man accused of aiming truck at him Chris Kitching Burling was arrested Feb. 28, 2020, after police received a report he was at a Crystal City home in possession of a stolen Dodge Ram truck. When police arrived, Burling fled in the stolen vehicle only to lose control a short time later and crash into a ditch. In an earlier incident, Burling arranged a deal with a man over Facebook to swap an ATV for a pickup truck. When the man later tried to register the ATV, he found it had been reported stolen. In June 2017, Burling was sentenced to six months custody after he was arrested at gunpoint following a chase in a stolen jeep near Winkler. "This town is not that big, I will remember you," he told police following his arrest. Court heard at the time Burling "expressed no remorse" and said it was his goal "to keep police as busy as long as he was able to." At Burlings 2020 sentencing, defence lawyer Carley Mahoney suggested an "addiction to driving" might be at the root of the crimes, adding Burling had made efforts to seek treatment on that basis at an addictions centre. 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 really does seem there is some underlying issue that needs to be addressed," Mahoney said, adding Burling had a turbulent upbringing that included long stints in foster care and a period living in a car with his mother and sister. Speaking briefly to the court, Burling said driving provided him "some kind of control." The judge urged Burling to take advantage of counselling. "I dont know what is going on with you. I accept you suffered more trauma than I can ever imagine," Pullan said. "We all hope that you can get to the bottom of whatever it is and stop this behaviour." with files from Chris Kitching dean.pritchard@freepress.mb.ca An unlikely friendship between young learners from two Manitoba pre-schools 450 kilometres apart is being welcomed as a small act of reconciliation. An unlikely friendship between young learners from two Manitoba pre-schools 450 kilometres apart is being welcomed as a small act of reconciliation. Despite the distance between the two centres and their childrens developing literacy skills, Winnipegs Oak Street Nursery School and Headstart Misipawistik Cree Nation in Grand Rapids have found a way to keep in touch. Early childhood educators started a pen pal program this year to swap stories and pictures to expose their students to new friends and life in a community much different than their own. "We hope youre having a good time at your school. We love you," states a handwritten letter recently penned by "your new friends" under which there are a number of both legible and illegible signatures from Oak Street children. RUTH BONNEVILLE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Preschoolers at Oak Street Nursery in Winnipeg and children from Grand Rapids are part of a new initiative called ToyBox. Earlier this week, the centres director jotted down thoughts from Rielle, Kohen and Olivia, amongst other children, and folded their letter into an envelope. The nursery school crew then took a trip to a neighbourhood mailbox. The activity was a follow-up to thank their northern peers for visiting them when they were in Winnipeg for a field trip last month. The authors fondly recalled their in-person meeting and a moment when a Misipawistik boy complimented a Winnipeg student on his shirt. They also expressed gratitude to their peers for participating in a drumming circle with them, teaching them how to count in Cree, and gifting them hand-picked stones and driftwood. "Building bridges between communities is just such a great way to create understanding, to create tolerance and to create acceptance of the differences between communities and cultures," said Karlin Mann, who oversees the nursery school in River Heights. Mann and Leanne Lavallee, co-ordinator at the northern Headstart program, met through ToyBox a project created by a University of Winnipeg professor who works with teachers to publish free literacy, numeracy and wellness activities to boost young students knowledge and confidence. RUTH BONNEVILLE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS During the community interchange event, kids learn about each others cultures through play, drumming, dance, songs and eventually writing letters as pen pals. Both managers have been working with ToyBox on developing strategies, each of which includes a range of levels so caregivers can use them as instructional tools for children aged two to eight. They have each piloted the programs activities, all of which are based on research, in their own way in their classrooms. Sheri-Lynn Skwarchuk, director of developmental studies in U of Ws education faculty, indicated her program aims to fill a gap in early learning resources because there is no formal pre-school curriculum. Skwarchuk said one of her priorities has been to ensure Indigenous educators and parents are part of the brainstorming process so ToyBox strategies are culturally appropriate, relevant and inclusive for all students in Manitoba. When the children from Oak Street and Misipawistik met in person, each group showed the other how they practise their alphabet strategy. Early childhood educator Michelle McNabb incorporated a drum into the latter version much to the excitement of all students involved. "It was so heartwarming. This is what early years programs should be about: caring for one another, regardless of who you are and where you come from," Lavallee said, noting there was plenty of play time for the children. The Headstart co-ordinator said all employees have been learning from their colleagues unique lessons. RUTH BONNEVILLE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Children from Grand Rapids (aged 3-4 years) visit Oak Street nursery school to bring gifts from the bush and do a drumming circle. Oak Street will be reciprocating. Oak Streets "discovery tables" mesmerized her students, so Lavallee said she plans to create similar play stations equipped with themed toys (Manns centre has an ocean table with blue decorations, sea shells and sea creature figurines). 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 partnership has prompted the educator to realize her program takes nature for granted, she said. Winnipeg students were in awe of the nature presents their peers sourced from the bush, including driftwood, birch bark and rocks hand-painted in the four colours of the medicine wheel: black, red, yellow and white. Mann said she teaches her students, who are between the ages of three and five, about the residential school system and the history of Indigenous peoples in the province with age-appropriate lessons. However, she said early childhood educators have much work to do when it comes to introducing children to First Nations, Metis and Inuit cultures and connections to Mother Earth. "I missed out on teachings," said the director, who indicated she learned little about her Metis identity as a child. Mann said she hopes the students she is taking care of right now will feel much differently when they grow up. maggie.macintosh@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @macintoshmaggie Candace House, a non-profit organization that supports violent crime victims during the court process, will soon more than double the size of its downtown Winnipeg facility. Candace House, a non-profit organization that supports violent crime victims during the court process, will soon more than double the size of its downtown Winnipeg facility. It will receive $200,000 from the Manitoba government to help fund a new kitchen, accessible washrooms and other amenities to its building at 183 Kennedy St., expanding into a 2,100-square-foot former law office adjacent from its current 1,500-sq.-ft. space. Candace House opened in 2018, as a place of refuge and support for family members of homicide and violent crime victims during the court process. It is located less than a block from the law courts building. Executive director Cecilly Hildebrand said, as the number of homicides has increased in Winnipeg, so has the need for support. The space, which is set up like a home, with a living room, kitchen and places to sleep has enough room for one family, at most two, at a time, Hildebrand said. Thats meant turning families away while multiple homicide trials are ongoing at the same time. The renos will add an equivalent second space, and the non-profit wont have to turn anymore families away, which sadly has been necessary far too often. Candace House was established in memory of 13-year-old Candace Derksen, who went missing on her way home from school Nov. 30, 1984, and was found dead in an industrial area shed about six weeks later. Her parents, Wilma and Cliff Derksen, wanted to create a comforting space for families of homicide victims to debrief amid the stress of the court process. Staff and volunteers accompany families to court, provide justice system-related information, emotional and other support, run a meal program and partner with various organizations to give access to other holistic and culturally safe supports. Justice Minister Kelvin Goertzen announced the funding Wednesday, speaking alongside Hildebrand and Edward Balaquit, whose father Eduardo went missing in 2018. In May, a Court of Queens Bench jury found Kyle Pietz, 35,guilty of manslaughter in Eduardos death. 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. Balaquit said the court process was difficult for the family. Its not a positive experience, being in court as the victim. A lot of the unknowns make it a more suffocating atmosphere, he said. But Candace Houses welcoming support helped. It was literally a home-away-from-home, he said. Hildebrand said the goal is to have the renovations finished by early winter. erik.pindera@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @erik_pindera A 34-year-old Winnipeg woman wanted in connection to a February slaying is now accused in a second recent homicide. A 34-year-old Winnipeg woman wanted in connection to a February slaying is now accused in a second recent homicide. Leah Carol Clifton is facing two counts of second-degree murder, but city police say she is actively evading law enforcement. SUPPLIED Leah Carol Clifton, 34, already wanted in connection with a February homicide, is now sought by Winnipeg police for another recent killing. Homicide investigators have made diligent efforts in trying to attempt to arrest and bring her to answer for her charges, Winnipeg Police Service Const. Claude Chancy said Thursday, appealing to the public for information on Cliftons whereabouts. We are trying to use every tool possible to get this dangerous offender off the streets. Clifton was first accused along with two other suspects, who have since been arrested in the slaying of Heather Marie Cheyane Beardy, 26. Beardy was found dead Feb. 2 in an apartment on the 400 block of Furby Street. On May 19, Doris Lydia Trout, 25, was found dead in a Kennedy Street apartment complex. Police identified two suspects in Trouts slaying, including Clifton. Homicide detectives charged Meagan Leigh Beaulieu, 27, of Winnipeg with second-degree murder June 7, as well as two court breaches. Beaulieu has no past convictions, court records show. Police first sought the publics help in tracking Clifton on March 10, releasing a mugshot and her description. Clifton is white, 5-6, 140-150 pounds, with a medium build. She has a tattoo with the words RIP Dean on the right side of her neck. Police said Clifton is known to alter her appearance, including changing hair colour. On May 24, police released surveillance photos of two women they called persons of interest in Trouts slaying. On Thursday, police confirmed the woman in one of the sets of photos was Clifton, with her hair dyed a darker colour than in the initial mugshot. Chancy said the homicide unit believes Clifton is still in Winnipeg. The spokesman noted while Clifton is considered armed and dangerous and shouldnt be approached, she doesnt pose a risk to the majority of the public, as the accused and victims in the slayings were involved in an unspecified street drug subculture. Its very concerning (but) I certainly dont want to alarm the public (into) thinking these are homicides that were out of the blue, that were directed to members of the public, Chancy told reporters Thursday. These are people that are involved in this certain (street drug-user) culture, were in the same locale and, unfortunately, brought them to their demise. Its not common for Winnipeg police to seek the same suspect in multiple killings, Chancy said, adding sometimes suspects evade law enforcement for long periods. It does happen some people have been at large for months and sometimes years before they get caught by police. 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. Clifton has been past convicted of numerous theft-related charges and breaches of conditions, according to court records, but no violent offences. Clifton has outstanding charges for possessing property obtained by crime under $5,000 and two breaches of undertakings; she was charged Jan. 18, and was last supposed to appear in court May 17. During an August 2016 hearing for charges of break-and-enter theft and theft of a motor vehicle, Clifton was sentenced to 10 months total, less time in custody. Court heard, at the time, she had been addicted to drugs and alcohol since the age of 13. Police ask anyone with information on Cliftons whereabouts to contact homicide investigators at 204-986-6508, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 204-786-8477, or 911. erik.pindera@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @erik_pindera Regulators should reach a decision about whether to approve Canada's first COVID-19 vaccine for infants and preschoolers in coming weeks, federal officials said Friday as the United States prepared to roll out tot-sized shots. A man arrives with two young girls for his shot at the COVID-19 vaccination clinic at the Ontario Food Terminal in Toronto on Tuesday May 11, 2021. Federal officials say regulators should reach a decision about whether to approve Canada's first COVID-19 vaccine for infants and preschoolers in coming weeks as the U.S. prepares to roll out tot-sized shots. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn Regulators should reach a decision about whether to approve Canada's first COVID-19 vaccine for infants and preschoolers in coming weeks, federal officials said Friday as the United States prepared to roll out tot-sized shots. Deputy chief public health officer Dr. Howard Njoo said that Health Canada continues to review Moderna's application for a vaccine to protect children between six months and five years old. "We anticipate a decision in the coming, I would say, weeks or so. I can't give you a precise date," Njoo told a virtual press conference. "Obviously, they need to do their due diligence." On Friday, U.S. regulators authorized Moderna's and Pfizer-BioNTech's vaccines for the youngest kids, setting the stage for doses to be doled out next week. Canada has yet to authorize a vaccine for its nearly two million children under five. Moderna's shot is the only vaccine for this cohort that has been submitted for regulatory review, Njoo said. Moderna has applied for its vaccine to be given in two doses, each a quarter of its adult dose, given about four weeks apart. A Pfizer Canada spokeswoman said in an email that the company is making progress on its vaccine submission, but couldn't provide a timeline on when it would be filed. Pfizer-BioNTech's Comirnaty vaccine can be used on kids as young as five, and Moderna's Spikevax shot has been approved for children ages six and up. Compared to adults, children face a lower risk of severe COVID-19 outcomes, but that risk isn't zero, said Dr. Katharine Smart, president of the Canadian Medical Association. In recent months, many of the children treated in hospital for COVID-19 have been ineligible for vaccination, said Smart. As the prospect of a potential seventh wave looms, she said Canada needs to extend the benefits of vaccination to the youngest members of its population. "We know that children under five have had no protection from COVID. There's many parents, of course, that are very concerned," said Smart. "We don't know what we're facing in the fall. So I think being able to protect those youngest children is going to be critical." Canada's chief public health officer, Dr. Theresa Tam, told reporters Friday that indicators suggest the spread of COVID-19 is stabilizing at a national level, and rates of severe illness are declining in most jurisdictions. The Free Press | Newsletter Stay informed The latest updates on the novel coronavirus and COVID-19 delivered to your inbox every weeknight. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. While officials are "cautiously optimistic," said Tam, there are signs of increased viral activity in some areas. And new Omicron subvariants including BA.2.12.1, BA.4 and BA.5 appear to be more contagious and better at evading immunity than their predecessors. "We do not expect our progress to be linear," Tam said. "Therefore, maintaining readiness for a potential resurgence that could result in severe impacts is our best advantage as we head into summer." Also on Friday, the federal government discontinued the COVID Alert app. The app was launched in the summer of 2020 as a way to alert people if they'd been in close contact with someone who had been infected with COVID-19, without collecting personal data. The app was criticized as being ineffective and not living up to expectations. While 6.89 million people had downloaded it as of Feb. 1, the latest federal figures say it recorded only 63,117 positive COVID-19 test results. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 17, 2022. With files from The Associated Press and Laura Osman in Ottawa KYIV, Ukraine (AP) The European Unions executive arm recommended putting Ukraine on a path to membership Friday, a symbolic boost for a country fending off a Russian onslaught that is killing civilians, flattening cities and threatening its very survival. Search and rescue workers and local residents remove a body from under the rubble of a building after a Russian air raid in Lysychansk, Luhansk region, Ukraine, Thursday, June 16, 2022. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky) KYIV, Ukraine (AP) The European Unions executive arm recommended putting Ukraine on a path to membership Friday, a symbolic boost for a country fending off a Russian onslaught that is killing civilians, flattening cities and threatening its very survival. In another show of Western support, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson met with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv to offer continued aid and military training. The European allies' latest embrace of Ukraine marked another setback for Russian President Vladimir Putin, who launched his war nearly four months ago, hoping to pull his ex-Soviet neighbor away from the West and back into Russias sphere of influence. At Russias showpiece economic forum in St. Petersburg on Friday, Putin said Moscow has nothing against Ukraine joining the EU, because it isn't a military organization, a political organization like NATO. He also reprised his usual defense of the war, alleging it was necessary to protect people in parts of eastern Ukraine controlled by Moscow-backed rebels and to ensure Russias own security. Johnsons trip to Kyiv followed one Thursday by the leaders of Germany, France, Italy and Romania, who pledged to support Ukraine without asking it to make any territorial concessions to Russia. A puddle of blood is seen amid debris of a building after the Russian air raid in Lysychansk, Luhansk region, Ukraine, Thursday, June 16, 2022. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky) We are with you to give you the strategic endurance that you will need, Johnson said on his second visit to the country since the Feb. 24 start of the war. Although he did not detail the aid, he said Britain would lead a program that could train up to 10,000 Ukrainian soldiers every 120 days in an unspecified location outside the country. The training program could change the equation of this war, he said. Ukraine has been taking heavy casualties in fighting in the east. I completely understand why you and your people can make no compromise with Putin because if Ukraine is suffering, if the Ukrainian troops are suffering, then I have to tell you that all the evidence is that Putins troops are under acute pressure themselves and they are taking heavy casualties," he said. "Their expenditure of munitions, of shells and other weaponry, is colossal. Blood is seen on the wall amid debris of a building after the Russian air raid in Lysychansk, Luhansk region, Ukraine, Thursday, June 16, 2022. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky) Since his April visit, "the Ukrainian grit, determination and resilience is stronger than ever, and I know that unbreakable resolve will long outlive the vain ambitions of President Putin, he said. Johnson said the U.K. will work to intensify the sanctions on Russia. He praised the resilience of Ukrainians and how "life is coming back to the streets of Kyiv, but noted that only a couple of hours away, a barbaric assault continues. Towns and villages are being reduced to rubble. Zelenskyy gave Johnson a tour of a monastery where they lit candles and the British leader received an icon. They placed flowers at an outdoor memorial wall displaying photos of soldiers who fell in fighting in 2014, viewed an exhibit of damaged, rusting Russian weapons, and greeted cheering crowds. European Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement Oliver Varhelyi, left, speaks with European Commissioner for Justice Didier Reynders during a meeting of the College of Commissioners at EU headquarters in Brussels, Friday, June 17, 2022. Ukraine's request to join the European Union may advance Friday with a recommendation from the EU's executive arm that the war-torn country deserves to become a candidate for membership in the 27-nation bloc. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert) We have a common view of the movement toward Ukraines victory. Im grateful for the powerful support! Zelenskyy said on Telegram. The possibility of membership in the EU, created to safeguard peace on the continent and serve as a model for the rule of law and prosperity, fulfills a wish of Zelenskyy and his Western-looking citizens. The European Commission's recommendation that Ukraine become a candidate for membership will be discussed by leaders of the 27-nation bloc next week in Brussels. The war has increased pressure on EU governments to fast-track Ukraines candidacy, but the process is expected to take years, and EU members remain divided over how quickly and fully to welcome new members. A woman reacts after a parrot still alive in its cage was rescued from under the rubble of a building after a Russian air raid in Lysychansk, Luhansk region, Ukraine, Thursday, June 16, 2022. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky) Political and military support from Western countries has been key to Ukraine's surprising success against larger and better-equipped Russian forces. Zelenskyy has also clamored for additional immediate support in the form of more and better weapons to turn the tide in the industrial east, known as the Donbas region. In St. Petersburg, Putin decried the sanctions imposed on Russia by the U.S. and its allies as insane and, I would say, reckless. The calculation was understandable: to impudently, with a swoop, crush the Russian economy by destroying business chains, forcing the withdrawal of Western companies from the Russian market, freezing domestic assets, hitting industry, finance, and the peoples standard of living. It didnt work, he said. A man sleeps as he hides from Russian shelling in a living house basement in Lysychansk, Luhansk region, Ukraine, Thursday, June 16, 2022. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky) Russia has pressed its offensive in the east, leaving desperate residents worried about their future. We are old people, we do not have a place to go. Where will I go? asked Vira Miedientseva, an elderly resident grappling with the aftermath of an attack Thursday in Lysychansk, just across the river from Sievierodonetsk, where a key battle is raging. In other developments Friday: A Ukrainian soldier speaks with women who have been hiding from the Russian shelling in a basement in Lysychansk, Luhansk region, Ukraine, Thursday, June 16, 2022. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky) Zelenskyy announced that Russia has freed Yuliia Paievska, a celebrated Ukrainian medic who used a body camera to record her work in Mariupol while the port city was under Russian siege. Paievska, known in Ukraine as Taira, got the clips to an Associated Press team on March 15, the day before she was captured by Russian troops. Zelenskyy said Paievska is already home. He said Ukraine will continue working to free all those held by the Russians. The Ukrainian navy claimed it destroyed a Russian boat carrying air defense systems to a strategic island in the Black Sea. The navy said on social media that the Vasily Bekh was used to transport ammunition, weapons and personnel to Snake Island, which is vital for protecting sea lanes out of the key port of Odesa. A group of volunteers called the IT Army of Ukraine said it carried out a cyberattack that delayed Putin's St. Petersburg speech. The group was convened by Ukraine after the invasion to launch cyberattacks against Russian targets. It said it carried out a distributed denial-of-service attack, which leverages networks of zombie computers to flood websites with junk traffic, rendering them unreachable. In this image provided by the Ukrainian Presidential Press Office, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, right, and Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson, pose for a photo during their meeting in downtown Kyiv, Ukraine, Friday, June 17, 2022. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP) The wars disruption to exports of grain and other crops from Ukraine that feed the world has captured global attention and sent bread prices soaring across the world. But the production of other, more niche foodstuffs has also been impacted, including for a Ukrainian snail farmer. The organizer of the Eurovision Song Contest said it will start talks with the BBC on possibly holding next years event in the U.K. after concluding it cant be held in Ukraine. The Ukrainian band Kalush Orchestra won the 2022 contest, buoying Ukrainian spirits. The event is traditionally staged by the previous years winner. Russian forces have switched their focus to the Donbas after a series of setbacks early in the war, including the failure to seize Ukraine's capital. The Ukrainian military said Moscow's troops kept up relentless attacks on Sloviansk and Sievierodonetsk, the focus of recent fighting. The military claimed Ukrainian forces pushed Russian fighters out of the village of Bohorodychne, north of Sloviansk. A Ukrainian soldier stands on a self-propelled artillery vehicle Gvozdika, in the Donetsk region, Ukraine, Friday, June 17, 2022. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky) Russia and its allies say they have taken about half of Donetsk and nearly all of Luhansk the two regions that make up the Donbas. Sievierodonetsk and surrounding villages are in the last pocket of Luhansk region still in Ukrainian hands. The Russians are pouring fire on the city," said Luhansk Gov. Serhiy Haidai. Its getting harder and harder for us to fight in Sievierodonetsk, because the Russians outnumber us in artillery and manpower, and its very difficult for us to resist this barrage of fire." The constant shelling made it impossible for 568 people, including 38 children, sheltering in the Azot chemical plant in the city to escape, he said. Russian forces have destroyed all three bridges leading from the city, but Haidai said it still had not been fully blocked off. 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. Moscow's envoy for Russia-backed separatists who control much of the territory around Sievierodonetsk said an evacuation from the Azot plant still could take place. Rodion Miroshnik of the self-proclaimed Luhansks Peoples Republic said on social media that Russian troops and separatists are ready to consider options for opening a humanitarian corridor for the exit of civilians, but subject to strict adherence to the cease-fire. Earlier this week, Miroshnik accused Kyiv of trying to disrupt civilian evacuations from Azot, a claim vigorously denied by Ukrainian officials. ___ Lukatsky reported from Lysychansk, Ukraine. ___ Follow the APs coverage of the war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine VESTAVIA HILLS, Ala. (AP) A lone suspect fired on a small group meeting at a suburban church near one of Alabama's major cities Thursday evening, fatally wounding two people and injuring a third before being taken into custody, authorities said. Church members gather for a prayer circle after a shooting at the Saint Stevens Episcopal Church on Thursday, June 16, 2022 in Vestavia, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill) VESTAVIA HILLS, Ala. (AP) A lone suspect fired on a small group meeting at a suburban church near one of Alabama's major cities Thursday evening, fatally wounding two people and injuring a third before being taken into custody, authorities said. The attack occurred at Saint Stephen's Episcopal Church in the Birmingham suburb of Vestavia Hills, Police Capt. Shane Ware said. He said officers rushed to the church after dispatchers got a call reporting an active shooter at the church at 6:22 p.m. From what we've gathered from the circumstances of this evening, a lone suspect entered a small church group meeting and began shooting. Three people were shot. Two people are deceased. One person is being treated for an unknown injury at a local hospital," Ware said at a late Thursday news briefing. He added that a suspect was in custody and that there was no threat to the community at this time." At an earlier briefing, Ware had initially said one person died and two others wounded in the shooting had been hospitalized. Meanwhile, police declined to identify the suspect or the victims or provide further details of the attack, adding another briefing was planned Friday. The FBI, U.S. Marshals Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco and Explosives dispatched agents to the scene. Investigators remained hours past nightfall, with yellow police tape cordoning off the church complex and emergency police and fire vehicles with flashing lights blocking the route to the church. Nearby, people huddled and prayed. The Rev. Kelley Hudlow, an Episcopal priest in the Diocese of Alabama, told broadcast outlet WBRC that the church and the community at large were stunned by the shooting. It is shocking. Saint Stephens is a community built on love and prayers and grace and they are going to come together," she said in a live interview with the station. People of all faiths are coming together to pray to hope for healing." 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. She added that the church was receiving supportive messages from all over the U.S. and the world. "We need everybody out there. Pray, think, meditate and send love to this community because we are going to need all of it," she said. The churchs website had listed a Boomers Potluck for Thursday night. There will be no program, simply eat and have time for fellowship, the flyer read. Thursday's shooting was the latest of several high-profile shootings, including a racist attack last month that killed 10 Black people at a Buffalo, New York, supermarket, and the shooting deaths May 24 of 19 children and two adults at an Uvalde, Texas, elementary school in which the gunman was killed. In Southern California, one person was killed and five injured May 15 after a man authorities say was motivated by hatred of Taiwan opened fire on Taiwanese parishioners. On Saturday thousands of people rallied in the U.S. and at the National Mall in Washington, D.C., to renew calls for stricter gun control measures. Survivors of mass shootings and other incidents of gun violence also lobbied legislators and testified on Capitol Hill earlier this month. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey issued a statement late Thursday lamenting what she called the shocking and tragic loss of life at the church. Though she said she was glad to hear the suspect was in custody, she wrote: This should never happen in a church, in a store, in the city or anywhere." Vestavia Hills is a residential community just southeast of Birmingham, one of Alabama's two most populous cities. FOND DU LAC The Moraine Park Technical College District Board voted on Wednesday to go forward with asking for taxpayer support on a $55 million referendum question in the fall. The resolution is the first formal step toward a potential referendum in the November election. Under state law, technical colleges must hold referendums before completing capital projects with a cost of more than $1.5 million. Moraine Park Technical College sent out a random amount of surveys to area residents to help gauge the support for a referendum. Moraine Park communication and content manager Kristina Haensgen said that the survey results showed that voters favor the referendum. The projects being proposed are: 1. Fond du LacAn addition of an automation, innovation and robotics (AIR) center and an extensive remodel in the B-wing to include the integration of the welding and fabrication labs currently located in the E-wing. 2. Fond du LacAn extensive remodel of the E-wing to create a new health simulation suite and an addition on the east for future childcare and health services programming. 3. West BendAn addition of an AIR Center to include additional spaces for a new conference center and main entrance. The AIR Center addition would also include the creation of a welding and fabrication space. 4. The college is exploring the purchase of land in the district to build a new fire training center that will serve the 40-plus fire departments within the district. The Moraine Park district includes Dodge, Fond du Lac, Green Lake and Washington counties, and small portions of surrounding counties. The College, with campus locations in Beaver Dam, Fond du Lac, and West Bend, plays a critical role in training more than 12,000 students each year for industry-critical jobs. Moraine Park students pursue degrees in many high-demand areas, including information technology, cybersecurity, accounting, nursing, respiratory therapy, advanced manufacturing, and website and graphic design. Many of our district employers are fueled by Moraine Park graduates, Moraine Parks President Bonnie Baerwald, said in a press release. Our goal is to continue to meet the needs of our local business and industry partners by leveraging our updated and growing facilities and equipment to expand technical college opportunities. It is our responsibility to continue planning for growth that aligns with our local needs and investing $55 million into enhancements, expansions and new construction projects over the next few years will help us do just that. The district board supported a request to explore growth opportunities at a board workshop in November 2020. Since then, Moraine Park leaders and internal teams have gathered research, held partnership meetings, explored district opportunities, prioritized projects, and obtained cost information related to architecture and construction. In April, the college surveyed a random sampling of 10,000 district community members to gauge community support. The survey results indicated voter support for a $55 million referendum. Additionally, the Moraine Park Foundation has raised nearly $2 million in donation pledges to help offset the costs. In the coming months, our work at Moraine Park will revolve around informing our communities of the importance of technical education in our district and the impact this referendum will have on the future of our district, Baerwald added. Under the proposed $55 million facilities enhancement plan, annual property taxes would increase by $21 per $100,000 of property value ($1.75 per month) for the next 20 years. The next step for Moraine Park is a public hearing in which district community members are welcome. The public hearing will be held at 5:15 p.m. Monday, July 11, on Moraine Parks Fond du Lac campus, 235 N. National Ave. The Moraine Park District Board will vote in August on the final referendum question language, which will solidify a path forward to the November election. If approved, this will be the first time Moraine Park has financed projects using a referendum. Follow Terri Pederson on Twitter @tlp53916 or contact her at 920-356-6760. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. One person was killed and another was critically injured in a rollover crash on Interstate 39 near Portage on Friday morning, the Wisconsin State Patrol reported. Shortly before 6 a.m. Friday, a 2000 Ford F250 pickup truck rolled from the southbound lanes into the northbound lanes of I-39 at mile marker 91, with the two occupants pinned inside, Sgt. Craig Morehouse said in a statement. The driver, a 49-year-old woman from Ashland, Ohio, was killed in the crash, Morehouse said. The passenger, a 55-year-old man from Oxford, was taken by ambulance to University Hospital with life-threatening injuries, Morehouse said. No names were released and the crash remains under investigation. One northbound lane was blocked for about two hours. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. SALEM LAKES A man is believed have drowned in Silver Lake Thursday afternoon. The Kenosha County Sheriff's Department was called to the lake at 12:37 p.m., along with Salem Lakes Fire and Rescue, for a report of a missing swimmer in the water. Initial reports indicated that a 5-year-old female child and a 22-year-old male were swimming after jumping into the water from a boat on the lake. The male who was not wearing a flotation device went underwater and did not resurface. The child was wearing a personal flotation device and was picked up by another boat that was also on the lake. Dive teams from southeast Wisconsin and northern Illinois were called in to assist in an attempt to locate the missing male. At about 2:40 p.m. Salem Lakes Fire Chief James Lejcar no longer considered the incident a rescue, and at that time turned into a recovery mission. Agencies will continue to search the waters for the 22-year-old male victim until dark. If he is not found before dark, recovery efforts will continue in the morning. Anyone with information regarding the incident are asked to contact the Kenosha County Sheriffs Department at 262-605-5100. The Wisconsin Department of Justice has identified the Oconto County Sheriffs Office sergeant and the armed woman he shot to death during a traffic stop off Interstate 41 on June 8. The incident began around 2:40 p.m. June 8 when Sgt. Jordan Longsine responded to multiple 911 calls about a reckless driver on I-41. About 10 minutes later, Longsine saw a vehicle matching the description of the reckless drivers vehicle and it pulled over and the driver waved Longsine over, requesting assistance on the side of I-41 in the area of Frog Pond Road in the town of Oconto, DOJ said. Longsine, who has 17 years in law enforcement, saw that the driver was already out of the car and appeared to be injured. While he was tending to the driver, passenger Dakota Coleman, 27, got out of the vehicle and approached the deputy with a knife, DOJ reported. Coleman refused to comply with Longsines commands and he shot Coleman, who died at the scene, according to DOJ. The driver was taken to a hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries. DOJs Division of Criminal Investigation asks anyone who witnessed the shooting, which happened at 2:52 p.m., to call 800-394-6215 and leave a message with what was witnessed and how to contact you. Longsine was not injured. He remains on leave, per Oconto County Sheriffs Office policy. DCI is leading the investigation and is assisted by the State Patrol, Oconto Police Department, Brown County Medical Examiners Office and DOJs Office of Crime Victim Services. Once its investigation is done, DCI will turn over the investigative reports to the Oconto County district attorney, who will make a decision on any charges in the death. [Correction: An earlier version of this story misidentified Dakota Coleman.] 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. Here's what Wisconsin legislators and advocates on both sides of the abortion issue had to say about the U.S. Supreme Court ruling overturning A man and two women are accused of kidnapping a man in Madison and driving the victim in his own vehicle to rural Columbia County, where he was shot and killed early Tuesday, authorities said. Authorities had not released the name of the victim. The three suspects, all from Madison, have been arrested and are being held in the Dane County Jail, the Columbia County Sheriffs Office said in a statement Thursday. The killing was targeted, and the suspects had some sort of relationship with the victim, authorities said. Jesse J. Freiberg, 28, is being held in the Dane County Jail on a tentative charge of first-degree intentional homicide, along with Jakenya K. Patty, 21, and Laura M. Johnson, 38, both of whom are accused of being a party to the crime of homicide. Madison police initially tipped off the Columbia County Sheriffs Office on Wednesday about a potential homicide in the rural Portage area when Madison police arrested the three suspects after officers saw Patty try to run over Freiberg with a vehicle in the area of Williamson Street and South Few Street early Wednesday. Officers saw the incident while responding to a report of a domestic disturbance just before 6:30 a.m., Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes said at a news conference Thursday. The vehicle, which belonged to the victim, missed Freiberg and crashed into a home on the 400 block of South Ingersoll Street, Barnes said. Freiberg ran but was arrested a few blocks away, while Patty was detained at the scene, Barnes said. Officers found a handgun in the vehicle, he said, and learned other information from the suspects that led police to believe a kidnapping happened. As it unfolded, we started receiving bits and pieces of what could be a crime, Barnes said. He said investigators believe the kidnapping happened in the 300 block of North Brooks Street, where police later arrested Johnson while serving a search warrant. Authorities searched numerous areas in Portage and the town of Lewiston, where the victims body was found Wednesday evening, Columbia County Sheriff Roger Brandner said in a statement. Based on the initial investigation, the man was assaulted, bound and placed in his own vehicle in Madison on Tuesday, Brandner said. The victim was driven to a rural area west of Portage, where he was taken out of the vehicle and shot with a handgun, Brandner said. The victims body was eventually found on Klappstein Road near Highway 16. The Columbia County Sheriffs Office was able to confirm the victims vehicle was in Portage during the early morning hours Tuesday, Brandner said. Barnes commended Columbia County authorities who were searching for the victim and processing evidence as Wednesdays storms approached. They stayed in there and were able to process that information to help bring closure hopefully to someones family, Barnes said. Freiberg has an extensive criminal history in Dane County stretching back to 2013. Most recently in October, he pled guilty to misdemeanor cocaine possession and a felony charge of fleeing police in a vehicle, charges that stemmed from two different incidents in February and January of last year. For the cocaine possession, he served 60 days in the Dane County Jail. The court stayed Freibergs yearlong prison sentence for fleeing police and instead gave him three years of probation, according to court records. Freiberg also pled guilty to felony domestic abuse charges in 2015, court records show. Johnsons criminal history in Dane County could not be confirmed. Patty does not have a criminal history in Dane or Columbia County. 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 Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) is a satellite of the Milky Way, containing about 30 billion stars. Seen here in a far-infrared and radio view, the LMCs cool and warm dust are shown in green and blue, respectively, with hydrogen gas in red. Credit: ESA/NASA/JPL-Caltech/CSIRO/C. Clark (STScI) The stunning perspectives show four of our galactic neighbors in a different light. New images using data from ESA (European Space Agency) and NASA missions showcase the gas and dust that fill the space between stars in four of the galaxies closest to our own Milky Way. More than striking, the snapshots are also a scientific trove, lending insight into how dramatically the density of dust clouds can vary within a galaxy. With a consistency similar to smoke, dust is created by dying stars and is one of the materials that forms new stars. The dust clouds observed by space telescopes are constantly shaped and molded by exploding stars, stellar winds, and the effects of gravity. Almost half of all the starlight in the universe is absorbed by dust. Many of the heavy chemical elements essential to forming planets like Earth are locked up in dust grains in interstellar space. So understanding dust is an essential part of understanding our universe. The new observations were made possible through the work of ESA's Herschel Space Observatory, which operated from 2009 to 2013. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California contributed key parts of two instruments on the spacecraft. Herschel's supercold instruments were able to detect the thermal glow of dust, which is emitted as far-infrared light, a range of wavelengths longer than what human eyes can detect. Herschel's images of interstellar dust provide high-resolution views of fine details in these clouds, revealing intricate substructures. But the way the space telescope was designed meant that it often couldn't detect light from more spread out and diffuse clouds, especially in the outer regions of galaxies, where the gas and dust become sparse and thus fainter. For some nearby galaxies, that meant Herschel missed up to 30% of all the light given off by dust. With such a significant gap, astronomers struggled to use the Herschel data to understand how dust and gas behaved in these environments. To fill out the Herschel dust maps, the new images combine data from three other missions: ESA's retired Planck observatory, along with two retired NASA missions, the Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS) and Cosmic Background Explorer (COBE). The images show the Andromeda galaxy, also known as M31; the Triangulum galaxy, or M33; and the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds - dwarf galaxies orbiting the Milky Way that do not have the spiral structure of the Andromeda and Triangulum galaxies. All four are within 3 million light-years of Earth. In the images, red indicates hydrogen gas, the most common element in the universe. The image of the Large Magellanic Cloud shows a red tail coming off the bottom left of the galaxy that was likely created when it collided with the Small Magellanic Cloud about 100 million years ago. Bubbles of empty space indicate regions where stars have recently formed, because intense winds from the newborn stars blow away the surrounding dust and gas. The green light around the edges of those bubbles indicates the presence of cold dust that has piled up as a result of those winds. Warmer dust, shown in blue, indicates where stars are forming or other processes have heated the dust. Many heavy elements in nature - including carbon, oxygen, and iron - can get stuck to dust grains, and the presence of different elements changes the way dust absorbs starlight. This, in turn, affects the view astronomers get of events like star formation. In the densest dust clouds, almost all the heavy elements can get locked up in dust grains, which increases the dust-to-gas ratio. But in less dense regions, the destructive radiation from newborn stars or shockwaves from exploding stars will smash the dust grains and return some of those locked-up heavy elements back into the gas, changing the ratio once again. Scientists who study interstellar space and star formation want to better understand this ongoing cycle. The Herschel images show that the dust-to-gas ratio can vary within a single galaxy by up to a factor of 20, far more than previously estimated. "These improved Herschel images show us that the dust 'ecosystems' in these galaxies are very dynamic," said Christopher Clark, an astronomer at the Space Science Telescope Institute in Maryland, who led the work to create the new images. More About the Missions NASA's Herschel Project Office was based at JPL. The NASA Herschel Science Center was based at IPAC at Caltech in Pasadena, California. Caltech manages JPL for NASA. Launched in 1983, NASA's IRAS was the first space telescope to detect infrared light, setting the stage for future observatories like the agency's Spitzer Space Telescope and James Webb Space Telescope. IRAS was a joint project of NASA, the Netherlands Agency for Aerospace Programmes, and the United Kingdom's Science and Engineering Research Council. JPL and NASA's Ames Research Center managed the telescope development. IPAC provided expertise and support for the processing and analysis of data from IRAS, and NASA's Infrared Science Archive (IRSA) at IPAC manages the IRAS archive. The Planck observatory, launched in 2009, and COBE, launched in 1989, both studied the cosmic microwave background, or light left over from the big bang. The COBE satellite was developed by NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. NASA's Planck Project Office was based at JPL, which also contributed mission-enabling technology for both of Planck's science instruments. European, Canadian, and U.S. Planck scientists work together to analyze the Planck data. IPAC serves as the U.S. Planck Data Center, hosted at IRSA. Please follow SpaceRef on Twitter and Like us on Facebook. A woman holds a red lantern at the foot of the Acropolis hill in Athens, Greece, Feb. 14, 2020. [Xinhua/Marios Lolos] The two countries have been celebrating the China-Greece Year of Culture and Tourism with a series of events in recent months. ATHENS, June 16 (Xinhua) Cultural exchanges open people's minds and help to bring Greece and China closer together, Greek Deputy Minister responsible for contemporary culture Nicholas Yatromanolakis told Xinhua in Athens on Thursday. Through such exchanges, he said, "we become better citizens and better people, because we open our minds to new ideas and new concepts." Speaking at the opening of a new exhibition program at the National Museum of Contemporary Art Athens (EMST), he added: "We are very happy that actually this year is a year of intense Greek-Chinese exchange in the field of culture." Musicians perform a musical in front of the ruins of the Temple of Poseidon at cape Sounion, some 70 km southeast of Athens, Greece, on Sept. 17, 2020. [Xinhua/Marios Lolos] The two countries have been celebrating the China-Greece Year of Culture and Tourism with a series of events in recent months. As two great ancient civilizations, Greece and China both have a rich cultural heritage. They also have much to show in terms of contemporary creation, the Greek official said. EMST, which was closed during the pandemic, has now resumed full operation and is collaborating with Chinese institutions. A new program comprising seven contemporary art exhibitions will begin on Thursday and run until Oct. 30, 2022. "It is important to honor the past and the present, and to honor different cultures and be open to different ideas around the world," Yatromanolakis stressed, while standing in front of an artwork bearing the message "I can relate to you despite being from a different country." Greek Minister of Tourism Vassilis Kikilias (1st, R) speaks during the opening ceremony of the China-Greece Year of Culture and Tourism, in Athens, Greece on Sept. 16, 2021. [Xinhua/Marios Lolos] Meanwhile, EMST Artistic Director Katerina Gregos told Xinhua: "I think that a public museum has a duty to deal with issues that are important to society. And this museum's focus will be on both sociopolitical questions, on environmental questions, on some of the issues that we consider most burning and most critical today. I very much believe in the role of the public museum as a motor for education, for knowledge, for creating social awareness." (Source: Xinhua) The burgeoning online platforms in China have brought intangible cultural heritage (ICH) closer to people across the country, especially young people, who watch documentaries about ICH, buy ICH-related products, visit exhibitions of ICH, and enjoy the fun of handicrafts on online platforms. Children enjoy sugar painting, a form of traditional Chinese folk art and a snack in China, at an intangible cultural heritage-themed fair held at a square in Sucheng District, Suqian City, east China's Jiangsu Province, June 10, 2022. [People's Daily Online/ Xu Jianghai] On June 11, this year's Cultural and Natural Heritage Day, ICH-themed activities were held across the country under the guidance of China's Ministry of Culture and Tourism (MCT), during which traditional food, handicrafts, music, among other types of ICH, attracted more people's attention to and enhanced their knowledge about the colorful ICH-related cultures and distinctive practices in the protection of ICH. Given their popularity among young people, online platforms were utilized extensively at these events to demonstrate and promote ICH. In celebration of this year's Cultural and Natural Heritage Day, a total of over 6,200 ICH-themed activities were held, among which more than 2,400 took place online, according to an official with the ICH department of the MCT. This year, Chinese short-video sharing platform Douyin launched a thematic activity named "the adventures of intangible cultural heritage". The online activity attracted many participants, including ICH inheritors, Internet influencers and representatives of ICH associations, who shared stories about ICH, unique ICH techniques, and ICH-related traditional cultures. During a livestreaming show on Douyin, an inheritor of Kouji (oral stunts), a type of performing art and national-level ICH in China, imitated various sounds with his mouth and received widespread applause from netizens. Some commented that the inheritor himself can function as a dubbing team. An inheritor of the craft of making wooden combs showed netizens his outstanding skills via online platforms and rose to fame on the Internet. Kindergarten children in Zhongshan Township, Qianxi City, southwest China's Guizhou Province, learn dragon dance, May 23, 2022. [People's Daily Online/ Zhou Xunchao] Video platforms in the country also created a special section for public-benefit resources of ICH-related works, gathering more than 2,300 images and videos of the inheritance of ICH and documentaries about ICH. Besides getting a better knowledge about the wisdom and skills of ICH inheritors through livestreaming and other online activities, people can also buy ICH-related products via e-commerce platforms to share the fruits of ICH protection. In an effort to promote the protection of ICH and help ICH inheritors and companies engaged in ICH-related businesses overcome the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic for the purpose of winning the battle against poverty, relevant departments and bureaus of China's MCT, Ministry of Commerce, and the National Rural Revitalization Administration have supported e-commerce platforms in holding an ICH-themed shopping festival on the Cultural and Natural Heritage Day since 2020. During this year's online ICH shopping festival, an inheritor of a city-level ICH item, traditional beef cooking techniques of Yilong County, Nanchong City, southwest China's Sichuan Province, introduced special homemade products to Internet users via livestreaming. The livestreaming show attracted nearly 22.47 million viewers and helped sell 8.36 million yuan (about $1.24 million) worth of products within one day. Tapping into the influence of the ICH shopping festival, the local governments have ramped up efforts to promote the development of beef-related industries. Four beef processing companies, four beef cattle production bases, and a Sichuan pepper production base have been set up in the locality, helping 375 people from 137 families shake off poverty and enjoy prosperity. Other provinces have also taken measures to stimulate the consumption of ICH-related products during the online ICH shopping festival. Focusing efforts on Internet-famous ICH inheritors, Zhejiang Province in eastern China has encouraged ICH-related businesses to increase their online popularity by inviting netizens to virtual tours of their stores through livestreaming. In north China's Hebei Province, citizens were offered high discounts, more than 100 types of goods, and offline experience activities and were encouraged to go shopping for ICH-related products and take part in ICH-themed activities near their homes. A girl in Hanfu, traditional clothing of China's Han ethnic group, watches an exhibit in China Intangible Cultural Heritage Museum and China National Arts and Crafts Museum, June 2, 2022. [People's Daily Online/ Du Jianpo] As an important event held on China's Cultural and Natural Heritage Day, ICH shopping festival aims to consolidate the results of poverty alleviation and facilitate rural revitalization. It has attracted more than 7,500 stores and online e-commerce platforms selling ICH products and covered over 4,000 ICH items. The diversified activities held during the ICH shopping festival across the country have yielded important social and economic benefits. "Over the past two years, ICH shopping festival has become a popular signature event for boosting cultural consumption. It can not only promote the inheritance of ICH, but also increase the respect and appreciation for the wisdom and talents of ICH inheritors and help people develop a stronger sense of cultural identity," said an official with the ICH department of the MCT. China sees a growing trend toward ICH's integration with the Internet. While the emergence of online platforms and the rapid development of livestreaming shows have explored new channels for the promotion and sale of ICH products and effectively increased the income of ICH inheritors, various types of ICH products, such as food, artworks, and shows, are becoming an increasingly important part of people's life. In recent years, many ICH items which used to be neglected have started to gain increasing popularity in the country. At the same time, a good number of young people have not only become fans of ICH, but voluntarily joined the efforts to protect and inherit ICH and buy ICH products. Thanks to these positive changes, China's centuries-old ICH is brimming with renewed vitality and vigor in the modern world. (Source: People's Daily Online) Marcelina Chijoriga, the principal of the Mwalimu Julius Nyerere Leadership School, speaks to Xinhua in the school in Coast region, Tanzania, on June 10, 2022. [Xinhua] DAR ES SALAAM, June 16 (Xinhua) A prompt reply by Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, to a letter from all participants of the Former Liberation Movements of Southern Africa Leading Cadres Workshop 2022 is an inspiration to southern African youth cadres. Nawanda Yahya, head of the participants from Tanzania, said that being replied by Xi in less than a week is an inspiration to the African party cadres and leaders who attended the two-week workshop held at the Mwalimu Julius Nyerere Leadership School located in Kibaha District of Tanzania's Coast Region. The leadership school was co-founded by six parties in southern Africa: Tanzania's Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party, the African National Congress (ANC) of South Africa, the Mozambique Liberation Front Party, the People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola, the SWAPO party of Namibia and the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF). "We were overjoyed when we learned that the general secretary of the CPC Central Committee has replied to us in less than a week," said Yahya, a cadre of Tanzania's ruling CCM party, in a recent telephone interview with Xinhua. "Getting a reply in less than a week from such a busy leader shows how humble he is and how he acts quickly to people's concerns," said Yahya, also a commissioner of Tabora District. Marcelina Chijoriga, principal of the Mwalimu Julius Nyerere Leadership School, said the reply and acknowledgement from Xi was a great thing that brought more hope to the youth cadres of the six African parties and Africa as a whole. "They feel they are able to explore the new world, build capacities and capabilities of our people and make due contributions to our countries' political and socio-economic development," said the principal, adding "they are able to take on responsibilities and actively participate in the nine programs in the FOCAC Plan 2022-2024." Natangue Ithete, assistant chief whip of the SWAPO Party said "it makes us to understand that unity is strength. You need to have the people on your side to move forward, you can't go forward alone." Running from May 25 to June 2, the workshop featuring lectures, open discussions and experience sharing from participants brought together 120 participants aged 22-45 from Tanzania, South Africa, Mozambique, Angola, Namibia and Zimbabwe. The workshop provided an opportunity for the youth cadres to meet under one roof, Tendai Chirau, ZANU-PF deputy secretary for security in the Politburo said, adding "that means a lot to us." "More importantly, there are key things that we learnt during the workshop such as ... how China has been able to remove people from poverty," he said. Xi said in the letter that he hopes that the participants voluntarily shoulder the responsibility and mission entrusted to them by this era, take an active part in the cause of the China-Africa friendship, carry forward and pass on the spirit of China-Africa friendship and cooperation, and contribute to the building of a high-quality China-Africa community with a shared future. After receiving the letter, the youth cadres promised to integrate theory with practice, and fully devote themselves to seeking development of their countries and happiness of their people. Sibongile Besani, head of the ANC Presidency, said the CPC, to eradicate poverty in China, embarks on a clear program. "We can learn from the CPC, they look at all avenues at how they can help people," he said. Photo taken on June 10, 2022 shows the teaching building of Mwalimu Julius Nyerere Leadership School in Kibaha District of Tanzania's Coast Region. [Xinhua/Herman Emmanuel] Natangue Ithete, assistant chief whip of the SWAPO Party, speaks during a seminar in Mwalimu Julius Nyerere Leadership School in Coast region, Tanzania on May 28, 2022. [Xinhua] (Source: Xinhua) An idyllic town featured in the Robin Williams film, Dead Poets Society, Middletown is a small community found in Delaware. Along with being showcased on the big screen, it is also the home to the Old Tyme Peach Festival, which draw thousands to the annual festivities for live music and tasty treats. Middletown once was nicknamed the diamond town in the diamond state for the unusual shape of this town in its early history. As of today, the downtown is highlighted by Cochran Square and many historical buildings that encase shops and businesses. Geography Of Middletown Middletown is located in northern Delaware state, 39 kilometers south of Wilmington. Moreover, Middletown lies in the physiographic area known as the Atlantic Coast Plains. This area encompasses the coast from New York to the Florida Keys. It features wetlands, marshes, swamps, embayments, and inlets. Climate Of Middletown According to the Koppen Climate Classification, Middletown has a humid subtropical climate. This means that Middletown experiences four seasons in a year, with warm summers and cold and windy winters. Over a year, Middletown collects precipitation for 112.9 days, whereas the US average is 106.2 from rain and snow. The warmest month is July, with an average high of 30.5 C and the coldest month is January, with an average low of -4.5 C. A city with the same climate as Middletown is Tbilisi, Georgia, which is 9,100 kilometers away. History Of Middletown Everett Theater in Middletown, Delaware. Editorial credit: Alexanderphoto7 / Shutterstock.com One of the few Delaware cities that was not built on a waterway, Middletown began as a popular tavern stop. It served as the halfway point between Odessa and Bohemia Landing, connected by a cart trail that was the quickest way to the Chesapeake Bay. As such, it was called Middletown and started to be developed as a square town. However, growing beyond its parameters, the towns shape was converted into a diamond, and the term diamond town in a diamond state was coined. But, as the population grew, this unique shape was outgrown. Among the first settlers was Adam Petersen, who purchased farmland in 1675. His widow would later remarry, and the nickname Mrs. Blackston Corner was given to the area. This name was later changed to Kings Highway at the Crossroads. In 1762, the tavern that made Middletown famous burned down. But, the ruins of the damaged structure still exist and serve as a reminder of the humble beginnings of this city. In 1861, Middletown was consolidated and placed on the map of the United States. More so, it was determined it should be symmetrical, and the towns shape changed yet again. Thus, it returned to its original square shape, but Cochran Square serves as a dedication of the four corners and a monument to World War I heroes. Demographics Of Middletown Middletown can be found in New Castle County, Delaware, and has a population of 24,526 inhabitants. Over an area of 11.8 miles, Middletown has a population density of 2,076.9 people per square mile. The median household income is $107,700, and the gross monthly rent is $1,311. The average age of a resident is 39.2 years old. On the cost of living index, Middletown rates at 123.1, whereas the state of Delaware is 102.7. With 100 representing the national average, the primary concern of residents is the cost of housing, which rates at 148.1. Yet, 5.74% of the population lives below the poverty line. Economy Of Middletown The unemployment rate is 6.5%, whereas the US unemployment rate is 6.0%. The top industries that make up the economy in Middletown include healthcare and social assistance at 16.9% overall, finance and insurance at 14.6%, and educational services at 11.9%. Nonetheless, the highest paying jobs come from wholesale trade with earnings of $137,542, public administration with $95,613, and manufacturing at $82,832. Attractions In Middletown Charles E. Price Memorial Park Charles E. Price Memorial Park is a large dedicated green space that can be found to the southwest of Middletown. It offers a bit of everything from a dog park, marina, dock, and playground to hiking trails and pavilions for rent. The Charles E. Price Park Loop is a 2.9 kilometers hiking trail that circles the fishing pond found at the parks center, and dogs are permitted. Another popular activity is birding for migratory birds found during the spring and summer months. Charles E. Price Memorial Park is open to the public from sunrise to sunset. Dutch Country Farmers Market Found at the Middletown Square Shopping Mall, the Dutch Country Farmers Market is a small hint of the Dutch influence found in northern Delaware. With varying hours of operation, the market is open to the public from Thursday to Saturday. It features items such as Amish-built furniture, fresh produce, dairy, and deli products, appliance repairs, and even a barbershop. Some favorite items among attendees are fresh-baked pies, candy apples, Stolzfus BBQ, and Smuckers Pretzels. A charming town known for its historical buildings and Cochran Square downtown, Middletown, Delaware, is for those seeking a small-town country living. With the Old Tyme Peach Festival in August, thousands descend upon Middletown, and the city comes alive with live music, street eats, and family activities. For history buffs, the ruins of the tavern that brought travelers from all over are a reminder of Middletowns early history. Furthermore, with many shopping options downtown and the Dutch Country Farmers Market, theres plenty to see and do for everyone in Middletown, Delaware. Senators are racing against the clock to try to nail down the details on a bipartisan gun safety package with two major sticking points remaining before they leave Capitol Hill for the weekend. A 71-year-old man arrested on suspicion of fatally shooting two parishioners and injuring another at an Alabama church small-group meeting on June 16 was subdued and held down by an attendee of that meeting, police said. Determined team taking on Welsh Peak Welsh challenge for charity A group of determined volunteers are taking on the three highest peaks in Wales in 24 hours to raise money for charity. The group are supporting the Neuro Therapy Centre, which supports people with long-term degenerative neurological conditions and their carers. Organising the challenge was the idea of Steve Moulton from Sychdyn, Flintshire whose wife Clare, has been supported by the Centre for four years. Tomorrow the group of volunteers including Steve and members of the Centres therapies team will be climbing and descending Snowdon in north Wales, Cadair Idris in mid-Wales and Pen Y Fan in south Wales, all in 24 hours. The walk will be 17 miles in total, with a massive ascent of 2334 metres (7657ft). I have seen such a difference in my wife since she started using the services at the Neuro Therapy Centre, said Steve. She has MS and attending the Centres gym and accessing their tailored exercise classes has really helped build her strength and has given her a whole new confidence and lease of life. The Centre has played a big part in this. When Covid struck the nation, the Neuro Therapy Centre didnt stop helping people, the team carried on by adapting their services to provide telephone support not just for Clare but me too. They also created virtual exercise sessions which means my wife now has even more opportunities to develop and maintain her strength. I knew I wanted to give something back to thank them for supporting this big difference. The Centre which has been running for over 37 years supports people with a wide range of long-term neuro-degenerative conditions including MS, Parkinsons Disease, ME, MND, and Fibromyalgia through providing regular physiotherapy, tailored exercise opportunities, counselling and support groups, as well as opportunities for people to meet and share experiences. They offer support face-to-face at the Centre in Saltney and for over two years have also been offering many services virtually too. When you visit the Centre and meet others going through the same things as you, you can really see peoples determination, and sense of humour. Everyone shows a will to carry on shrugging off their limitations, no matter what those are, said Steve. Its what I like about the place and it is this that Im sure we will all keep in mind during the challenges toughest times. Weve been training over the last few months to make sure were ready. Weve hiked through wind, rain and snow with slips, trips, falls to cope with along the way. Were certainly all getting fitter and stronger and were bonding as a group too, so we can support each other. Shannah Goodrick, Corporate and Community Fundraiser at the Neuro Therapy Centre, said: The last couple of years have been difficult fundraising years, with so many of our usual events and challenges having to be cancelled. Its fantastic to see these challenges start to take place again and seeing people come together to support the Centre which makes such a difference to peoples lives is wonderful. Wed like to give our heartfelt thanks to Steve and his fellow climbers for taking on this challenge in aid of the Centre. To sponsor Steve and his team, as they embark on their challenge visit: https://www.neurotherapycentre.org/donate/3-peaks-challenge New vision to secure a bright future for Wales retail sector unveiled by Welsh Government Better pay and conditions, greater job security, improving career progression and a commitment to creating a skilled future workforce are at the heart of a new vision to revitalise Wales retail sector. The Shared Strategic Vision for the Retail Sector sets out how the Welsh Government, the sector and trade unions aims to work together to ensure retail has a bright and sustainable future in Wales, which provides fair and rewarding career opportunities for its current and future workers. Across Wales retail provides jobs to more than 114,000 people, contributing six per cent of Wales GVA. However the sector faces continued challenge as its tries to recover from the pandemic as well as the cost of living crisis and convenience of internet shopping, Earlier this week Wrexham.com reported that although there has been a decline in the town centre in the number of empty properties, the space available is too large and too expensive for smaller, independent businesses. The Vision outlines the major challenges facing the sector, and defines the key areas where action is needed. These include: Improving career opportunities within retail, with a commitment to progressively improving pay, terms and conditions beyond statutory minimums, ideally through collective bargaining. Greater job security, particularly in ensuring workers being offered guaranteed hours and sufficient notice of changes in shift patterns. Retail becoming an exemplar of workforce equality, diversity and inclusion with proactive steps taken to address under-representation, occupational segregation and pay gaps. Ensuring fair working conditions and a safe working environment, with retail workers having an effective voice in decisions that affect them and their working conditions. Ensuring Wales town centres and high streets are thriving, through interventions such as investment, including Transforming Towns regeneration investment, support for non-domestic rates and, through the Welsh Governments Town Centre First approach, making these settings the preferred location for workplaces and services. Addressing skills shortages. Building on the Welsh Governments Plan for Employability and Skills and in partnership with the sector and trades unions, Ministers are committed to helping to provide the sector with a future-proofed workforce. The plan sets out actions to both upskill existing workers and attract new entrants to the sector. Helping retailers to seize the opportunities of decarbonisation and digitalisation by, for example, reducing their reliance on fossil fuels, minimising the carbon footprint of their supply chains and investing in and maximising the potential use of digital technology. The vision has been launched today Economy Minister, Vaughan Gething and Deputy Minister for Social Partnership, Hannah Blythyn, Economy Minister, Vaughan Gething. In a statement, Vaughan Gething said: Retail in Wales is hugely important to our economy, our communities, and our well-being as a nation. Retail is all around us in every part of Wales in every village, town and city. We very much value the jobs, goods, community services and benefits it provides. Our appreciation of the retail sector, as a cornerstone of the foundational economy, has only grown through the Covid pandemic but we know a successful and resilient retail sector does not happen by accident. Thats why it is important we nurture the environment in which it can grow and adapt, especially in response to shift to a more circular economy. The shared vision we are launching today commits the Welsh Government and the retail sector to an ongoing dialogue and close working to rise to the challenges ahead. We know there are no quick fixes, easy solutions, or infinite budgets. What we do have, however, is a willingness to work in social partnership, with the Welsh Government, employers, business representative bodies and trade unions working together to understand where we are now, where we want to get to, and how we can get there. The Welsh Government is determined to improve the quality of life and the conditions that will make Wales an attractive place for individuals and businesses to plan their futures. I firmly believe the retail sector has a vibrant future, and will continue to be a key player within the Welsh economy. Deputy Minister for Social Partnership, Hannah Blythyn said: The retail sector is heavily dependent on its workforce. A better deal for retail workers better pay, better terms and conditions, better training and better career prospects will help the retail sector overcome workforce recruitment and retention challenges, particularly at a time of high employment. This will help project retail as a long-term career of choice and equip the workforce to deliver even better levels of customer service. We must ensure retail workers have a genuine voice, predominantly through their trade unions, in helping to shape their working conditions and the future of work in the sector. Embedding the spirit of social partnership where businesses and trade unions work together must be a cornerstone of the retail sector of tomorrow. Sara Jones, Head of the Wales Retail Consortium added: The Retail Vision provides welcome recognition of the retail industry, and our workforce, by the Welsh Government. The covid pandemic shone a spotlight on just how important a role our retailers play, as drivers of the economy and as community champions at the heart of our towns. The industry continues to face structural challenges that have only been accelerated over the last two years, however we know that there are opportunities to flourish and to create sustainable high streets and ensure retail remains a career of choice for many. Nick Ireland, Usdaw Regional Secretary said: We have been working with the Welsh Government and our social partners for some time on how we can together tackle long established issues in the retail industry and we are delighted with the Vision that they have announced today. The industry as a whole was struggling before Covid-19 with record numbers of shop closures and job losses, so the ongoing commitment to support high streets and regenerate town centres is crucial. We not only need to secure jobs through helping the retail industry to prosper, but they must be good jobs with decent pay, that promote equality and bring an end to insecure contracts, which we have consistently called for in our New Deal for Workers campaign. That is best achieved through collective bargaining with trade unions, which is an important part of this Vision for retail in Wales. Usdaw stands ready to build on the work we have done with the Welsh Government, business representative groups and by engaging with retail employers and seeking to deliver a highly motivated, well-trained and respected workforce. For too long retail work has been undervalued, this Vision gives us the opportunity to change that and give Welsh retail staff the dignity they deserve. Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) General Secretary Mick Lynch appealed for direct talks with the Conservative government June 15, in a begging letter to Transport Secretary Grant Shapps. Had Shapps accepted, there is no doubt that next weeks planned strikes would have been called off as the RMT negotiated a rotten betrayal. The letter was issued to coincide with a debate in parliament later that day. It called for an urgent meeting with Shapps and Chancellor Rishi Sunak without any pre-conditions to avert three days of strike action on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday by workers from infrastructure company Network Rail and 13 train operating companies. Mick Lynch [Photo: WSWS] Lynch added that through its participation in the Rail Industry Recovery Group (RIRG) with the employers, In effect in recent weeks the union has been negotiating with the government, but the government have not been in the room. The RMTs request for talks without preconditions is tantamount to surrender. Its aim is to offer maximum room for manoeuvre, allowing the government to offer token concessions, such as an agreement for no compulsory redundancies and renewed pay talks, that would allow the union to suspend the strikes. The letter follows Lynchs earlier response to Shapps threat on June 13 to enact legislation allowing agency workers to be used as a scab strike-breaking force. Lynch insisted the government needed to unshackle the rail operating companies so they can come to a negotiated settlement that can end this dispute. The only thing that has so far prevented a sell-out by the RMT is that the Tories have rejected the unions entreaties. The RMT doesnt want to fight, whereas the Johnson government wants to take on rail workers, just as Thatcher took on the miners, using its victory as a battering ram against the entire working class. In 1984-85, the miners were defeated due to the isolation of their dispute by the Trades Union Congress (TUC) and the Labour Party. Today, Johnson and Shapps know that Lynch and company are opposed to any all-out mobilisation to defeat the governments Great British Railways privatisation agenda and will do nothing that threatens to bring down the government. Jeremy Corbyn (right) the then leader of the Labour Party embraces Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell at Labour's Conference at the Brighton Centre in Brighton, England, September 23, 2019 [AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth] The same holds true of former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and his dwindling band of left Labour MPs whom the RMT have promoted as allies of rail workers in their struggle against the Tories. If anything, Corbyn and his ex-shadow chancellor John McDonnell stooped lower than Lynch in seeking an end to the planned strikes. The RMTs call for negotiations was a lifeline, allowing them to assume their natural role of peacemaker and opponents of the class struggle. During the debate in parliament, Labours benches were largely deserted, as many including Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer absented themselves. Given their head, the Corbynites behaved despicably. Corbyn himself did not even mention the strike, speaking only vaguely of the anger that many people who work in the rail industry feel at being told basically to take a pay cut and face compulsory redundancies at a time when billions has been poured into the train operating companies McDonnells statements were more expansive and more damning. Taking note of Lynchs call for a meeting without any preconditions, he appealed to Shapps, We are trying to resolve this matter. Will he respond immediately to Mick Lynch, positively, that he will meet the union now? Such negotiations, he argued, were in the governments best interests, citing the willingness of the RMT to agree a sell-out. The RMTs first demand is for no compulsory redundanciescompulsory is the key word. There has never been a time when the RMT has not negotiated job losses, but there has always been a principle that they should not be compulsory. I remember that Bob Crow never lost a dispute, and neither has Mick Lynch, because they are sensible about the nature of the disputes that they get into. Tory Huw Merriman interrupted to say he was convinced by McDonnell, who makes a very good point. It may well be, in return for giving way a little in saying, Okay, well sit down with you and then not strike, that the RMT needs to hear that there will not be a need for compulsory redundancies, because the way the workforce works, voluntary redundancies should probably be taken up anyway and then that could be the natural progression. This is precisely the function of voluntary redundancies, as the Tory Daily Telegraph boasted Tuesday. Via a Freedom of Information (FOI) request, it reported more than 2,949 applications for redundancy from managers were received last autumn by train operating companies and an additional 2,159 from Network Rail. Andrew Haines, chief executive of Network Rail, concluded, We know there is huge latent demand within Network Rail for people to leave and move on and it could be unlocked by the trades unions. McDonnell was enthused by Merrimans support, waxing lyrical of his own role and that of the trade unions in betraying the working class. The hon. Gentleman knows what these negotiations are like, McDonnell confided. My background is the National Union of Mineworkers, then the TUC and so onI have been a trade unionist for the last 50 yearsand in every sort of negotiation, the key issue is just getting through that door. Once we get through that door and are face-to-face starting those negotiations off, anything can happen. He warned that the Tories were making it impossible for the trade union bureaucracy to control their members. I have been talking at various union conferencesI was at Unison yesterday and all the restand there is a concern that we are going back to the 1980s, and I saw what happened in the 1980s. My hon. Friend the Member for Wansbeck (Ian Lavery), who is here, was an active miner at the time, and I was a member of the [National Union of Mineworkers] head office. What happened then was that there was a government will to somehow take on the trade union movement, and we got described as the enemy within. If anyone thinks it is to their advantage politically to start taking the RMT on as the enemy within in this situation, they are sorely mistaken, because it is not just about the RMT. At union conferences, Tory threats of minimal services, bans on overtime and all the rest were inflammatory when we are trying to get a negotiated settlement. The Tories could provoke something no trade union leader wanted, a general upsurge of the working class. Unite has 100 disputes taking place at the moment. The general secretary of Unison has for the first timeI have never heard this beforesaid to Unison members, Go back to your branches and prepare for action. The PCS [civil servants union] is in dispute as well I just think that Conservative Members should know that this is not the time for braying speeches; it is a time for consideration and an element of responsibility to be introduced into this debate. McDonnells message to the Tories was, Talk to the RMT. Prevent a strike or you may open the floodgates! Unfortunately for him, the Tories wanted none of it. The next day, Shapps made an inflammatory speech at a rail depot in Hornsey, north London, warning that rail workers could strike themselves out of a job. The government would change the law as soon as this summer to let agency workers break strikes, close 1,000 ticket offices and make Sunday working compulsory. He would not negotiate with the RMT because it would undermine the position of the employers The working class is on a collision course with the Conservative government. To win, workers must make sure their fight is not sabotaged by the union bureaucrats. Powerful rank-and-file organisations must be built, controlled by the workers themselves, that can unite the emerging strikes feared by McDonnell and company and bring down the hated Johnson government. We urge rail workers to read the Socialist Equality Partys statement, The British rail strike: Mobilise the entire working class against the Johnson government! Christopher Schurr, the police officer charged with second-degree murder for killing 26-year-old Patrick Lyoya with a gunshot to the back of the head on April 4, has been fired by the city of Grand Rapids, Michigan. A TV display shows video evidence of Grand Rapids police officer Christopher Schurr pursuing Patrick Lyoya in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Lyoya, 26, was shot and killed about 8:10 a.m., on April 4, after what police said was a traffic stop. (Video released by Grand Rapids Police Department) Schurr decided to waive his right to a discharge hearing and Grand Rapids City Manager Mark Washington announced on Wednesday that, I have decided to terminate Mr. Schurrs employment with the Grand Rapids Police Department effective June 10, 2022. The termination was backdated to the day of Schurrs arraignment. Washington said he accepted the recommendation of the police chief and the citys labor relations office to fire Schurr. The brutal killing was captured on smartphone video which shows Schurr shooting Lyoya in the back of the head execution-style during a traffic stop in a neighborhood on the citys southeast side. Schurr was charged by Kent County prosecutor Chris Becker on June 9, two months after the shooting took place. On the morning of the shooting, Schurr pulled Lyoya over for an apparent license plate violation. When Lyoya exited his vehicle and failed to comply with verbal commands from Schurr, the officer became physically aggressive. Following a short chase and scuffle over his taser, Schurr wrestled Lyoya to the ground face down, pulled his police handgun and fired one shot to the back of the Congolese refugees head, killing him instantly. In his statement on the firing, City Manager Washington said, Due to the on-going criminal matter and the potential for civil litigation, I will not be providing any additional comment concerning Mr. Schurr at this time. At his arraignment last Friday, Schurr pleaded not guilty and was released on a $100,000 bond. As a condition of his pretrial release, Schurr cannot purchase or possess firearms or dangerous weapons, must remain under the supervision of court services, cannot drink alcohol or consume any illegal drugs and cannot engage in any assaultive, threatening or intimidating behavior. Grand Rapids Police Chief Eric Winstrom had recommended that Schurr be immediately suspended without pay and fired on the day he was charged. Although Winstrom had never seen the report from the Michigan State Police (MSP) upon which Becker based his decision to bring the second-degree murder charge, he said he did not have any reason to believe that the Kent County prosecutor made an incorrect decision. Winstrom made his recommendation at a press conference that was also attended by Grand Rapids Mayor Rosalynn Bliss and Office of Oversight and Public Accountability Director Brandon Davis. The mayor and accountability director are now going about the business of covering up both the pervasive police violence against poor and working class people in Grand Rapids and the initial attempts by city authorities to sweep the murder of Lyoya under the rug. A TV display shows video evidence of Schurr struggling with and shooting Patrick Lyoya (Grand Rapids Police Department) Davis claimed that his department would now do a post-incident review of the citys actions and consider concerns such as how much time it took to release the video of this incident, when should an officers name be released in connection with an investigation. Mayor Bliss made similarly meaningless remarks about how the charge against Schurr was a step in the process of accountability and justice and we have a lot of work to do including making long-term systemic changes that create a safer and a better community for everyone. Whatever the present comments of the Grand Rapids political establishment, it took a series of protests by workers and young people in Grand Rapids, Lansing and Detroit, along with members of the Lyoya family, in the early days following the shooting, to force authorities to release the disturbing video three weeks later and then make the name of Schurr public a week after that. The protesters continued demanding that Schurr be criminally charged as the prosecutor dragged out his decision for weeks claiming he did not have a complete report from the MSP and that he was consulting with experts on the matter. The decision to charge second-degree murder and the timing of it were obviously calibrated politically. During the lead-up to the prosecutors decision, a campaign was launched in the Detroit press to lionize Schurr as a humanitarian and model police officer and simultaneously paint a picture of Lyoya as a troubled young man with numerous past run-ins with law enforcement. Lyoya was a working class refugee from the Democratic Republic of Congo who arrived in the US as a teenager and, along with both of his parents, took manual labor jobs in order to survive. He had two small children of his own and was known throughout the Congolese refugee community as someone who was very helpful and giving of himself to others in need. Attorney Ven Johnson who is representing the Lyoya family, raised important questions about the amount of time it took the city of Grand Rapids to fire Schurr. Johnson said the city had sufficient evidence to fire him long before prosecutor Becker announced the criminal charge two months after the shooting of Lyoya. Johnson told the Detroit News on Wednesday, What took them so long? The City of Grand Rapids, which of course includes its police department, has the responsibility to hire and fire all by themselves. They waited for the prosecutor to make important decisions for the City of Grand Rapids. Pointing to the political implications of the case, Johnson said, Leaving him on the force and paying him money. ... What message does that send to officers? The second-degree murder charge and firing of Schurr has mobilized far-right and pro-police political forces who say the officer was fully justified in fatally shooting Lyoya. During Schurrs arraignment, more than 60 supporters showed up, including some uniformed police officers. In the hearing, Schurrs attorney Matt Borgula said his client did everything he was required to do per department policy. Borgula claimed that before lethal force was used, Schurr took several steps which exhausted him until he felt that he was in danger of lethal harm himself before he decided to pull his weapon. The attorney said that this will be the line of defense in Schurrs trial. A probable cause conference is set for 9:30 a.m. on June 21 and a preliminary examination is also scheduled for June 28 at 1:30 p.m. UK Home Secretary Priti Patel has approved the extradition of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to the United States. If extradited, he faces life imprisonment on charges under the Espionage Act for journalism exposing US war crimes, coup plots and human rights abuses and the complicity of the UK and other imperialist allies. Britain's Home Secretary Priti Patel walks through the Central Lobby at the Palace of Westminster, during the State Opening of Parliament, in the Houses of Parliament, in London, Tuesday, May 10, 2022. [AP Photo/Justin Tallis/Pool Photo] After over 11 and half years since he was first arrested in London in December 2010, kept in arbitrary detention and then imprisoned in Londons maximum security Belmarsh, the British government has dispensed with all legal norms and signed an order that could well result in Assanges death. A Home Office spokesperson said, Under the Extradition Act 2003, the secretary of state must sign an extradition order if there are no grounds to prohibit the order being made. Extradition requests are only sent to the home secretary once a judge decides it can proceed after considering various aspects of the case. On 17 June, following consideration by both the magistrates court and high court, the extradition of Mr Julian Assange to the US was ordered. Mr Assange retains the normal 14-day right to appeal. In this case, the UK courts have not found that it would be oppressive, unjust or an abuse of process to extradite Mr Assange. Patels decision obliterates any notion of democracy and due process. WikiLeaks denounced the decision as a dark day for Press freedom and for British democracy. It announced it would appeal the decision to the UK High Court. WikiLeaks stated, This is a dark day for press freedom and for British democracy. Anyone in this country who cares about freedom of expression should be deeply ashamed that the Home Secretary has approved the extradition of Julian Assange to the United States, the country that plotted his assassination. Julian did nothing wrong. He has committed no crime and is not a criminal. He is a journalist and a publisher, and he is being punished for doing his job. It was in Priti Patels power to do the right thing. Instead she will forever be remembered as an accomplice of the United States in its agenda to turn investigative journalism into a criminal enterprise. The Home Secretary is condoning not only the criminality committed by the US government against Julian, but also those US government crimes exposed by WikiLeaks. WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange greets supporters from a balcony of the Ecuadorian embassy in London on May 19, 2017 [AP Photo/Frank Augstein] The statement finished with the pledge, The path to Julians freedom is long and tortuous. Today is not the end of the fight. It is only the beginning of a new legal battle. We will appeal through the legal system, the next appeal will be before the High Court. We will fight louder and shout harder on the streets, we will organise and we will make Julians story be known to all. Make no mistake, this has always been a political case. Julian published evidence that the country trying to extradite him committed war crimes and covered them up; tortured and rendered; bribed foreign officials; and corrupted judicial inquiries into US wrongdoing. Their revenge is to try to disappear him into the darkest recesses of their prison system for the rest of his life to deter others from holding governments to account. We will not let that happen. Julians freedom is coupled to all our freedoms. We will fight to return Julian to his family and to regain freedom of expression for us all. If Assange is not successful with his legal appeals, he will be handed over to the Biden administration. In 2010, amid a global manhunt orchestrated by the imperialist powers, Biden, then vice president to Barack Obama, described Assange as a hi-tech terrorist. The decision of Patel, a political sadist, to sign the order was a foregone conclusion, assisted by a judiciary determined to ensure his extradition. In January 2021, district court judge Vanessa Baraitser ruled that Assange could not be extradited to the US on mental health grounds, acknowledging that the WikiLeaks founder was at severe risk of suicide. But her decision was overturned after an appeal by the US government, with Britains High Court judges accepting empty assurances that Assange would not be subject to oppressive prison conditions. Patels decision came just one week after more than 300 doctors from 35 countries wrote to the home secretary calling on her to block Assanges extradition, demanding his release. In signing the order Patel dismissed their grave concerns over Assanges health. Their letter declared, In October 2021 Mr. Assange suffered a mini-stroke. This dangerous deterioration of Mr Assanges health underscores the medical concern that the chronic stress caused by his harsh prison conditions, as well as his justified fear of the conditions that he would face in the case of extradition, leaves Mr Assange vulnerable to cardiovascular events. The doctors continued, This dramatic deterioration of Mr Assanges health has not yet been considered in his extradition proceedings. The US assurances accepted by the High Court, therefore, which would form the basis of any extradition approval, are founded upon outdated medical information, rendering them obsolete. Since taking over the Home Office under Conservative government Prime Minister Boris Johnsonwho celebrated Assange being illegally dragged out of the Ecuadorian Embassy where he was seeking refuge in 2019Patel has authored a raft of ever more draconian legislation. Her latest assault on democratic rights is the National Security Bill. It is a charter designed to criminalise protest at military sites and journalism exposing government lies used to prepare and justify military aggression. As it passed its second reading on June 6, a major step to becoming legislation over the next six months, Assange and WikiLeaks were the targets of frenzied denunciations in parliament by Tory MPs. The government was backed by Labours Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper. When asked by Tory MP Theresa Villiers if she would condemn the WikiLeaks-type mass dumping of information in the public domain, Cooper replied, Yes, I strongly do, because some of the examples of such leaks that we have seen put agents lives at risk, put vital parts of our national security and intelligence infrastructure at risk and are highly irresponsible. The WSWS noted that enacting the legislation demonstrated that the persecution of Assange is setting the precedent for an unprecedented assault on freedom of speech, protest and the media, in line with escalating plans for imperialist war abroad and social counterrevolution at home. Patels order means that Assange is a major step closer to being extradited to the United States. And given the record of the British judiciary and its contemptible treatment of the heroic journalist since 2010, there is no reason to anticipate a positive outcome to a High Court appeal. The essential political response to this verdict must be to redouble the fight in the international working class to demand Assanges freedom. Defence Minister Anita Anand announced Wednesday that Canada will send C$9 million worth of replacement barrels for the M-777 artillery pieces it sent Ukraine earlier this year. Coming on the sidelines of a meeting in Brussels of the 40-nation US-led Ukraine Contact Groups, the latest shipment brings to C$147 million the total that Canadas Liberal government has spent on military aid for Ukraine since tabling its 20222023 budget in early April. In that budget, the NDP-supported Justin Trudeau-led Liberal government pledged to provide Ukraine with half-a-billion dollars worth of armaments by March 2023. Under Operation Unifier, the Canadian Armed Forces played a major role in training and reorganizing Ukraine's military to prepare for war with Russia (Photo Credit: DND) Wednesdays meeting underscored that as Ukraines military position deteriorates, and hundreds of Ukrainian soldiers lose their lives on a daily basis, the Western imperialist powers are determined to further escalate their involvement in the US-NATO war with Russia. The Biden administration, which pledged a further US$1 billion in weapons for Kiev Wednesday, is determined to break the back of Russia, so as to reduce it to the status of a semi-colony, seize its resource wealth, and intensify US imperialisms strategic encirclement of China. Canada, which has depended for more than eight decades on a close militarystrategic partnership with Washington to advance its own global predatory ambitions, is fully on board with this reckless agenda, including the provocations Washington is mounting against China in the Asia-Pacific, even while waging war on Russia. Anand made clear in remarks following Wednesdays meeting that the imperialist powers are planning for an extended period of military conflict. Making a direct appeal to weapons manufacturers and other industrial companies to expand production, Anand declared, There is a continued need to provide equipment and military aid to Ukraine, and governments across this world only have so much inventory. And therefore the next step is for industry to see itself as having a role. Anand continued, We are seeing the need for more industry scale-up. So for example, in the area of ammunition, thats a key area that we need industry to continue to fortify themselves. What Anand is saying is that the Liberal government and its US allies are planning for many months, if not years, of warfare with Russia, irrespective of the number of casualties suffered by Ukrainian and Russian soldiers. This incredibly reckless policy increases the danger that the conflict could expand into a direct clash between Russia and the US and its NATO allies fought with nuclear weapons, threatening the lives of millions of people throughout Europe and beyond. Discussions of the need for a dramatic expansion of war production have been ongoing within Canadas political elite and military top brass for some time. Canadas Chief of Defence Staff, General Wayne Eyre, told the CBC in early May that Canadian industry must move to a wartime footing. Eyre stated, I think what this has shown though is we need to increase the capacity of [the] defence industry. Given the deteriorating world situation, we need the defence industry to go into a wartime footing and increase their production lines to be able to support the requirements that are out there, whether its ammunition, artillery, rockets, you name it. Theres a huge demand out there. Eyre is working closely with Anand and Deputy Defence Minister Bill Matthews to develop a comprehensive rearmament plan, including the procurement of new fleets of warplanes, warships and submarines. Anand declared at a Global Affairs Canada conference in early May sponsored by arms manufacturers, We meet daily, sometimes twice daily. Thats the type of team I like to lead and thats the type of team that will continue to deliver in this area. In its push to ramp up war production, the Canadian government will rely on its close ties to the trade union bureaucracy to maintain labour discipline throughout heavy industry and arms manufacturing. The Trudeau government has experience in this area, having worked with Unifor to ensure the supply of C$15 billion worth of armoured vehicles to the blood-soaked Saudi dictatorship to wage its brutal war in Yemen, which has claimed the lives of tens of thousands of civilians and plunged millions into hunger and starvation. When extremely limited criticism of this arms deal was raised by the New Democrats during the 2015 federal election, thenUnifor President Jerry Dias stepped in to tell the social democrats in no uncertain terms to shut upa demand with which the pro-war NDP quickly complied. Canadas important role in escalating the war with Russia builds on its years-long support for the far-right regime in Kiev. Ottawa was a key supporter of the fascist-spearheaded 2014 Maidan coup, which removed the pro-Russian elected president, Victor Yanukovytch, and brought to power a pro-Western puppet regime in Kiev. Canada subsequently deployed military trainers to Ukraine, who were involved in providing instruction to the far-right Azov Battalion and other fascist groups as they were integrated into the countrys armed forces. At the same time, Ottawa joined NATOs massive expansion of military force in Eastern Europe, agreeing to lead a NATO battalion in Latvia, one of four NATO advanced battlegroups in the Baltic Republics and Poland. Earlier this month, Foreign Minister Melanie Joly confirmed that Ottawa is implementing the planned increase of its military contingent in Latvia. We had 700 troops and we are increasing that now by 450. We are now 1,300 troops in Latvia. We also increased our presence by making sure there is a frigate in the Baltic Sea, she told the Canadian Press. Canada will send six CF-18 fighter jets and 200 military personnel to Romania next month to support NATO air provocations against Russia. Bordering Ukraine to the south, Romania lies on the strategically critical Black Sea. As Ottawa joins in the rapid escalation of hostilities with Russia, it is also ratcheting up tensions with China. Following the lead of the Biden Administration, which is seeking to provoke Beijing into a conflict by overturning the decades-long policy of strategic ambiguity towards Taiwan, Canada has conducted a series of air reconnaissance missions designed to provoke a response from Beijing. Supported by Australia, the US and Japan, Canadian planes took part in reconnaissance missions ostensibly aimed at enforcing UN sanctions on North Koreas nuclear weapons program between April 26 and May 26. A Chinese Defence Ministry spokesman accused Canada of using the excuse of enforcing UN resolutions to conduct operations that were endangering Chinas national security and the safety of frontline personnel on both sides. Earlier in May, the Trudeau government confirmed in a long-awaited announcement its decision to ban Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei from the countrys 5G and 4G networks. The aggressive move, which is part of a US-led campaign to cripple Chinas major tech companies, underscores Ottawas support for the diplomatic, economic, and military moves led by Washington against Beijing aimed at blocking Chinas rise as a strategic competitor. The Trudeau governments aggressive role as an attack dog for American imperialism around the world enjoys unanimous support within the political establishment. The social democratic New Democrats entered a confidence-and-supply agreement with Trudeau in March to guarantee his minority government a parliamentary majority through June 2025. The explicit aim of the agreement was to ensure political stabilityi.e., the ability to enforce unpopular policies of waging war against Russia, rearmament, and attacks on the working conditions and living standards of workers to pay for the massive bailouts of the super-rich during the pandemic and the tens of billions needed to fund Canadas preparations for World War III. The NDPs votes secured the passage of the Liberals latest budget, which included an additional C$8 billion in military spending increases on top of the massive defence spending hike first unveiled in 2017. Any criticism of the Trudeau government within the political establishment on these issues comes from the right. In a statement on the Huawei ban, the NDP complained that the move was long overdue, and accused the Liberal government of dragging its feet on the issue. It has taken the Liberal government three years to make this decision while other Five Eyes countries made their positions known much sooner. This delay, it continued, only worked to raise serious questions at home and among our allies about the Liberal governments national security commitments and hampered the domestic telecommunications market. The opposition Conservatives are demanding that the Trudeau government take an even more belligerent stance against Russia and have repeatedly accused the Liberals of being soft on, if not outright appeasers of, China. The media, led by the Globe and Mail, and the Conservatives and New Democrats, launched a broadside against the Liberal government earlier this week following a sensationalized exposure of the fact that a low-level official from Global Affairs Canada, Canadas foreign ministry, attended Russia Day celebrations at the Russian embassy in Ottawa last week. The outrage expressed by the opposition parties forced Trudeau to declare the officials participation unacceptable and promise it would never happen again. Conservatives have long been calling on the Liberal government to do more to isolate the Putin regime in the world, including by expelling Russian diplomats, as our allies have done, stated interim Conservative leader Candice Bergen. The six finalists at the Sixteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition were announced June 12 by jury chair Marin Alsop from the stage at Bass Performance Hall in Fort Worth, Texas. The six are now vying for the top prize of a gold medal, $100,000 in cash and the possibility of an international career. The finalists are Dmytro Choni, 28, from Ukraine, Anna Geniushene, 31, and Ilya Shmukler, 27, from Russia, Uladzislau Khandohi, 20, from Belarus, Yunchan Lim, 18, from South Korea and Clayton Stephenson, 23, from the US. In the semifinal round, 12 of the original 30 competitors performed both a 60-minute recital and a Mozart concerto with the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra. The final round is currently under way, during which the competitors will perform two concertos with the same orchestra. The winners of the gold, silver and bronze medals will be announced Saturday evening. This years edition of the prestigious quadrennial competition, first held in 1962, has become the focus of considerable attention because of the war in Ukraine and the Cliburns decision to permit Russian pianists to participate. In the face of a flurry of announcements by various music and film events reporting a ban on Russian artists, the Fort Worth organizers stood their ground. They took the position that while the Putin regimes invasion of Ukraine was reprehensible and heartbreaking, the Russian-born pianists who had applied for the competition are not officials of their government, nor is their participation in the Cliburn state-sponsored. At the ceremony announcing the list of finalists, Cliburn board chairman Jeff King told the performers, You have affirmed that we all have more in common than not, that we are all brothers and sisters together, and that we all share the same dreams. King went on, Van Cliburn said, If you hold on to the beauty and inspiration and the clarity that is music, you will have an anchor and you will not be swayed ... Thank you for being who you are you bring the healing energy that is music to our world. The first Cliburn competition was held four years after its namesake, American pianist Van Cliburn (19342013), triumphed at the inaugural International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow in April 1958, a significant cultural event during the Cold War period. In April of this year, in a particularly hypocritical and dishonest action, the World Federation of International Music Competitions (WFIMC) expelled the Tchaikovsky competition, one of its most prestigious affiliates, from the 120-member body. Remarkably, the WFIMC claimed that as an apolitical organization, it could not support or have as a member, a competition financed and used as a promotional tool by the Russian regime. It could, however, as an allegedly apolitical organization, line up with the US-NATO proxy war and the chauvinist, anti-Russian campaign spearheaded by the Biden administration and the US media in particular. The Cliburn is a prominent WFIMC member. Needless to say, no American affiliate has been troubled by WFIMC sanctions, much less expulsion, during the past 30 years of unprovoked and illegal US-led wars, invasions and occupations, leading to the deaths of millions. Anna Geniushene Semifinal Round Mozart Concerto 2022 Cliburn Competition (YouTube) Fifteen of the original 30 competitors at this years Cliburn event were Russian-born. Speaking of the group of six finalists, one commentator noted that it was a case of back to the USSR, because four of the group were from former Soviet states. In an interview with Fort Worth magazine, Moscow-born finalist Anna Geniushene observed that music was an international language as the history of arts also confirms. Geniushene went on to note that We all are the victims of the [present] situation, and sadly, we cannot stop the chaos; however, we might speak out and spread the word around. I would really like to share my music, and this remains to be my priority during any kind of activities in the world. Here she is playing Mozarts Piano Concerto No. 25 in the Semifinal Round. Geniushene, born in 1991, made her recital debut just seven years later in the small hall of the Berlin Philharmonic. According to the Cliburn website, she has since developed a diverse and versatile career as an artist: performances in major world venues such as the Town Hall in Leeds, National Concert Hall in Dublin, Museum of Arts in Tel Aviv, the Konzerthaus Neue Welt, Great Hall of Moscow Conservatory, and Sala Greppi in Milan; a dedication to chamber music, including duo piano repertoire with her husband, Lukas Geniusas, and close collaboration with Quartetto di Cremona; and the creation of her own festival of collaborative music-making (NikoFest). A laureate of major international piano contests, Geniushene, who graduated from the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory in 2015 and completed her Masters with Distinction and Advanced Diploma from the Royal Academy of Music (London) in 2018, sees her participation in the Cliburn as a dream, as an opportunity to be part of a very friendly community, to find a new audience, and to challenge myself. As a Russian-born and Russian-taught pianist, I was raised in adoration of the Tchaikovsky Competition, the very central event of the country, she told an interviewer. I had a Soviet-printed book describing in details of the musical path of Van Cliburn and his further continuation of conquering the world as a top-ranked pianist. Dmytro Choni Semifinal Round Mozart Concerto 2022 Cliburn Competition (YouTube) The sole Ukrainian finalist, the highly acclaimed Dmytro Choni, began playing piano in his native Kiev when he was 4 years old. After a particularly meaningful performance at the age of 14, which he calls a turning point, his lifelong journey of professional musicianship began. He earned a bachelors degree from the Tchaikovsky National Music Academy of Ukraine under the guidance of Yuri Kot, then moved to Austria in 2015 to study with Milana Chernyavska at the Kunstuniversitat Graz. Choni has taken first prize at numerous international piano competitions, in Spain, the US, Germany, Italy and Argentina. Is it an accident that he uses the same word as Geniushene, calling the Cliburn nothing else but my dream? Chonis website cites his comment, Being successful for me means to continuously grow as a musician and as a person, and not to stop searching for the truth in music. In my opinion, the most important aspect would be to love the music with all your heart. According to Fort Worth, Chonis preference is not to talk about the war or, at least, dwell on it. He has said in the past that his music has been a refuge from the turmoil in his mother country. He told the magazine that music can bring peace to peoples souls. Its very valuable. I let my experience be reflected in the music I perform, when appropriate. Playing piano has always been a kind of therapy for me. Now it is especially relevant. In this video, his semifinal performance, he plays Mozarts Piano Concerto No. 20. Jacques Marquis, Cliburn president and CEO, told the magazine that the decision to invite the Russian pianists was inspired by the example of Van Cliburn himself. Especially for us, we were founded by this mans legacy who in 1958 won the Tchaikovsky in Moscow in the Cold War, Marquis explained. Van Cliburn himself brought people together through music. He was never talking about politics, but music; the love of music and how it can bring people all over the world together. Yes, we were born from this inspiration that music can bring people from all boundaries together, and we should not ban or discriminate on these premises. Predictably, the New York Times noted that while the Cliburn decision had been applauded in the art world, the decision has alienated some Ukrainian activists and Texas residents. Some argued that the only way to put pressure on Moscow to end the invasion is to cut political, economic and cultural ties. The Times spoke to the Rev. Pavlo Popov, pastor of a Ukrainian church in suburban Dallas, who argued that it was a shame that the Cliburn is not paying attention to human suffering and public opinion. In reality, the comments by the various musicians and competition officials are probably closer to ordinary public opinion than those of the warmongers and Ukrainian nationalists. They demonstrate a general decency and humanity absent from the endless media barrage about the current war. The barrage may be having an effect the opposite of the one intended. While the geopolitical issues are not widely grasped, there is a deep distrust of White House and Pentagon propaganda, after decades of lies and disinformation. More than 17 months after ex-President Donald Trump and his fascist supporters in the Republican Party attempted to overturn the election of Biden, a retired federal judge warned during Thursdays January 6 hearing that Trump and his allies would attempt to overturn that 2024 election in the same way that they attempted to overturn the 2020 election. This stark message was delivered by John Michael Luttig, who along with Greg Jacob, the White House lawyer to former Vice President Mike Pence, were the two in-person witnesses featured during the third day of hearings held by the January 6 Select Committee charged with investigating the attack on the Capitol. Michael Luttig, a retired federal judge who was an adviser to former Vice President Mike Pence, testifies as the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol holds a hearing at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, June 16, 2022.(AP Photo/Susan Walsh) Luttig, a lifelong Republican who was on former President George W. Bushs short list to be nominated to the Supreme Court, warned that Trump, his allies and supporters are a clear and present danger to American democracy. He added, To this very day, the former president, his allies and supporters pledge that in the presidential election of 2024if the former president or his anointed successor as the Republican Party presidential candidate were to lose that electionthat they would attempt to overturn that 2024 election in the same way that they attempted to overturn the 2020 election, but succeed in 2024 where they failed in 2020. Luttig, a former clerk for then-Judge Antonin Scalia, ended his statement and the hearing by stating: The former president and his allies are executing that blueprint for 2024 in open and plain view of the American public. Prior to the hearing, the January 6 committee revealed further details of Trumps plot. As part of Trumps efforts to stay in power, top Trump coup lawyer John Eastman corresponded with Virginia Ginni Thomas, wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. This follows revelations that Virginia Thomas texted with White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, urging Meadows to bring in far-right lawyer Sidney Powell and send Trumps political enemies to Guantanamo Bay. While the content of the emails has not been revealed, there is no question that they concerned Trumps efforts to remain in power. In previous text messages with Meadows, Virginia Thomas expressed her disgust at Pences unwillingness to overturn the Constitution. For the first time on Thursday, Thomas agreed to provide testimony to the January 6 committee, saying she hoped to clear up any misconceptions about her role in Trumps coup. Underscoring the danger of the attack on the Capitol, and at the same time, refuting claims that the attack was a spontaneous riot that just got out of hand, the committee cited a witnesss statement from a confidential informant as part of the seditious conspiracy case against five members of the Proud Boys militia group. The informant, known as Witness-1 in the documents, said that the Proud Boys were targeting Pence and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi during the attack on the Capitol, and that had they captured either of the politicians, it is likely they would have been killed. The committee revealed that when Trumps mob broke into the Capitol, they were at one point approximately 40 feet (~12 meters) away from Pence and his entourage who were fleeing the Senate chamber. Thursdays hearing, like the two that preceded it, was dominated by witnesses and testimony from Republicans. This is part of the Democratic Partys deliberate strategy to use the hearings to present the narrative of a sane Republican Party, in opposition to Trump and the crazies that include life-long Republican lawyers John Eastman and Rudolph Giuliani. Like Trumps second impeachment trial, Democrats and Republicans on the committee used their time to commend Pence for not doing something that was blatantly illegal and unconstitutional. Bennie Thompson (Mississippi-Democrat) began the hearing by reciting a quote from Pence. Ranking member of the committee Liz Cheney (Wyoming-Republican) in her opening comments played a video of Pence saying the exact same quote, portraying Pence as a valiant defender of democracy in contrast to his boss Trump. This false presentation ignores the fact that for over four years and up until January 6, 2021, as Trumps vice president, Pence dutifully followed Trumps lead. Following Bidens victory, Pence continued to back Trumps claims that the election was illegitimate, saying in a November 2020 speech to the Council for National Policy that he and Trump were going to keep fighting until every legal vote is counted and until every illegal vote is thrown out. During that speech before the powerful Republican think tank, which includes Virginia Thomas among its nine-member CNP Action board, Pence told members that we await the results of our election, even though the election had already been declared for Biden. Pence has refused to testify before the committee and has not spoken publicly on many aspects of Trumps coup, further protecting Trump and his co-conspirators. Nevertheless, this did not prevent the committee from anointing the former governor of Indiana as a paragon of democracy. The Democrats secured the presidency and control of both houses of Congress in the 2020 election. But they immediately proclaimed their desire for unity with the very Republican Party that had sought to carry out a coup. Biden declared, We need a strong Republican Party. Over the ensuing year and a half, the Democrats have systematically covered up the scale and significance of the January 6 coup attempt, seeking the support of the Republicans to carry out policies of mass infection and military aggression. This, in turn, has only emboldened the fascists that dominate the Republican Party. The ongoing revelations about the massive scale of the January 6 conspiracy and the warnings of yet another coup attempt by Trump make clear that working people cannot defend democratic rights through the mechanism of the Democratic Party. The struggle against dictatorship requires the independent mobilization of the working class on the basis of a socialist perspective. In a grave attack on democratic rights in Brazil, on June 1, Supreme Court (STF) Justice Alexandre de Moraes ordered the blocking of all social networks of the Workers Cause Party (PCO). The party was included in the so-called fake news inquiry duein the words of the Justiceto strong indications that the party infrastructure of the PCO, a political party that receives public funds, has been unduly and repeatedly used with the aim of enabling and boosting the propagation of criminal statements, through the partys own official profiles, posted on its website. In his decision, Moraes cites as examples of criminal practice demands published by the PCO, such as for the total dissolution of the court and for the election of judges with revocable mandates, as well as excerpts from the partys analyses such as The STF is a court created to defend the bourgeoisie and its interests. Justice Alexandre de Moraes at the STF plenary session, March 23, 2022. (Credit: Nelson Jr./SCO/STF) The excerpts quoted in Moraes order are taken precisely from the PCOs criticisms of the fake news inquiry in which it has now been included. In one of the last publications before the censorship order, the party criticized press reports that the Electoral Court (TSE) was preparing to disqualify candidates in the October general elections based on what it rules to be the dissemination of fake news. The PCO stated in a tweet, Alexandre de Moraes: candidates who spread fake news will be disqualified. In pursuit of a dictatorship, the robe-wearing skinhead shreds the right to freedom of speech, and prepares a new coup in the elections. The suppression of rights will always be turned against the workers! Dissolution of the STF! The passages quoted by Moraes make it clear that his fight against fake news is nothing more than a pretext to make illegal any form of questioning of Brazils capitalist state institutions, particularly any reference to the fact that the Courts stated goal of defending democracy does not correspond to its actual function in bourgeois society, which is essentially the validation of a system that denies the most fundamental rights of the working class. This attack by the STF represents a leap in a long offensive by the ruling class against democratic rights in Brazil. Responding to mounting social inequality and the intensification of the class struggle internationally, which places working class revolutionary struggles on the agenda, the Brazilian bourgeoisie is preparing for dictatorial repression of social opposition, beginning with the suppression of free speech on the internet. Moraes decision illegitimately equates the PCOs propagation of political demands to the systematic machinations of Bolsonaro and his fascist supporters to mount a coup detat and establish a presidential dictatorship in Brazil. Among the targets of the inquiry is legislative deputy and former Rio de Janeiro Military Police officer Daniel Silveira. Silveira was arrested by order of the Tribunal after advocating the implementation of legislation analogous to Institutional Act number 5 (AI-5), the most brutal act of the 1964-1985 military dictatorship, which annulled political parties, closed Congress, suspended habeas corpus, and invalidated the authority of the Court to curb the violence of the regime. Silveiras statements came in the midst of a broad campaign led by Bolsonaro to incite violence by far-right groups against the Court and the presidents political opponents. At the same time, Bolsonaro and his supporters were encouraging police riots against measures to fight the pandemic, and the president was coordinating from Planalto Palace statements by leading military figures intimidating the legislative and judiciary branches. By equating the organization of violent actions aimed at preparing a coup detat with political speech opposing the bourgeois political setup, the inquiry conducted by Moraes reveals that its purpose is not to defend Brazilian democracy. Rather, its goal, even as it attacks the fascist conspirators linked to Bolsonaro, is to preserve the political stability of the capitalist regime by eschewing even its most minimal democratic traits. Moraes decision treats the PCO with a severity not applied to the Bolsonaristas themselves. This is indicative of a dramatic shift to the right by the entire political establishment The key impetus for Moraes censorship offensive is the massive support provided to the courts inquiry and other authoritarian initiatives to combat fake news by the self-styled opposition to Bolsonaro, led by the Workers Party (PT). In 2018, the PT supported the attempt to nullify Bolsonaros election on the grounds that it had supposedly been the product of the mass spread of fake news through social media and the WhatsApp messaging app. The hysteria stirred up by the PT was such that its main pseudo-left ally, the Socialism and Liberty Party (PSOL), even asked the STF for the total suspension of WhatsApp across Brazil on the weekend of the second round of the elections, in order to stop the circulation of fake news. The actions of the PT and its allies directly mirror the reactionary opposition of the US Democratic Party to President Donald Trump, with whom Bolsonaro has identified politically. The Democrats mounted a campaign of neo-McCarthyism, seeking to purge the press and universities of Russian interferenceas they called any criticism of Washingtons geopolitical role and Americas stark social inequalityblaming it for the divisions in American society and the election of Trump. The Democrats fundamental concern was to cover up the deep roots of Trumps election in the decay of American bourgeois democracy and capitalism, with the aim of blocking a movement of working class opposition to the capitalist system as a whole. After four electoral victories that demonstrated its inability to solve the fundamental problems of the working class, the main party responsible for the reemergence of the far right in Brazil is the PT. It expressed all of its political cowardice by emulating the Democrats and placing the fake news narrative above any political accounting for its own bankruptcy. Bolsonaros rise from the depths of the fascist wing of the Brazilian military to the presidency, after he spent nearly a decade in the PT-led ruling coalition, was definitive proof of the fraud of the PTs proposals to slowly reform Brazilian capitalism into a welfare state and even democratic socialism. As in the US, the hysterical adoption of the fake news narrative was aimed at maintaining capitalist stability and suppressing the inescapable conclusion that decades of lies about reform only allowed time for the resurgence of the far right. The opening of the so-called fake news inquiry, just four months into the Bolsonaro government, represented the adoption of such a strategy by broad layers of the ruling elite concerned with the destabilizing effect of the presidents fascistic offensive. The probe was opened as a classified investigation by the Chief Justice at the time, Dias Toffoli. It was based upon an interpretation that the internal regulations of the Court allowed for the opening of investigations without formal charges being brought by other bodies when the targeted crime involved the Court itself. In this case, the court was the target of slanders by the far right, which encouraged violence against the ministers with more or less open support from Bolsonaro. Also based on these regulations, Toffoli handed over the leading role in the inquiry, without the usual rotation, to Moraes, the most right-wing of the STF judges. Moraes was appointed just one year after heading law enforcement in the state of Sao Paulo, including its murderous Military Police. He also led the Justice Ministry during an unprecedented intervention in the state of Rio de Janeiro that placed the civilian government under the control of a military intervenor. In a cowardly and opportunistic fashion, the PT-led opposition turned a blind eye to the fact that, once the inquiry was established, the STF arrogated to to itself the right to say what was true or false in any publication subject to Brazilian law. A stream of petitions to subject Bolsonaro and his supporters to the inquiry was the instinctive and obsessive reaction of the PT and the opposition as a whole. At the same time, in Congress, impeachment requests targeted Bolsonaros stimulation of national divisions. In other words, to every advance of Bolsonaros fascistic campaign, the opposition responded not with a defense of democracy, but rather a reactionary movement for the strengthening of the state. This has included the drive for broad censorship measures such as shutting down the operation of messaging apps and technology companies that do not sufficiently monitor their users and suppress content that the STF determines to be fake. The usefulness of the inquiry for Bolsonaros own political aims, due to its legal fragility, its political opportunism, and its authoritarian character, have not been missed by the president himself: both his solicitor general and his attorney general have voted in favor of the inquiry when requested to act to contain it. Actions based on the inquiry, such as the arrest of Daniel Silveira and PTB President Roberto Jefferson, were tirelessly extolled by the PT and the opposition as acts of great courage and defense of democracy, even as the Electoral Court and Congress increasingly bowed to Bolsonaros voter fraud narrative, voting massively for his ultimately failed printed ballot amendment or calling on the military to submit criticism of the balloting system in order to neutralize the Armed Forces alliance with Bolsonaro. The attack on the PCO, unprecedented since the fall of the military dictatorship in 1985, exposes all those who have encouraged and applauded the actions of the STF against Bolsonaro, calling them major levees against fascism, as co-responsible for the authoritarian drive in Brazil. While declaring our unrestricted opposition to Moraes authoritarian attack and defending the PCOs right to freedom of speech, the Socialist Equality Group (Brazil) maintains its fundamental political opposition to the PCO. Sharing its origins with the Argentinian Partido Obrero (Workers Party, PO) and the opportunist policies of the Lambertite renegades of the Fourth International in Latin America, the PCO established itself as an ultra-nationalist tendency of the Brazilian pseudo-left. The response of the party to the development of the world capitalist crisis has been an ever-deepening turn to reactionary bourgeois nationalism and the promotion of a nefarious alliance with the fascistic far-right. The PCOs reaction to Moraes attack was to reaffirm this policy of a red-brown alliance, seeking support from the most openly fascist elements of Bolsonaros political base, as well as from within the far-right media. One of the partys first responses to his censorship was to set up an interview of its president, Rui Costa Pimenta, with the Brazilian followers of Russian fascist theorist Alexander Dugin, extolled by the PCO as a nationalist channel attentive to the freedoms of speech, opinion and press. The PCOs political orientation to the extreme right coincides with the trajectory of different elements linked to petty-bourgeois radicalism around the world. Like Brazilian-based American journalist, Glenn Greenwald , the PCO was an open apologist for Donald Trumps attempted fascist coup on January 6, 2021, which serves as a model for Bolsonaros undisguised plans for an electoral coup. Pimenta characterized the invasion of the Capitol as a protest movement seeking to occupy a public building and declared that fascism is what they did to Trump. Drawing on the same reactionary arguments of the various petty-bourgeois libertarians who have turned to fascist forces, the PCO seeks to equate defending workers rights to free speech and organization to defending the freedom of fascists to organize and effectively impose a coup detat. Marxists maintain that the strengthening of the bourgeois state under the pretext of fighting fascism will ultimately be turned against the working class, and that only an independent political movement of the working class for socialism is capable of effectively confronting the authoritarian drive by the bourgeoisie. The PCO, in direct opposition to these principles, maintains that democratic rights can be defended through an alliance with the fascist extreme right against the bourgeois establishment. This blending of the party with openly fascist forces is quite conscious. In an interview with Folha de S. Paulo on February 18, Pimenta declared, when asked about the use of party material by the right wing: I think it is natural, it is a point of intersection that exists. Just as there are right-wing sectors that are nationalists. We also maintain that; we are anti-imperialist. In some cases, you could act in alliance with those sectors. As the PCO itself confesses through its president, the basis of such opportunistic politics is the nationalism adopted in common with sectors of the right. This is the same reactionary political axis that motivates the PCOs systematic orientation to the PT and its adulation of Lula. Behind the partys radical rhetoric, its political goals do not go beyond the defense of Brazilian capitalism. The PCOs response to the US-NATO proxy war against Russia in Ukraine also obeys the same law of submission to the interests of the Brazilian bourgeois state. While growing sections of the pseudo-left in Latin America and internationally align themselves unreservedly with NATOs war propaganda and the Ukrainian fascist forces that serve as its front line soldiers, the PCO saw a unique opportunity in advancing outright support for Putins reactionary military operation and far-right Russian chauvinism. For the PCO, the presumed ability of the Russian bourgeoisie to assert its national interests in the face of increasing intervention by US and European imperialism represents, also signals the viability of Brazilian capitalisms independent development. These hopeswhether in relation to Russia or Brazilare as false as they are reactionary. Confronting growing social inequality, the threat of dictatorship and the drift towards a new world warin other words the preservation and development of humanitycomes down to the ability of the working class to organize itself as a world force and establish socialism internationally. This political perspective is advocated exclusively by the International Committee of the Fourth International (CIQI) and its Brazilian section in formation, the GSI. The following greetings were delivered by David North on behalf of the International Committee of the Fourth International and the SEP in the US to the Third National Congress of the SEP in Sri Lanka held from May 14 to May 16. Dear comrades, Please allow me to extend to your Third Congress the warmest revolutionary greetings from the International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI) and the Socialist Equality Party in the US. It is hardly necessary for me to state that your Congress is being held under the most extraordinary circumstances. In our view, not only do you confront within Sri Lanka a political crisis with unprecedented dimensions. That crisis itself is unfolding within the greatest global crisis of world capitalism since the end of the World War II. David North In the present circumstances, the Congress is not an occasion merely for commenting on the events happening outside of it. The party leadership, every delegate, must clearly understand, as I am sure you do, that all the discussions are invested with an immense and immediate political and historical content. Therefore, the fundamental challenge that this Congress confronts is to clearly define the attitude of the Sri Lankan section of the IC to the immense and decisive global events, and, of course, to the developing revolutionary crisis within Sri Lanka. In this sense, the Congress that you are holding has many similarities to the Congress of the Bolshevik Party in April 1917, the first Congress held following the return of Lenin to Russia amid a revolutionary crisis. In the midst of a global war, the party had to define its political orientation, program and perspective. Lenin reoriented the Bolshevik Party based on the Theory of Permanent Revolution, previously developed by Trotsky, which set the course of the Bolshevik Party on the path of revolution and state power. In determining the policy of the party in Sri Lanka, we understand that it is necessary to place this crisis within its international context. Even under the conditions of immense crisis within Sri Lanka, our starting point is never the national, but rather the international framework. This is because it is only within the framework of the international context of the crisis in Sri Lanka that it is possible to arrive at and sustain the necessary revolutionary orientation for the working class. The US/NATO war is acquiring ever more nakedly an imperialist character. It is a war of imperialist gangsters led by the US, whose aim is essentially the destruction of Russia and its incorporation as a semi-colony into the global structure of US-led imperialism. This is a war which was anticipated, predicted, and foreseen by the IC. At previous party congresses we have frequently spoken about the drive to war. Now the war has begun. The imperialists are not driving to world war. They have fired the first shots of that war. This is not a minor episode that will soon pass. It is an initiation of a fundamental reorienting of global politics. What the great Marxists of the past referred to as the redivision of the world is presently underway. The outcome of this war, however, will not be decided merely on the plane of military action between the combatants, which are the US, the major European powers and their client states organized within NATO, on one side, and the reactionary capitalist regime in Russia that emerged from the breakup of the USSR in 1991, on the other. The aim of the US and European imperialists is to use this war to accelerate the disintegration of Russia in its present form and facilitate the takeover of the fragments that emerge from the breakup. But beyond this conflict is the more fundamental confrontation between the imperialists and the international working class. And on this basis of this analysis, we can now understand the significance of the crisis within Sri Lanka itself. As in every war waged by imperialism, the conflict over Ukraine was initiated with a barrage of lies that formed the foundation of false propaganda. If we are to believe the narrative that is being broadcast in all imperialist media, the war is simply the product of the decision taken in February by the Putin government in Russia to attack peaceful, innocent Ukraine. This narrative is whipped up with lies and cannot withstand any objective analysis. At the May Day rally recently held by the IC, we reviewed in detail statements made by the IC and the WSWS at previous rallies, which clearly anticipated the events that are now taking place. I would like to reference another article written by my comrade Bill Van Auken on April 24, 2014. The title of this article was Does Washington want war with Russia? It was written in response to the tensions that were intensified by the coup detat organized by the US and Germany in February 2014: Does Washington want a war with Russia? A review of recent US actions surrounding the crisis in Ukraine clearly poses what would have once seemed an unthinkable question. The Obama administration is playing a very dangerous game of Russian Roulette. In the last 48 hours, the Pentagon has announced the deployment of US paratrooper units to Poland and the three former Baltic republics of the Soviet UnionEstonia, Latvia and Lithuaniabringing US troops to Russias very border. Another American warship has been dispatched to the Black Sea and more US forces are slated to deploy to Ukraine itself this summer under an exercise known as Operation Rapid Trident. These military moves by Washington are unfolding in the context of an acute crisis within Ukraine that, thanks to the machinations of Washington and its puppets, threatens to erupt into full-blown civil war. Less than one week after signing a joint statement with Russia, the US and the European Union in Geneva pledging to end all violence in Ukraine and disarm illegal groups, the US puppet regime in Kiev has ordered its military to carry out an anti-terrorist crackdown against the restive Russian-speaking population in the countrys industrial southeast. To that end it has dispatched not only troops, tanks and warplanes, but also armed thugs from the neo-fascist Right Sector. The Putin government in Moscow, which has desperately searched for an accommodation with Washington, appears to be waking up to the deadly seriousness of the situation. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned in an English-language interview with the state-run RT television channel Wednesday that his government would treat an attack on Russian citizens in Ukraine as an attack on Russia itself Every word in this statement written eight years ago has been substantiated. Now, however, the US and European powers are playing Russian Roulette at an even more dangerous level. They are even preparing for a thermonuclear conflict with Russia in pursuit of their agenda of global hegemony and the imperialist redivision of the world. I could quote many other statements made by the IC. However, I think the document that is more relevant for the present-day orientation of our partys work is the WSWS statement posted at the very beginning of 2020, which stated that this will be the decade of the world socialist revolution. Just a few months before this statement, at the 2019 Summer School of the Socialist Equality Party in the US, we stated that the fifth stage of the history of the Trotskyist movement had begun, and that it would be characterized by the direct struggle of our movement to win the leadership of the working class. We said that this is a period in the history of the Trotskyist movement that is characterized by the direct and immediate intersection of the struggle waged by the IC and the growing movement of the working class. There is no question that this analysis of the objective situation and its relationship to the history and practice of the ICFI has been profoundly and irrefutably vindicated. It is worth recalling that within only a few weeks of the publication of our statement at the beginning of 2020, the world was confronted with the sudden outbreak of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Precisely because the IC had correctly evaluated the crisis of global capitalism, we were able to recognize, almost immediately, that this was not only a public health crisis. This was a crisis that would have the most far-reaching social, political, and economic consequences. And we defined the pandemic as a trigger event that would intensify and escalate all the contradictions of global capitalism. The pandemic exposed the contradiction between the imperialist-dominated nation state system and the fundamental reality of world economy and global interconnectedness. It also exposed the completely irreconcilable antagonism between the private ownership of the means of production and finance and the social nature of production. The capitalist system and the governments that preside over it are completely incapable of responding to a global crisis of this magnitude. All the decisions related to the pandemic were and are determined not on the basis of the needs of people and protecting human lives, but solely on the basis of what will increase the wealth of the ruling elites. We can all see the consequences of the policies they have pursued. The IC defined the pandemic as a trigger event. And we can say at this point that the trigger has clearly been pulled in Ukraine. World imperialismand most explosively in its center, the United Statesfaces an unprecedented combination of social, political, and economic crises. In many studies of World War I and World War II, the most perceptive historians noted that both wars began under conditions of extreme and mounting internal domestic crisis. There is no question that World War I was to a great extent triggered by the anxiety of the ruling elites over intensifying social conflicts within their own countries. It is well-known that the apparently mad policies pursued by the Nazi regime and the launching of war in 1939 were a response to an intractable internal crisis for which Hitler had no solution except war and mass murder. In relation to the present situation, how else can one explain the willingness of the American and European ruling classes to take the incredible risk of provoking war with Russia, knowing full well that the crisis can escalate into a nuclear war? This level of recklessness is bound up with the extremity of internal crisis confronting all capitalist countries, the most extreme expression of which has been the complete incapacity and unwillingness to deal with a pandemic that has claimed an extraordinary number of human lives. Notwithstanding the violence within Ukraine, the daily death toll from the war does not begin to approach the number of people who are dying each day all over the world as a consequence of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Finally, I will comment on one critical point that relates to the actions of the Russian government itself. We reject and oppose the policies of the Putin government. We analyze these policies in the context of the historical consequences of the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, the culmination of the Stalinist betrayal of the October Revolution. At the time, the justification given by the Stalinists for this reactionary decision was that the return of Russia to capitalism would bestow upon Russia great wealth and would open up a path to a blossoming of bourgeois democracy. Moreover, by repudiating the supposedly outmoded class-struggle doctrines of Marxism, it would be possible to integrate Russia peacefully into the capitalist community of nations. All these illusions have been comprehensively and totally exposed. The dissolution of the USSR has led to a catastrophe. The war itself has produced a disaster for the Russian masses and even threatens the outbreak of a full scale global nuclear war. We do not attribute to Putins actions any progressive character whatsoever. In fact, not only does the present crisis confirm the analysis made by the IC of the dissolution of the Soviet Union, but it also demonstrates once again the impossibility of resolving any of the great global problems faced by mankind on the basis of policies driven by national considerations. The same is true for China itself. We have acknowledged and argued that the Chinese government is the only government that responded in anyway appropriately to the outbreak of the pandemic. China demonstrated that it was indeed possible to adopt a policy of Zero-COVID and prevent a massive loss of life. Indeed, compared to all other countries, the scale of death has been remarkably contained within China. However, that very achievement has also exposed the fundamental flaw of the strategy and the policy of the Chinese regime and its program of capitalist restoration. It is becoming ever clearer that not only it is impossible in the long term to contain the virus within one country, but at the same time the correct public health policies pursued by the Chinese regime are also intensifying its conflict with the major imperialist powers. It is not possible to pursue a correct public health policy to combat the deadly virus on a purely national level. American and European imperialism are making it very clear that they will not accept the continuation of the Zero-COVID policy within China. This policy is seen as destructive to capitalist interests all over the world. Enormous pressure is being brought to bear upon China to alter its policy. It is well understood that if China abandoned its policy of Zero-COVID, it would lead to a massive growth of infections and deaths. Within months of abandoning Zero-COVID, it has been estimated that China would lose about as many as one and a half million of its citizens to the virus. This Congress must confirmas it is developing its response to the present crisis within Sri Lankathat the solution to the crisis depends upon a global strategy of internationally-directed class struggle and world socialist revolution. And because our party has opposed every form of bourgeois nationalism and bourgeois separatism within Sri Lanka and Eelam, it has prepared the Sinhala and Tamil working class to develop its unified struggle based on a global perspective. The class struggle is intensifying in every part of the world, particularly within the US itself. American capitalism is not invincible. American capitalism is torn by internal crisis, and there are innumerable signs that the American working class is undergoing a process of profound radicalization. We are confident that it will be possible to win the American working class to the program of World Socialist Revolution. I want to stress this because it must be a source of encouragement to the working class all over the world. Within the center of world imperialism, a revolutionary crisis is developing. We are convinced that in the period directly ahead, these struggles within the United States will become the catalytic force in the growth of the revolutionary movement of the working class all over the world. These are not separate struggles. These are combined struggles. In fact, as we meet, in your congress in Sri Lanka today, we are witnessing the fullest clarification of Trotskys Theory of Permanent Revolution, which remains the great strategic perspective for our movement and the international working class. Thank you very much comrades for your attention. In its third day of hearings, the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol narrowed in on two opposing figures that day: John Eastman, the lawyer who helped Donald Trump craft a plan to overturn the election, and Mike Pence, the vice president who refused to play along. In both live and recorded testimony, attorneys, aides and other people in Trumps orbit on Jan. 6 last year defended Pences actions and accused Eastman of wreaking havoc on American democracy. Here are some of the most notable moments from Thursdays hearing. Eastman told Trump their plan was illegal, a Pence aide said. Greg Jacob, who was Pences legal counsel at the time of the Capitol riot, told the committee Thursday that Eastman made it very clear to Trump that the plan theyd crafted to overturn the election was illegal. I believe he did on the 4th, two days before the riot, Jacob said of Eastmans conversation with Trump about rejecting the official slates of state electors in order to stop the elections certification by Congress on Jan. 6. Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.), vice chair of the select committee, said of Eastman: He knew the outcome he wanted, and he saw a way to go forward if he simply pretended that fake electors were real. A memo he wrote asserting that Pence could declare Trump the winner was false, and Dr. Eastman knew it was false. In other words, it was a lie, she said. Eastman knew the other legislative branches would dismantle their scheme. In a December 2020 email the committee presented, Eastman acknowledged that his and Trumps plan to use alternative electors in the certification would be dead on arrival if presented before Congress. Jacob said Thursday that Eastman privately acknowledged to him that if Pence did what he was asking him to do and the matter went before the U.S. Supreme Court, they would lose 9-0. However, Jacob said Eastman didnt think the matter would end up before the highest court. Story continues Jacob said he asked Eastman to consider the absurdity of what he was suggesting, reminding him that Al Gore was vice president when he lost the presidential election to George W. Bush in 2000: If you were right, dont you think Al Gore might have liked to have known in 2000 that he had authority to just declare himself president of the United States? Jacob summarized Eastmans response as: Al Gore did not have the basis to do it in 2000. Kamala Harris shouldnt be able to do it in 2024. But I think you should to it today. Greg Jacob, left, former counsel to Vice President Mike Pence, and J. Michael Luttig, a former federal judge, appear before the House select committee hearing on the events leading up to the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol. (Photo: Bill Clark via Getty Images) Greg Jacob, left, former counsel to Vice President Mike Pence, and J. Michael Luttig, a former federal judge, appear before the House select committee hearing on the events leading up to the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol. (Photo: Bill Clark via Getty Images) Eastman reportedly shrugged off the possibility of inciting a riot. The committee played testimony from Eric Herschmann, a lawyer and former senior adviser to Trump, who said Eastman cared little about the barbarity his plan could unleash. Youre going to cause riots in the streets, Herschmann recalled telling Eastman, who allegedly replied: Theres been violence in our history to protect the republic. Eastman asked for a pardon after the attack. After all hell broke loose, Eastman sought a way out. Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.), who led Thursdays hearing, said Eastman wrote an email to Rudy Giuliani, another one of Trumps lawyers, a few days after Jan. 6 asking for help avoiding legal repercussions. Ive decided that I should be on the pardon list, if that is still in the works, wrote Eastman. He also invoked his Fifth Amendment right to not incriminate himself 100 times during his testimony, the committee said. Despite Trumps claims otherwise, Pence allegedly told him many times he disagreed with him. Pences onetime chief of staff, Marc Short, told the committee that Pence informed the president many times that he didnt have the power to overturn the election and that it would be illegal for him to try to do so. That contradicts statements made by Trump, who said before the insurrection that he and Pence were in total agreement that the Vice President has the power to act. Pence has never indicated that to be true. Jacob also said Thursday that Trumps claims were false. We were shocked and disappointed because whoever had written and put that statement out, it was categorically untrue, Jacob said. Weeks before the riot, Pence thought he didnt have the power to overturn the vote, his aide said. Jacob shared that in early December, he and Pence discussed whether the 12th Amendment gave him the power to overturn the election and that Pences first instinct was that it did not. Jacob said he agreed and put together a memo stating that, adding at Thursdays hearing that its just common sense that the Constitutions framers would never have put in the hands of one person the authority to determine who was going to be the president. Trump snapped at Pence in the heat of their Jan. 6 disagreement, according to Ivanka Trump. In video testimony from Trumps daughter Ivanka Trump, who served as one of the presidents advisers, she said her father had a profanity-laden call with Pence as the events unfolded on Jan. 6 The conversation was ... was pretty heated. It was a different tone than Id heard him take with the vice president before, she recalled in the testimony aired Thursday, adding that he used the p-word. Nicholas Luna, a former assistant to Trump, said in his testimony: I remember hearing the word wimp. Either he called him a wimp I dont remember if he said, You are a wimp, youll be a wimp. Wimp is the word I remember. A video of Ivanka Trump's deposition is screened by the House select committee Thursday. (Photo: Bill Clark via Getty Images) A video of Ivanka Trump's deposition is screened by the House select committee Thursday. (Photo: Bill Clark via Getty Images) The mob got dangerously close to Pence. Aguilar said that the committees investigation found that the crowd of rioters were within 40 feet of Pence inside the Capitol at one point. Approximately 40 feet. Thats all there was. Forty feet between the vice president and the mob, he said. Make no mistake about the fact that the vice presidents life was in danger. The committee also played videos of the mob chanting, Hang Mike Pence. The crowd surged when Trump tweeted his anger at Pence. Aguilar also said they found evidence that the mob got more out of control when Trump tweeted mid-riot: Mike Pence didnt have the courage to do what should have been done, referring to his refusal to throw out the election results. Our investigation found that immediately after the presidents 2:24 p.m. tweet, the crowds both outside the Capitol and inside the Capitol surged, Aguilar said, adding that Pence then had to be moved to a secure location. The committee aired testimony from White House staffers who said that was exactly what they feared might happen. Deputy press secretary Sarah Matthews said that after staff urged Trump to tweet something that would calm the crowd, he instead tweeted his attack on Pence. The situation was already bad, so it felt like he was pouring gasoline on the fire by tweeting that, she said. A Pence adviser said he believes Trump remains a threat to democracy. Retired federal judge J. Michael Luttig, who served as a legal adviser to Pence before the Capitol riot, said at the hearing Thursday that he was still very worried about Trumps influence, calling him, his allies and supporters a clear and present danger to American democracy because of their stated plans to overturn the 2024 presidential elections if Trump runs and loses again. Our democracy today is on a knifes edge, he said. Had Pence done that Trump wanted of him, Luttig also said, it wouldve been the first constitutional crisis since the founding of the republic. This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated. Related... Photo credit: Ohman: Raya Jade; Olsen: Angela Ricciardi Theres an argument to be made that all artfiction or otherwiseis on some level an artist encountering herself. In her sixth studio album, Big Time, Angel Olsen works through grief and pleasurethe pain of losing both her parents, two months apart, after having experienced the joy of coming out to them as queer. She recently joined a Zoom call with debut novelist Jules Ohman, whose book, Body Grammar, follows Lou, a teenage model thrust into the world of fashion, all while navigating loss and queer love. In a conversation moderated by novelist Rebecca Sacks, Jules and Angel talk art, sex, and heartbreak. REBECCA SACKS: First of all, mazal tov to both of you for making art during the pandemic. Youve created work that gives the audience so much pleasure while working through some painful stuff. I lost myself in Jules book, reading on my patio with my dog for hours; and Ive been driving around L.A. listening to Angels album, feeling blissed out. It made me think of how distress can lead us to createand how it can also lead to an experience thats pleasurable for an audience. ANGEL OLSEN: [The way I] approach writing is I will change a few things from what happened. Ive often asked myself, am I creating chaos in my world? Or is it the way that I see through this? My most recent record is probably the most intimate, honest, unguarded thing that Ive done. Its the first time Im sharing my actual life, or the actual events that inspired the songs. Jules, youve written about coming to identify as queer through your writing. I think that I have, too, but in a different way. Its like all my fans kind of knew before me. Are you inspired by real events in your life? JULES OHMAN: I am very much a fiction writer. That essay was the first time I had written nonfiction in a decade, and it felt like I was accessing a different emotional space. [But like Lou, Body Grammars protagonist,] I was a model in high school. I was a terrible model. I couldnt walk the runway. I was very awkward and shy. They couldve only wanted me for my body, because there was nothing else. I was very closeted and kind of unable to move within that world. I had to present a certain way: wear high heels and move in a feminine way. Obviously, there have been models celebrated for their androgynyeven when I was doing it. But I wasnt one of them. Story continues Photo credit: Courtesy of the subject Ultimately, Lou is not me, but I certainly had to create me as a 19-year-old, as a characteran exaggerated version of myself at that age, set now-ish, since I graduated from high school in 2009, when nobody was talking about being queer. I work a lot with teenagers now, and, at least in Portland, Oregon, a lot of them are like, This is how I identify. The internet put up so much for them. We had the internet, but we didnt AO: We didnt have the tools or the language. I think Gen Z is allowed to talk about their feelings. Our generation was like, Okay, we can talk a little bit about your feelings, but not too much. And now Gen Z is like, Lets practice nonviolent communication. Lets ask everyone their pronouns. There are aspects of it where I think, Oh no, the world still doesnt function like this! And Im worried for these young people, but then I remember that they are the world, that theyre going to change the world. JO: I was 22 when I started writing this booka version of it anyway. Its been redone a million times. But back then we were pre-gay marriage, pre- a lot of language that now exists. And I was writing into characters who had accepted themselves or who felt confident in queerness in a way that, honestly, felt like a fantasy when I was writing it. But I said to myself, No one is gonna come out in the story. Like, Im just gonna fucking write it. And now there are so many novels like that. Its the norm. People have created that reality. But I tried to make every character in the book queer that I could, because Ive read so many books where theres one queer character that I read the book for. But actually, most queer people are surrounded by other queer people. Because its fun. RS: So you were deliberately trying to avoid a coming-out narrative with queer characters, and at the time you were writing it, that felt revolutionary? Or at least, not done? JO: There were novelists who were writing books with queer characters where it wasnt a coming-out narrative. But in terms of the stuff that was a little bit more mainstream, there just wasnt that much really. Now theres kind of an abundance thats amazing to be in the landscape of, just as a reader. The three of us are all in our thirtiesI feel this weird distance between what our years of adolescence wouldve been like culturally and how much has changed. I had emotional whiplash over it for years. Like you said, Angel, about your fans knowing: Why was it more evident to them and not evident to you, you know? Photo credit: Angela Ricciardi AO: Maybe its the way I hold my character. I think its probably the way that I hold myself. I dunno. I do think that there is a certain kind of neutrality and openness in writing. For me, I would often kind of hide, being like, Well, Im just writing for human beings, you know? Im not gayIm just trying to connect with people. I think people are afraid to say the word gay. When I came out, I was like, I need to use the word gay. But I am attracted to writers that, whether or not they are queer, are unorthodox in their confidence and neutrality. I really love Joan Didion, Rachel Cusk, Clarice Lispector. Before My Brilliant Friend was this big HBO series, I was trying to get everyone to read Elena Ferrante. It was as if a part of myself had been sleeping. Not that I would write anything like that, but it woke something up in me. I was like, This is like how I walk around all the timewith inner monologues about my hetero relationships and who I am to this person, and at the end of the day, just trying to look cute. And so it was really inspiring for me to hear I wasnt alone. I dont know if those writers identify as queer, but there is a feeling of Im disappointed in these structures, whether or not Im queer. RS: Did you find the pandemic played a role? Are you and I both pandemic queers, Angel? People who came out during the pandemic? AO: It started with tour actually, before the pandemic. I was on tour with someone who had been my friend for seven years. I saw this person grow up. I remember meeting them when they had braided Willie Nelson pigtails, and now theyre non-binary. I saw them when they were a different person. Or, they were the same person, but they were exploring something in themselves. And I was a completely different person, also in drag, just trying to make it work within my little world. And then on tour I was like, why cant I just hang out with them? Theyre my friend. Why is it weird right now? Like, they wanna get coffee with me before the show, and Im like, I cant do it. I have to cancel. I was running. Literally, I said, I cant, Im gonna run. And then I was like, Why do I need to run right now? Why is this so hard for me? Eventually I said something kind of drunkenly, like, I have a crush on you. It was the week before the end of tour. And they were just like, Dont say that if you dont feel it. Its scary coming out late. I was inexperienced. Id had very minor experiences, and I was scared to be judged, or scared that I wouldnt know what to do. And then it would be embarrassing for the other person to have to teach me. But what I realized is that everybody is different, and youre always learning and exploring with that person for the first time. Everybody has a different language when it comes to sex. So I stopped feeling small and scared about it. Also, I will say the coolest part of that experience is just thinking that you know someone for so many yearsand yourself for so many yearsand then one day you realize youre not the same and neither are they, and you can have a connection like that. RS: This is reminding me of a friendship in Jules book. The main character, Lou, is always being noticedthis tall, androgynous teen. But there are so few people who actually know her. Her oldest friend, Ivy, is a musician, who also goes on tour. JO: Some people have been frustrated by the relationship between Lou and Ivy, where its kind of stop, start, stop, start, stop, start. RS: Okay, but Im sorry: Have they ever been gay? Ive been on a third date, and I still wasnt sure if it was a date. JO: Thats what one of my best friends was saying! You think its frustrating to read? Try being a queer teenager or a queer person of any age. RS: But maybe something that ties together these narratives is how being seen is not always the same as being visible. And being visible isnt always safe. And if love is a state of knowledge, its powerful to come to know yourself through someone that youve known for a long timesomeone whos witnessed you change. I came out during the pandemic. When I came out as gay to my parents, I was so serious that they thought I was going to tell them I was pregnant. AO: Pregnant with change, pregnant with my hidden identity. RS: Right, I just gave birth to myself. And then I thought I was done, because the way coming out narratives are often depicted, its like you articulate who you are. And then youre finished. But later, I came out as nonbinary. AO: Youre never finished. RS: Right? AO: I could end up with a cisgendered dude one day. Who knows? I have no idea. But I was hiding this part of myself, and right now, its hard to imagine going back. JO: I think you can present yourself to the people who know you really well, and all of your intimate relationships, in a specific way. But when you put a piece of art out into the world, people are going to say about it whatever they say about it, and, like, listening to the album, Angel, it felt queer. Photo credit: Angela Ricciardi AO: I dont wake up and think, All my songs are about my identity as a queer person. But I am a queer person who is writing these songs. Im trying to chisel my way through this experience and find the words to uncover it for myself. I feel like Ive tried to keep things vague for so long, and this album is the most straightforward. But without knowing the context, you wouldnt ever know that Big Time was something I wrote with my partner at the time. Would you call it a gay song if you hadnt known that? But it is a song about queer love and falling in love with this person. After my first queer breakup, I had all of these childhood memories come back. And I realized that because I had been so honest with myself, it was so much harder losing this person than anybody else I had ever connected with. It was like my first break up because I was being my true self. JO: That is what I mean by Big Time feeling like a queer record to me. When I had my first adult relationship with another queer person, I felt like it was the first time I was falling in love. It was the first time I was having real feelings. When I had my first relationship with a woman, I was like, Are you fucking kidding me? Like, this is how its supposed to be? This is how people feel? For real? It totally wrecks you. I have friends right now who are going through this. Queer adolescence is a real thingthat coming-of-age can happen when youre 50, it can happen when youre 30. Were always coming into that, and the pain is so real. I was listening to the record, walking around in rainy Portland the last few days. I just felt very hit by this line in the title track that goes, Guess I had to be losing to get here on time. And I was like, Fuck, if thats not a feeling of how its okay to have ended up here now. Because I think a lot of people feel a sense of like, Why didnt I do this sooner? RS: I really relate to what Angel said about that fear of inexperiencethat at a certain point, it might be too late. That maybe I was only capable of giving certain kinds of pleasure, maybe I could never be a real lover to anyone but a cis man, you know? I felt this fear of being exposed as some kind of fraud. AO: Well, I thought I was being true to myself before. I think I did connect with those people. Im not gonna write those relationships off. But my therapist was like, Because you are being really true to yourself, its almost like going home for the first time. And theres someone there who sees you and welcomes you. Then they leave, and its like your home isnt safe anymore. I was heartbroken before, and then I fell in love again, and I fell in love even deeper with my second partner. It showed me that the deeper that you go, yes, you can get hurt and left behind and broken down, but you learn how to experience things deeper because of those losses. And I feel really grateful to them, even though they are so fucking exhausting, because they have expanded my ability to hold space for bigger things. More expansive, bigger love. And to hold it in myself. RS: Do you both feel that art emerges from grief? JO: I started writing the draft that ended up being the book, more or less, in the summer of 2020. My grandmother who I was super close with had passed away the previous summer. It had been like a year since she died, and I was still very much in grief about her. Also, we were amidst the largest amount of grief on the planet since Ive been alive. That was all kind of compounding. I think what I wanted to do, when I sat down to write every day, was occupy a space of beauty and pleasure and love. The book turned way more in that direction than it previously had. I was able to expand into a place of creatingcreating an experience for myself first, where it was a comfort to enter that space every day. The book is a fantasy of teenagers being queer and hanging out in the fashion industry, which is kind of a bizarre place. It was the most lush landscape I could imagine. And I wanted to live in it for just a few hours a day, because everything else was so real and so difficult to process. I couldnt watch anything or read anything that was more than a romcom. I just stayed in the space of pleasure. Its interesting when other people read Body Grammar and are like, Oh, this is a book about grief, whereas I genuinely thought this was a book about joy and pleasure. AO: You were escaping into the world of the novel during the pandemic. And the pandemic has its own grief. But maybe it inspired you to make those experiences more meaningful as well? JO: A hundred percent. In Big Time, there are little moments of dialogue, stuff that feels of the world of fiction or prose. Like, you have to fully occupy that scene yourself, and really think about how peoples bodies are in the space. When people are having sex or hugging or just being near each other, how does that feel? Writing it felt like self preservation to me, because it was like, the only person Ive touched in six months is the person living with me. Thats what made it so much more vivid, because theres so much desire therethat was something I was missing. AO: As you started accepting your queer identity through your writing, what are some of the works that inspired you? JO: Thats a great question. And I really want to talk to you about Ferrante, because Im totally obsessed with her, and I totally read those books as queer. That interiority and closeness with another person. Id never seen it articulated like that before, and it blew my mind. AO: I am curious about Anne Goldstein because she translated all of them in English. So theres a part of me thats like, Hmm. Maybe I should read some more Anne Goldstein. RS: I really loved the wording you used earlier, Angel, about sensing a certain disappointment in Ferrantes Neapolitan Novelsdisappointment with patriarchal structures. It makes me think of how being in the pandemic, and getting a chance to imagine myself outside of certain structures, helped me come out. JO: I know a lot of people who have come out in the pandemic. I was part of the wave of pandemic proposals. There was a period of time in which people were getting engaged, and now all of those weddings are happening. At that point I had been with my partner for a long timeit wasnt like we met in the pandemic and then got married, although respect to whoever does: I get it, I really get it. But there was a feeling of, like you said, lifting of structures. Even just people being like, What are your pronouns on zoom? It was a space in which you could make decisions at almost a slower pace because everything was kind of at a remove. [It became clear to me] that I wanted to be with this person for as long as we can [make it work], for as long as it is good. RS: Were you married recently? JO: In October, in the Arboretum in Portland. AO: I would love to get married, even if it ends. I just love ceremony. I love the commitment. So Im not against marriage. Im just scared that if I try to marry someone, theyll run or Ill run. JO: Ive felt that way too. My wife is a musician [Jess Jones, who records as Sand Duney.], and I think the central part of our relationship in the pandemic was being able to go into our parts of the house for significant periods of the dayIm in our attic right now, and she has a basement recording studio. AO: Its really important to have a separate life. JO: It takes some of the pressure off of your relationship being the main thing. Its like, well, my relationship is to my writing, and her relationship is to her guitar or songwriting. Those are individual spheres, but then its really interesting to be able to connect over that. AO: I always thought maybe I could live in one house and the other person could live down the street. Theyll have the dogs and Ill have the cat, you know? And we can have sleepovers, but we have this space to be ourselves. RS: My ex-girlfriend bought a house in my neighborhood, which is now pretty awkward. But Jules, youre saying that youre in the attic and shes in the basement, and then you meet in the middle? JO: Yeah. AO: I love that. This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity. You Might Also Like Former president Bill Clinton says he has never been as worried about the fate of US democracy than he is right now. I actually think there is a fair chance we could completely lose our constitutional democracy for a couple of decades if we make bad decisions, Mr Clinton told Late Late Show host James Corden in an episode airing Thursday. I am not naive about this. I have been in a lot of fights. I have lost some and won a bunch. I have been elated and heartbroken. But I have never before been as worried about the structure of our democratic form of government. However, the former president said he hoped America would come to its senses soon. But so far, every time we were faced with our own undoing, our conscience kicked in and we stepped away from the brink, he added. And that is kind of what I think will happen here but I dont know when or how. Meanwhile, we should just be vigilant, stand up for what we believe in, and dont return hatred with hatred. The warning came as Congress continues its hearings about the January 6 insurrection at the US Capitol. So far the hearings have showed how Donald Trump and others like Ginni Thomas , the spouse of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, pressed forward with efforts to overturn the election result even as Mike Pence warned it was unconstitutional , White House attorneys called the plan completely crazy , advisers told the president he hadnt won, and Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani was allegedly drunk on election night , which he denies. Though the events of January 6 are under a microscope in Washington, its clear that Mr Trumps repeated, false insistence that the 2020 election was stolen has caught on. More than 100 GOP primary election winners have endorsed these false, baseless claims . Civil rights experts have been warning that US democracy is in a fragile state, as acute issues like the Capitol riot and Mr Trumps election lies collide with deeper problems like racial inequality and gerrymandering. Story continues In 2021, the US sank to a new low in Freedom Houses democracy rankings, putting it on par with nations like Panama, Romania and Croatia and well below wealthier peer countries like like the United Kingdom and Chile. Its significant for Americans and its significant for the world, because the United States is such a prominent, visible democracy, one that is looked to for so many reasons, Sarah Repucci, Freedom Houses vice-president for research and analysis, told The Guardian . Were really concerned about these longer-term challenges that arent going to be addressed with quick fixes, that were kind of highlighted during the Trump administration and, in some cases, taken advantage of, by that administration. she added. A change of president is not gonna make them go away. A similar study from December 2021, by the think tank International IDEA, labelled the US a backsliding democracy, part of a global trend towards more authoritarian governance. Dr. Barry Diener and Ilana Diener hold their three-year-old son, Hudson, during an appointment for a Moderna COVID-19 vaccine trial in Commack, New York, on November 30, 2021. AP Photo/Emma Tobin An FDA panel voted unanimously to endorse COVID-19 vaccines for babies and kids over 6 months old. The CDC still needs to decide to recommend the Pfizer and Moderna shots. First doses could be available starting next week. A US Food and Drug Administration panel just voted unanimously "yes" for two baby-sized COVID vaccines. The independent panel of experts advising the agency expressed confidence that Moderna's two-dose shot and Pfizer's three-dose shot is safe, effective, and beneficial for youngsters as little as 6 months old. Their assessment is based on available data from the two companies, which collectively trialed their vaccines in more than 8,000 young children, as well as independent data analyses from FDA scientists. The move sets up shots to begin going into the arms of little kids and babies nationwide as early as next week, pending vaccine authorization from the FDA and a final recommendation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which is expected this weekend. Panel member Dr. Jay Portnoy from Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri, and several other members of the FDA committee stressed that while parents don't have to vaccinate their young kids against COVID, providers owe it to the parents who do want vaccines for their kids to give them the option. "Every pediatrician that I know at our hospital has been waiting eagerly for this vote to occur because they can't wait to start giving this vaccine," he said during the meeting. "For preventing severe disease, hospitalization, and emergency visits, this vaccine is very effective. It's also very safe to use." Parents have been waiting months for a vaccine Many parents have been eagerly awaiting a vaccine for their babies and toddlers for over six months. Vaccines for kids 5 and up have been available since early November, making children under 5 the last remaining group that's not vaccine-eligible in the US yet. "We hear very much from parents how desperate they are," Dr. Peter Marks, who directs the FDA's center where vaccines are evaluated, said during a May webinar with doctors. Story continues More than 400 children under the age of 4 have died from COVID during the pandemic, and their rates of hospitalization and death (while still low compared to adults) surpass those of older, vaccine-eligible kids. "Hundreds of deaths are just not it's just not we don't consider that acceptable in any way, shape, or form," Marks said. Thousands of parents in the US, Canada, and several other countries around the world volunteered for the Moderna and Pfizer trials, hoping to get their kids early access to vaccinations. 3-year-old Zoey Sandeen (right) enrolled in Moderna's pediatric vaccine trial in the fall of 2021. Courtesy of Sandeen family. "Why would we want to leave our children unprotected?" Linsey Sandeen, who enrolled her three children in Moderna's pediatric trial in October 2021, previously told Insider. Moderna's vaccine appears effective after 2 shots, while Pfizer's takes 3 The vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna are not perfect at stamping out all disease, especially with the highly contagious Omicron variant. And, they also take several weeks to give kids good disease protection. FDA charts suggest Moderna's vaccine kicks in at around 40 days after the first of two shots, while Pfizer's takes between two and three months to begin having an impact, depending on the timing of the third dose. "It does worry me, actually, that there was no protection after dose two," Dr. Paul Offit, a vaccine expert from Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, said during the FDA meeting, referencing Pfizer's vaccine, which he said might be too low of a dose for kids. "For people who've gotten two doses of that vaccine, they have to know they're not protected, and they're going to have to wait a few months before they are protected," he said. During its ongoing trials of kids 6 months to 5 years old, Pfizer estimated its three-shot vaccine was around 80% effective, a preliminary number that was based on only 10 COVID cases observed over the course of 40 days. Multiple independent experts at the FDA meeting Wednesday stressed that isn't a good indicator of the true efficacy of the shots. Moderna's roughly 40% to 50% vaccine efficacy estimate for kids 6 months to 6 years old is also subject to change, as it doesn't include a third dose (booster), which the company is testing out in that age group now. Dr. Amanda Cohn from the CDC said "I would really hope" that people don't put too much stock in the 80% vs. 40% vaccine effectiveness numbers, though, because they are based on such a small number of cases over a short period of time. "I believe the vaccine is effective I do not have any idea what that number will actually end up being," she said. "This was effectiveness after 30 days," she added, saying that effectiveness "could fall off very quickly," especially against mild disease. The true measures of success for these vaccines will be seen over time, based on whether people get their kids vaccinated, and then how well the shots keep young kids out of the hospital, ICU, and preventing more COVID deaths among babies and toddlers. Smaller shots, milder side effects Moderna's pediatric COVID vaccine isn't the same formulation adults get it's a smaller, 25% dose. The vaccine is administered in two shots, spread four weeks apart. Pfizer's pediatric vaccine is also a much smaller, 10% dose of the adult shot. Short-term side effects of both vaccines have been milder for babies and toddlers than for older people, with some of the most common symptoms including irritability, arm pain, and low-grade fevers for a day or two after vaccine administration. Read the original article on Business Insider You know nothing about HBOs post-Game of Thrones plans. The network has entered into early development on its first sequel to its blockbuster fantasy drama: a live-action spinoff series centered on the fan-favorite character Jon Snow, The Hollywood Reporter has learned. More from The Hollywood Reporter Kit Harington is attached to reprise the role should a series move forward. The actor was twice nominated for an Emmy for his portrayal of an action hero who struggles to uphold his familys noble values in a brutal world. In Thrones eighth and final season, Jon Snow discovered his true name was Aegon Targaryen, a potential heir to the Iron Throne. In the series finale, he was exiled from Westeros and journeyed North of the Wall with the Wildlings to leave his old life behind. Since completing his work across eight seasons of Thrones, Harington has appeared in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, co-starring in 2021s Eternals. He also recently starred in the title role in the National Theaters live production of Henry V. On Thrones, the actor was known for enduring some of the shows most grueling filming, including the final seasons infamous 11 weeks of winter night shoots in Northern Ireland. The development signals an intriguing new direction in HBOs handling of author George R.R. Martins fantasy universe, a move not unlike Disney+s management of its Star Wars and Marvel brands where the streamer has found success launching character-focused sequel series such as WandaVision (starring Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff) and Obi-Wan Kenobi (with Ewan McGregor reprising his iconic role). Perhaps most boldly from a creative standpoint, the project would upend Thrones final season as the last word on the fates of the surviving characters in HBOs most popular and Emmy-winning series of all time. In theory, the project could open the door for other surviving characters from the Thrones universe to reappear such as Arya Stark (Maisie Williams), Sansa Stark (Sophie Turner) and Brienne of Tarth (Gwendoline Christie). Story continues This development news means there are now seven Thrones projects in the works in addition to the upcoming House of the Dragon prequel series, which debuts Aug. 21. Dragon tells the story of a civil war within House Targaryen and is set about 200 years before the events in Thrones. HBOs other live-action prequels in various stages of development are 10,000 Ships (aka Nymeria) with showrunner Amanda Segel, 9 Voyages (aka The Sea Snake) with showrunner Bruno Heller, and Dunk and Egg with showrunner Steve Conrad. There are also three animated prequel projects, first reported by THR, including The Golden Empire, which is set in the China-inspired land of Yi Ti. In addition, theres a GoT stage play in development that would revive iconic characters and explore the origins of Roberts Rebellion, which THR first reported in March. HBO and Haringtons representatives had no comment. Best of The Hollywood Reporter Click here to read the full article. Mike Collins, left, and Vernon Jones participate in Georgia's 10th Congressional District Republican primary election runoff debates on Monday, June 6, 2022, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson) ATLANTA Gov. Brian Kemp endorsed trucking executive Mike Collins Thursday in next weeks Republican runoff for Georgias open 10th Congressional District seat over Donald Trump ally Vernon Jones. Collins, son of the late GOP Congressman Mac Collins, finished first in last months crowded Republican primary, winning 25.6% of the vote in a district that stretches from Butts County and a portion of Henry County north and east through Athens and Elbert County to the South Carolina line. Jones, a former state representative, came in second with 21.5% of the vote, qualifying him for Tuesdays runoff to decide the GOP nominee in the heavily Republican district. More: Recount in Athens for District 10 shows same results as original election, heads to runoff More: What's an election runoff? Why are runoffs necessary? Here's what you need to know Kemp, who maintains a residence in Athens while occupying the Governors Mansion, said Thursday he will cast his ballot for Collins next week. "As a conservative small businessman, Mike knows firsthand how the disastrous policies of the Biden administration are hurting hardworking Georgians and communities all across our state, the governor said. Mike is strongly pro-life, pro-2nd Amendment, and will fight hard to put Georgians first in Congress. Jones, a former Democrat who once served as DeKalb County CEO, was running for governor against Kemp until last February, when he dropped out of the race and threw his support behind former U.S. Sen. David Perdue. Jones then entered the race in the 10th Congressional District, a seat being vacated by U.S. Rep. Jody Hice, R-Greensboro, who was defeated in last months Republican primary for secretary of state. Trump remains angry with Kemp for refusing to go along with the then-presidents attempts to overturn the 2020 presidential election in Georgia. Trump, who endorsed Perdue in last months unsuccessful effort to wrest the GOP gubernatorial nomination away from Kemp, is endorsing Jones in the congressional runoff. Story continues The former president released a recorded robocall Wednesday accusing Collins of attacking Jones with vicious political ads that arent true. For his part, Jones responded to Kemps endorsement of his opponent by positioning himself as a political maverick. "Throughout my political career, I have never been the Establishment's favorite, Jones said. That's something to be proud of - not ashamed of - and is exactly why President Trump endorsed me. Im not running for Congress to join the Establishment. Im running for Congress to destroy it. Collins said hes honored to have Kemps trust and endorsement. Governor Kemp has led the fight to create jobs, lower taxes, support our rural communities, defend our 2nd Amendment, protect the unborn, and stand up to champion our conservative values and deliver results for Georgia families, Collins said Thursday. Thats exactly what I plan to do as the next congressman from the 10th District. This story is available through a news partnership with Capitol Beat News Service, a project of the Georgia Press Educational Foundation. This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Gov. Brian Kemp endorses Mike Collins in GOP District 10 runoff Congressman Russ Fulcher and Stanton Healthcare Founder and CEO Celebrate the Closing of Planned Parenthood Abortion Center in Boise, Idaho Congressman Fulcher and Brandi Swindell standing in front of the former Boise Planned Parenthood NEWS PROVIDED BY Stanton Healthcare June 16, 2022 BOISE, Idaho, June 16, 2022 /Standard Newswire/ -- Stanton Founder/CEO, Brandi Swindell, opened a Stanton Healthcare clinic right next to Planned Parenthood with the goal of replacing them. Earlier this month, Planned Parenthood closed their clinic leaving Idaho's largest city and state capital without a Planned Parenthood. Congressman Fulcher, who is the U.S. representative for Idaho's 1st congressional district, states: "During my time in the real estate business, I was honored to be the agent who helped Stanton Healthcare purchase a clinic next to Planned Parenthood in Boise, then again several years later in Meridian, Idaho. "Whether working as an international businessman, as a real estate broker, serving in the Idaho State Senate, or as a U.S. Congressman, I have always been committed to the pro-life cause and working passionately to ending abortion and encouraging life for mothers and their preborn children. "Stanton Healthcare is showing the way forward in a 'post-Roe' America by offering women with unexpected pregnancies quality medical care, practical and emotional support, hope and a future. I am so thankful Idaho's capital city no longer has a Planned Parenthood abortion center and I look forward to the day when abortion is unthinkable." Brandi Swindell, Founder and CEO of Stanton Healthcare, adds: "Stanton Healthcare's goal was not just to defund Planned Parenthood, but replace them with life-affirming clinics that treat women and their children with dignity and respect and provide quality medical care and support. "The closing of the Planned Parenthood abortion center in Boise shows that women do not want be treated like a commodity. Women desire true choices and quality care when they experience an unexpected pregnancy. "The hope of Stanton Healthcare in a post-Roe America is for all Planned Parenthood clinics and other abortion centers to be relics of the past. We want to see all of them replaced with health centers that truly value women and their children, and serve them with compassionate and professional care. We are thankful Boise, Idaho is showing America the way forward." For more interviews or questions call: Rev. Patrick Mahoney at 540.538.4741 SOURCE Stanton Healthcare CONTACT: Rev. Patrick Mahoney, 540-538-4741 John Hinckley Jr., who shot and wounded President Ronald Reagan in 1981, was freed from court oversight Wednesday, officially concluding decades of supervision by legal and mental health professionals. After 41 years 2 months and 15 days, FREEDOM AT LAST!!!, he wrote on Twitter shortly after 12 p.m. The lifting of all restrictions had been expected since late September. U.S. District Court Judge Paul L. Friedman in Washington had said he would free Hinckley on June 15 if he continued to remain mentally stable in the community in Virginia where he has lived since 2016. Hinckley, who was acquitted by reason of insanity, spent the decades before that in a Washington mental hospital. Freedom for Hinckley will include giving a concert he plays guitar and sings in Brooklyn, New York, thats scheduled for July. Hes already gained nearly 30,000 followers on Twitter and YouTube in recent months as the judge loosened Hinckleys restrictions before fully lifting all of them. But the graying 67-year-old is far from being the household name that he became after shooting and wounding the 40th U.S. president and several others outside a Washington hotel. Today, historians say Hinckley is at best a question on a quiz show and someone who unintentionally helped build the Reagan legend and inspire a push for stricter gun control. If Hinckley had succeeded in killing Reagan, then he would have been a pivotal historical figure, H.W. Brands, a historian and Reagan biographer, wrote in an email to The Associated Press. As it is, he is a misguided soul whom history has already forgotten. Barbara A. Perry, a professor and director of presidential studies at the University of Virginias Miller Center, said that Hinckley would be maybe a Jeopardy question. But his impact remains tangible in Reagans legacy. For the president himself to have been so seriously wounded, and to come back from that that actually made Ronald Reagan the legend that he became ... like the movie hero that he was, Perry said. Story continues Reagan showed grace and humor in the face of death, Perry said. After being shot, the president told emergency room doctors that he hoped they were all Republicans. He later joked to his wife Nancy that he was sorry he forgot to duck. When the president first spoke to Congress after the shooting, he looked just a little bit thinner, but hes still the robust cowboy that is Ronald Reagan, Perry said. The assassination attempt paralyzed Reagan press secretary James Brady, who died in 2014. In 1993, President Bill Clinton signed into law the Brady Bill, which required a five-day waiting period for handgun purchases and background checks of prospective buyers. The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence and The Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence are named after Brady and his wife Sarah. The shooting also injured Secret Service agent Timothy McCarthy and Washington police officer Thomas Delahanty. McCarthy told the AP last year that he didnt have a lot of good Christian thoughts about Hinckley. But in any case, I hope theyre right, McCarthy, then 72, said of Hinckleys impending release from supervision. Because the actions of this man could have changed the course of history. Hinckley was 25 and suffering from acute psychosis when he shot Reagan and the others. When jurors found him not guilty by reason of insanity, they said he needed treatment and not a lifetime in confinement. He was ordered to live at St. Elizabeths Hospital in Washington. In the 2000s, Hinckley began making visits to his parents home in a gated Williamsburg community. A 2016 court order granted him permission to live with his mom full time, albeit under various restrictions, after experts said his mental illness had been in remission for decades. Hinckleys mother died in July. He signed a lease on a one-bedroom apartment in the area last year and began living there with his cat, Theo, according to court filings. Over the years, the court restricted Hinckley from owning a gun or using drugs or alcohol. He also couldnt contact the actor Jodie Foster, with whom he was obsessed at the time of the shooting, or any of his victims or their families. One of Reagans daughters, Patti Davis, considered the possibility of contact in a Washington Post opinion piece last year. There is no manual for how to deal with something like this. You just have to live with the fear, and the anger, and the darkness that one person keeps bringing into your life, she wrote. Stephen J. Morse, a University of Pennsylvania professor of law and psychiatry, told the AP last year that Hinckleys acquittal by reason of insanity means he is not to blame for what happened and he cannot be punished. If he hadnt attempted to kill President Reagan, this guy would have been released ages ago, Morse said. Barry Levine, Hinckleys attorney, said in court last year that Hinckley wanted to express his heartfelt apologies and profound regret to the people he shot and their families as well as to Foster and the American people. Friedman, the federal judge overseeing Hinckleys case, said on June 1 that Hinckley has shown no signs of active mental illness since the mid-1980s and has exhibited no violent behavior or interest in weapons. This is the time to let John Hinckley move on with his life, so we will, the judge said. The Spartanburg Juneteenth Organization is a South Carolina nonprofit corporation organized to educate the Spartanburg community about African American history. Our primary way of presenting this education is through an annual Juneteenth celebration. It is so important for a community to have a private organization such as this, with a sole mission to educate the community on African American history. We have to control that narrative when it comes to educating our next generation on the Black excellence of our culture and people from pre-slavery, slavery, and post-slavery. Juneteenth is summed up as the journey of people going from property to president in 150+ years. We must understand the power in that statement alone. Spartanburg County Councilman Monier Abusaft speaks during the Spartanburg County Democratic Party meeting, at the Dr. T.K. Gregg Community Center in Spartanburg, Monday evening, April 11, 2022. Literally, African Americans have transitioned from a place of bondage to a place of leadership over the entire free world, through former President Barack Obama and current Vice President Kamala Harris. Thats the visual arc of what our community has been able to do in the last 150+ years, if you think about it historically. Related: During Juneteenth, here's where to see historical Black landmarks in Spartanburg County Read this: Here's what to know about Spartanburg's Juneteenth events The Spartanburg Juneteenth, Inc.'s constituency is the broader Spartanburg community with a particular focus on African American and under-served communities. This makes it unique among the citys festivals because the City of Spartanburg has a majority African American population, but its cultural offerings do not reflect this . Our mission is to educate the Spartanburg community through many different activities and events including our annual Juneteenth celebration Revival. We desire to first spread information on what Juneteenth is and the history of this celebration from 1865 and ongoing. We are today, at a moment in our community when teaching about our rich Black history is needed. These are the impacts we desire to make in this organization. We accomplish this goal in many ways, such as through thought leadership forums, educational forums, art exhibits, and church services, along with food and fellowship. Story continues The benefits we have for this community are directly connected to the impact that we have on the people. The expectation is to have more people of color and not of color walking away from our week of events understanding and appreciating the beauty and excellence of the Black community. If you truly take a look at the arc of the jubilee to now, it is remarkable what we have done as a people. If we can impact the people, then bigger change can take place, which I think in future years will be a focus and priority of Spartanburg Juneteenth, Inc. Under President Joe Biden, Juneteenth is a federally recognized holiday, and it was a long fight to get that done. In Georgia, they have long celebrated a paid "state holiday" for Confederate Memorial Day; it now has Juneteenth as a paid state holiday as well. South Carolina, on the other hand, is malingering . Juneteenth is a state-recognized holiday in South Carolina and that effort was led by our Spartanburgs own, Harold Mitchell Jr., but it is not a paid holiday. It has been one of my deepest disappointments in my first 1.5 years in office, that I havent been able to convince those who make these decisions that Juneteenth should be a paid holiday. Mayor Jerome Rice: Spartanburg celebrates Juneteenth with joy and resolve I will continue to push for this locally on a county level and city level. Honestly, I am very surprised that the city has not recognized Juneteenth as a paid holiday. Those are two fights that we still need to win. Spartanburg Juneteenth, Inc. is more than a festival; we do things in line with the values and principles of Juneteenth throughout the year, and fighting for a paid holiday is in line with those values and principles. Spartanburg Juneteenth festivities this year will provide a platform to celebrate our communitys rich history, and they are open to everyone to come and experience. Our events will inspire future generations to build an even greater black community. Monier "Mo" Abusaft represents District 1 on Spartanburg County Council. This article originally appeared on Herald-Journal: Juneteenth's lessons resonate for the community in 2022 Master your Crypto Presented by Matrixport Kazi Awal/Insider The Vape & Smoke Shop in West Palm Beach, Florida, is adorned with neon signs and stickers that read "bitcoin ATM Cryptobase." Morgan Chittum A Cryptobase ATM bills itself as a convenient way to deposit cash and invest in cryptocurrency. I deposited $20 into the crypto ATM and later received $13.22 in bitcoin after fees. This article is part of "Master Your Crypto", a series from Insider helping investors improve their skills in and knowledge of cryptocurrency. A cryptocurrency ATM sits at the front of a vape shop in West Palm Beach, Florida. The white kiosk, installed by Cryptobase ATM, bills itself as a quick, easy, and secure way to deposit cash and invest in bitcoin, bitcoin cash, litecoin, or ether, allowing customers to bypass putting in their banking information. While reporting on the Blockworks Permissionless conference in South Florida, I stopped by to see how practical using a Cryptobase ATM would really be. The whole process took about 40 minutes, and I ended up losing 33.9% of the $20 I deposited. I wasn't thrilled with the outcome, but it may make sense if you'd prefer using familiar technology like an ATM to an online crypto exchange. The ATM was in Vape & Smoke Shop in West Palm Beach. Shelves are lined with hookah pipes, rolling papers, and nicotine cartridges. Storefront windows are covered in neon signs and stickers that read "bitcoin ATM Cryptobase," "CBD," "cigars," and "no loitering." On a Thursday afternoon, the kiosk was unoccupied, so I had a zero-minute wait. A store employee told me that on a busy day about five people will use the machine, typically the same people. The first crypto ATM sprouted up in 2013 at a coffee shop in Vancouver, British Columbia. According to Coin ATM Radar, there are about 38,000 crypto ATMs across more than 75 countries, with about 33,500 of those in the US. Cryptobase's chief operating officer, Michael Telvi, told Insider in an email that it has 175 kiosks installed and plans to expand "rapidly throughout the US to most major cities." Telvi said the company has seven full-time employees and has outsourced much of its operations. Story continues The Cryptobase ATM was unoccupied on a Thursday afternoon, so I had a zero-minute wait. Morgan Chittum How it works At the Cryptobase ATM, I entered my phone number to create an account, scanned the QR code for my digital wallet, deposited cash, and later received bitcoin. Within seconds of entering my phone number, I received an SMS code to punch into the ATM to verify my identity and make an account. A warning in capital letters appeared on the screen: "WE ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY LOSS OF FUNDS DUE TO SCAMS." The message may be for good reason. On January 10, the Federal Trade Commission issued a warning about scammers impersonating officials and directing victims to send funds via QR code and a cryptocurrency ATM. "Here's the main thing to know: Nobody from the government, law enforcement, utility company, or prize promoter will ever tell you to pay them with cryptocurrency. If someone does, it's a scam, every time," the agency said in a statement. After the ATM's warning, I set a four-digit passcode for my account and selected a token I wanted to buy. The screen prompted me to deposit $20 to $16,000. This location did not offer cash back so if a customer were to deposit $100, they'd have to invest that full amount. Then I selected which way I wanted to receive my bitcoin. To do this with the Cryptobase ATM you must have a crypto wallet, many of which accept bitcoin. I pulled up my Coinbase Wallet app and scanned its barcode. Like I would at a traditional ATM, I received a receipt detailing my purchase. Would I do it again? Probably not There are disadvantages to the Cryptobase ATM, including its exorbitant fees. I paid a 20% exchange fee along with a $3 ATM cost. I deposited a $20 bill and received $13.22 worth of bitcoin in my wallet about 40 minutes later. Both flat fees apply regardless of the amount you deposit. As someone who rarely carries cash, I felt that using the ATM is unnecessary when there are already major exchanges like Binance or Coinbase that I don't have to leave my apartment to invest with. This kiosk also limited purchases to $16,000, whereas some exchanges have larger maximums and I can connect my bank cards to those. Critics of centralized exchanges, however, may prefer a Cryptobase ATM. It doesn't require you to enter your banking information, only your phone number. The Cryptobase ATM was faster and easier to navigate than setting up an account with an online exchange. You don't have to be tech-savvy to use a crypto ATM because it parallels an experience most of us are already accustomed to. So if you're someone who wants the accessibility and user interface of a regular ATM, doesn't mind 20% fees, and actually has cash, this may make a lot of sense for you. Otherwise, you can use that money to buy a mandolin slicer, a travel steamer, or whatever else $20 can get you. This article is intended to provide generalized information designed to educate a broad segment of the public; it does not give personalized investment, legal, or other business and professional advice. Before taking any action, you should always consult with your own financial, legal, tax, investment or other professional for advice on matters that affect you and/or your business. Read the original article on Business Insider The VIEW Conference will host a virtual talk with the filmmakers behind Pixars Lightyear on Tuesday, June 28, and has announced the first speakers for its largely in-person event in Turin, Italy, from Oct. 16-21. The free PreVIEW online event features director Angus MacLane, producer Galyn Susman, animation supervisor David DeVan and simulation and tailoring supervisor Fran Kalal. Theyll share a behind-the-scenes look at the animated adventure that follows the Space Ranger character that inspired the Buzz Lightyear action figure from Pixars Toy Story franchise. More from Variety We are over the moon to join forces with our friends at Pixar for this special PreVIEW panel, says conference director Maria Elena Gutierrez. Meeting Angus MacLane and his creative team is a wonderful way to celebrate the launch of this much-anticipated film and also to whet the appetite for our main conference program in October. The VIEW Conference highlights the top creative minds in visual effects, animation, games and more. Among the first speakers announced for the October conference are Nickelodeon Animation and Paramount Animation president Ramsey Naito; Industrial Light & Magics senior VP and chief creative officer Rob Bredow, and Marc Petit, VP and general manager of Epic Games Unreal Engine. Producer Roy Conli will be on hand to share a look at Disneys upcoming Strange World, while Peter Ramsey and Shannon Tindle will be talking about the Netflix series Lost Ollie. Director Rob Minkoff and producer Alex Schwartz will at VIEW with Paramounts Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank. HBOs senior VP of visual effects, and visual effects supervisor Jay Worth will be talking about the cablers series Westworld. Story continues Other conference speakers include director Kris Pearn (The Willoughbys), Netflixs director of research, creative algorithms and technology Paul Debevec, the National Film Board of Canadas Eloi Champagne, RenderMan pioneer Dylan Sisson, Guerilla Games studio director Jan-Bart van Beek, Insomniac Games lead animator Kevin Grow and ILM Londons creative director and visual effects supervisor Ben Morris. I am always thrilled when the time comes to reveal the first set of confirmed speakers for VIEW Conference, Gutierrez. And this years roster is exceptional. The wealth of talent represented here is truly awe-inspiring, not to mention the enthusiasm that all our speakers have for sharing their wisdom with students, enthusiasts and professionals alike. Our list of speakers continues to grow with dizzying speed I can truly guarantee that the full VIEW Conference 2022 program will be out of this world! To register for the June 28 online Lightyear panel and Octobers VIEW Conference, visit the conference website. 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. Matt Young Matt Young, Loudonville Village Council President, announced Tuesday, June 14 that he is officially withdrawing from the race to represent the newly created 67th District in the Ohio House of Representatives. More: Loudonville pool closes after manager resigns over disagreement with swim team parents Young was seeking the Republican nomination for the district that includes all of Ashland County and the western portion of Medina County, according to a news release from Young. I care very deeply about the future of our great state, and as I have said from the very beginning, this race was not about personal ambition," Young said in the release. "It was about fair representation, Conservative values and, above all, unity. I want to make sure that Ashland County has a voice in Columbus, and I believe this decision allows that to happen. Young said this is a decision that he had been considering for several weeks. After talking to community leaders all across the 67th District and in recent days speaking with trusted friends and advisors, I feel it is best for all of us that Ashland County put forth one quality candidate for this seat, said Young in a prepared statement. Young continued: I believe that Ashland County has a good candidate in Mrs. Melanie Miller. Her faith-based life and steadfast devotion to conservative values will serve her well in this race, and as who I believe will be our next representative. I wish her the best, and offer her my full support. In a political world where attack ads are the norm, I am happy to say that Melanie and I remained positive, cordial and, above all, friends. This was a mutual agreement from the very beginning, and it remains to this day. I am happy to endorse her in this race, and ask that my supporters consider a vote for her. I have spoken with her about the importance of this race and the important issues that matter to our county; the issues that I promoted in my campaign, like agriculture, taxation and our state budget and economy. I intend to do all that I can to help her impact these issues in Columbus, Young added in his statement. Story continues Young to continue in role as council president of Village of Loudonville Young said that he plans to continue in his role as council president of the Village of Loudonville, and he still has hopes of representing the people of Ashland County in the future. I truly feel that this decision is best. God has a plan for each of our lives, and I am excited to see where he leads mine. I will continue serving in Loudonville as there is work that remains to be done, and I am excited to be a part of the great things on the horizon," Young said in his release. "I will also continue to be an active member of our County Republican Party, helping to lead it into this next phase of its life, and leading the charge to restart the Ashland County Young Republicans. Our future is bright, and I am confident that there will be other opportunities for me to serve the people of our great county in the near future. This article originally appeared on Ashland Times Gazette: Ohio's 67th District race loses candidate in Matt YOung Colorful house facades of Old San Juan, Puerto Rico June is National Caribbean-American Month. It's a time to acknowledge and celebrate the contributions of the Caribbean-Americans in our country who add to the diverse culture of this country. It's also a great time to instill some Caribbean pride in the kiddos. While it's celebrated in one month, it's important for us to also acknowledge that Caribbean people are not a monolithic group. They hail from a region rich in diverse cultural traditions, styles of music, food, art, spirituality, and more. In fact, there are 13 Caribbean countries, which include Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Haiti, Jamaica, St. Kitts, and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago. The Caribbean also includes Puerto Rico, which is a territory of the United States, meaning the island is neither a state nor an independent country and its residents are U.S. citizens. However, despite their citizenship, Puerto Ricans cannot vote in U.S. presidential elections. With 14 cultures to celebrate, it's a good idea to get the kids involved whether your family is from the Caribbean or not. The rich traditions are fun for everyone to enjoy! The bonus is that they'll learn something new at the same time. 4 Ways To Instill Caribbean Pride In Your Kids Get up and dance! The Caribbean is known for its music. Many Caribbean countries are extremely musical, so it's not surprising to see people dancing in the streets and hear music playing from everywhere. Can't speak for the entire Caribbean, but in Puerto Rico, some of the gas stations blast salsa from the gas pumps! So, have a Caribbean dance party at home with the kids. You can enjoy some bachata from the Dominican Republic or reggaeton and salsa from Puerto Rico or rumba with the kids to celebrate Afro-Cuban culture. Food as a love language Whether dancing is your thing or not, food is always a winner Latinx Carribean homes. And in the Caribbean, there is no shortage of amazing cuisine. If you weren't moving before, one bite of Caribbean food will surely have you doing the happy dance. Story continues One of the widely recognized cuisines of Cuba is ropa vieja, which translates to old clothes. But ain't nothing old about this dish, which is shredded meat cooked in a delicious sauce with onion, bell peppers, bay leaves, and cumin. Another delicious treat hailing from the Caribbean is known as an empanada in some regions and patties in orders like Jamaica. The ingredients differ slightly, but the idea is the same. A breaded pocket filled with yummy goodness like shredded meat, chicken, or seafood, or you can opt-in for a vegetarian option with veggies and/or cheese. Get your hands dirty and prepare the food with your kids to really get into the celebration. Not a cook? Good news! There are almost 13.4 million Caribbean-Americans in this country so it's very likely that there's a restaurant nearby for the family to enjoy. The art of Caribbean life Aside from the music filling the air and the scent of delicious food, the Caribbean is colorful, rich, and bright with art. Here we must credit the Taino, who were the first people Christopher Columbus encountered when he supposedly discovered a new world on October 12, 1942, which was actually what we know as the Bahamas today. The Taino inhabited several islands in the Caribbean and the art that emerged included stonework, ceramics, rock art, body painting, and more. The art often told the stories of Caribbean life from the day-to-day tasks to the holidays and spiritual traditions. Unfortunately, America is lacking greatly in Caribbean American Museums. In fact, the Island SPACE Caribbean Museum in Miami has been billed as the first Caribbean museum in the U.S. So, if you're in the Miami area, pay a visit to the museum with the kids to immerse yourself in Caribbean culture. Or hit your local bookstore to search for books highlighting Caribbean art to talk to your kids about. Discovering the heart of Caribbean spirituality The pre-colonial Caribbean culture was rich with various spiritual traditions and rituals. Although colonizers attempted to stripe the people of these traditions, forcing them to practice Christianity instead, many of the true Caribbean spiritual traditions and rituals still exist and are widely practiced. Intrigue the kids by explaining the importance of honoring our ancestors, which is of great importance in Caribbean spirituality and religions. Create an altar with them at home to celebrate the lives of their grandparents or another elder in your family that has transitioned beyond human life. Get the kids involved by having them gather the various elementswater, earth, fire, airthat should be included on an altar. Teach them that what may look like just a jar of water, is actually an ofrenda or offering that shows gratitude to the ancestors who help protect and guide us in our lives. Photo credit: Ed Freeman "Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below." While most ships were not sailing during lockdown, the cruise lines staffs were busy planning. The new itineraries that follow (our favorites, culled from a big field) are all, in one way or another, voyages of a lifetime. Most departures are in 2023the time to book for next summer, and for 2024, is now. (See The Top Cruise Advisors for the specialists who can help you do that.) Channel Lawrence of Arabia Photo credit: LUCIA GRIGGI Tourism is in its infancy in Saudi Arabia. While nearly every high-end hotel company has announced plans to build there, accommodations (and service) are still pretty basic, except in the cities. But if youre curious about this complex country, a cruise that takes in some of its sights (including UNESCO World Heritage sites) is the best way to get there before everyone else does. Silversea Silver Clouds 12-day sailing follows the strikingly pristine, reef-rich east coast of the Red Sea north from Jidda, through the Suez Canal to Alexandria, Egypt, then on to Greece. Highlights along the way: Hegra, an ancient Nabataean city carved out of rock that is Saudi Arabias counterpart to Jordans Petra (although far less commercialized), and an overnight excursion to Al Ula, a desert region of dramatic sandstone arches and pillars and archaeological remainsready Instagram fodder. Departs May 2023 from Jidda, ends in Athens. Wander Amid Ice Floes Photo credit: Courtesy of Seabourn. This 33-day expedition on the brand new Seabourn Pursuit (launching in 2023), from Iceland to the coastal towns of Greenland, Canada, and Alaska, delivers serious bragging rights as it includes 10 days in the Northwest Passage, the unpredictable 900-mile ice-strewn expanse across the top of Canada. First navigated by Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen in 1906, the passage has only recently been drawing expedition vesselsalas, because of the shrinking sea ice. The exact route will depend on ice conditions. Youll approach frozen shores and icebergs and their inhabitants (polar bears, walruses, ringed seals) via Zodiac inflatables. There are also kayaking and hiking, visits to Inuit settlements, and, conditions permitting, diving into the mysterious blue twilight beneath the ice in the ships submarine. Departs August 2023 from Reykjavik, ends in Vancouver. Story continues Sail From the Arctic to Spain Photo credit: Future Publishing Grand voyages (longer than typical cruises, shorter than around-the-worlds) are a thing, fanned by a combination of WFH flexibility, pandemic savings, and pent-up travel demand. This new 78-day sailing on the Regent Seven Seas Navigator reaches the Arctic Circle via Canada, Greenland, and Iceland (think expanses of pack ice, volcanoes, and geysers). Then it traces the North Sea coast of Europe en route to Baltic capitals such as Stockholm, Helsinki, and Tallinn (and the celebratory feel of their long summer nights). Then its Norway and Scotland before heading south to Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Spain, and Portugal (food, museums, Bordeaux winelands, beaches). Missing? St. Petersburg, of course. Departs June 2023 from New York, ends in Barcelona. Meet the Asaro Mudmen in Papua New Guinea Photo credit: Nick Rains Youve probably never heard of Alotau, Tufi, Madang, Morobe, Tami, Lusancay, or Samarai. Theyre all stops on Ponants expedition ship, Le Laperouse, on its 11-day sailing from Australia to Papua New Guinea, land of isolated tribes, deep fjords, white sandbars, and tropical forests. Theres military history in Alotau (a 1942 Japanese defeat) and extraordinary geology in Tufi, where sheer cliffs plunge 450 feet into glassy green water. The Tami and Lusancay islands are mere specks of green and white surrounded by teeming reefs. At Madang, where more than 170 languages are spoken, the Asaro mudmen perform with their bodies covered in clay as part of a cultural showcase. The ship itself is all minimalist chic, with a countercurrent pool and cuisine courtesy of Ducasse Conseil. Departs February 2023, roundtrip from Cairns. Have a Mediterranean Blowout Photo credit: Courtesy of SeaDream Yacht Club. The twin 112-passenger yachts of the SeaDream Yacht Club have a cult following thanks to their intuitive crew (the service is akin to a private charters), exceptional food, and sense of happy hedonism onboard. And now, in an 11-night sailing, they are combining stops in Greece; Sicilys Aeolian islands; the Amalfi Coast; Cervo, Sardinia; and Bonifacio, Corsica. The small, recently refitted SeaDream II can squeeze in alongside the megayachts in picture-perfect ports like Hydra (the town an amphitheater around it) or Bonifacio (accessible via a white limestone channel riddled with sea caves). Tip: Reserve a night on the foredeck. The crew will convert the six-seat lounger into a bed under the stars and rope it off for privacy. Comes with champagne on iceand you can always decide to go back to your cabin. Departs October 2023 from Athens, ends in Rome. Double up Down Under Photo credit: Ethan Rohloff Australia and New Zealand were closed to visitors for two years, and this new 31-day voyage aboard the Viking Orion is your chance to see them both. With six stops in New Zealand, theres time for vineyard tours and tastings, viewing craggy coastlines, and exploring Art Deco Napier and Victorian Dunedin. In Australia the ship will sail north from cool, artsy Tasmania to Sydney, Newcastle, Brisbane, the Whitsunday Islands, and Darwin, with the white sands and turquoise waters of the Coral Sea along the way. The trip ends in Indonesia, with one day on Komodo, home of the 10-foot dragons, and one on Lombok, with its emerald-green rice paddies and brooding Mount Rinjaniyou are in the Pacific Ring of Fire. Vikings oceangoing ships are oases of Scandi-cool, just the thing after tropical days ashore. Departs February 2023 from Auckland, ends in Bali. Take in Veniceand the Alps Photo credit: Courtesy of Uniworld. Its not just about what you see but how you put it together. Uniworld and its lavish SS La Venezia have partnered with the Golden Eagle Danube Express train for a 13-night journey that combines five days of cruising on the Venice Lagoon with a four-day train trip across the Alps (or the other way aroundyour choice). Venice, remember, has banned big ships from entering the city via the palazzo-lined Giudecca Canal, so yours will be one of only a few small vessels allowed to dock within walking distance of Piazza San Marco. Sailings around the lagoon include Murano, Burano, Torcello, and an overnight in the fishing port of Chioggia, jumping-off point for Bologna, Italy's culinary capital. The Alpine portionyoull sleep and eat on the swish traintakes you through Slovenia, the Brenner Pass, and the valleys of Austria and Switzerland, with stops at various cities, lakes, and castles. Departs throughout the summer from Milan, ends in Zurich. Swim with Whale Sharks Photo credit: Courtesy of Aqua Expeditions. The AquaExpeditions ship Aqua Blu, launched right before the pandemic, sails itineraries in Indonesia. The nations oversize aquatic life is the star of its seven-night trip from Bali to Komodo National Park. You can spot turtles and snorkel among manta rays, but the piece de resistance is a chance (not guaranteed) to swim in remote Saleh Bay alongside the rare whale sharks, gentle giants 40 feet in length. Komodo, of course, is home of the eponymous dragons, which you may see crashing through the undergrowth or basking in a clearing. And the ship is a highlight in itself, a former survey vessel for the British navy that has been converted into a luxe yacht for a maximum of 30. Departs between May and September 2023 from Bali, ends on Flores (or vice versa). T&C TIP: Regent Seven Seas new 10-day sailing on the Navigator gives you the South Pacific in the palm of your hand: diverse archipelagos and showstopper islands, including Tahiti, Moorea, Fakarava, Nuku Hiva, Rangiroa, Bora Bora, and Raiatea. Departs January 2024 from Papeete (roundtrip). This story appears in the Summer 2022 issue of Town & Country. SUBSCRIBE NOW You Might Also Like Photo Illustration by Thomas Levinson/The Daily Beast/Getty The New Abnormal hosts recorded late, after the Jan. 6 committee's latest blockbuster hearing, where, co-host Andy Levy says, We found out today that the mob in the capital came within 40 feet of [Vice President Pence] at one point while they were transporting him to the secure location. That sounds pretty terrifying considering, we have to remember, this is the mob that was chanting Hang Mike Pence. Later, co-host Molly Jong Fast says, I feel like the top line is when did the president know and what did he know it? He knew it, and he still tried to do it. Indeed, says Jonathan Allen, senior NBC News politics reporter and co-author of Lucky: How Joe Biden Barely Won the Presidency, I think that it may be a mistake to look at anything that happened as particularly accidental. Im always sort of torn a little bit when I talk to voters who are kind of like Jan. 6 deniers, because I think most of them arent denying that Trump was trying to hold power. I think theyre denying that it was bad. Subscribe to The New Abnormal on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Amazon Music, or Overcast. Plus, Daily Beast and New York magazine contributing writer Jay Michaelson breaks down the Ginni Thomas-John Eastman mess: If this is not an impeachable offense for a Supreme Court justice, if what weve seen come out in evidence is true then what would be? This is the most impeachable offense I've ever seen in my entire life. I mean, this is not a gray-area case. This is unbelievable. John Eastman, one of the somewhat more crazy lawyers who tried to overturn the 2020 election, said at one point that there seems to be a heated fight underway among the justices. And thats interesting. I dont know how he actually knew that, but now it seems that he knew that from actually being in touch with Ginni Thomas, the wife of one of the justices, Clarence Thomas, who is also a well-known conservative activist. And, if true, disclosing secret, confidential, and to put it mildly, highly sensitive deliberations of the Supreme Court justices to somebody who he knowshis wifeis closely involved with the effort to overturn the election. And its fine that they have separate careers and they have separate lives. Thats fine. But you know, Molly, if I disclose this to you, we dont have to be married for me to realize that that would probably be a problem, right? That disclosing to somebody with a close degree of not just interest but actual active participation in this effort, which is overturning an election, right, which is trying to mount some sort of a coup. So even if this was some boring insurance transaction that we were involved in, this would be a massive violation of judicial ethics. And the fact that it took place in the context of Jan. 6 is beyond shocking. Story continues Listen to The New Abnormal on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon and Stitcher. 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. European Commission recommends EU candidacy for Ukraine, moving the country closer to becoming a member European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen on Friday. Twitter/European Commission Ukraine applied to be a member of the European Union days after Russia invaded. On Friday, the European Commission recommended that EU members officially consider Ukraine a candidate country. It could still take years for Ukraine to be made a full member of the bloc. The European Commission recommended that Ukraine be officially considered a candidate country for the European Union, in a move sparked by Russia's invasion. The Friday recommendation means that the commission, the executive arm of the EU, recommends that EU member states vote in favor of Ukraine being made a candidate country when they meet later this month. "Ukraine has clearly shown commitment to live up to European values and standards," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen tweeted Friday. Ukraine applied to join the EU four days after Russia invaded it. A long road still awaits Ukraine before it could become an EU member, a process that could take years. Becoming an EU member requires meeting certain financial, legal and political criteria. It is not clear what impact Russia's war will have on Ukraine's finances and other parts of the function of the country, and how they will affect Ukraine's progress with the EU. European leaders have also signaled concerns with longstanding corruption in Ukraine. Von der Leyen said at the commission's press conference on Friday that her recommendation was made "of course, on the understanding that the country will carry out a number of further important reforms." She also said: "We all know that Ukrainians are ready to die for the European perspective. We want them to live with us the European dream." But the recommendation signals the strength of European support for Ukraine since Russia's invasion began, which has included EU members imposing sanctions on Russia, sending leaders to Ukraine, and also sending Ukraine weapons and aide. The commission also recommended candidate country status for Moldova, which neighbors Ukraine. Story continues Moldova also officially applied to join the EU after Russia invaded Ukraine, and has been touched by the conflict both through accepting a large number of Ukrainian refugees and as fighting takes place in Transnistria, a breakaway region backed by Russia. The commission, meanwhile, said that Georgia needs to meet some more conditions before it can reach candidate stage. Von der Leyen previously said that the EU wants Ukraine as a member, telling Euronews in March: "Indeed over time, they belong to us. They are one of us and we want them in." When asked at the Friday press conference whether the European Commission's recommendation over Ukraine was decided only due to the war, Von der Leyen said that all of the commission's decisions are "merit based." Read the original article on Business Insider Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. Yoshikazu Tsuno/Pool Photo via AP A Japanese leader will attend a NATO summit for the first time in the country's history. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said he would attend this summer in light of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. He said Russia's harming world peace "should never be forgiven." A Japanese leader will attend a NATO summit for the first time ever in a move prompted by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Wednesday that he plans to attend the NATO summit, which is due to take place from June 28 to June 30 in Madrid, Spain. He said that Japan will "argue that security in Europe and the Indo-Pacific is inseparable, and that unilateral changes in the status quo by force are not allowed anywhere in the world." Kishida said that Russia's harming world peace should not be forgiven, and that breaking international law comes "at a high price." He said that Japan had changed its stance towards Russia over its invasion, implementing sanctions and working with the G7, and that Japan has made "every effort to support Ukraine and other countries." Reuters reported that Kishida would be the first Japanese leader to ever attend a NATO summit. Kishida also said in his statement that his attendance would be "for the first time as the Prime Minister of Japan." It is not clear if Japan has ever sent representatives to past NATO summits. The events are an opportunity for heads of NATO member states to discuss security challenges and strategy. Russia's invasion of Ukraine appears to have strengthened NATO: It prompted Finland and Sweden to break with decades of neutrality and apply to join NATO. It is the opposite of what Russian President Vladimir Putin wanted: He has tried to justify his invasion of Ukraine by arguing that he was simply reacting to the possibility of NATO expanding eastwards. Read the original article on Business Insider BRITAIN-POLITICS-PRESS-DEMO Posters, badges, and leaflets picturing WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange are displayed on a table in front of the Home Office building, in London, on May 17, 2022, during a demonstration to protest against the extradition of Assange. Credit - Justin TallisAFP via Getty Images The British government approved Friday the extradition of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to the U.S., where he is wanted on charges under the Espionage Act. He has 14 days to appeal and WikiLeaks said it would challenge the decision. Assange, 50, and an Australian national, is wanted in the U.S. on 18 criminal charges after WikiLeaks in 2009 and 2010 published thousands of secret U.S. military and diplomatic documents concerning the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. The extradition order, signed by British Home Secretary Priti Patel, came after a long legal battle that went all the way up to the countrys Supreme Court. Assanges lawyers argued that he is at risk of suicide if held in a maximum security prison in the U.S., but the British courts accepted U.S. assurances over Assanges treatment. In this case, the UK courts have not found that it would be oppressive, unjust or an abuse of process to extradite Mr Assange, the British Home Office said in a statement. Nor have they found that extradition would be incompatible with his human rights, including his right to a fair trial and to freedom of expression, and that whilst in the US he will be treated appropriately, including in relation to his health. Press freedom and human rights groups have condemned the decision, arguing that Assange is at risk of torture and is being silenced for public service journalism. Here, what to know about the story so far: Who is Julian Assange and what is his website, WikiLeaks? Cyber activist Assange launched the non-profit, WikiLeaks in 2006, with the aim of exposing state secrets in the public interest. In 2010, U.S. Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning provided WikiLeaks with more than 700,000 highly classified documents relating to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Story continues The documents included evidence of what appeared to be war crimes, including footage released in April 2010 of U.S. soldiers shooting and killing civilians from a helicopter in Iraq. The U.S. argues that the disclosure of sensitive information about human intelligence sources and surveillance techniques put lives at risk. Assanges lawyers said he worked with media partners and the U.S. government to redact the names, and that access to the unredacted information was the fault of a book published by The Guardianan allegation the newspaper denied. In November 2010, Swedish authorities issued an arrest warrant for Assange over allegations of rape and sexual assault of two women on separate occasions while he was visiting Sweden for a conference. Assange was working in London at the time, and claimed the allegations were fabricated in order to facilitate his extradition from Sweden to the U.S. for publishing sensitive documents. His lawyers said that Assanges offers to be interviewed in the Swedish embassy in London or over the phone were declined. Facing extradition to Sweden, Assange skipped bail in June 2012 and fled to the Ecuadorian embassy in London. Two months later, Ecuador granted him asylum on the grounds of political persecution. He resided in the embassy building for seven years, during which time the Swedish investigation was dropped, initially in 2017 because he couldnt be interviewed. The case was briefly reopened after he left the embassy in 2019, but dropped again because prosecutors say witnesses memories had faded after a decade, making the oral testimony weaker. Why does the U.S. want to extradite Assange? After a series of alleged behavioral transgressions in the embassy, Ecuador revoked Assanges diplomatic asylum in April 2019. His supporters claimed the move was in retaliation to WikiLeaks sharing a tweet about a corruption probe into Ecuadorian President Lenin Moreno. Moreno has denied any wrongdoing and said the decision was taken because Assanges behavior was too disruptive. Within hours of losing his immunity, British police arrested Assange on a U.S. extradition warrant to face indictment for government computer hacking. While in custody, the British courts charged him for breach of bail in 2012, and he was sentenced to 50 weeks in a high security prison in London. In May 2019, Assange was indicted with 17 further charges under the U.S. Espionage Act, which in total carried a maximum prison sentence of 170 years. Assange and his supporters argue that WikiLeaks publishing of secret documents does not amount to espionage, and that the material is in the public interest. In the high security Belmarsh prison, Assanges health has reportedly deteriorated. In a significant intervention, the U.N. special rapporteur on torture, Nils Melzer, said that an examination of Assange in May 2019 showed symptoms typical for prolonged exposure to psychological torture, including extreme stress, chronic anxiety and intense psychological trauma. The British government disagreed with some of his observations. Proceedings to extradite Assange to the U.S. began in May 2019 but were held up by the COVID-19 pandemic. In January 2021, a British judge ruled that Assange could not be extradited due to concerns that his imprisonment in a maximum security prison in the U.S. would be oppressive due to his risk of suicide. He was denied bail while the U.S. appealed the decision, over fears he might jump bail. Read more: What to Know About Julian Assanges Extradition Appeal The U.S. took its appeal to the High Court and provided assurances that Assange would not face the harshest conditions while in prison, which would mitigate his risk of suicide. Assanges defense argued that the assurances could not be trustedthe U.S. withheld the right to rescind the special measures if it felt it was necessary. The defense also drew attention to a Yahoo News report published in September 2021 that alleged the CIA had plotted to poison, abduct, or assassinate Assange in 2017. The High Court ruled in favor of the U.S. in December 2021, and another London court formally approved the extradition in April this year. What do Assanges supporters say? Human rights organizations including Amnesty International and Freedom From Torture condemned the British governments signing of the extradition order on June 19 as disturbing and cruel. Despite promising that he will not face prolonged solitary confinement amounting to torture or other ill-treatment if extradited, U.S. authorities have openly stated that they can change the terms of Assanges imprisonment as they see fit, Tracy Doig, Head of International Advocacy at Freedom from Torture, said in a statement. No one should be extradited to a country if they are in danger of being tortured. International press freedom advocates, including Reporters Without Borders (RSF), are defending Assange on the basis that he acted in the public interest. The decision to sign this extradition order is shameful, Rebecca Vincent, director of International Campaigns for RSF, tells TIME. The British government is enabling the U.S. government to pursue a publisher simply for publishing information in the public interest. Its really concerning that the U.K. government would fail to protect him and the principles at stake. Read more: Historic for All the Wrong Reasons. Press Freedom Advocates Condemn Julian Assange Extradition Ruling Vincent believes that the British governments decision was politically motivated to please Washington. Part of the two nations long-standing bilateral collaboration is an extradition treaty that makes it easier for each country to hand over suspected criminals to face trial. It sends a concerning message to others, not just journalists, but other critics, people who might come to this country expecting to be protected, that the U.K. government can be pressured by other governments, Vincent says. Leaking documents in the public interest is now part-and-parcel of modern journalism, Vincent says. Weve seen big collaborative projects like Panama Papers, the Paradise Papers, and its worth noting that WikiLeaks started that, she says. Its changed the face of journalism. Punishing this kind of act would set a dangerous precedent, she adds. What happens next? Assange has 14 days from June 17 to appeal the extradition order. This time around, the outcome of any legal proceedings could be very different to previous challenges, Vincent says. While the previous hearings at the High Court and Supreme Court focused on narrower legal points in the case, she says, any potential appeal now will take into account the case as a whole. Theoretically, we could see a quite different decision, we could see a strong decision in his favor. While the process continues, Assange will remain in Belmarsh prison, where he is allowed visits from his wife, Stella Assange, and their two children. Mrs. Assange, a lawyer, was initially on Assanges legal team, but they started a relationship during his time in the Ecuadorian embassy. At a press conference in October, she told reporters that Assange was suffering physically and mentally as a result of the proceedings. I saw Julian in Belmarsh prison. He was looking very unwellI was quite taken aback by how thin he was, she said. Although the proceedings are currently being dealt with in the British courts the U.S. government could choose to cancel the extradition request at any point. Vincent says that U.S. President Joe Bidens decision not to distance his administration from the case when he assumed office was a missed opportunity. This case will continue to be a blight on the reputation of the U.S. government as long as it continues, she says. You cant undo the last 11 years, but they can do the right thing going forward. People who planned to travel this week to Zhengzhou, a central Chinese city, for a protest were taken away after their personal QR code indicating their COVID-19 health status flashed red. In this image, a passenger scans a QR code to get his green pass at a subway station in Wuhan on April 01, 2020. Ng Han Guan/AP Photo China uses a traffic-light system on a COVID app to let people know if they can enter public venues. People who recently tried to attend a protest fear the app is being used to monitor and target them. The incidents have spurred both foreign and domestic critics alike to speak out about the app. As part of China's efforts to control COVID-19, provincial authorities have been using a contact-tracing "health code" app to monitor people's movements. The app works off a traffic-light coding system. The user scans a venue's QR code, and in turn, their own QR code turns either green or red. If green, they have the all clear to enter; if red, they might have COVID-19, and must quarantine. But a recent wave of protests in Zhengzhou in central China has led some people to fear the app is being used for a different purpose: to monitor and target people who have taken part in these protests. Questions tracing back to bank protests in Zhengzhou In April, four local banks in Henan, the province that Zhengzhou is in, announced they would be freezing deposits, cutting off hundreds of thousands of people from an estimated $6 billion of their money, per the BBC. In recent weeks, people have been taking to the streets in Zhengzhou and Henan, calling for authorities and banks to return their money. Earlier this week, dozens of people traveled to Zhengzhou to participate in a protest. But upon arriving in Zhengzhou and scanning QR codes at train stations, buildings, or hotels, they said their health codes turned red. People detailed their experiences to outlets including Reuters, Bloomberg, and several Chinese news outlets. One Beijing-based tech professional, Liu, told CNN he arrived in Zhengzhou on Sunday with a green health code. He was planning to demand that one of the banks release $890,000 of his deposits. But his code flashed red at Zhengzhou's train station, and he was escorted to a quarantine hotel, where he said he saw about 40 other people whose health codes had also turned red. Story continues Zhang, a factory owner from the coastal province of Zhejiang, arrived in Zhengzhou on Monday to join the protest, according to South China Morning Post (SCMP). Zhang said after his health code showed up red at the train station, local police took him to a library, where he was joined by about 10 others who had planned to demonstrate. Liu and Zhang were escorted back to Beijing and Zhejiang, respectively, by police, per CNN and SCMP. It's unclear if Zhengzhou authorities used the protestors' codes to prevent them from joining the protests. Henan reported no new COVID-19 cases over the past week, per numbers released by the province's health commission. A Zhengzhou government hotline was flooded with complaints questioning if the city was targeting people by turning their codes red, per a Tuesday report by state-run Yicai. A spokesperson for Henan's health agency told Yicai that Zhengzhou authorities were investigating the incident. The Henan Provincial Administrative Approval and Government Information Administration, which oversees the use of digital data across the province, did not immediately respond to Insider's requests for comment. Insider made multiple calls to a hotline number listed on Zhengzhou Big Data Administration's website, but the calls were not put through. Domestic critics join the chorus of foreign critics Since the coding system was introduced at the start of the pandemic, foreign critics have voiced concerns that Chinese authorities could use the codes to surveil citizens. The codes are "yet another way to gather information about people to potentially use it against them in ways which there's no legal basis," Sophie Richardson, the China director at Human Rights Watch, told ABC News in 2020. But Zhengzhou appears to mark a turning point in that both foreign and local critics have now voiced concerns about authorities' use of the apps' data. "I would have actually thought this happened more routinely in the past two years but apparently this is a watershed moment for using health tools to crack down on dissent," Alex Gladstein, the chief strategy officer at the New York-based Human Rights Foundation, wrote in a tweet on Tuesday. Prominent voices among China's establishment have also spoken out. "If a local government decides to use the health codes for any other purposes other than the specified aim of regulating movement of people, it's a breach of pandemic-prevention regulations, and it damages the public's trust and support for the code and pandemic-prevention efforts. It's not worth the potential threat to our social governance," Hu Xijin, a former editor of state-run Global Times, posted on China's Twitter-like Weibo on Tuesday. Read the original article on Business Insider Authorities investigate the site where a man accused of shooting a California Highway Patrol officer was arrested at a homeless encampment in Lake Balboa on Tuesday. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) A Marine Corps veteran was charged Thursday with attempted murder of a peace officer after authorities alleged he shot a California Highway Patrol officer during a traffic stop Monday night in Studio City. According to the Los Angeles County district attorney's office, the charge filed against Pejhmaun Iraj Khosroabadi of Van Nuys comes with an enhancement for allegedly using a firearm causing great bodily injury. "Based on the facts of this case, I have taken the step of authorizing the filing of a felony attempted murder charge with a gun enhancement that, if found true, could result in a sentence of 40 years to life in prison," Dist. Atty. George Gascon said Thursday. "I believe these are appropriate charges for the person accused in the horrific shooting of a CHP officer." Khosroabadi, 33, was taken into custody by Los Angeles police about 12 hours after the CHP officer was shot multiple times during a traffic stop in the Campbell Hall Episcopal School parking lot shortly before 8 p.m. Monday. The 27-year-old officer, who has not been publicly identified, suffered severe injuries from gunshot wounds after the assailant delayed complying with a traffic stop in the 4500 block of Laurel Canyon Boulevard, according to the CHP. The officer had been on the job about a year. A law enforcement source said the officer was shot in the face a couple of minutes into the traffic stop. The officer was taken to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. Khosroabadi, who had been driving a white sedan, was injured and fled the scene, authorities said. LAPD Chief Michel Moore said Khosroabadi was found inside a tent on Gloria Avenue in the Lake Balboa area with a hand injury, apparently from a gunshot wound. Deric Lewis, who lives in a tent in the encampment, said the suspect came into his tent Monday night and spent the night there. He had a gun and blood all over his clothes, Lewis said. Lewis said Khosroabadi told him he was a Marine, served in Afghanistan and "was in the bloodiest battle in Afghanistan." Story continues Khosroabadi served from Aug. 21, 2007, to Aug. 20, 2011, and was a corporal upon discharge, said Yvonne Carlock, a spokesperson for the Marine Corps' Manpower and Reserve Affairs Department. He was deployed to Afghanistan from September 2010 to April 2011, serving with the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division out of Camp Pendleton, Carlock said. Known as the Dark Horse Battalion, or the 3/5, the unit had 24 killed in action and more than 175 wounded as it fought to wrest control of Helmand province's Sangin district from the Taliban, The Times reported when the battalion's Marines returned from their deployment in 2011. The 3/5 lost more personnel in combat than any of the Marines' other battalions during the first 10 years of the war. Robert Thompson-Khosroabadi, the suspect's brother, said his sibling's "mental health state took a turn for the worst" after his deployment. He described his brother as a "die-hard American who served his country" and has been denied help from the Department of Veterans Affairs. "He is not a terrorist. He is not a bad person. Hes the most loving person Ive ever met, and hes the kind of guy that will give you the shirt off his back," Thompson-Khosroabadi said in a statement. "He was on his way to give a toy to our younger cousin with autism when the incident occurred. PTSD can strike at any moment." In his announcement Thursday, Gascon said his office is asking the court to hold Khosroabadi in custody on preventative detention "based on the dangerousness of the defendant and the callousness of the offense." "If the judge grants the offices request for preventative detention, it will ensure that the defendant will remain in custody pending the outcome of the trial," the district attorney said. Khosroabadi's scheduled arraignment hearing Thursday was continued to June 30, said Ricardo Santiago, a spokesperson for the district attorney's office. The court did not need to decide on the request for preventative detention because Khosroabadi's defense attorney agreed he could be held without bail until the next court date, Santiago said. It was not clear who is representing Khosroabadi. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. A former US diplomat who later became a teacher has been sentenced to 14 years in a Russian penal colony after airport workers allegedly found half an ounce of marijuana in his luggage. Marc Fogel, who works at an English language school in Moscow, was detained at the Sheremeteyevo airport in Moscow in August. He has since been charged with smuggling and possession of 'large scale" of narcotics after his luggage was subject to a random search. Russian authorities claim he was using his former diplomatic status to run a drug smuggling ring into Moscow. Mr Fogel pleaded guilty to the charges of smuggling, storing, transporting, manufacturing and processing narcotics. He told lawyers who visited him in Russia that he used the marijuana for medical needs resulting from a spinal surgery. According to Mr Fogel, he was unaware of Russia's ban on medicinal marijuana. He is one of several Americans currently detained in Russia. WNBA star Brittney Grinner also was detained at a Moscow airport after authorities allegedly found marijuana in her bags. She has been detained since February, and calls for her release from family, friends, fans and colleagues have poured out since. The State Department said it was working to secure Ms Grinner's release. Two American fighters who joined Ukrainian forces in their fight against the Russian invasion have also been captured, according to their comrades and Russian authorities. The men, Alexander Drueke and Andy Huynh, were reportedly captured after they disabled a Russian tank. They were separated from their unit, which lost sight of them in the fog of war. When the other members of their group went to look for them the men had disappeared. Russian forces later shared on social media that they had captured two American fighters. Their families and loved ones have also pressured the US State Department to work to bring them home. Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said the agency was aware of the men and warned Americans not to join the fighting in Ukraine, as they may be captured or killed. Story continues Another American, former Marine Paul Whelan, has been imprisoned in Russia for two years on espionage charges. He was sentenced to 16 years in prison in 2020. The most likely route for the Americans to be released is through a prisoner swap. Trevor Reed, an American who was arrested for allegedly drunkenly assaulting Russian police, was recently released thanks to a prisoner swap. It is unclear if Russia would consider a prisoner swap for the American POWs. Russia recently sentenced two British nationals who fought as mercenaries in Ukraine to death by firing squad. The families of the captured American fighters fear they may face the same fate if the State Department fails to secure their release. BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand announced on Friday it would abandon its much-criticised pre-registration process for foreign visitors and no longer require face masks to be worn in public, responding to a slower COVID-19 spread. The "Thailand Pass" system, where foreign tourists must seek prior approval from Thai authorities, will be halted from July 1, Tourism Minister Pipat Ratchakitprakan told reporters, removing one of the country's last remaining travel curbs. Thailand is one of the world's most popular travel destinations, but tourism businesses have long complained its requirement for foreigners to submit multiple documents - from vaccine and swab test certificates to medical insurance and hotel bookings - was impeding the sector's recovery. Thailand was visited by nearly 40 million people in 2019, but received less than 1% of that number last year, despite easing its quarantine requirements. Though tourism has picked up in recent months, the industry is far from recovering, with huge jobs and businesses losses in a sector that typically accounts for about 12% of Thai gross domestic product. The coronavirus task force on Friday also said use of face masks would from next month be voluntary, but advised people to wear them if in crowded settings or if suffering from health conditions. Thailand has suffered more than 30,000 COVID-19 deaths overall, but has largely contained its outbreaks, helped by a vaccination rate of more than 80%. (Reporting by Panarat Thepgumpanat; Writing by Martin Petty; Editing by Ed Davies) This is a recap of updates out of the war in Ukraine for Friday, June 17. For the latest news, click here. The executive arm of the European Union recommended Friday that Ukraine become a candidate for membership, the first step in a process that could take decades. The endorsement is set to be discussed by the bloc's leaders next week in Brussels. "Ukraine has clearly demonstrated its aspiration and determination to live up to European values and standards," President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen said on Twitter. "We want them to live with us the European dream." Russia's invasion in February increased pressure to fast-track Ukraine's candidate status. But accession talks require unanimous approval from all 27 member counties and some do not agree on how quickly the process of accepting new members should proceed. The announcement comes as Russia continued its attacks on cities in Ukraines eastern Donbas region leaving desperate residents wondering what the next years hold for them. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, center, chairs a meeting of the College of Commissioners at EU headquarters in Brussels, Friday, June 17, 2022. Ukraine's request to join the European Union may advance Friday with a recommendation from the EU's executive arm that the war-torn country deserves to become a candidate for membership in the 27-nation bloc. Latest developments: Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke at the International Economic Forum in St. Petersburg on Friday after the Kremlin said massive cyberattacks delayed his appearance, according to the Washington Post and CNN. Ukraine will not host Eurovision Song Contest in 2023, organizers announced Friday. In May, the Ukrainian band Kalush Orchestra won the contest with "Stefania,'' and the right to host next year's event. The UK said British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was in Ukraine Friday on a surprise visit, his second trip since the Russian invasion began. Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday criticized the U.S. for its "reckless and insane" sanctions against the Kremlin, claiming that his economy will overcome the financial consequences to his war in Ukraine. Families of 2 Americans missing in Ukraine speak out The families of two Alabama men who went missing near Kharkiv in a battle last week and were feared to have been captured told USA TODAY they are holding out hope that the men could be released. Story continues Joy Black's fiancee Andy Tai Ngoc Huynh, a 27-year-old former Marine, drew up a will, said goodbye to her and left Hartselle, Alabama, in April to help Ukrainians repel Russian forces. That same month, not far away in Tuscaloosa, former Army Sgt. Alexander Drueke, a 39-year-old Iraq war veteran, had deliberated for a month before deciding to pack his gear for Ukraine. Russian state television on Friday showed video of the two men, confirming that they were taken captive and raising fears about their fate. They are believed to be the first Americans captured by Russian forces since the war began on Feb. 24. Previously, Dianna Shaw, 55, Druekes aunt, urged the government to help bring them home. If they are in custody, "We appeal for Alex's and Andy's humane treatment in the meantime," Shaw said in a text message to USA TODAY on Friday. "Coach Nick Saban always tells us Bama fans to 'trust the process' and that's exactly what we are doing." Meantime, the State Department has said it was aware of reports a third American was missing in Ukraine, whom the Washington Post and CNN identified as Grady Kurpasi, another Marine veteran. On Friday, President Joe Biden said he'd been briefed. "We don't know where they are, but I want to reiterate: Americans should not be going to Ukraine now. Say it again: Americans should not be going to Ukraine," he told reporters. Read more here. Chris Kenning, USA TODAY Biden: There's a 'price to pay' in helping Ukraine but it was important In a rare interview with a news organization, President Biden told the Associated Press on Thursday "there was going to be a price to pay" for helping Ukraine, but not acting would have been worse. "Youd see chaos in Europe," Biden said. "The Russians might have continued into other countries and China and North Korea could have been emboldened to make their own moves." Asked about the political risk he now faces from higher gas prices and whether Americans have a daily sense of the national security stakes he described, Biden said most households are just trying to figure out how to put food on the table. But as president, he has to be willing to make tough decisions despite any political consequence, he said. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen recently acknowledged that the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan's expanded child tax credit increased demand and might have caused a marginal increase in food prices. Biden rejected that possibility. You could argue whether it had a marginal, minor impact on inflation. I dont think it did. And most economists do not think it did, he said. But the idea that it caused inflation is bizarre. Read more here. Maureen Groppe, USA TODAY Russian-owned superyacht seized by US arrives in Hawaii A Russian-owned superyacht seized by the United States arrived in Honolulu Harbor on Thursday flying an American flag after the U.S. won a legal battle in Fiji last week to take the $325 million vessel. The FBI has linked the Amadea to the Russian oligarch Suleiman Kerimov. The U.S. said Kerimov secretly bought the Cayman Island-flagged vessel last year through various shell companies. MORE: How the seizure of Russian superyachts helps the feds punish Putin and his oligarchs The ship became a target of Task Force KleptoCapture, launched in March to seize the assets of Russian oligarchs to put pressure on Russia to end the war in Ukraine. The 348-foot-long vessel, about the length of a football field, features a live lobster tank, a hand-painted piano, a swimming pool and a large helipad. Lawyer Feizal Haniff, who represented Millemarin Investments, the owner on paper, had argued the owner was another wealthy Russian who, unlike Kerimov, doesnt face sanctions. US to send $1B package to Ukraine The U.S. announced it would send a $1 billion package of military assistance to Ukraine earlier this week the largest allocation of aid provided by the U.S. since the invasion began. The American aid package includes $350 million in rapid, off-the-shelf deliveries by the Pentagon and $650 million in other longer-term purchases. The U.S. military will send Ukraine 18 howitzers, 36,000 rounds of ammunition for them, tactical vehicles, in addition to other equipment like Harpoon coastal defense systems and secure radios. Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine Anna Malyar said this week that Ukraine had only received 10% of the military assistance it had requested from western countries. Meanwhile, France, Germany, Slovakia, Canada, and Poland also pledged to send more military aid to Ukraine this week. Russian spy attempted to access international court investigating war crimes as an intern, Dutch say A Russian military spy posed as a Brazilian national in an attempt to get an internship at the International Criminal Court in the Hague, which is investigating war crimes allegations in Ukraine, the Dutch intelligence service said Thursday. The General Intelligence and Security Service named the Russian intelligence officer as Sergey Vladimirovich Cherkasov and said that in April he used an elaborately constructed identity to try to infiltrate the court. It published a letter that accompanied Cherkasov's internship application. Writing under the alias Viktor Muller Ferreira, he spun a complex cover tale about growing up in poverty in Brazil and how members of his family suffered from heart problems. Cherkasov was detained at a Dutch airport and deported to Brazil, where he could face court proceedings. If the intelligence officer had succeeded in gaining access as an intern to the ICC, he would have been able to gather intelligence there and to look for (or recruit) sources, and arrange to have access to the ICCs digital systems," the General Intelligence and Security Service said in a statement. That would have provided a "significant contribution" to the intelligence that Russia is seeking. The spy might also have been able to influence criminal proceedings, the service said. There was no immediate reaction from Moscow, though the attempted infiltration may indicate how seriously Russian President Vladimir Putin is taking allegations of Russian war crimes in Ukraine. The Kremlin has consistently denied the accusation, saying the West was concocting a misinformation campaign against Russia. Kim Hjelmgaard Contributing: The Associated Press This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Families of Americans missing in Ukraine speak out: June 17 recap MEXICO-HOLANDA-PORNOGRAFIA INFANTIL (AP) An electronic-sniffing dog named Hidu was lavished with praise after the successful conclusion of an operation to apprehend suspected pedophile Jason Maatman in Mexico City earlier this month. The operation to catch Mr Maatman, who has openly advocated that people have sex with children, began in earnest several weeks ago when the Dutch anti-human trafficking organisation Free a Girl discovered that Mr Maatman, who is also Dutch, had fled to Mexico to escape open court cases in the Netherlands. Free a Girl alerted the US-based organisation Operation Underground Railroad and asked their colleagues to ensnare Mr Maatman. Operation Underground Railroad complied. Undercover operatives began making contact with Mr Maatman in chat rooms and online spaces, attempting to ascertain his location. We were able to confirm he was in Mexico and then talking to him in just different chat rooms, Matt Osborne, the groups director of global operations, told Spectrum News NY1. He said, Im in a really kind of dangerous rundown area. I dont want to give you my address. I dont want you guys to come see me, but you can come meet me at a gas station. Mr Maatman paid for his online indiscretion. He was arrested at a bus station near a gas station, allegedly in possession of both a pistol and cocaine, and has been incarcerated in a Mexico City prison. Since Mr Maatmans arrest was not in his home and they did not know where he lived, law enforcement officials and aligned non-profit organisations continued their search for sexually explict material involving children that he was reportedly trying to monetize. Law enforcement ultimately figured out where Mr Maatman was living by tracing his movements through security camera footage, which is where Hidu a black lab trained at a facility in Indianapolis entered the fray. Hidu, working his very first case, sniffed out TPPO a chemical used to keep small memory devices like hard drives from overheating in a laundry basket full of dirty clothes, where law enforcement officials found a cellphone with illegal child sexual abuse material. Hidu also led them to other child porography in the apartment. In total, law enforcement allegedly discovered roughly four terabytes of illegal material in the unit. Mr Maatman has been charged with human trafficking and drug and weapons possession. Five authors, conservationists, environmentalists and artists -- including Leslie Kemp Poole -- will visit the Matheson History Museum at 4 p.m. June 18 to read from their essays in The Wilder Heart of Florida: More Writers Inspired by Florida Nature about their beloved places in the state. TIOGA OUTDOOR MOVIE NIGHT SERIES: The 2022 Tioga Movie Night Series continues at 7 p.m. today with Soul. Bring your lawn chairs and blankets, and enjoy the movie under the stars. This is a free outdoor movie screening. Tiogas restaurants and coffee shop will be open before and during the film so attendees can purchase dinner or snacks to round out the evening. According to IMDB.com, Soul follows a New York jazz pianist who, after landing the gig of a lifetime, suddenly finds himself trapped in a strange land between Earth and the afterlife. This film is rated PG and has a runtime of 1 hour and 40 minutes. Upcoming movies in the Tioga Outdoor Movie Night Series include Sing 2 on July 8 and Clifford the Big Red Dog on Aug. 12. FREE FRIDAYS CONCERT: Catch the next performance of the citys popular Free Fridays concert series from 8 to 10 p.m today at the Bo Diddley Plaza downtown amphitheater, located at 111 E. University Ave. The free concert series highlights a different act each week, with Phillip "Jazz Dad" Thomas and the Forever Miles Band performing R&B and soul today. Attendees are encouraged to bring their blankets and lawn chairs to Bo Diddley Plaza to enjoy the concert under the stars. For more information, including a list of upcoming performances, visit bodiddleyplaza.com/upcoming-events. HONKY TONK LAUNDRY: The Hipps newest production is a country-flavored, bootscootin musical. Wash your cares away with Honky Tonk Laundry, a jukebox musical full of country favorites from Dolly Parton, Carrie Underwood, Reba McEntire, Gretchen Wilson, Patsy Cline and many more. When Lana Mae Hopkins, owner and proprietress of the Wishy Washy Washateria, hires Katie to help out, they soon find themselves up to their elbows in soap, suds and cheatin hearts. The women join forces to transform the laundromat into a bootscootin honky-tonk and exact a touch of revenge against those that done em wrong. This production includes some sexual references and mild profanity, including talk of prescription drug and alcohol use. It is suitable for ages 13 and older. Catch a show at 7 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays, 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays plus 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays through July 10. Tickets are $23 for general admission and $18 for students and children. For more information, or to purchase tickets online, visit thehipp.org/honky-tonk-laundry. AUTHORS DISCUSSION: Five authors, conservationists, environmentalists and artists will visit the Matheson History Museum at 4 p.m. Saturday to read from their essays in The Wilder Heart of Florida: More Writers Inspired by Florida Nature about their beloved places in the state. Registration is free at bit.ly/authorsjune22, but capacity will be limited to 100 people and masks are required. A virtual option via Zoom is available for those who cannot attend in person at bit.ly/authorsjune22zoom. In this captivating collection, Floridas most notable authors, poets and environmentalists take readers on a journey through the natural wonders of the state. Continuing in the legacy of the beloved classic The Wild Heart of Florida, this book features 34 pieces by a new slate of well-known and emerging writers. In these pages, New York Times bestselling author Lauren Groff describes the beauty of Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park. Environmental writer Cynthia Barnett listens to seashells on Sanibel Island. Legendary journalist Marjory Stoneman Douglas records the sights and sounds of the Everglades in the 1920s. Miccosukee elder Buffalo Tiger relates traditional stories of his communitys deep relationship with the land. Presidential inaugural poet Richard Blanco muses on the shifting vista of the ocean in Some Days the Sea. These writers and many others recount memories of how their lives have been enriched by the states varied and brilliant landscapes. Some tell of encounters with alligators, pythons, manatees, turtles and otters, while others marvel at the unique character of flowing springs and piney scrub. Together, they highlight the need to protect pristine ecosystems and restore ones that have been damaged due to development. The Wilder Heart of Florida will inspire readers to explore and celebrate the Florida wilderness. The Matheson History Museum is located at 513 E. University Ave. SUNDAY ASSEMBLY: Sunday Assembly Gainesville will feature guest speaker Ron Cunningham, a career journalist who has been writing about Florida for half a century. He graduated from the University of Florida in 1975 and began his journalism career as a beat reporter for the Ft. Lauderdale Sun Sentinel. In 1976, he became higher education reporter for The Gainesville Sun and later served the New York Times Florida newspapers. He was editorial page editor of The Gainesville Sun for 30 years before his retirement, but in retirement he continues to write columns, book and theater reviews, and magazine articles. The title of his talk will be Save a Creek, Build a Greenway. There will be time for discussion following the presentation. Music will be provided by Sunday Assembly musicians. Sunday Assembly Gainesville is a secular congregation that celebrates life at 11 a.m. the third Sunday of each month. The group will meet at the Pride Center in the Liberty Center, 3131 NW 13th St. Vaccinations, boosters and face masks are recommended and encouraged. It also is possible to attend via zoom. Sunday Assembly Gainesville is a chapter of the Global Secular Sunday Assembly Movement. For more information, visit sagainesville.weebly.com or email SundayAssembly32601@gmail.com. This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Best bets: Outdoor movie, 'Free Fridays' concert, 'Honky Tonk Laundry' Scott Quinn Berkett, who was arrested last spring, pleaded guilty this week to attempting to hire a hit man to kill a woman who had ended her relationship with him. (U.S. Attorney's office for the Central District of California) A Beverly Hills man pleaded guilty in federal court this week to attempting to hire a hit man to kill a woman he had dated, prosecutors said. Scott Quinn Berkett, 25, pleaded guilty to one count of using interstate facilities to commit murder for hire and faces up to 10 years in prison when he is sentenced in September, according to the U.S. attorneys office for the Central District of California. Berkett was arrested last spring after he attempted to hire an undercover FBI agent to kill a woman who had ended her relationship with him, investigators wrote in an affidavit. Berkett met the woman on social media and exchanged messages with her before she flew to L.A. to meet him in 2020. In interviews with law enforcement, the woman said Berkett was sexually aggressive toward her, and she ended their relationship after the trip. But Berkett continued to contact her until a family member tried to reach his father to inform him of the situation, according to the affidavit. Berkett, using his fathers phone to respond, said the woman was blocked on social media, and he would consider this matter closed. An investigative media organization informed the FBI that Berkett had reached out to a group on the dark web to inquire about murder-for-hire services. The group was part of a scam, investigators said in the affidavit. Berkett sent the group bitcoin payments totaling around $13,000, investigators said, and wrote: Id like it to look like an accident, but robbery gone wrong may work better. So long as she is dead. Posing as a hit man, the undercover FBI agent contacted Berkett on WhatsApp and sent him photos of the woman. Berkett confirmed that the woman in the photos was the target and told the agent that he had already made bitcoin payments. They discussed details of the proposed murder, including how the scene should appear, and Berkett requested a photo of the womans tattoo as proof that she had been killed. The agent asked Berkett for an additional $1,000, which he provided the next day, according to the affidavit. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. It's election season and Alachua County's races for county commission will soon begin to heat up. Over the past two weeks, multiple candidates filed to run for office in hopes of unseating incumbents. One race, however, is to fill a void left by Mary Alford who resigned after it was discovered she didn't live in her district. Alford has since refiled for her seat but will face off against a Gov. Ron DeSantis appointee who seeks to retain the chair. The primary election will be held on Aug. 23 where Democrats and Republicans will face off against their respected party challengers. Florida has closed primary elections, meaning only voters belonging to a party may vote for candidates belonging to those parties, as well as nonpartisan seats. The winning candidates from each party will then face off against one another for the general election on Nov. 8. Here are your candidates for county commission: Resigning: Alachua County Commissioner Mary Alford plans to resign after district residency questioned Running again: Ex-U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown running for Congress again, now in Central Florida Appointed by the gov: DeSantis appoints Gainesville attorney Raemi Eagle-Glenn to Alachua County commission District 1 Arguably the most controversial seat up for grabs this election will be the county's District 1 seat, which was vacated last month by Alford. The district includes much of southwest Alachua County and Micanopy. Mary Alford was first elected to office in 2020 after spending years on several advisory boards, including Gainesville's Utility Advisory Board. She is an engineer who has focused on environmental and infrastructure issues while serving on the commission. Mary Alford She resigned after The Sun reported that she didn't live in her district, despite filing information with the Supervisor of Elections office that she did. Alford, a Democrat, has since found a new home within the district and says she's ready to get back to work. Story continues Her opponent is a familiar foe, Gainesville Attorney Raemi Eagle-Glenn. Eagle-Glenn was appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis on June 9 and will hold the seat at least until after the upcoming election. The two candidates previously faced off in the 2020 general election, where Alford received nearly 63% of the vote. Raemi Eagle-Glenn Eagle-Glenn, who also serves as a committeewoman for the Alachua County Republican Party has been critical of the county commission's policies, taking aim at the county manager, spokesman and elected leaders for their COVID-19 policies. Loading... District 2 After appearing to run unopposed, incumbent Merihelen Wheeler saw two challengers pop up in the past week for District 2, which covers much of the northwestern portion of the county. Wheeler, who was first elected in 2018, is a former school teacher with more than three decades of experience. She has been praised for her continued work on environmental issues throughout the county and state, well before her time in office. In May, much like Alford, the Sun reported that Wheeler may not live in her district, as required by law. But co-owning and staying at a home with her son within the district may provide legal cover. Her opponents are well-known public figures. Ed Braddy, a former mayor of Gainesville and current chairman of the Alachua County Republican Party, threw his hat into the ring this week. Braddy served as the Gainesville's mayor from 2013 to 2016 before being unseated by Lauren Poe during a controversial election. Braddy left office while being entangled in an investigation involving a former city police union president, who was sentenced to three years for stealing about $56,000 of union funds. Some of those funds were spent on Braddy for hotel rooms and a strip club visit, though the former mayor denied any wrongdoing or knowing the money was stolen. Braddy paid back the money and self-reported the incident to Florida Commission on Ethics, which found probable cause that the former mayor accepted prohibited gifts. Before that, Braddy served two full terms as a city commissioner. He has worked as an assessment coordinator at Santa Fe College. He said he is running to improve the county's infrastructure, including roads, lower taxes and to ensure people's rights aren't trampled on. He said he wants to break the one-party rule in Alachua County. Charlie Jackson, a Democrat, will face off against Wheeler in the primary race. Jackson worked for the county for 20 years, lastly serving as its facilities director. He was terminated in February for his questionable hiring practices. Charlie Jackson, candidate for Alachua County commission Afterward, he sent off an email stating that he was unjustly fired and experienced harassment, unfair treatment and discrimination during his tenure, and claimed the commission was given false renovation estimates for projects by staff. District 4 Commissioner Ken Cornell is seeking a third term in office for District 4, which covers the eastern and southeastern portion of Alachua County. Ken Cornell, District 4 county commissioner. Cornell, who works as a senior vice president for Bosshardt Realty, was born and raised in Gainesville. During his time in office, he has helped increase funding for public safety, and focused on environmental issues, roads and other core services, including reducing the millage rate each year while in office. Cornell also serves on the Children's Trust of Alachua County. James "Van" Elmore, a Republican, is one of two candidates planning to take on Cornell, who previously ran unopposed in 2018. Elmore is a retired EMS lieutenant for Alachua County Fire Rescue, where he worked for 31 years. Van Elmore, candidate for Alachua County commission for District 4. Elmore grew up in Hawthorne and said he has seen too much growth in west Alachua County. He said he will focus will largely involve bringing more jobs to the east of Waldo Road in Gainesville to restore the balance. Anthony Johnson, who filed under no party affiliation, also will compete for the seat. Johnson is a retired field engineer and software developer. He is the co-owner of Azure Services LLC, a local electronic interchange company. He said he would like to bring the county up-to-speed on technological issues, which he says will save money. He is also a landlord and says he understands housing issues facing the county. Anthony Johnson, candidate for Alachua County commission for District 4. Key dates for the 2022 Primary Election Voter registration deadline: July 25 Early voting: Aug. 13-20, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mail ballot request deadline: Aug. 13, 5 p.m. (Must be received by Supervisor of Elections office by 7 p.m. on Election Day to be counted) Election Day: Aug. 23, polls open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Key dates for the 2022 Primary Election Voter registration deadline: July 25 Early voting: Aug. 13-20, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mail ballot request deadline: Aug. 13, 5 p.m. (Must be received by Supervisor of Elections office by 7 p.m. on Election Day to be counted) Election Day: Aug. 23, polls open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Alachua County commission candidates set for primary, general election . "Peru returned in person to Thaifex 2022, one of the largest and most important events for the promotion of food and beverages in Southeast Asia," Carbajal expressed. "The national delegation which was made up of eight exporting companies and is likely to have generated business deals worth US$2 million had as its main objectives increasing Peruvian exports, identifying new buyers, and promoting new products, especially in the markets of Thailand, Vietnam, and Malaysia," she specified. Our country has participated in this fair since 2012 with quinoa, blueberries, garlic, ground dressings, maca, olives, and olive oil being some of the products that draw the most interest in this edition. Carbajal indicated that national exporters had the opportunity to learn about new launches at the international level, as well as assess trends in Thailand and Southeast Asia, thanks to joint efforts undertaken by the Association of Peruvian Exporters (Adex) and PromPeru through its Trade Office in Bangkok. Thailand Thailand is an important market for Peru by hosting a population of 69 million, which is why the food industry is one of the most important sectors in that country. It must be noted that Peru has an original protocol in force with this nation, three additional ones since December 31, 2011, and a fourth one that will be activated this year. Thus, it has liberalized 75% of the tariff universe. Thaifex is the main channel for generating business deals in this sector in the same place. Similarly, entrepreneurs and professionals in this sector have the opportunity to evaluate new buyers, attend presentations by experts, as well as learn about the main global trends to expand the competitiveness of businesses. PromPeru has also been working since 2020 on the positioning of the Super Foods Peru brand within the most important markets in Southeast Asia. As a result of this work, Thailand is the market that makes the largest purchase of Peru's non-mining or energy products. Within this framework, Thaifex includes several marketing channels within the food and beverage sector including the food services, food, gastronomy, coffee all of them offering great opportunities to maintain the positioning of our products. Exports Cumulative farming sector exports to Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam exceeded US$33 million. Among the most exported products were fresh grapes, cacao beans, fresh blueberries, avocados, quinoa, vegetable oils, fresh pomegranates, and shelled Amazon nuts. (END) NDP/VLA/MVB In order to contribute to the strengthening and dissemination of its exportable offer in terms of food and beverages across international markets, Peru participated in the Thaifex 2022 fair, which took place on May 24-28 at the Impact Exhibition Center in the Thai capital Bangkok, Peru's Exports and Tourism Promotion Board (PromPeru) Executive-President Amora Carbajal reported on Friday.Publicado: 17/6/2022 A Detroit tax preparer built a following on getting good refunds for her customers. But the refunds ended up being crafted on false tax returns that contained "fictitious business income and expenses, and false itemized deductions and education credits," according to the U.S. Department of Justice. In all, the tax preparer, according to the Justice Department, admitted to causing a total tax loss to the IRS of more than $815,000. The scheme was significant. As part of a guilty plea, Daneilla Allen, who co-owned All Star Tax Services that had locations in Michigan and Ohio, admitted that from 2014 through 2018 she prepared false tax returns for clients and filed the returns with the Internal Revenue Service. The story gives taxpayers one more reason to hit the pause button and rethink whether it's really in their best interest to pick a tax preparer after hearing glowing comments from a friend or seeing an ad on Facebook that promotes the maximum refund. Reality stars, like Todd and Julie Chrisley, aren't the only ones who can run into tax troubles. Todd Chrisley, left, and his wife, Julie Chrisley, pose for photos at the 52nd annual Academy of Country Music Awards on April 2, 2017, in Las Vegas. The couple, stars of the reality television show Chrisley Knows Best, have been found guilty in Atlanta on federal charges including bank fraud and tax evasion Tuesday, June 7, 2022. Why are you listing a cleaning service? Or a lawn business? Taxpayers need to carefully review what they're claiming on any return, even if it's being prepared by someone else. This year's April 18 tax deadline has come and gone. But many people requested an extension and have until Oct. 17 to file their tax return. Filing earlier than October remains an option, though, if a taxpayer has all the necessary information to file an accurate return. Tax rules change and can trip anyone up, which is why you should try to understand tax breaks even if someone else is preparing your return. See if what's being claimed matches up with what's really going on in your life. One return in the Detroit case included business losses from a nonexistent cleaning business, according to court records. The imaginary business fraudulently claimed a business loss of $12,610 on the tax return. Story continues Some clients filed returns through the preparer for two or three years, according to court records. Allen agreed to pay $158,865 in restitution to the IRS, according to the plea agreement. The agreement lists specific tax losses involving a variety of clients without their full names. For example, one client who filed four returns for tax years 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 had $17,225 listed as a tax loss associated with falsified refunds for those years according to the restitution chart. Allen, who is scheduled to be sentenced Sept. 7, declined to comment to the Detroit Free Press. She faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison for assisting the filing of a false tax return. Her attorney did not respond to emails or phone calls. In addition, she is looking at a period of supervised release and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Taxpayers are warned to watch out for bad preparers. Fraud schemes have included situations where a preparer shows a legitimate return to the taxpayer but then files a different false return that generates a substantial refund that the preparer pockets. File photo: A 2014 photo shows the Internal Revenue Service headquarters building in Washington, D.C. (AP Photo/J. David Ake, File) The court records indicate that Allen had some knowledge of taxes after taking tax preparation courses and continuing education courses on taxes. "Even after IRS special agents informed Allen she was the subject of a criminal investigation, she continued to prepare false returns for clients in 2020 and 2021," according to the Department of Justice. In 2020 and 2021, though, Allen prepared returns that failed to identify her as the paid preparer, as required, according to court records. What do taxpayers need to know Sarah Kull, special agent in charge of the IRS Criminal Investigation Division in Detroit, was not able to discuss the specifics of the case because the investigation isn't completely adjudicated. So she wasn't able to give more details on how the investigation began or what it means for those clients who had taxes done at the firm. In general, the IRS investigations include tips from taxpayers, other return preparers and the IRS' own efforts to track patterns through the criminal investigation division's scheme development center. Some suspicious activity stands out, such as one return preparer who has an extremely high refund rate, say 98% to 100% of the returns filed generate a refund. Or if one preparer has a very high percentage of Schedule C forms that are used by self-employed people. Some fraudulent returns, for example, create a fictitious business, say a lawn service or cleaning business, that might generate losses to reduce one's income enough to claim an Earned Income Tax Credit. A return preparer might list that you're a health care worker or babysitter or house cleaner to create a business for you. But you can't claim a business if you don't have one. Doesn't a taxpayer know there's fraud? Cases can go both ways. Maybe the taxpayer is a willing participant or turns a blind eye to some sketchy claims on that return. The preparer who is willing to break the rules might make money generating more business or charging big fees by claiming that they guarantee you a refund. "Their clients go out and say, 'Hey go to this person. He or she can get you an awesome refund,' " Kull said. Then, there are situations where the taxpayer has no idea that a fake return was filed. Fraud schemes have included situations where a preparer shows a legitimate return to the taxpayer but then files a different false return that generates a substantial refund that the preparer pockets. Or the preparer might try something with a different twist. Mark Alan Patterson, a 53-year-old tax return preparer in Beaverton, was sentenced in May to 46 months in prison for wire fraud and tax evasion in a scheme to steal tax refunds from more than 160 clients. Patterson admitted to stealing more $600,000 as part of his scheme, according to the Justice Department. "From 2015 until February 2020," the Justice Department said, "Patterson stole various portions of clients tax refunds by directing portions of clients tax refunds into bank accounts that Patterson controlled." He didn't tell clients that he was taking money from their tax returns. Instead, according to the Justice Department, he deceived them by giving them unfiled versions of returns showing that they had a smaller refund amount. Many times, taxpayers don't look carefully at their returns. "They just want a refund. They don't care how they get it," Kull said in a phone interview. "You, as a taxpayer, you sign that return, you're liable for it," she said. Taxpayers are advised to: Be careful with tax preparers who advertise that they can get you the biggest refund, no matter what. Avoid preparers who base their fee on a percentage of the amount of the refund. Use a reputable tax professional who provides you with a copy for your records. Really review your return before you sign it. Ask questions. If you have a child that isn't in college, for example, you've got to ask why you're claiming an education credit on your tax return. Or claiming three children when you have one. Make sure the tax preparer that you paid signs the return, too. Any refund should go directly to the taxpayer not into the preparers bank account. "When you use a CPA or a tax preparer, you almost trust them like you do a doctor, right? They're the experts," Kull said. But it's extremely important to check references and make sure that a tax preparer is following the rules. "If you go in and it seems too good to be true," she said, "you should have your guard up." What should a taxpayer do? Taxpayers who suspect that their preparer has run into problems for filing false returns should try to get ahead of the problems that they're facing now. Don't wait for the IRS to contact you. The IRS is going to start doing audits on a tax preparer's clients. Melanie Lauridsen, director for Tax Practice & Ethics with the American Institute of CPAs, noted that a taxpayer who suspects they've been victimized could turn to a CPA to see if the return was accurate. "If the return is incorrect, they should immediately amend the return," Lauridsen said. "Taxpayers should never wait for the IRS to find them if they know the return is inaccurate the longer the taxpayer waits, the more interest and penalties accrue." Kull noted that a taxpayer who got a refund that they weren't supposed to get, based on a fraudulent claim, will have to pay that money back. "The sooner you can get it fixed and corrected, the less it's going to cost in the end," Kull said. In some cases, Kull said, a taxpayer sees a return that's accurate but finds out later that the preparer filed a different, false return. In many of those cases, the taxpayer got the accurate refund but the return preparer ended up with extra money based on the fraudulent return that was later filed. What does a taxpayer do then? You'd want to request a copy of your tax return from the IRS. You can go to IRS.gov to "Get Transcript Online" and then see if it matches what you thought you filed. Or you can call the IRS at 800-908-9946 to order a transcript. By mail, taxpayers can complete and send either Form 4506-T or Form 4506T-EZ to the IRS. The return preparer would have to pay back the IRS when the preparer is the one getting the money through the fraud. "When we go out and interview taxpayers, a lot of times they'll have a copy of the return the preparer gave them at that point," she said, which lends credibility to the taxpayer's story about being blindsided. Elisha Anderson contributed to this report. Contact Susan Tompor via stompor@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @tompor. To subscribe, please go to freep.com/specialoffer. Read more on business and sign up for our business newsletter. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit tax preparer's 'false return scheme' offers warning for others Ukraine wont be able to host the Eurovision Song Contest in 2023. The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has revealed that it is now starting discussions with the BBC about the UK hosting the event on the countrys behalf. In one of the most competitive Eurovisions in recent memory, Ukraine won the event after receiving overwhelming support in the public vote, with the UKs entry Sam Ryder coming in second place. After the countrys victory, many wondered if it would be able to host next years ceremony as Russias invasion continues. Shortly afterwards, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said in a Facebook post: Our courage impresses the world, our music conquers Europe! Next year Ukraine will host Eurovision! For the third time in its history. And I believe not for the last time. However, Eurovisions governing board, the Reference Group, has with deep regret concluded that, given the current circumstances, the security and operational guarantees required for a broadcaster to host, organise and produce the Eurovision Song Contest under the ESC Rules cannot be fulfilled. (AFP via Getty Images) The EBU said that Ukraines win will be reflected in next years shows regardless of where the event is hosted. After winning the ceremony last month, Ukraines entry, the band Kalush Orchestra, said: Thank you for supporting Ukraine. This victory is for every Ukrainian. Slava Ukraini. James Bond producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson are being accorded BFI Fellowships, the highest honor bestowed by the British Film Institute. The fellowships will be presented at the BFI chairs dinner, hosted by BFI chair Tim Richards, on June 28. More from Variety For Eon Productions, Broccoli and Wilson have overseen the Bond franchise for nearly 30 years and together produced nine of the 25 Bond films, the first of which was Goldeneye (1995) and includes Skyfall (2012), which went on to win the BAFTA for outstanding British Film. Wilson was screenwriter on five films in the 1980s (with Richard Maibaum) and producer of three Bonds with his stepfather and original Bond producer Albert R. Broccoli. The franchise turns 60 this year and the BFI will be marking this anniversary with James Bond 60th celebration weekend of screenings and events in London at BFI Southbank and BFI IMAX on Oct. 1 and 2. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli said: We are so proud to be awarded the BFI Fellowship on behalf of all of those who have been a part of the James Bond series over 60 years and feel honored to join such an esteemed group of distinguished industry fellows. We are very grateful to so many members of the British film industry who we have worked with over the course of our careers and thank the British Film Institute for their tremendous support and leadership for the creative industries in the U.K. Richards added: I am honored and excited to be awarding Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli with the prestigious BFI Fellowship. I can think of no-one else more deserving particularly as we celebrate the 60th anniversary of the incredibly successful James Bond franchise. With amazing insight and vision Michael and Barbara have not only re-invented Bond for todays audiences, but No Time to Die arrived at exactly the right moment to welcome those audiences back to the big screen experience as never before. As equally, if not more, important is their commitment to our industry away from the spotlight, where they work tirelessly to open doors for others by playing a huge part in educating, supporting and inspiring the next generation of film makers. Story continues Broccoli and Wilson have also produced and executive produced several films outside the Bond franchise including Radiator (2014), The Silent Storm (2014), Film Stars Dont Die in Liverpool 2017), Nancy (2018) and The Rhythm Section (2020). Broccoli is VP for film at the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, president of the National Youth Theatre, director of Times Up U.K. and a Trustee of Into Film, a film education youth charity. Wilson is honorary VP of the Science Museum Foundation and a Fellow of the Science Museum London. Both Wilson and Broccoli are directors of the Dana and Albert R. Broccoli Foundation and co-founders of the London Screen Academy. In 2008, they were appointed Officers of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) and in 2014 they were honored by the Producers Guild of America with the David O. Selznick Achievement Award in Theatrical Motion Pictures. In 2022, they were appointed Commanders of the Order of the British Empire for services to film, drama, philanthropy and skills (CBE). BFI Fellows include Martin Scorsese and Thelma Schoonmaker, Tilda Swinton, David Lean, Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, Nicholas Roeg, Orson Welles, Ridley Scott, Judi Dench, Ousmane Sembene, Bernardo Bertolucci and Steve McQueen. 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. June is Elder Abuse Awareness Month, and armed with a proclamation from Governor John Bel Edwards, the Louisiana Office of Elderly Affairs conducted a statewide education effort to make sure those who love and care for seniors know how to spot abuse and report it. BATON ROUGE, La., June 16, 2022 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- If any state in the Union needed a primer on elder abuse, it would probably not be Louisiana. After all, elder abuse is estimated to happen to at least one in 10 seniors and over the past two years, Louisiana has seen a nightmare result from Hurricane Ida and how residents were evacuated to unfit shelters as well as an intensive investigation by the dominant newspaper into a lack of long-term care options for vulnerable seniors. But June is Elder Abuse Awareness Month, and armed with a proclamation from Governor John Bel Edwards, the Louisiana Office of Elderly Affairs conducted a statewide education effort to make sure those who love and care for seniors know how to spot abuse and report it. "There is no typical abuser," said Elderly Protective Services Director Ebony Thomas-Phillips. "They come in all ages, backgrounds and relationships. They could be called son, daughter, neighbor or caregiver." About 5,000 cases are investigated each year by EPS, according to Ms. Thomas-Phillips, and about 10 percent of these require immediate intervention by local authorities. Elder abuse can be physical, emotional, or financial, she said. It could be neglect by the caregiver or self-neglect, demonstrated by a senior living in unsanitary conditions or overmedicating. And with the daily stresses of life escalating, Ms. Thomas-Phillips said resentment, exhaustion, anger and other factors can attribute to a caregiver's behavior. "A senior's home should be a place of comfort, not fear or punishment," said Ms. Thomas-Phillips. "There is no excuse for elder abuse." Clothed in t-shirts that are emblazoned with "Elder Abuse Awareness", the staff of EPS as well as trained volunteers through Louisiana Councils on Aging, Area Agencies on Aging, and local sheriff and law enforcement offices are going throughout Louisiana as Hurricane Season gears up to reinforce their message. Story continues "Elder abuse is a crime. If you spot the signs when you visit an elder loved one or friend, report it to our anonymous hotline. You don't need to prove the abuse to report it and calls can be anonymous," said Ms. Thomas-Phillips. As volunteers from throughout the state utilized the World Elder Abuse Awareness Campaign promoted by the World Health Organization at the United Nations to support their own education efforts, the hotline operators braced for more calls. The Louisiana hotline is (833) 577-6532. Media Contact Heather Harper, Brylski Company, 5042890499, djohnson@brylskicompany.com SOURCE Louisiana Office of Elderly Affairs Jun. 17NORWAY Residents will have back-to-back town meetings to attend on Monday, June 20. A special town meeting to approve a transportation feasibility study will immediately follow the annual Town Meeting, when residents will vote on the municipal budget for the 2022-23 fiscal year. The annual meeting is set for 7 p.m. at Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School in Paris. Residents will vote on 35 articles Monday, which include the proposed $5.1 million municipal budget that will begin July 1. The proposed budget features a 3% increase, mostly due to increased energy costs, health insurance, some wage increases and the overlap of department heads salaries later this year with the impending retirements of the police chief, fire chief and the town manager. The budget includes $542,000 for capital projects, with $300,000 designated for road improvements, which is the same amount appropriated last year. The remainder is designated for future projects and purchases, such as plow truck, fire truck and an eventual revaluation. The budgetary request for capital projects is $125,175 less than last year since it does not include funding for the highway and town office project, which is currently on hold. The utilities account is also lower than last year due to the installation of LED lights in town parking lots, which lowered the budgeted amount by $1,655. The largest increase is for debt service. That account now includes the first payment for the new highway garage. The town has also proposed taking $70,000 from the income of the Fred and Laura Sanborn Trust Fund to fund part of the recreation budget, as well as donations to the Norway Historical Society, Norway Downtown and the Oxford Hills Chamber of Commerce. The trust fund has a balance of nearly $1.7 million. No ordinance changes are on the warrant. The special town meeting, which will begin immediately after the annual meeting, will ask residents to approve spending up to $70,000 from the undesignated unrestricted fund balance "to partner with the Maine Department of Transportation to cover the match requirement of conducting a feasibility study to identify ways to improve accessibility and safety for all transportation modes while complimenting economic development." Among the potential projects are replacing water and sewer lines and relocation of power lines on Main Street as well as sidewalk improvements and parking alternatives, while improving safety and accessibility. The opportunity to partner with Maine DOT and share the cost to study its transportation needs came after the original warrant was adopted, prompting the need for the separate town meeting. Two local chambers of commerce will host a candidate forum on June 20 for those running in the August primary election. PETOSKEY Both the Petoskey and Charlevoix chambers of commerce will soon host a candidate forum for those running in the August primary election at North Central Michigan College. The forum will take place from 5:30-8:30 p.m. on Monday, June 20 in the college's Iron Horse Cafe. A candidate meet and greet will also take place for an hour and kick off the evening before the forum begins at 6:30 p.m. "This is a non-biased and non-partisan event to help educate voters on the candidates running for the 107th State House and 37th State Senate in the August primary," said Petoskey Regional Chamber of Commerce President Nikki Devitt. "It's an important opportunity for voters to hear from candidates on where they stand on state issues as they relate to our region," she said. Subscribe: Check out our offers and read the local news that matters to you Organizers of the upcoming forum have invited these candidates and those running for local county commission races will also be participating. However, they will not take part in the forum but will be available to speak with during the meet and greet portion of the evening. According to Devitt, all of the candidates for both the Senate and State House race have confirmed their attendance but that direct questions should be asked during the meet and greet. A press release sent to the News-Review noted that no questions will be allowed from the audience, so if a voter has a specific question or issue they would like to discuss, they are urged to come to the informal meet and greet session to talk to the candidates directly. The upcoming forum will be moderated by the college's professor of political science Scott LaDeur and is free and open to the public. The primary election takes place on Tuesday, Aug. 2. Questions about the upcoming forum can be directed to Devitt and the chamber at (231) 347-4150 or nikki@petoskeychamber.com. Contact reporter Sean Miller at smiller@petoskeynews.com. Follow him on Twitter, @seanmillerpnr, and Instagram, @sean_everest. This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Area chambers host candidate forum for those running in August primary "Something in the Water" Summer weather always launches trips into the imagination via books. Catching up on old favorites is one option we all have several we need to read or re-read in the kind of down time summer invites. But publishers also release great summer reads. Its not uncommon for book club members to read ahead for fall meetings, hoping to find the perfect book to share. Its also a thing for readers to save the lazy day books for this time. Regardless, here are some suggestions: Something in the Water Catherine Steadman has written a creepy thriller about greed and self-delusion, in which a honeymooning couple find something very odd, and very tempting in the waters around Bora Bora. Dont miss it if you like thrillers. I wolfed it down. Louise Penneys most recent book departs from her usual fare with cowriter Hillary Clinton in State of Terror, a political thriller set in the post-COVID world. How the One-Armed Sister Sweeps Her House Cherie Jones wrote a beautiful story with this novel about an abused young wife whose husbands lawless activities threaten her life and that of her baby. A good one, sweeping across race and class boundaries in a resort town. The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentil is a new release with a local hook to attract Massachusetts readers. Its a mystery within a mystery, in which Australian author Hannah Tigone is the lead story, but it is her character, Freddie Kincaid, who spends a peaceful day at the Boston Public Library only to be interrupted by a womans scream. Youll find a nice review of it on the Worcester Public Librarys monthly librarians review. Tracy Flick Cant Win Tom Perrotta, a favorite with Boston readers, comes back with a sequel to his earlier Election. Tracy Flick, now a mother and assistant principal, has designs on the principal position, regardless of cost to her. Publishers Weekly dubbed it the rare sequel that lives up to the original. Story continues Nightcrawling, Leila Mottleys debut novel, is a serious look at how police violence impacts young girlsa very different reality from the shooting events we all know. Set in her native Oakland, California, the book is based on actual details of a sex scandal involving that citys police officers in 2016. The fictional Kiara is not much younger than the actual author, a youth poet laureate in Oakland some years back. Critics and fellow authors have raved about the novel, which is a new Oprahs Book Club selection. Recently, Seth Meyers interviewed Mottley on his "Late Night" program. The Reservoir Actor David Duchovnys novel of the pandemic is a promising story inspired by his take on the COVID experience. In it, a former Wall Street executive is driven mad by isolation and curiosity about his neighbor, who appears to be signaling him for help. Its a twist of Rear Window and The Plague brought to modern fiction. Its a little older, but Margaret Verbles 2021 release, When Two Feathers Fell from the Sky, is not to be missed. A Pulitzer Prize finalist, Verble brings us into the world of wild west performers and the friendship between a Cherokee horse-diver and a young Black man who loves horses. Its a riveting read. As mentioned, librarians at WPL have a feature on the librarys Facebook page in which two librarians talk about their summer reading list. They highlight The Catch Me if You Can, a nonfiction travel piece by Jessica Nabongo, who visited every country in the world which sounds like an intriguing read. Poisoned Pen Press has released a summer cozy for those who like a nice, comforting-as-a-cup-of-tea kind of novel in Tamara Berrys Buried in a Good Book. Cozies have clever titles, clever characters and, usually, recipes. In this book, a thriller writer finds herself in the Pacific Northwest with her daughter. Ask your librarian or bookstore operator for a look at the cozies youve missed. "It All Comes Down to This" Author Therese Anne Fowler has newly released It All Comes Down to This. I needed wit and humor and lightness and happy endings, she said. The resulting book is her take on the dysfunctional family dramedy. Booklist calls it a highly entertaining summer read and Publishers Weekly dubbed it Austenesque. Its about three sisters whose dying mother insists their Maine summer home be sold after her death not a very welcome suggestion to any of them. "Calling For a Blanket Dance" In Calling for a Blanket Dance, by Oscar Hokeah, a Native American struggles to become strong in his own identity within his family, told by their voices. Other books recommended by multiple sources: In Woman of Light, Kali Fajardo-Anstine has written a novel that follows an American-Chicano family in the American West through five generations. Cult Classic, by Sloane Crosley, follows a young woman who leaves a dinner with former colleagues in Chinatown for a cigarette and begins to encounter one ex-boyfriend after another. More Than Youll Ever Know is Katie Gutierrezs story of a woman caught leading a double life after one of her husbands murders the other. Meetings Summer usually sees the end of book club meetings in this area, but a few remain. OConnors Books, Brews and Banter group will meet at 6:30 p.m., July 6 to discuss Heather Lendes If You Lived Here, Id Know Your Name: News from Small-town Alaska. WPLs virtual book clubs are as follows: American History Book Club: The Fort by Bernard Cornwell, 7 p.m. July 5. Science Fiction: Bellwether by Connie Willis, 1 p.m., June 21. Great American Read book Club: Alexandre Dumas The Count of Monte Cristo. True Crime Book Club: The Stranger Beside Me by Ann Rule, at 7 p.m., June 28. All meetings are virtual until further notice. NOW Book Club will meet to discuss Amy Blooms In Love: A Memoir of Love and Loss at 5 p.m. June 16 in TidePool BookShop, Worcester. On June 21, the bookstore hosts an open mic, Artists who are Poets and Poets who are Artists. Send club and book-related material to ann.frantz@gmail.com This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Read It and Reap: A few book suggestions to fill the lazy days of summer South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeols unnecessary use and praise of English has some citizens alleging he has a complex. Yoon has been heard using English terms on several occasions, even when the events did not call for a mixing of languages. In a meeting on June 10 with the leaders of the ruling People Power Party, Yoon brought up a name change for Yongsan Park, a newly opened former Korea base for the U.S. Forces. While suggesting a new name, the president said, When you say National Memorial Park in English, it sounds cool, but when you say Gukrip Chumo Gongwon, referring to the Korean equivalent of the name, it doesnt, so I dont know what to call it in our countrys language. More from NextShark: New York Chinatowns Chinese language street signs are gradually disappearing In another incident on June 8, Yoon spoke about how In advanced countries like the U.S., former general attorneys are widely positioned in politics and government, saying general attorneys in English. Yoons seemingly unnecessary inclusion of English in his official statements have sparked debate in South Korea as to whether the new president is showing bias toward the U.S. and the West more broadly. Sejong Institute of Korean English Language and Culture Director Kim Seul-ong stated that Yoon had a responsibility as the countrys leader to speak in a way that is most accessible to the public. More from NextShark: Japanese airline drops its 'Z' logo so travelers won't mistake it for Russia support The president represents the country and the public organizations, so he is obligated to use words that are easy to communicate and keep to the Framework Act on Korean Language, the director explained. His overuse of foreign languages like English may disrupt the publics use of language. In another speech, Yoon pledged to make Busan Port an international, massive megaport, with the last word in English again, despite megaport not being a familiar term to most Koreans. Story continues Main opposition Democratic Party of Korea Representative Cho Eung-chun stated on an MBC radio show that Yoon appears to have some sort of complex about English, adding that the president had mentioned Justice Minister Han Dong-hoons fluency in English as one of the first reasons for picking him. More from NextShark: Speed skater gives away his Beijing Winter Olympics gold medal to protest China's human rights violations Despite the controversy, Yoons favoring of English is not completely uncalled for in a country that requires most of its citizens to achieve a high level of English fluency in their schooling. Koreas College Scholastic Aptitude Test (CSAT), also known as Suneung, has a notoriously difficult English section that has proven to be difficult for even native English speakers. More from NextShark: Black, Asian and Hispanic House Caucus Assemble Like Voltron to Fight Attacks on Asian Americans Featured Image via Getty Images US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said on Thursday that the US was standing firm against Russia and its invasion of Ukraine to dissuade "would-be aggressors" like China from taking similar actions. "If the United States let [Russia's invasion of Ukraine] stand without challenge or check, it would send a message to other would-be aggressors, including China, that they could do the same thing," Sullivan said. "And then all of a sudden you're looking at major countries with significant militaries taking territory, and in doing so, destabilising not just the ... rules-based international order but the global economy in really profound and fundamental ways that ended up hurting everyday people here in the United States," he added. Do you have questions about the biggest topics and trends from around the world? Get the answers with SCMP Knowledge, our new platform of curated content with explainers, FAQs, analyses and infographics brought to you by our award-winning team. Sullivan's remarks, which placed China at the centre of US thinking behind its backing of Ukraine, came during a speech at the three-day virtual conference on national security hosted by the Centre for a New American Security (CNAS). A girl looks at her smartphone in front of apartment buildings shelled in Irpin, near the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv, on Wednesday, as the Russian invasion entered its 113th day. Photo: AFP alt=A girl looks at her smartphone in front of apartment buildings shelled in Irpin, near the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv, on Wednesday, as the Russian invasion entered its 113th day. Photo: AFP> They also follow a period of furious diplomacy by Sullivan, White House coordinator for Indo-Pacific affairs Kurt Campbell and US President Joe Biden in shoring up alliances in Asia, most recently in the form of the administration's Asia-Pacific Economic Framework and a US-Asean summit hosted by Biden in Washington. Andrea Kendall-Taylor, a senior fellow and director of the transatlantic security programme at CNAS, said in a separate discussion on Thursday that Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian leader Vladimir Putin have spent more time together than most pairs of world leaders, making them inclined to support each other's policies. Story continues "They both share an intent to undermine US power and influence," she said. "I think they both share of fear of democracy, and they believe that the US weaponises [democracy] to spread America's own influence and to undermine their own regimes in their respective countries." Sullivan also said the war in Ukraine was "prominently featured" in his meeting with top Chinese diplomat Yang Jiechi in Luxembourg on Monday. Washington has expressed frustration over Beijing's refusal to condemn Russia's invasion; in their last official phone call in March, Biden warned Xi against providing any assistance to Russia. "We have not seen China move forward with any form of direct military assistance to Ukraine, and we've not seen them undertake systematic efforts to help the Russians evade the sanctions and export controls," Sullivan said on Thursday. Sullivan (left) and Yang Jiechi (right) in talks in Luxembourg on Monday. Photo: Xinhua alt=Sullivan (left) and Yang Jiechi (right) in talks in Luxembourg on Monday. Photo: Xinhua> "They're taking a very careful approach to this. And on the issues that we have pressed them particularly hard on - the provision of assistance, the evasion of sanctions - we believe that China has not taken steps that cross those lines," he added. Just three weeks before the attack began on February 24, Xi and Putin declared that their countries' relationship had "no limits". A call between the two on Wednesday, in which Xi told Putin that their ties had "good momentum for development", did little to suggest any significant change. Beijing has repeatedly said it has not provided military assistance to Moscow. China's embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Sullivan also said his discussion with Yang included China's veto of a UN Security Council resolution sanctioning North Korea, and the Taiwan Strait where, he said, Beijing was "increasingly engaged in activities that are threatening peace and stability" - an accusation Beijing has also made against Washington. Reiterating that the Biden administration's stance on Taiwan has not changed from previous presidencies, Sullivan noted that "going back to the early 1970s, when the first joint communique was negotiated between the Nixon administration and Mao, there has been a tension inherent in Taiwan policy". He was referring to the Shanghai Communique of 1972, in which "the United States acknowledges that Chinese on either side of the Taiwan Strait maintain there is but one China and that Taiwan is a part of China". Sullivan also cited other official US diplomatic texts - the one-China policy, the three joint communiques, the Taiwan Relations Act, and six assurances - saying they "contain multitudes". "I don't regard that as a bug in our Taiwan policy, but rather as a feature. And it is a feature that has actually served us relatively well in terms of managing a difficult relationship and maintaining peace and stability across the strait." Beijing considers Taiwan a breakaway province to be reunified with the mainland eventually, by force if necessary. The Taiwan Relations Act was signed by president Jimmy Carter shortly after Washington switched official diplomatic relations from Taipei to Beijing in 1979, and authorises the US government to support Taiwan's defence capabilities. The communiques are agreements between the US and China that formalised the diplomatic switch and allowed "cultural, commercial and other unofficial relations" between America and Taiwan. The "six assurances" refer to commitments Washington made to Taipei in 1982 to disregard Beijing's opposition to US arms sales to the island. The US has long embraced "strategic ambiguity" on Taiwan and the self-ruled island's relationship to mainland China. That policy and whether it should change has been debated in Washington in recent months amid deteriorating relations with Beijing and increased security tensions across the Taiwan Strait. These tensions were on full display at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore in the days before Yang and Sullivan spoke. In speeches to the security summit, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin accused China of stepping up "coercive" behaviour towards the island and pledged to maintain military capacity to resist "any use of force" on Taiwan, while his Chinese counterpart Wei Fenghe vowed to "resolutely smash any schemes for Taiwan independence". Beijing has also been angered by remarks by Biden, on more than one occasion, that the US would intervene if Taiwan was attacked, despite the White House's repeated statements that there has been no change in policy. This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP's Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright 2022 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Copyright (c) 2022. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. TechCrunch has learned that Russia search giant Yandex is to switch from using yandex.ru as its main front page for Russian-speaking users to ya.ru -- a less trafficked domain it's owned since 2000 that, historically, has only hosted a basic search engine page. Imagine if Google decided to de-emphasize google.com in favor of a less popular domain it also owns and you'll get an inkling of how big a shift this looks to be for the Russian internet landscape. (Albeit, a fuller comparison would be if Google News was the main page used to reach its search engine and the company decided to shift to emphasizing the more minimalist google.com search portal instead.) We understand the shift relates to Yandex's recent announcement that it's selling its flagship media products, news aggregator News and blogging recommender platform Zen -- a divestment that followed hard on the heels of the Kremlin's decision to invade Ukraine. The war has led to a ramping up of censorship inside Russia that's made media ownership far more politically risky business than it used to be. Yandex's business hasn't been sanctioned by the West but two of its execs have been hit with EU sanctions in recent months following critical analysis of the role its platform plays in amplifying Kremlin propaganda -- so the company remains under pressure to find ways to de-risk its ops while continuing to operate inside Russia. (Hence, for example, a recent update to its Maps product that simply erased national borders.) Today a very subtly redesigned version of ya.ru has emerged which adds a weather icon and a button pointing visitors to other Yandex services. Yandex has owned the ya.ru search engine page in parallel with the richer yandex.ru portal for decades but the former has been left essentially untouched -- while the latter evolved into an eye-assaulting info/propaganda hub for Russian-speaking users via the integration of Yandex's media products. Story continues The updated ya.ru page now features the word 'search' -- albeit inked in grey, meaning it's barely visible -- displayed above the search bar. And while the page still contains yards of white space there are subtle signs of revived interest in an underdeveloped domain. Albeit it still remains a far cry from the information-dense look of yandex.ru where content from the News aggregator saps attention via a bottomless-scroll feed. ya.ru redsign The slightly 'new look' ya.ru search page (Screengrab: Natasha Lomas/TechCrunch) Contacted about the changes to ya.ru, a Yandex spokesperson confirmed the update, which they said is the first time the page has been updated in 22 years. They also said more changes are coming -- telling us: "We plan to redesign the ya.ru page and release a new mobile app. The focus will be on search and Yandex virtual assistant Alice. We'll share details later." The spokesperson declined to answer further questions but sources familiar with the matter confirmed the changes to ya.ru relate to the sale of News and Zen. Our sources also told us that Yandex plans to focus on ya.ru from here on in -- suggesting the search engine page will become its main front page in Russia. The shift of focus -- and what looks like a return to Yandex emphasizing its technological roots -- aligns with the company's desire to move away from being perceived as a media company in its home market, with all the political and economic risk that now entails. What this shift of emphasis means for continued development of yandex.ru isn't clear. But since the eponymous portal page hosts media products that Yandex is in the process of selling it could augur a more material shift linked to the deal. Back in April, the Russian tech giant agreed to sell its two media products, News and Zen, to local social media giant, VK. We understand final sign-off on the deal terms is expected early next month. As we've reported before, it's not clear how the operational terms of the deal will finally shake out -- given how embedded the media products are on yandex.ru. Yandex also agreed to a corporate restructuring in 2019 that increased Kremlin control over the business. And given the key role the yandex.ru homepage plays in amplifying Kremlin propaganda domestically -- as a result of the embedded News aggregator which, per state internet rules, is only able to link to licensed media sources, thereby allowing Putin's regime to use legal strictures to shape the domestic online news narrative -- it's possible to envisage the regime applying conditions to the sale. Speaking to TechCrunch back in April, Grigory Bakunov, a former deputy CTO at Yandex recounted how engineers at the company previously considered shuttering the News product as the Kremlin sought to increase its control over the online news narrative -- but, ultimately, missed their opportunity to kill the product before the state completed a 'virtual takeover' of the algorithmic feed, in 2017, when it passed a law that news aggregators could only use state-approved sites as sources. "The provisions by the Spanish Supreme Court are definitive and ratify the request of the Peruvian Government," said the aforementioned Executive Branch institution. The asylum request was part of the set of resources that the former magistrate had filed to avoid his extradition and prosecution for actions that judicial authorities link to the case called "The Port's White Collars." However, according to the Peruvian Ministry of Justice , "in a bilateral manner, his responsibility for committing corruption crimes to the detriment of the Peruvian State has been confirmed." Weather Alert ...HEAT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM THIS MORNING TO 11 PM PDT THIS EVENING... * WHAT...High temperatures of 98 to 106 expected. * WHERE...In Washington, Lower Columbia Basin of Washington, Foothills of the Blue Mountains of Washington and Yakima Valley. In Oregon, Lower Columbia Basin of Oregon. * WHEN...From 11 AM this morning to 11 PM PDT this evening. * IMPACTS...Hot temperatures may cause heat illnesses to occur. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Widespread afternoon high temperatures between 98 and 106 degrees are forecast with the highest temperatures expected in the Lower Columbia Basin of Washington. 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 11 PM PDT THIS EVENING... * WHAT...High temperatures of 99 to 106 expected. * WHERE...In Washington, Lower Columbia Basin of Washington, Foothills of the Blue Mountains of Washington and Yakima Valley. In Oregon, Lower Columbia Basin of Oregon. * WHEN...Until 11 PM PDT this evening. * IMPACTS...Hot temperatures may cause heat illnesses to occur. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Widespread afternoon high temperatures between 99 and 106 degrees are expected, with the highest temperatures in the Lower Columbia Basin of Washington. 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. && 19:03 | Trujillo (La Libertad region), Jun. 16. "Borrowing the words of the President ( Pedro Castillo ), I would like to tell Congress that we should stop looking one another as 'two fighting bulls' (...)," Mrs. Boluarte said. 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. The court has found that Poland had violated the European Convention on Human Rights. More specifically, it had violated the judges rights under Article 6 (the right to a fair trial) and Article 10 (right to freedom of expression). The ECtHR ordered the Polish government to pay judge Waldemar Zurek EUR 15,000 in damages and another EUR 10,000 in costs. The verdict was delivered by a seven-member panel of the ECtHR. "This is an important judgment in the context of the ongoing prosecution of judges who had the courage to stand up for the rule of law, express their views, and criticize the government" said lawyers associated with the Free Courts Initiative commenting on the judgment. The case of Mr. Zurek is just one of many. Over a hundred similar cases are still pending. It is however the seventh case that has already been settled. In all the previous proceedings, the ECtHR found that Poland violated the European Convention on Human Rights. Thursday's court decision is not final and the Polish government has a right to appeal it. Polish authorities breached the judges right to access to a fair trial Waldemar Zurek is a judge of the Regional Court in Krakow who for years has been actively involved in defending the independence of the Polish judiciary. He became the face of judicial resistance as the spokesman of the legal National Council of the Judiciary. The council protested against government "reforms" weakening judicial independence but was dissolved by the PiS-controlled government. In 2018, the President signed a law effectively removing more than a dozen judges from the NCJ. Mr. Zurek was one of them. REKLAMA The aim was to politicize the NCJ, a body that has a critical say in the staffing of all courts in the country. Alleged representatives of the judges were elected to the council by the Parliament. From then on, the NCJ became a compromised body acting at the behest of the ruling camp. Thursdays judgment proves that the "reform" of the National Council of the Judiciary was unlawful. The judges removed from the Council were not given an opportunity to review the decision. Thus, Mr. Zurek, who wanted to challenge the premature termination of his tenure in court, was unable to do so. The ECtHR ruled that the lack of judicial review had in effect "breached his right of access to a court". - Today's judgment not only confirms that judge Waldemar Zurek's rights were violated by his instrumental and illegal removal from the NCJ, but also shows that the actions of the political authorities who purged the Council were illegal- says the judge's attorney, Mikoaj Pietrzak. - This is yet another judgment confirming the reprehensibility of the governments so-called reform of the justice system - he adds. Persecuting defiant judges A similar ruling has been issued in March in the case of Supreme Administrative Court judge Jan Grzeda, who was also removed from the NCJ. However, Mr. Zureks case is different in that the defendant also accused the Polish authorities of violating his right to freedom of expression. The judge has been subjected to numerous actions intended to punish him for criticizing the Law and Justice party's "reforms". REKLAMA The ECtHR found this charge to be correct. The measures taken against the defiant judge- including his dismissal as spokesperson of a regional court, the audit of his financial declarations, and the inspection of his judicial work- are listed in the justification of the courts decision . *** Every day, 400 journalists at Gazeta Wyborcza write verified, fact-checked stories about Polish politics and society, keeping a critical eye on the ruling camps persistent assault on democratic values and the rule of law; the growing cultural tension between religious fundamentalism and human rights; and the ongoing COVID-19 epidemic. Our journalists are on the front lines in 25 Polish cities, reporting from the streets, hospitals, and courtrooms about issues that move public opinion. REKLAMA We decided to make our service available to everyone free of charge in order to provide access to high quality journalism for expats and English speakers interested in Polish affairs. The access to information should be equal for all. Hungary is extending price caps on food and petrol to October 1, while the loan moratorium and cap on mortgage rates will apply until December 31, the PM has announced. Orban said on Facebook that the price of petrol will remain 480 forints (EUR 1.2) per litre. Also, the prime minister has written to 44 MEPs who recently approached him in an open letter concerning the war in Ukraine, his press chief told MTI. Orban expressed support for peace and help for Ukraine but also rejected remarks that offend Hungary and sanctions against religious leaders. The PM said Hungary condemned Russias attack on Ukraines territorial sovereignty and violation of the Budapest Memorandum. Hungary wants the war to end and for disputes to be settled through negotiations, he added. Orban also called for stepped-up efforts to help Ukraine and people fleeing the country. He noted that Hungary had so far accommodated nearly 800,000 refugees, providing shelter, food, medical aid and schooling for children as well as jobs for adults. Tens of thousands of Hungarians have opened their homes to refugees, raised funds or worked as volunteers, while the government sent money, food, fuel and medicines to war-stricken Ukraine, he said. Hungary Deserves Appreciation and Gratitude Rather than Offensive and Lecturing Remarks, Says Orban For all its efforts in support of Ukraine, Hungary deserves appreciation and gratitude rather than offensive and lecturing remarks, the prime minister said in an open letter. The Hungarian government protects religious freedoms, so it will never support sanctions against church leaders or isolating them from members of their church, Orban said, adding that peace could not be achieved without the active participation of churches. Orban also said the Hungarian government had done everything to support the six sanctions packages approved so far in the interest of European unity. Hungary backed the sanctions even though it became increasingly difficult to maintain the earlier consensus that the sanctions should not hurt the EU more than they hurt Russia, he said. Orban noted that the European Council takes unanimous decisions under the blocs basic treaty, so there a decision cannot be made without consensus. It would therefore be wrong to refer to a veto. Orban said that in the interest of Europe he reserved Hungarys right to fight proposals that went against common sense and threatened the impoverishment of Hungarian and European families. The PM said he was certain that he would find more and more partners among his letters recipients in this endeavour. This is not only in the interest of Hungary but in Europes interest, too, he said. MTI - PM's press office photo: Zoltan Fischer HENDERSON -- Superintendent Brad Best retired this spring after 40 years of empowering students and educators. Best was a born-to-be educator. Best grew up down the road in Geneva where he graduated Geneva High School in 1979. Best said he was inspired by his father, Don Best, who was the director of the Youth Rehabilitation and Treatment Center in Geneva for years. I had an innate need to help people understand things and learn, said Best. My father was an educator as well. I guess I saw his passion for helping others and wanted to do the same thing. Best furthered his education at Dana College. First, he received his bachelors degree in science education. Then, he received his first masters degree in educational administration from the University of Nebraska and received an educational specialist degree from Wayne State that would later qualify him to become a superintendent. Bests teaching career began in Bellevue where he was a science teacher. I loved the subject matter, said Best. Science is about making everything relevant to today, and helping students understand the why behind things. That was one of the main driving forces for me. For example, why does a cup of coffee slide across the dashboard when you turn a car? After teaching at Bellevue, Best worked as the assistant principal at Elkhorn, and found out that position was not the fit for him. Best said, The two years I became an assistant principal was an eye opening experience. I knew that I did not want to do that the rest of my life because I was the main person to deal with all the disciplinary issues, and it was a school of over 600 students, so I didnt get much done. Best said although it was a burnout job, he learned things he could carry on for the rest of his life. From there, Best became an assistant principal at Elkhorn Public Schools for two years, and then served as principal at Creighton Community Schools for 13 years. Before making his way to Heartland, Best was the curriculum and professional development director in Seward for seven years. Finally in 2012, Best became Heartlands Superintendent which became his final stop in his career. What stood out to Best during his first couple of years at Heartland was the environment. Best said, The environment is something that people recognize right away. If you walk in our building during the school day, theres an overall good feeling in the hallways and in the classrooms. The endless support of the community, teachers, staff, and school board is what encouraged Best to stay the last ten years. Best said, The support has made a difference in being able to accomplish a lot of things in the last ten years. Of course my family and their support was critical as well. I think back 40 years and its about the people. Its about not the building, the town, the gymnasium, or the physical structure, its the people. During his time Heartland, Best played a major role school development and improvement. He was the hand behind increasing Heartlands enrollment, re-alignment and implementation of all core area curriculums, and he helped with school improvement processing including data review. Since his time there, the gymnasium has been remodeled, the track facility has been updated, and a new bus storage facility has been built. He has lead Heartland in coordinating with Fillmore County Hospital in providing mental health services for students and families. Best said, That has not only benefited those individuals, but those around them and the classroom environment. Not too many schools in the state of Nebraska were doing that when we started it. Thats been a very successful program that I think would serve as a model for others. Alongside implementing development programs, Best was always revitalizing their activities for students to explore their talents in Heartlands HCS Customs student ran business, robotics, math and quiz bowl team competitions. Best said, It always comes back to the kids. Its not about you. Its not about the other adults. Your passion needs to be the kids each and every day. Now that hes retired, he said his plan is not to have a plan. My last 55 years, I knew where I was supposed to be at come September, and that was at school. I look forward to not having an agenda for a day. One can find him and his wife, Dianna exploring national parks the next few years. He said he would like to make it to as many as possible including the Arches National Park, the Great Smoky Mountains, Yosemite and Glacier National Park. Hed also like to visit his two daughters, stepchildren and grandchildren. Best hopes that he left his mark in Henderson by empowering the teachers, staff, and students. I hope people can remember me by my kindness, passion, and willingness to help people become the best they can be. He lives by Charles Dickens quote, No one is useless in the world that lightens the burdens the burden of it for anyone else. For future educators and administrators, Bests advice is to take time to reflect every day and enjoy the ride because it will be over before you know it. The following questions were asked recently on the Wonderline: Q: In 2020, we were given the opportunity to fill out a survey regarding the Highway 81 bypass from Highway 34 to I-80. They also asked for our suggestions on improving the bypass (around York). What were the results of that survey? A: We dont know. We have looked and looked and havent found any summaries of the responses. We would assume that the information the NDOT gathered in July 2020 will be used for future projects should they come up. Q: What is all in the new Fun City area at the community center? A: The newly-developed play space, called Fun City, is in the community center now. This offers activities for children ages six months to upper elementary. Activities include a giant ball pit, sand table, music room, baby/toddler zone, art boards and a large area for imaginary play. Q: Is it true that there was the Great Train Robbery of 1900 in York County? Do you know anything about it? A: Thanks to an old newsletter put out by the York County Historical Association, we have access to the story about what the title called The Great Train Robbery of 1900. The story in the July 4, 1900 York Republican, read as follows: A rather short, heavy set man strolled leisurely through the westbound No. 41 Burlington night flyer, on June 28, 1900. Using a big shining revolver, with a steady finger on the trigger, he persuaded two sleeping car conductors to walk ahead of him and wake passengers. After going through the sleepers and collecting about $180, the business-0like and courteous operator pulled the air brake cord with all the grace of a real conductor and stepped off the train about one mile west of Bradshaw. Supposedly, the thief, not from York, boarded at York using a ticket to Aurora. A special train from Lincoln, containing Burlington detectives with blood hounds and Railroad Superintendent Bignell, rushed through York a few hours afterward, in hot pursuit of the robber. Detective Malone and his dogs followed the trail (quite fresh because of a recent rain) from Bradshaw through Henderson, where a safe in the village drug store had been blown. The thief and the companions who had been waiting for him, used some of the $12 stolen from Henderson to buy beer leaving a trail of corks. The trail continued through Sutton, Grafton, Shickley, Belvidere and Hebron before crossing the Kansas state line. The trail was lost at Washington, Kan. Superintendent Bignell said this was the first robbery in his division and expressed determination that it would be the last. The passengers expressed relief that the ordeal was over, especially 16-year-old Billy Shiverick of Omaha, who had retired after dividing his $65 into two purses, one with $63 and the other with $2 change. When the revolver was pointed toward him, he quickly handed over the book containing the change keeping the additional $63 hidden. Q: What is the monetary value of the damage done in the recent hail storm in York County? A: That number is not yet known as insurance examiners/adjusters are still out surveying the damaged property which includes pivots, crops, houses, cars, businesses, tractors, bins, outbuildings, etc. And there was a lot of damage as the storm made its way through this area. Q: What is the new project happening with recent construction at the Kilgore Library? A: The library has received a new roof. Soon, the library will be getting a new heating and air conditioning system. Q: On the FBI TV series, FBI agent OA now has a new female partner. What happened to longtime partner, Maggie? A: The FBI season finale aired May 24. Maggie is played by Missy Peregrym, who is on maternity leave in real life. So while Peregrym is gone, the character Maggie is recovering from residual nerve damage after the sarin gas crisis in Episode 18. So the character of Nina was created to step in as a temporary member of Jubals team partnered first with OA. Q: What causes hail to be formed? A: Hail is a type of precipitation or water in the atmosphere. Hail is formed when drops of water freeze together in the cold upper regions of thunderstorm clouds, according to the National Geographic Society. These chunks are hailstones. Cumulonimbus clouds are often present in summer storms. As these clouds rise high into the colder parts of the atmosphere, the water vapor inside them turns to ice crystals. As more droplets continue to freeze, these hailstones grow bigger and bigger until their weight causes them to fall to earth, creating hail. Q: What is said to have been the worst hail storm in history? Is there even record of such a thing? A: Sources say the worst hail storm in the worlds history is said to have occurred near Moradabad, India, on April 30, 1888. The hail event is said to have killed as many as 246 people with hailstones as large as oranges. Q: Where was the biggest hail stone ever recorded in the United States? A: Currently the largest hailstone on record in the United States fell in Vivian, South Dakota. It measured eight inches in diameter. Electric vehicles are becoming the future of transportation; however, during the transition from the internal combustion engine, the manufacturers are also exploring the options along the way. One of the options with good potential is the electric hybrid engine. Hence, while the manufacturers are planning to launch the EVs, they have also brought new hybrid options into the market. Moreover, these cars also hold the interest of the consumers by providing better fuel economy while decreasing pollution. To help all such users, here we have listed the top 5 electric hybrid cars in the Indian market you can buy. Honda City e:HEV With the launch of Honda City e:HEV, the Japanese automaker gave the model the title of being the first mass-market hybrid car in India. Adding to the firsts for HCIL, the City e:HEV will be manufactured in India at the company's plant in Tapukara, Rajasthan. Talking about the car, it features the same design as Honda City. The car comes with Hondas unique Self-charging and efficient Two Motor Electric Hybrid system connected to a 1.5-litre Atkinson-Cycle DOHC i-VTEC petrol engine, with a fuel efficiency of 26.5 kmpl and ultra-low emissions. Toyota Camry Toyota Camry is one of the Japanese automotive brands most recognised vehicles globally and has been in India for a long time. The long-running model was recently updated with the 2022 Toyota Camry Hybrid in India. The hybrid Camry comes with updated looks and draws power from a 2.5-litre, four-cylinder petrol engine working with an e-CVT automatic gearbox operated with paddle shifters. The engine gives out 178 hp, aided by a permanent magnet synchronous motor as a part of the hybrid system with 120 hp. Also read: Top 5 highest-selling two-wheelers in country - Hero Splendor to Bajaj Pulsar Volvo XC90 Recharge Transcending into the 7-seater luxury SUV segment Volvo XC90 is one of the options available in India. The Volvo XC90 was the first car to be launched on the Scalable Product Architecture (SPA), Volvos advanced modular product platform that features in all Volvo cars. The SUV is powered by a 2.0-litre petrol engine, with a supercharger and turbocharger working in combination with an electric motor. Lexus NX 350h The new Lexus NX, a small luxury SUV updated with a new design in India in March 2022. The new car was launched in India with three variants, namely exquisite, Luxury, and F-Sport. The car receives a 4th generation large-capacity hybrid system that combines a highly efficient 2.5-litre inline 4-cylinder engine with a lithium-ion battery and hybrid system control. BMW 745 Le The BMW 745 Le is one of the hybrid options in the luxury segment from the German Carmaker. Belonging to the BMW 7 Series, the car is powered by a 3.0-litre petrol engine in combination with an eDrive motor mated with 8-speed automatic transmission. The vehicle gets an all-wheel-drive system. The engine gives out 394 Ps of power and peak torque of 600 Nm. Moreover, the car can go from 01-00 kph in 5.3 seconds. In the last two years, the Indian automotive market has seen a lot of turbulence. Initially, the Covid-19 breakdown halted the industry, and while it was slowly recovering from this plague, the global semiconductor chip shortage posed as another hurdle. Fortunately, the industry is slowly gaining its pace back. We are rather happy to report that the Toyota Innova Crysta posted the highest YoY growth for May this year. One of the most-loved MPV of the country registered a 13-fold growth in sales on a YoY basis for May 2022. It could find 2,737 buyers last month. However, in the corresponding month last year, the figure stood at mere 20 units. Following it hot on heels is another Toyota. Before you make any guesses, we tell you that we are talking about the Toyota Fortuner. It registered a YoY growth of 7,793 per cent. Last year in May, Toyota could only sell 15 units of the Fortuner in the Indian market. The Japanese automaker registered sales of 1,184 units in total. Other models of the company also registered a positive YoY increase in sales. The Urban Cruiser and Glanza registered a growth of 739 per cent and 891 per cent, respectively. Also read - 2022 Hyundai Venue facelift vs Tata Nexon spec comparison: Engine, features, price and more Interestingly, the companys current flagship offering in the Indian market - Vellfire, posted a YoY hike of 4,300 per cent, as the luxury MPV clocked sales of 44 units against the only unit sold last year in the corresponding month. Toyota currently sells a total of seven products in the Indian market. The line-up includes the Urban Cruiser, Vellfire, Glanza, Innova Crysta, Fortuner, Camry, and Hilux. Additionally, the company has a couple of products in the launch pipeline for this year. The list includes the forthcoming Urban Cruiser Hyryder, which is slated to shed veils on July 1. However, the launch is likely to happen sometime around the festive season this year. . "Peru returned in person to Thaifex 2022, one of the largest and most important events for the promotion of food and beverages in Southeast Asia," Carbajal expressed. "The national delegation which was made up of eight exporting companies and is likely to have generated business deals worth US$2 million had as its main objectives increasing Peruvian exports, identifying new buyers, and promoting new products, especially in the markets of Thailand, Vietnam, and Malaysia," she specified. Our country has participated in this fair since 2012 with quinoa, blueberries, garlic, ground dressings, maca, olives, and olive oil being some of the products that draw the most interest in this edition. Carbajal indicated that national exporters had the opportunity to learn about new launches at the international level, as well as assess trends in Thailand and Southeast Asia, thanks to joint efforts undertaken by the Association of Peruvian Exporters (Adex) and PromPeru through its Trade Office in Bangkok. Thailand Thailand is an important market for Peru by hosting a population of 69 million, which is why the food industry is one of the most important sectors in that country. It must be noted that Peru has an original protocol in force with this nation, three additional ones since December 31, 2011, and a fourth one that will be activated this year. Thus, it has liberalized 75% of the tariff universe. Thaifex is the main channel for generating business deals in this sector in the same place. Similarly, entrepreneurs and professionals in this sector have the opportunity to evaluate new buyers, attend presentations by experts, as well as learn about the main global trends to expand the competitiveness of businesses. PromPeru has also been working since 2020 on the positioning of the Super Foods Peru brand within the most important markets in Southeast Asia. As a result of this work, Thailand is the market that makes the largest purchase of Peru's non-mining or energy products. Within this framework, Thaifex includes several marketing channels within the food and beverage sector including the food services, food, gastronomy, coffee all of them offering great opportunities to maintain the positioning of our products. Exports Cumulative farming sector exports to Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam exceeded US$33 million. Among the most exported products were fresh grapes, cacao beans, fresh blueberries, avocados, quinoa, vegetable oils, fresh pomegranates, and shelled Amazon nuts. (END) NDP/VLA/MVB In order to contribute to the strengthening and dissemination of its exportable offer in terms of food and beverages across international markets, Peru participated in the Thaifex 2022 fair, which took place on May 24-28 at the Impact Exhibition Center in the Thai capital Bangkok, Peru's Exports and Tourism Promotion Board (PromPeru) Executive-President Amora Carbajal reported on Friday.Published: 6/17/2022 Toyota SUVs are celebrated across the world for the bulletproof reliability they offer. For the same reason, Toyota Innova and Fortuner are the most celebrated names in their respective segments. In international markets, Toyota has been selling SUVs in different shapes and sizes. Sadly, the Indian market has been kept at a distance from an affordable mid-size SUV. Now, it seems like Toyota is ready to change its portfolio for good. The company is developing a Hyundai Creta rival for the Indian market, and it will be called Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder. Confirmed to be unveiled on July 1, the Hyryder is assumed to hit the showroom floors by Diwali this year. The primary question around the buyers is what exactly will the Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder look like. Thanks to the digital artist - Shoeb R. Kalania, we now have a rendering of the upcoming Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder. The mid-size SUV in the rendering draws heavy inspiration from the Suzuki Vitara sold in international markets. Additionally, it features a vertically-split headlamp design, as seen in the leaked images of the vehicle. The lower portion of the nose gets a hexagonal air dam, which is quite large and gives the front end a rugged appeal. Furthermore, the Toyota logo gets a blue background here. After all, the Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder is anticipated to come with a strong hybrid powertrain as well. Alongside, a mild-hybrid avatar of the 1.5L petrol motor is likely to be on offer. Also read - Toyota Innova Crysta records 130-fold increase in sales, Fortuner follows it hot on heels A Maruti Suzuki-badged version of the Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder will also go on sale once the Toyotas interpretation hits the market. Also, the SUV will be made by Toyota for Maruti Suzuki - reports suggest. It will be underpinned by the Daihatsu-derived DNGA platform. To be a competent rival against the likes of Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, and MG Hector, it will be loaded with a host of bells and whistles. 22-year-old farmer from Maharashtra's Hingoli has filed for a bank loan of around Rs 6 crore to buy a helicopter and hire it out, citing the fact that farming has become pricey. Kailas Patange, a resident of Taktoda village, applied for a loan at a bank in Goregaon. Patange, who owns two acres of land, said that over the years, erratic rainfall and drought-like conditions have made farming costly. "I cultivated soybean on my land over the last two years. But it didn't fetch me good returns due to unseasonal rains. Even the money from crop insurance wasn't enough," Patange said. Considering these factors, Patange chanced upon the idea of buying a helicopter and renting it out to make a good living. Talking to PTI, Patange said, "Who says only big people should have big dreams, Farmers should also dream big. I have applied for a loan of Rs 6.65 crore to purchase a helicopter. There is a lot of competition in other businesses, so I decided to go for this." Also read: US Airlines cancel over 1500 flights as passenger traffic pushes over 2.2 mn It is to be noted that renting out helicopters for tours and travel is a big business. Recently a brand-named Blade had announced the debut of its services in Goa, with rides available to both locals and visitors. The helicopter service would connect Goa Airport to North Goa, South Goa, and Old Goa a place with a cluster of heritage monuments, according to the business. State Chief Minister Pramod Sawant inaugurated the service at the Aguada helipad in North Goa. The company thinks that by providing this service, travellers will find Goa to be more accessible and navigable. Before that, the brand had also announced its helicopter services in other states like Maharashtra and Karnataka. With inputs from PTI It is common knowledge that planes are expensive to fly and maintain. However, planes are equally expensive to park as well. A Russian plane Antonov An-124 parked at Toronto Pearson Airport, has been collecting the parking fees at the rate of $1,000 per day. The cargo plane operated by Volga-Dnepr has been parked at the aforementioned airport since February 27 following the closure of the Canadian airspace for Russian aircraft, as per Simple Flying's report. Based on the reports, the Volga-Dnepr An-124 has now collected parking fees of more than $100,000 (around Rs 77.99 lakh) since the closure of the Canadian airspace. The aircraft has been on the ground since Canadian Transport Minister Omar Alghabra announced the of closing the Canadian airspace for the Russian aircraft. It is to be noted that the parking rates at the Toronto Pearson Airport are $1,065.60 (around Rs 83,102.95) for 24 hours. When you get into the maths of the parking charges, it adds up to $0.74 (around Rs 57.71) per minute. Moving forward, the aircraft has been stuck there for more than 108 days and counting. Moreover, as of now, there is no sign of Canadian airspace opening for the Russian planes. Also read: Maharashtra farmer seeks Rs 6 crore loan to buy helicopter, says farmers should dream big How did the An-124 get there? On its last cargo mission, the Antonov An-124 was delivering rapid COVID tests. The plane arrived in Toronto from China on February 27th via Anchorage and Russia and was scheduled to depart shortly after. During that brief period, however, Canada declared that it had closed its airspace to all Russian aircraft, leaving the An-124 stranded at the airport. Based on Simple Flying's report, the plane is being stored in a 'secure location', but there is no information if any amount of the accumulated parking charges has been paid yet. It is to be noted that the plane in question is the Volga-Dnepr Antonov An-124 registered as RA-82078. It has been part of the Russian cargo carrier fleet since its induction in 1996 and is one of the 12 units of the An-124s in the Volga-Dnepr's fleet. The plane has been made by the same company Antonov which made the An-225, also known as the world's biggest plane. Mumbai: When life gives you lemons, you dont just make lemonade; its the universes way to test how you hustle to survive and thrive! Disney+ Hotstar introduces an all-new story of hustling and surviving with an unusual comedy, GoodLuck Jerry. Revolving around the life of a young girl, Jerry, the movie comically puts together her struggles as she goes above and beyond to save her ailing mother. But her path remains riddled with twists and turns in this journey bringing hilarious moments of chaos and comedy. Producer Aanand L Rai, Colour Yellow Productions said, We are happy to collaborate with Disney+ Hotstar yet again after Atrangi Re, to take Jerrys extraordinary story of survival and grit to the audience. Good Luck Jerry is a story of a girl who is down on her luck, using her instincts to kick back and stay afloat among lifes challenges but this ends up unleashing chaos on the way. Good Luck Jerry release date Directed by Siddharth Sen and produced by Aanand L Rais Colour Yellow Productions, Lyca Productions and Mahaveer Jain, the film will release on July 29, 2022 on Disney+ Hotstar. The film carries Aanand L Rais signature style and marks his second association with Disney+ Hotstar. Director Siddharth Sen said, "Humans never come in black and white, they always carry grey layers. Good Luck Jerry explores this with a comical lens as it follows the journey of a girl. The movie has a pulp noir flavour which has given it a spectacular look and I can't wait to see how viewers react to it. Extremely happy to see Disney+ Hotstar take this special film of Jerry's to people across the country. Janhvi Kapoor as Jerry The con-medy is headlined by Janhvi Kapoor a.k.a Jerry and features an ensemble comprising Deepak Dobriyal, Mita Vashisht, Neeraj Sood and Sushant Singh in pivotal roles. Known to be the Tamil industry's biggest production house, Goodluck Jerry is also Lyca Productions' foray into Hindi cinema. Actor Janhvi Kapoor said, "Jerry is a unique character, playing her was a challenge for me as an actor. The wit and comic timing of Jerry during any serious situation was an important aspect of the character. Good Luck Jerry is a special project for me, as it is my very first production with Anand L Rai and the film helms his style of storytelling which makes it even more interesting to watch. I am super excited to share the poster with everyone and grateful for the collaboration with Colour Yellow Productions and Disney+ Hotstar." Aashish Singh, CEO - Lyca Productions said, "Goodluck Jerry is a film very close to our heart. After many successful films in Tamil, this is our foray into Hindi films and we are glad we found a great creative partner in Anand L Rai. We are super excited to collaborate with Disney+ Hotstar, Colour Yellow Productions and Mahaveer Jain on this project. New Delhi: Ashneer Grover, the co-founder and former CEO of fintech startup BharatPe, appears to be all set to be back in business with a new venture. The entrepreneur credited for creating two unicorn startups is now eyeing to build another $1 billion company after exiting the fintech company on an unpleasant note. Grover, who was also one of the judges aka investors on the popular business reality show, Shark Tank India, is now reportedly seeking to raise around $300 million for his undisclosed venture. In a tweet early this week, Grover had hinted that he is all set to make a comeback with a new startup that, according to him, will eventually turn a unicorn. "Today, I turn 40. Some will say Ive lived a full life and experienced more things than most. Created value for generations. For me, its still unfinished business," he had said in a tweet on Wednesday (June 15). (ALSO READ: Markets falter for 6th day; Sensex tanks 425 points in early trade) Grover made the announcement while celebrating his 40th birthday in London, his favourite city, according to the caption of his Instagram post. It appears that he is onto something already. (ALSO READ: Gold rates bounce back, up by Rs 400, Check gold prices in your city) Bringing in the Big 40 Birthday in my favourite city London ! Blessed to have the sun shine in on me ! he said in his Instagram post, he had said in his Instagram post. Also, according to a report by Mint, Grover could invest his personal wealth in the new startup. He could also sell his stake in BharatPe to make investments in the undisclosed venture, according to unnamed sources quoted in the report. He also reportedly had a meeting with six unnamed investors that could fund his upcoming venture. Meanwhile, Grover is all set to return as one of the investors in the reality series Shark Tank India Season 2. The registrations for Shark Tank India Season 2 are currently open on the SonyLiv app. New Delhi: Father's Day will be celebrated this year on June 19. The two primary pillars of any person's foundation to the future is his or her parents. Both mother and father nurture their kids in the best way possible. A daughter will always be 'daddy's lil' girl' while sons are 'mama's boys for life'. Fathers Day gives us the opportunity to show our appreciation and love for fathers and what better way to do it than to watch movies that make them the stars? Here are eight movies on Lionsgate Play that champion the different kinds of fathers out there! Watch these films on Father's Day with your family and celebrate the special bond with your daddy dearest. The Father A man refuses all assistance from his daughter as he ages. As he tries to make sense of his changing circumstances, he begins to doubt his loved ones, his own mind and even the fabric of his reality. Deadlock An ex-military man working at a Georgia power plant has to spring into action to prevent disaster when a group of rogue soldiers gain control of the plant and take the employees hostage. Still water A father travels from Oklahoma to France to help his estranged daughter, who is in prison for a murder she claims she didn't commit. Greenland John learns of a comet that will attack Earth and destroy it. While he is selected as part of the government's evacuation drive, he must race against time to save his family. The Glass Castle A young girl comes of age in a dysfunctional family of nonconformist nomads with a mother who's an eccentric artist and an alcoholic father who would stir the children's imagination with hope as a distraction to their poverty. A Better Life Carlos, a Mexican and single parent, is keen on keeping his son, Luis, away from the world of crime. However, thanks to his dishonest employer, Carlos and his son face an uncertain future in America. The Ballad of Jack & Rose A father and daughter isolated on an island off the East Coast and living on a once-thriving commune grapple with the limits of family and sexuality. My Father is A Hero An undercover cop struggling to provide for his son and ailing wife, must infiltrate a ruthless gang. But things turn sour when another cop blows his cover and he quickly finds himself battling for his life and the lives of his family. Watch out for the most unique and diverse stories about fathers to celebrate Fathers Day on 19th June, only on Lionsgate Play Agneepath Scheme benefits: There is a huge row going on against the government's newly launched Agneepath scheme that recruits youth for a time period of four years. The protesters are saying that the scheme be scrapped as it tinkers with sanity of the armed forces and doesn't have provisions like pension etc. They also have concerned as to what the Agniveers will do at the end of their service. Protesting over the same, some elements have even set the trains on fire in various cities across the country. However, the government has laid out a number of benefits of the scheme. These are as follows: 1) 25 per cent staff to be retained: The biggest benefit of this scheme is that as many as 25% of people will be retained in their armed forces positions. That means, lakhs of people will ultimately get permanent jobs. 2) Experience and financial backing: The Agniveers that will not be retained will get a hands on experience of serving the armed forces. Undoubtedly, they will become more disciplined and skilled at the end of their service. Not only this, these individuals will have financial backing of Rs 12 Lakhs - they can start their own business or utilise the funds for further education. 3) Priority in recruitment at state forces: Another mega benefit for 'Agniveers' will be a priority in hiring at state government's security forces. Many states have given nod for the same. The Agniveers will get a certificate - known as 'Agniveer Kaushal' certificate. 4) Priority in recruitment at CAPF and Assam Rifles: The government has already said that Agniveers will be given priority when it comes to hiring at CAPS and Assam Rifle. 5) More and more people will get a chance to serve the nation: The central government has said that more and more people will get a chance to serve the nation through the agneepath scheme. Every four years newcomers will join the armed forced, and the same will reduce armed forces' average age to 26 years from 32 years. Begusarai/Lakhisarai (Bihar): The recruitment scheme 'Agnipath', introduced by the Central government for Indian youth to serve in the Armed Forces, is in the eye of storm with protests erupting across the country. Agnipath row: Protests in Bihar In Bihar, protests continued for the second consecutive day as protestors on Friday disrupted the movement of trains in various districts of the state. In the Begusarai district, the agitated youth blocked the Rajbara Gumti road. The movement of trains was affected as agitating protestors chose to voice their concerns by sitting on the railway tracks. Roads were also blocked at many places. During the protest, a tyre was burnt on the railway track. The residence of Deputy Chief Minister Renu Devi, in Bihar's Bettiah, was attacked by agitators during their protest against Agnipath Scheme, reported ANI. "Our residence in Bettiah was attacked. We suffered a lot of damage. She (Renu Devi) is in Patna," her son said. #WATCH | Bihar: The residence of Deputy CM Renu Devi, in Bettiah, attacked by agitators during their protest against #AgnipathScheme Her son tells ANI, "Our residence in Bettiah was attacked. We suffered a lot of damage. She (Renu Devi) is in Patna." pic.twitter.com/Ow5vhQI5NQ ANI (@ANI) June 17, 2022 Students created a huge ruckus at Sahebpurkamal railway station in the district as well as arson and stone-pelting. Lakhisarai district witnessed a similar furore. A huge group of protestors jointly marched in the district against the scheme by the Central government. During the protest, slogans were also raised against the Central government. Local police officials who were present at the spot told ANI, "They were stopping me from shooting a video and even snatched away my phone. About 4-5 compartments are affected. Passengers alighted and managed to proceed on their own." Agnipath row: Unrest in Uttar Pradeshs Balia A similar protest against the scheme was witnessed in Uttar Pradesh's Balia. A huge crowd gathered at Ballia Railway Station in protest against the Agnipath scheme. "Forces have been deployed at the station since morning. A few hooligans reached there but they were stopped from damaging much of the public property. They attempted stone-pelting. Action being taken," Ballia District Magistrate Saumya Agarwal said. On Thursday, hundreds of aspirants disrupted rail and road traffic while police fired tear gas shells to disperse them. On Wednesday also, aspirants staged protests at Muzaffarpur, Begusarai and Buxar districts over the scheme, disrupting road and rail traffic movement. The recruitment of 'Agniveers' would begin in the next 90 days and the first batch will be ready by July 2023. Secunderabad: Train set ablaze at the railway station by protestors In Telangana, the Secunderabad railway station was vandalised and a train set was ablaze by agitators who are protesting against the Agnipath scheme. At the station, stalls were vandalised, train was set ablaze and its windows were broken at Secunderabad. Efforts were underway to douse the fire on a train which was set ablaze at Secunderabad railway station. #WATCH | Telangana: Secunderabad railway station vandalised and a train set ablaze by agitators who are protesting against #AgnipathRecruitmentScheme. pic.twitter.com/2llzyfT4XG June 17, 2022 Agnipath scheme: Whats it all about Agnipath Scheme was recently launched by the government in an effort to bring a change in the recruitment process of the Armed Forces. With the new military recruitment scheme facing a backlash by Opposition, the Centre has decided to bring a change in the upper age limit for recruiting Agniveers. Granting a one-time waiver, the Centre on June 16, 2022, announced that the Agniveer upper age limit for recruitments via Agneepath Scheme has been extended to 23 years from 21 years. On June 14, the Union Cabinet approved an attractive recruitment scheme for Indian youth to serve in the Armed Forces. The scheme is called Agneepath and the youth selected under this scheme will be known as Agniveers. Agneepath allows patriotic and motivated youth to serve in the Armed Forces for a period of four years. (With ANI inputs) Agneepath Scheme 2022: Just a day after Defence Minister Rajanath Singh launched the Agnipath recruitment scheme on Tuesday (June 14), the "transformative scheme" of the Indian Armed Forces saw a huge protest in Bihar and several other isolated place in the country. While the government says the recruitment scheme for Indian Armed Forces will raise the employment opportunities by harnessing myriads of skills from various sectors the opposition denies it all. Launching the scheme at a conference in Delhi defence minister had said "the Cabinet Committee on Security has taken a historic decision today to approve the transformative scheme of 'Agnipath'." Though the protests continue on against the new recruitment scheme or 'agneepath yojana', here are some salient features of the Agneetpath recruitment scheme- Agneepath Scheme Indian Army: What is Agneepath Scheme 2022? (Agneepath yojana kya hai) This scheme entails a recruitment process for individuals with ranks below that of officers, with the goal of deploying fitter, younger troops on the front lines, many of whom will be on four-year contracts. It's a game-changer that will give the Army, Navy, and Air Force a more youthful image. Agneepath Recruitment 2022: Who can apply to this scheme? Men and women between the ages of 17.5 and 21 will be recruited for the armed forces under this scheme. "After four years, Agniveers will be able to apply voluntarily for the regular cadre. Based on merit, organisation requirement, up to 25 percent shall be selected from that batch" Lt Gen Puri informed further. "We will provide an opportunity to the youth to serve the nation for a short and long duration, as Agniveers. We are giving youth a chance for both long and short duration military service," he added. Agneepath Scheme Eligibility/ Agneepath scheme Indian army age limit All three services will be enrolled via a centralized online system, with specific rallies and campus interviews held by recognized technical colleges such as Industrial Training Institutes and the National Skills Qualifications Framework, among others. Enrollment will be on a 'All India All Class' basis, with eligible ages ranging from 17.5 to 21. Agniveers will meet the medical requirements for military enlistment as they apply to their specific categories/trades. Agniveers' educational credentials will continue to be popular for enrollment in a variety of categories, including Class 10 is the minimum educational requirement for becoming a General Duty (GD) soldier. The Agnipath scheme approved by the CCS chaired by Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi is a truly transformative reform which will enhance the combat potential of the Armed Forces, with younger profile and technologically adept soldiers. #BharatKeAgniveer pic.twitter.com/2NI2LMiYVV Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) June 14, 2022 Agneepath Recruitment 2022: Salary Package The first year salary package is Rs 4.76 lakh, with an increase to Rs 6.92 lakh in the fourth year. Following the release, the Seva Nidhi package costs approximately Rs 11.71 lakh, including interest (tax free) There is also a Rs 48 lakh non-contributory insurance cover. If the individuals receive an Agniveer skill certificate, it will help them find post-release employment. Agneepath Army: Terms of service Following four years of service, 25% of Agniveers will be retained in the regular cadre based on merit, willingness, and medical fitness. They will then serve another full term of 15 years. While the remaining 75% of Agniveers will be demobilised, they will be given an exit or "Seva Nidhi" package worth Rs 11-12 lakh, which will be funded in part by their monthly contributions, as well as skill certificates and bank loans to help them in their second careers. Agneepath Yojana 2022: Advantages of the scheme It gives young people a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to serve their country and contribute to national development. The Armed Forces would be more youthful and vibrant. The Agniveers will receive a good monetary package as well as the opportunity to train in the best military ethos in civil society and institutions while also improving their skills and qualifications. This will result in civil society having well-disciplined and skilled youth with a military ethos. Agneepath Recruitment 2022: Reservation For girls Girls under the specified age limit are eligible for agnipath admission, but there is no such reservation for women under this scheme. "The Agnipath scheme is a novel concept for the modern era. An idea created in India and for the people of India. An idea that will have a positive impact on armed forces human resource management, "Admiral R Hari Kumar of the Indian Navy expressed his thoughts on the Agnipath recruitment scheme. He also stated that women will be selected through the scheme, and the Indian Navy, which currently has only female officers, will now have sailors. Agneepath Army: Defense Budget The defence budget for 2022-23 was Rs 5,25,166 crore, which included Rs 1,19,696 crore for defence pensions. The revenue expenditure allocation was Rs 2,33,000 crore. The revenue expenditure includes expenses for salary payment and establishment maintenance. The three service chiefs briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the scheme two weeks ago, which would allow soldiers to be inducted into the security forces for a limited time. The Department of Military Affairs is in charge of carrying out the scheme. YEREVAN, JUNE 17, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Vahagn Khachaturyan met with representatives of Armenian community on June 16 on the sidelines of his working visit in Russia, his Office said. The meeting took place in the Consulate General of Armenia in St. Petersburg. In his remarks President Khachaturyan said his visit is taking place within the frames of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum which this year is celebrating its 25th anniversary. According to him, every visit provides an opportunity to meet and have a discussion with the representatives of the Armenian community. Your problems are our problems, and the main purpose of these meetings is to be able to understand your issues of concern. On the other hand, this is an opportunity for us to introduce you on the current situation in Armenia. You receive different information from various sources, however, they need to be clarified because sometimes they have nothing to do with the reality, the President said. The President also touched upon the Armenian-Russian relations, the domestic political situation in Armenia and the regional security. He also presented in detail the current process of programs aimed at the final settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, as well as the approaches of the Armenian side. President Vahagn Khachaturyan also visited St. Catherine's Armenian Apostolic Church in St. Petersburg. New Delhi: The Agnipath uproar on Friday reached Delhi as some miscreants attempted to vandalise buses on Waziarabad road in North-east Delhi's Khajuri area as people protested against the Centres recently launched Agnipath Recruitment Scheme, reported ANI. According to reports, the police had reached the spot on time and controlled the situation. FIRs have been filed against those involved in the vandalism of public property and strict actions will be taken, ANI reported quoting Delhi Police. FIR registered under sections 147,148,149,427 IPC at PS Khajuri Khas and further investigation is in progress, said police. Delhi | FIR registered under sections 147,148,149,427 IPC at PS Khajuri Khas and further investigation is in progress, say police. ANI (@ANI) June 17, 2022 Meanwhile, in Haryana, youths pelted stones at vehicles in Ballabhgarh, squatted on railway tracks in Jind and burnt tyres in Rohtak as protests continued for the second day on Friday against the Centre's Agnipath defence recruitment scheme. Police said they resorted to mild lath-charge and rounded up over 40 youths in Ballabhgarh, where authorities had suspended mobile internet and SMS services for 24 hours starting 10 pm on Thursday as a precautionary measure following violent protests in Palwal district. Protests also broke out in Hisar, Narnaul, Fatehabad and Jhajjar. Haryana Bharatiya Kisan Union (Chaduni) president Gurnam Singh Chadhuni sat on a day-long fast demanding the withdrawal of the Agnipath scheme. He alleged the Centre is playing with the country's security and the future of the youth. After the farm laws, the Agnipath scheme is a second blow to the farmers as their sons mainly joined the armed forces. Meanwhile, the police have booked over 1,000 people for Thursday's violence in the Palwal district. Three FIRs were registered in connection with the violence. While two FIRs were registered in the Palwal subdivision, one was registered in the Hodal subdivision, the police said. New Delhi: As protests against the Centers Agnipath scheme escalated across the country, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Assaduddin Owaisi on Friday (June 17) slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi, asking him to take ownership of the reckless decision and face the consequences. Owaisi wrote on Twitter, Sir @PMOIndia Please Stop hiding behind military chiefs Mr Modi. Have the guts to take ownership of your reckless decision and face the consequences. The anger of the youth of the country about their future is directed you and only you. Protests across several states turned violent with hundreds of demonstrators setting a train on fire in Hyderabads Secunderabad railway station. So far, more than 200 trains have been affected due to the protests against the Agnipath scheme, the Railways said today. Protestors are demanding the government withdraw the Agnipath recruitment scheme. The Central governments Agnipath scheme aims to recruit soldiers in the Army, Navy and the Air Force mainly on a four-year short-term contractual basis. Sir @PMOIndia Please Stop hiding behind military chiefs Mr Modi. Have the guts to take ownership of your reckless decision and face the consequences. The anger of the youth of the country about their future is directed you and only you. Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) June 17, 2022 Earlier on Thursday, Owaisi had hit out at PM Modi and asked him to have mercy on the Armed forces. "After ruining the country's economy, social harmony and agricultural system, now at least have mercy on the army," the AIMIM chief said in a tweet. The Opposition has targeted the Modi government over Agnipath Yojana with Congress dubbing it a "penny wise and security foolish" scheme. AAP has asked the Centre to repeal the scheme, saying that PM Modi has "betrayed" the country's youth. Centre amends a part of Agnipath scheme Following protests, the Centre on Thursday increased the upper age limit for hiring under the Agnipath scheme from 21 years to 23 years for the year 2022. Several top Union ministers and BJP Chief Ministers took to Twitter today to thank PM Modi for the decision. On Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath hailing Modi for the change in age limit for this year, Owaisi took a jibe and wrote, Indian leadership in 1947: India will become a great nation, we will eradicate poverty. Indian leadership in 2022: Thank you Modiji for increasing age of eligibility from 21 to 23. Indian leadership in 1947: India will become a great nation, we will eradicate poverty Indian leadership in 2022: Thank you Modiji for increasing age of eligibility from 21 to 23 https://t.co/gAfKSrymos Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) June 17, 2022 Meanwhile, Indian Army chief General Manoj Pande on Friday told ANI that the training of first Agniveers, soldiers recruited under Agnipath, will begin in December 2022. "Recruitment process is going to begin soon. Within the next two days, a notification will be issued on the official website. After that our Army recruitment organisations will declare a detailed schedule of registration and rally..." he told the news agency. As far as the question of Agniveers going to recruitment training centres is concerned, the training of first Agniveers will begin this December (in 2022) at the centres. The active service will commence in the middle of 2023," the Army Chief added. (With agency inputs) Andhra Pradesh SSC result: For the first time in its history, the Andhra Pradesh school education department has decided to provide a betterment opportunity for 2022 SSC students. The pass percentage in the SSC exams was 67 per cent, the lowest in two decades, and the government has already decided to conduct exams for the failed students next month. The students who passed the SSC Public Examinations in April 2022, and secured less than 50 marks in a subject are eligible to apply and appear for the Betterment Examinations for a maximum of two subjects along with the SSC Advanced Supplementary Examinations as per the schedule announced earlier, from July 6 to July 15. In an official statement on Thursday, Director, Government Examinations, D. Devananda Reddy said the betterment examination fee of 500 per subject should be paid at the time of submission of applications, which would be available in the respective school logins from June 16 to 19. The students should approach their headmaster for the purpose. Meanwhile, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has clarified that the low Class X pass percentage was not a mistake. The aim was to provide quality education for students. Those who failed could appear for the advanced supplementary exams in July. Applications for betterment examinations will be available in the respective school logins from June 16 to 19 and the students wishing to sit for the exams should approach the headmaster and pay the fees. The government had announced that pupils who failed to clear SSC exam can write the supplementary test as regular students. Earlier, this year the class 10th result was underwhelming where the overall pass rate was 67.26 percent. The girls outperformed the boys. Girls pass at a percentage of 70.70 percent, while boys pass at a percentage of 64.02 percent only. Live TV Assam HS Result 2022: The Assam Higher Secondary Education Council (AHSEC) is expected to release the class 12th Result 2022 soon. Once announced, candidates will be able to check their Assam 12th result 2022 at the official websites ahsec.nic.in and resultsassam.nic.in. Candidates who took the Assam High School Exam 2022 should keep an eye on the AHSEC's official website. However, there is no official confirmation yet on Assam HS result 2022 date and time. Himanta Biswa Sharma, the Chief Minister of Assam, is also expected to make an official announcement regarding the confirmed dates for the release of the Assam Board Class. Assam HS Class 12 result: Check your scorecards by following these steps Visit the AHSEC's official website. Click on the link that says HS AHSEC Result 2022. Enter the Roll Number from the admit card. Press the submit button. The Assam High School Result 2022 will be displayed on your screen. Download or print the Assam Board 12th Result 2022 that has been published online. For nearly 2.5 lakh students who took the Higher Secondary Examination, the wait is becoming increasingly agonising. The Assam Board held from 15th March and continued until 12th April 2022. Even as the COVID-19 threat persisted, the Assam HS Result 2022 was held in accordance with the full syllabus for this academic session. After returning to Kolkata, Mamata Banerjee attended a function at dakshineswar temple. She inaugurated the Light and Sound show there. From the event, the Chief Minister said, "A skywalk worth Rs 300 crore is being built in Kalighat like Dakshineswar. A lot of work has been done on religion across Bengal. The KMDA in Dakshineswar will give another Rs 10 crore for the completion of the work of the guest house. Bengal doesn't beg to anyone." Mamata also launched a museum and the project on Thursday after visiting the Dakshineswar temple and offering prayers. She also published a book containing the history and pictures of Dakshineswar. On the state of unrest that had arisen across the state over the Prophet Comment Controversy, Mamata said, "Religion should not be politicised. Ordinary people don't mess with religion. Some political leaders do this type of things. Some greedy leaders spread unrest. I don't read namaz, I go to iftar. If I go to a Durga Puja, a Jain temple, no one asks questions. Rs 1 crore has been provided for the Jain temple." Also Read: 'Mamata Banerjee has a false degree of...', BJP MLA's BIG allegation Dakshineswar temple Dakshineswar temple situated on the banks of the Ganga builded by Rani Rashmoni. Apart from Sri Ramakrishna, Maa Sarada and Swami Vivekananda, the names of many scholars are associated with the Kali temple in Dakshineswar. The exhibition of light and sound on the history of that temple is about to begin. The Chief Minister had planned a long time ago to present the history of Dakshineswar in front of the common people through light and sound show. The light and sound was launched by the Chief Minister on Thursday at the initiative of KMDA. A museum will be inaugurated at the temple square under the initiative of KMDA. In this collection, there will be Sri Ramakrishnadev's dhoti, Bhavtarini mother's sword, Queen Rashmoni's white stone throne. Karnataka Home Minister Araga Jnanendra on Friday said the government has planned to give preference to 'agniveers' -- soldiers recruited in the Army, Navy and the Air Force on a short-term contract under the special 'Agnipath' scheme -- in recruitment to police services in the State. He said he felt that the Centre and States should look into who are behind instigating military service aspirants to resort to a violent protest on the Agnipath issue in some parts of the country. "Expressing fear that something might happen in the future one should not burn things like trains and public properties, it (Agnipath) is a new scheme. There are certain sections which don't want any change in this country, they are behind such things (violent protest)," Jnanendra said. Speaking to reporters here, he termed the Agnipath scheme as 'good', and said in countries like Israel, military service is mandatory, while here the intention is to train (Agniveers) for four years along with a salary, and to induct 25 per cent of them into the military services. "We have planned to induct such personnel (Agniveers) trained with the military into police services, as it will help us. They will also get various job opportunities, and in times of war or emergencies they can be pressed into service," he added. Protests against the Agnipath defence recruitment scheme raged through several States for the third day on Friday with trains torched, public property vandalised and many thousands blocking tracks and highways. The Union Home Ministry on June 15 announced that the 'Agniveers' would get priority in recruitment to the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and the Assam Rifles. BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh too have announced that they would give priority to 'Agniveers' in recruitment to police and related services in their States. Responding to a question on concerns of job security after four years, the Minister said only those willing to serve for four years can apply to be Agniveers; when there are worries about unemployment, this scheme would help those in need; also they would have various job opportunities like police and security among others in the future having the Agnipath-like military training. "I'm unable to understand on what basis they (military aspirants) are protesting...Centre and States should look into what forces are behind them," he added. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said the increase in the age-limit for recruitment into defence forces under the 'Agnipath' scheme from 21 to 23 proves that the Union government, under the leadership of Narendra Modi, is sensitive to the needs of the people. New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday conducted searches at the residence of Agrasen Gehlot, the brother of Rajasthan Chief Minister and Congress leader Ashok Gehlot, in an alleged corruption case. The Congress party has called the CBI raids a 'vendetta' by the Narendra Modi government. According to reports, the CBI searches are going on at other locations as well. This comes after the central probe agency registered a new case of corruption against Gehlots brother. CBI raids underway at the residence of Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot's brother, Agrasen Gehlot in Jodhpur. pic.twitter.com/xwtkoK6bjn ANI (@ANI) June 17, 2022 It may be mentioned that Agrasen Gehlot is already under the ED scanner for alleged wrongdoing in a fertilizer export case. The central agency has alleged that in 2007 and 2009, large quantities of fertilizer were illegally exported. He was also accused of exporting a large amount of Muriate of Potash (MoP) to foreign countries that were meant for Indian farmers at a subsidised rate between the years 2007 and 2009 when the UPA government was in power. The ED has also launched a probe against Agrasen Gehlot, his firm Anupam Krishi and several others under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. It may be mentioned that the Rajasthan CM has strongly backed Rahul Gandhi and criticised his questioning by the ED in connection with the National Herald money laundering case. Hitting out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Gehlot had on Tuesday said, "I would like to tell PM Modi that God gave you the chance to be the PM of the country. Don`t make CBI, Income Tax, or ED treat the people of the country like this, or else the country will not spare you either." His remarks came in wake of Rahul Gandhi`s questioning by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) over the National Herald case. He also asked the Prime Minister to address other issues in the country. Gehlot has also been a vocal critic of the Narendra Modi government and its recent policy decisions. New Delhi: Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, who has been convicted in rape and murder cases, was granted parole for a month on Friday (June 17) by the BJP-led Haryana government, ANI reported. Earlier in February, Singh received a three weeks furlough. In parole, a prisoner is released either temporarily for a special purpose or completely before the expiry of a sentence, on the promise of good behaviour, while furlough is a short-term temporary release of convicts from prison. Notably, Singh has been granted parole for the first time since his conviction, as per IANS. Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh holds a large following in Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. He has been released from Haryanas Sunaria jail four times for various reasons earlier, including meeting his ailing mother. Defending the decision to grant the Dera chief one-month parole, an official said this is being done as per the jail manual. As per IANS, Singh will stay in Barnawa in Baghpath during his parole. Earlier in February ahead of the Punjab Assembly election, the Dera chief was provided Z-plus security cover during his furlough owing to the "high threat perception" to his life from "pro-Khalistan" groups, an official said. Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh is serving a 20-year jail term in the rape case of two of his women disciples. He was convicted in August 2017 by a Special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Court in Panchkula and has been in Haryana's Sunaria jail since then. In October last year, a special CBI in Panchkula had convicted the self-styled jailed godman and four other accused in the murder of former Dera manager Ranjit Singh. In 2019, the Dera Sacha Sauda chief and three others were pronounced guilty in connection with the murder of journalist Ramchandra Chhatrapati. Chhatrapati had published an anonymous letter about the sexual exploitation of women by Ram Rahim Singh at his ashram. (With agency inputs) HBSE 10th Result 2022: The Haryana Class 10 result 2022 was announced today, June 17, at 3 p.m., and was available on the official website bseh.org.in from 5 p.m. onwards. The pass rate among regular students is 73.18 percent. The Board of School Education Haryana (BSEH), which conducted the Haryana Class 10 and Class 12 examination 2022 from March 30 to April 29, 2022. 3.35 lakh students who registered for the Haryana board exam year are waiting for the BSEH 10th result 2022. This year, students took the HBSE board exam with a 30% reduced syllabus. BSEH 10th result 2022: heres how to check the scorecard The following are the steps for checking the Haryana board 10th result 2022 on the official website: Step 1: Navigate to the official website, bseh.org.in. Step 2: From the homepage, navigate to the HBSE 10th result 2022 link. Step 3: As log in credentials, enter your roll number and date of birth. Step 4: On the screen, you will see the Haryana Class 10 result 2022. Step 5: Download and print the BSEH 10th result scorecard for future reference. HARYANA CLASS 10 RESULT 2022: Direct Link here While rural students received a pass percentage of 74.06 percent, urban students received a pass percentage of 71.35 percent.Haryana Class 10 results 2022 have been released, with 88.21 percent of private school students and 63.54 percent of government school students passing the exam. The HBSE 10th result 2022 recorded a pass percentage of 92.96% for private students.The pass percentage of the female students was 76.26%, while boys scored a pass percentage of 70.56%. New Delhi: Navy chief Admiral R Hari Kumar on Friday termed the Agniveer model as the single biggest human resources management transformation in the Indian military and said that protests in parts of the country over the newly launched Agnipath scheme are happening due to misinformation and misunderstanding. He also added that he never expected that the scheme would lead to such massive and violent outrage. "I didn`t anticipate any protests like this. We worked on the Agnipath scheme for almost a year and a half...," the Navy chief told ANI. Calling the Agnipath scheme "transformational", the Navy chief admiral said it is a made-in-India and a made-for-India scheme. "The Agnipath scheme is a transformational scheme. It is a made-in-India and a made-for-India scheme. No, I didn`t anticipate protests like this. I want to tell those protesting that do not be violent and remain peaceful," Admiral R Hari Kumar told ANI. As protests broke out in parts of the country by protestors demanding a rollback of the scheme, the Navy chief Admiral said, "I want to tell people to not protest and not be violent. They should understand the scheme and remain peaceful. This is a great opportunity for the youth to serve the country. He also urged protesters to read and understand the Agnipath scheme and said that it is an opportunity to serve the nation. Commenting further on the ongoing protest, the Admiral said that the agitation is taking place due to "misinformation and misunderstanding" of the scheme. "It is a scheme of which I was part of the initial planning team and worked on it for almost a year and a half. And, now we see the scheme coming to its completion and introduction into the armed forces," he added. The Agnipath Scheme for recruitment to Armed Forces was launched by the three service chiefs earlier this week in the presence of defence minister Rajnath Singh, has sparked protests in many parts of the country. One person died in Telangana`s Secunderabad area and several trains were set on fire in the ongoing protests. In the wake of protests, the Centre revised the upper age limit for Agniveers, the youth recruited under the Agnipath scheme, extending it to 23 years as a one-time measure. On extending the age limit for the first recruitment cycle, the Navy chief said, "We wanted to give an opportunity for those youth who will otherwise miss out and are between 21 to 23. We are giving a chance to them to become part of the Agnipath Scheme and contribute to serving the country by becoming an Agniveer in the armed forces". On June 14, the Union Cabinet approved the Agnipath recruitment scheme for Indian youth to serve in the Armed Forces. Youth selected under this scheme will be known as Agniveers and will serve in the Armed Forces for a period of four years. YEREVAN, JUNE 17, ARMENPRESS. Ambassador of Armenia to Argentina Hovhannes Virabyan met with Vice President of the Senate, Senator Carolina Losada, the Embassy of Armenia said on social media. A number of issues of the bilateral agenda were discussed. The meeting also touched upon the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Armenia and Argentina. Both sides highlighted the importance of parliamentary diplomacy. Holding that High Courts do not have the special power of the Supreme Court, the Madras High Court on Friday rejected a plea from Nalini Sriharan and Ravichandran, both convicted in the former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, to order their release without even the consent of the State Governor. The High Courts do not have the power under Article 226 of the Constitution to do so, unlike the Supreme Court which enjoyed the special power under Article 142, the first bench of Chief Justice M N Bhandari and Justice N Mala said. The bench was dismissing two writ petitions from Nalini and Ravichandran, today. The Supreme Court had ordered the release of A G Perarivalan, another convict in the same case on May 18 after using the special power available to it under Article 142 of the Constitution. The same yardstick should be applied by the High Court also in the their case, the duo contended. The previous AIADMK cabinet had recommended for the premature release of all the seven accused in the case in September, 2018 and forwarded the same to then State Governor Banwarilal Purohit. As there was no response from the Governor, the convicts had moved the Madras High Court for a direction to the Governor to order their release. As their plea was rejected by the High Court, they had filed the present petitions to order their release even without the consent of the Governor. The Supreme Court had categorically held that the Governor was bound by the recommendations of the State cabinet, they contended. Besides Perarivalan, Murugan, Santhan, Robert Payas, Ravichandran, Jayakumar and Nalini were convicted in the former PM's assassination and are serving respective life terms. Live TV Maharashtra SSC Result 2022: The Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE) announced the Class 10th results 2022 today, June 17, 2022. The Maharashtra 10th board results were declared at around 1 pm today. This year, the pass percentage stands at 96.94%. Earlier on Thursday (June 16), the state education minister took on Twitter to announce the SSC Result 2022 date. "Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education conducted the Certificate (E. 10th) examination in secondary schools in March-April 2022. June 17, 2022 Will be announced online at 1:00 PM" tweeted Gaikwad. Maharashtra class 10th board results are now available on mahresult.nic.in for all students who took the Maharashtra Board exams in 2022. MAHARASHTRA SSC RESULT 2022: PASS PERCENTAGE Pass percentage 2022: 96.94 Pass percentage 2021: 99.95% MAHARASHTRA SSC RESULT 2022: GIRLS OUTSHINE BOYS Pass percentage of girls: 97.96 Pass percentage of boys: 96.06 Maharashtra SSC Result 2022: Where to check class 10th results Results, once released can be checked by the students on following sites- mahahsscboard.in msbshse.co.in mh-ssc.ac.in mahresult.nic.in Maharashtra SSC Result 2022: How to download class 10th board results Students can check their class 10 results, Maharashtra Board following these steps Step 1: Visit the official website, mahresult.nic.in Step 2: On the homepage, click on the SSC or HSC result links Maharashtra SSC Board Result 2022 LIVE updates: MSBSHSE Class 10th results releasing TODAY - Stay Tuned To Zee News Step 3: Enter required credentials and submit Maharashtra State Board result 2022 will appear on the screen. Step 4: Download the result and take a printout for future reference Earlier, Maharashtra HSC 12th Board Result 2022 was declared - a total of 14,85,191 students appeared out of which 8,17,188 were boys and 6,68,003 were girls. Girls outperformed boys in the Maharashtra HSC results 12 exams conducted by the Maharashtra Board for Secondary and Higher Secondary Education. The pass percentage of girls was 95.35 per cent, while that of boys was 93.29 per cent, according to the results announced by the Board's chairperson, Sharad Gosavi. Dissatisfaction with the results of Higher Secondary (HS REsult 2022) is well felt. The students protested demanding that they should be given the pass marks. Incidents of blockades and vandalism have already come to the fore. This time, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee opened up about it. According to her, it is not the fault of the students, rather, those who are in charge of showing them the right path are responsible for it. Mamata said, "They are saying, Why did I fail, I should be given the pass marks. I've never heard of this before. I couldn't think this in our time. It's not their fault. It's the fault of those who guide them. You don't have to go around the whole world, you have Rabindranath, Ramakrishna, Vivekananda, Nazrul, Rashmani here. If you read a little bit, the garbage will be removed from the head." Also Read: 'Bengal doesn't beg to anyone', Read the inner meaning of Mamata Banerjee's message from Dakshineswar Temple Mamata added, "As a child, my parents used to read Ramakrishna, Vivekananda, Sharada, Rabindranath, Nazrul. They didn't let the brain pile up the garbage. I am a very small person. My power is also small. I'm not a VIP, I'm a LIP, a less impertinent person. That's what my parents taught me. Another thing I've learned is that life is very short. Do not do injustice. I remember everything my parents taught me. I just couldn't get into the habbit of not telling the unpleasant truth. I'm still saying it out loud. Apart from that, I accept everything else." Since the results of the higher secondary examinations were out this year, there have been protests in places. Last time in Corona, where everyone was passed without giving the exam, why was this time some failed despite giving good exam, the students questioned! Not only that, some of the students were also heard commenting that Mamata was deliberately failing them because she did not have the power to give them jobs, which seemed to be some kind of 'audacity' to many. In that atmosphere, Mamata opened up about the pass-fail controversy. Mumbai (Maharashtra): After facing an embarrassment in the just-concluded Rajya Sabha polls, the Shiv Sena-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) is strategising hard for the upcoming June 20 biennial polls to the Maharashtra Legislative Council. In the RS polls, the BJP managed to grab three seats despite having insufficient numbers, dealing a political blow to the MVA as Sena`s second candidate was trounced by merely two votes. With 11 candidates vying for 10 MLC seats, the MVA allies Shiv Sena, Nationalist Congress Party and Congress have fielded two candidates each, while the Opposition BJP has named five nominees. The MVA is counting on each vote, the reason, the alliance eyeing the Bombay High Court, which on Thursday reserved its order on the pleas of Maharashtra Minister Nawab Malik and former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh for permission to cast their votes for the MLC polls on June 20. The court will pronounce the order on Friday at 2.30 pm. Earlier, a special PMLA court in Mumbai rejected the pleas filed by Nawab Malik and Anil Deshmukh seeking a day`s bail to vote in the Rajya Sabha elections. A Public Interest Litigation (PIL), however, has been moved in the Supreme Court seeking directions to the Maharashtra government to sack Nawab Malik, who is presently in judicial custody in connection with the case of money laundering. Deshmukh and Malik are currently lodged in jail in connection with different money laundering cases being probed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). Deshmukh was arrested on November 1, 2021, in connection with extortion and money laundering allegations levelled against him by the former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh. Nawab Malil was arrested by the ED on February 23 over a property deal allegedly linked to the aides of gangster Dawood Ibrahim. It may be noted that the ruling MVA allies Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress have fielded two candidates each, while the BJP has named five nominees for the 10 MLC seats. The candidates are Sachin Ahir, Amasha Padvi (Shiv Sena), Ramraje Naik-Nimbalkar, Eknath Khadse (NCP), Bhai Jagtap, Chandrakant Handore (Congress), while BJP has fielded Pravin Darekar, Prof Ram Shinde, Shrikant Bhartiya, Uma Khapre and Prasad Lad. The MVA has reportedly held several autopsy meetings to ascertain its actual support among the independents and smaller parties and also to work out an effective strategy to avoid a similar discomfiture in the MLC polls that will be vide a secret ballot. Certain independents and smaller parties, suspected to be culprits who allegedly reneged on their commitment to the MVA and favouring the BJP, are being wooed afresh by leaders of Sena-NCP-Congress to ensure their support for the 6 MLC seats the alliance is contesting. Earlier on Monday, the NCP withdrew its additional candidate Shivajirao Garje. The BJP-back independent candidate and Rayat Krantikari Sanghatana leader Sadabhau Khot also opted out of the race, leaving 11 contestants in the fray. Leader of the Opposition Devendra Fadnavis reportedly said the BJP would secure victory for all its five MLC candidates, citing the party's recent win in the Rajya Sabha elections. In the Rajya Sabha polls, the BJP managed to win three seats despite having insufficient numbers, dealing a shocking political blow to the MVA as Sena`s second candidate was trounced by merely two votes. The BJP leaders continued lampooning the MVA for its RS loss and reiterated that the victory run has begun and it would throw out the MVA government in the 2024 assembly elections. (With ANI/IANS Inputs) New Delhi: In a partial reprieve for Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, the Enforcement Directorate has accepted his request to ''defer his questioning'' in the National Herald money-money laundering case from June 17 to June 20 owing to personal reasons. The Wayanad Congress MP had written to the investigating officer of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to allow him exemption from the questioning scheduled on Friday (June 17) as he wants to remain with his ailing mother, Sonia Gandhi. Congress president Sonia Gandhi has been admitted to a private hospital in Delhi due to COVID-19-related issues. Accordingly, the financial probe agency has asked the Congress leader to appear before it again on Monday. "Rahul Gandhi has sent us an email saying since his mother Sonia Gandhi is hospitalised due to Covid-related complications, he needs to look after her. He requested us that his questioning should resume on Monday instead of Friday. We have accepted his request," said an ED source. Rahul Gandhi, 51, spent almost 30 hours with the ED sleuths over the last three days, where he was questioned and his statement recorded under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). Meanwhile, Congress leaders and workers held protests in several parts of the country including Karnataka, Kerala, Punjab, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, and Rajasthan over the Enforcement Directorate's questioning of Rahul Gandhi in the National Herald case. Congress workers held a protest march in Bengaluru on Thursday over the questioning of Rahul Gandhi by ED. Karnataka Congress chief DK Shivakumar, CLP leader Siddaramaiah and other leaders and workers of the party were detained by police during their protest in Bengaluru. "The protest is our right. We will fight for justice. They (ED) are not taking cases of any BJP leaders. They are harassing only Congress people," Karnataka Congress chief DK Shivakumar said. The Karnataka Congress will give a memorandum to Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot over the matter. The party delegation will also hand over a complaint letter against Bharatiya Janata Party. Bengaluru Police said the Congress protest was against the High Court`s order. Congress workers also held a protest in Chandigarh against the questioning of Rahul Gandhi by ED. Several workers of the party were detained by police. "I cannot understand what Rahul Gandhi has done that he has been called for 3 days. Yesterday, Delhi Police barged into the AICC office and beat up our MPs. Such vendetta politics has never been seen before. Government should not try to suppress voices," Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh Warring said. (With Agency Inputs) New Delhi: Amid the Nupur Sharma controversy and extreme reactions across the country, musician Vishal Dadlani's tweets expressing support for Indian Muslims have won appreciation from Shashi Tharoor. Dadlani took to Twitter and said that their "patriotism is not in question". "I want to say this to Indian Muslims on behalf of a majority of Indian Hindus. You are seen & heard, loved & treasured. Your pain is our pain. Your patriotism is not in question, your identity is not a threat to India or to anyone else's religion. We are one Nation, one family (sic)." The Congress politician, in reply to the tweet, was effusive in Dadlani's praise. "Warmly echoed, Vishal Dadlani - shabash for speaking for the vast silent majority!" wrote Tharoor. Warmly echoed, @VishalDadlani -- shabash for speaking for the vast silent majority! https://t.co/HX1ZSgrbHZ Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) June 16, 2022 Dadlani had then slammed Indian politicians for their divisive approach in another tweet. I also want to say this to all Indians. I'm truly sorry about the ugly nature of Indian politics, that will happily divide us into smaller & smaller groups, until we each stand alone. They are all doing that for personal gain, not for the people. Don't let them win. https://t.co/h7pgTaFyjd VISHAL DADLANI (@VishalDadlani) June 16, 2022 The Nupur Sharma Controversy Nupur Sharma has been in the eye of the storm ever since her controversial comments on Prophet Muhammad on TV debate. Her comments also attracted a letter from the Al-Qaeda in Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) warning of suicide bombings in Indian cities to avenge the insult to the Prophet. The inflammatory remarks made by BJP leaders Nupur Sharma and Naveen Kumar Jindal have also caused an uproar in the Arab world too. Many Arab nations, including Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, condemned the controversial remarks of Nupur Sharma. However, many people came out in support of Sharma too, including Ducth far-right politician Greet Wielders. The Bharatiya Janata Party had suspended its spokesperson Nupur Sharma from the party's primary membership after her alleged inflammatory remarks against minorities.":@CPDelhi I'm being bombarded with rape, death and beheading threats against my sister, mother, father & myself. I've communicated same to @DelhiPolice. If anything untoward happens to me or any of my family members...," tweeted Nupur Sharma on May 27. The Delhi Police had confirmed that it has provided security to Sharma after an FIR was registered on a complaint that she was getting death threats following her controversial religious remarks. Nupur Sharma missing! Cases were registered against her in several police stations for his controversial remarks on Hazrat Mohammad (Prophet Mohammad Row). It was on the basis of these that Nupur was summoned. But the question is how to hand over the summons paper to Nupur? A mumbai police team is said to be searching for the expelled BJP leader for the past four days. But she can't be found. Also Read: Prophet Comment Row: 192,000 kg of COWDUNG going from India to Kuwait amid Nupur Sharma controversy This has been reported by a special source in the Maharashtra Home Ministry. According to an all India media report, the Mumbai Police has enough evidence to arrest Nupur Sharma. So the summons were issued against Nupur on the basis of a complaint lodged at Pydhonie police station. First, a copy of the summons was sent by e-mail. But she did not respond to the summons. The Mumbai Police team then reached Delhi to hand over the summons papers as per rules. After spending four days there, they can't find Nupur. Also Read: Prophet Comment Row: Where is Nupur Sharma now, Whose comment on Muhammad created a STIR? The impact of Nupur Sharma's comments has led to unrest across the country. India is also under pressure in the international arena. However, Nupur Sharma was removed from the post of BJP's national spokesperson for making these remarks. A number of clerics' in Uttar Pradesh had given calls for peace ahead of today's Friday prayers. Last week, violent protests had taken place - mostly at places near or outside mosques after Fridat prayers - over controversial remarks on Prophet Muhammad by BJP leader Nupur Sharma. The protests were followed by tough action by state administration led by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. The actions from the Chief Minister and administrations' strong arm tactics draw criticism, however, people also believe that same resulted in effective control of violence that were taking place. A week after violence erupted in Uttar Pradesh over the remarks on Prophet Mohammad by a BJP leader, no untoward incident took place following the Friday prayers, an official said here. No protests were reported from any part of the state till afternoon (2.25 PM) and Friday prayers passed peacefully, ADG Law and Order Prashant Kumar said. With the help of religious leaders and police administration the prayers were held in a peaceful manner in the state, he said. Speaking before the Friday prayers at Lucknow's Jama Masjid Idgah, Maulana Mohd Mushtaq urged the people to refrain from any kind of protest at the mosques, which he said is the place for offering namaz only. In a release issued by the Islamic Centre of India, Maulana Mohd Mushtaq said that the purpose of mosques is to worship and offer namaz there and not for staging of protests. In a goodwill gesture, people offered roses to the security personnel deployed outside the prominent ?Tile Wali' masjid in the state capital -- which was the places of sloganeering last Friday -- after the Friday prayers. In Saharanpur, Prayers were observed peacefully amid heavy deployment of the police force and drone cameras. Flag marches had been held in Saharanpur and Deoband the past couple of days as a precautionary measure. Aligarh too, reportedly, witnessed no confrontation or protests after the prayers, where they were observed amid tight security. According to reports, the district authorities had conferred with the prominent people of both communities and top officials, including the district magistrate Inder Vir Singh, to discuss ways of restoring the peace. SSP Kalanidhi Naithani reportedly visited all communally sensitive spots of the city to oversee the situation. The chief mufti of Aligarh, Khalid Hameed, had also issued an appeal urging members of the Muslim community ?not to collect at any spot after offering Friday prayers. A report from Kannauj said the administration had made strict arrangements for road safety. Reportedly, a drone camera in Chhibramau Kotwali area of the district found a pile of bricks on the roof of a religious place, which was removed following an order. Inspector Jai Prakash Sharma said that the purpose for collection of bricks on the roof is being ascertained. UP Police had made elaborate security arrangements for the prayers in view of the state-wide violence that erupted following the Friday prayers last week over a remark against Prophet Mohammad by Nupur Sharma, a former BJP spokesperson. The first such protest had happened Kanpur on June 3, dueing which people fom Hindu and Muslim communities clashed with each other over the shutting down of a prominent market in the city. "We have made elaborate arrangements for the Friday prayers. Meetings with religious gurus, civil society and members of peace committees were held in different districts. These meetings were attended by senior officials of range and zone and also by concerned SHOs and outposts in-charge," Prashant Kumar had said on Thursday. "Help of civil defence and digital volunteers (of UP police) is also taken to maintain peace in the state," he had said. In Prayagraj, a mob had set on fire a few motorcycles and carts, and also attempted to set ablaze a police vehicle last Friday. Police had used tear gas and lathis to disperse the protesters and restore peace. Around 400 people have so far been arrested in connection with protests in Prayagraj, Saharanpur, Hathras, Aligarh, Firozabad and other districts of the state. UP has been racked by high tension protests across its cities since last Friday, which was responded to by authorities, among other methods, with demolition of houses of some of the key accused. India recently faced severe criticism from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait and the rest of the Arab countries for the controversial remarks made by former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma. However, under these controversial circumstances, 192,000 kg of cow dung is being exported from India to Kuwait. Sources said the dung is being sent to Kuwait for organic farming. On Wednesday, June 15, the first batch of dung from Kanakapura railway station left for Kuwait. It is also learnt that the work of packaging the dung is going on under the supervision of the customs department. The dung is being sent from a cowshed in Jaipur. The dung is being exported to a private company in Kuwait. An agreement has already been made between the two countries in this regard, the sources said. A lot of research is going on about dung across the country. Several studies have also claimed that in addition to increasing the production of crops, eating crops grown using cow dung can get rid of various diseases. In Kuwait too, research on organic farming using cow dung has been going on for a long time. The main disadvantages of agriculture in Kuwait are the dry climate and the lack of adequate water. And that is why Kuwait has focused on organic farming using cow dung fertilizers. The administration did not take action against Nupur Sharma (Nupur Sharma), whose comments angered the country. However, Bhim Sena Chief Nawab Satpal Tanwar was arrested for threatening her. He was arrested by the Special Cell of Delhi Police. Expelled BJP leader Nupur had made controversial remarks about Prophet Mohammad Row. As a result, there has been unrest across the country. It has also had an impact abroad. India has to be held accountable in the international arena. Tanwar was arrested from his home on Thursday. BJP youth leader Sarpopriya Tyagi had lodged a complaint with the Special Cyber Cell of Delhi Police. That's the basis of this arrest. Tanwar was arrested by Gurgaon police a few days ago for his violent activities. He announced a reward of Rs 1 crore for Nupur Sharma through a video on Facebook. He has also threatened against Nupur. The Delhi Police said he was arrested on the same charge. Also Read: Nupur Sharma MISSING for 4 days! Maharastra Government's BIG claim creates STIR A police officer from the cyber cell said, "We have given enough importance to this video. This person threatened to kill her. He also tried to spread hatred. We have arrested Tanwar from Gurgaon. A case has been filed against him under various sections. Harassment of women, making provocative comments - these are the charges against Tanwar." According to the police, the accused has done such a thing before also. Yesterday, the United States of America (USA) entered into a debate. Earlier, the countries of the Middle East had come out in condemnation of India. But no one took legal action against Nupur. She has been charged under Sections 153(A), 295(A), 298 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code at The Narakonda police station. Summons have also been sent. However, it is not yet clear whether the expelled BJP leader will appear at all. For now, cyber cell officials are interrogating Tanwar. YEREVAN, JUNE 17, ARMENPRESS. Human Rights Defender of Armenia Kristinne Grigoryan met with Erika Olson, the United States Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, in Washington D.C., the Ombudspersons Office said. Presenting the main activity directions, Kristinne Grigoryan shared her information on the situation of rights of people living in Nagorno Karabakh, as well as presented the Azerbaijani policy of ethnic hatred against the Armenians of Artsakh. The peoples right to life, safe environment, education, healthcare, ownership and other rights are being violated in Artsakh on a daily basis, the Ombudsperson said. Erika Olson was interested in the process of police reforms in Armenia. The sides outlined concrete directions for the cooperation. Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh Police has tightened security and a high alert has been sounded across the state ahead of Friday prayers, days after violence rocked parts of the state over now-suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma's remarks against Prophet Mohammad. According to reports, the state police also held meetings with religious leaders of the state to ensure peace and harmony prevails in the state. The UP Shia Central Waqf Board has also asked mosque managements that come under it not to allow controversial statements. The Uttar Pradesh Police has identified 24 districts in the state as hyper-sensitive. All these districts will have a higher degree of vigilance. Areas in and around mosques in Lucknow, Kanpur, Prayagraj, Agra, Mau, Sambhal, Meerut, Ambedkarnagar, Bahraich, Ayodhya, Gonda and Saharanpur will be kept under watch too. Drones would be used to conduct surveillance in these areas. Police have, meanwhile, arrested over 400 people in connection with the June 10 violence in Prayagraj, Saharanpur, Hathras, Aligarh, Firozabad and other districts of the state. "We have made elaborate arrangements for the Friday prayers. Meetings with religious gurus, civil society and members of peace committees were held in districts. These meetings were attended by senior officials of range and zone, and also by SHOs concerned, "ADGP (Law and Order) Prashant Kumar said. Kumar said police has taken the help of defence and "digital" volunteers to maintain peace in the state. All district police chiefs have been instructed to prevent violence anywhere in the state. They have been told to compile a record of persons arrested for law and order offences during previous public protests, including the anti-CAA and NRC riots, and to maintain tabs on their whereabouts. The detailed order includes identifying those linked to the Popular Front of India (PFI) and its frontal organisations, as well as taking preventative action against them and determining whether or not they have a criminal record. A number of UP cities last Friday witnessed violent protests during the marches that were carried out to protest the controversial remarks made by Nupur Sharma in a TV debate. UP Shia Central Waqf Board Chairman Ali Zaidi said they have asked mosque managements not to allow controversial statements keeping in mind the June 10 violence. "From mosques, which are under the Board, speeches and statements that could vitiate the communal atmosphere in the state have been banned," a statement issued by the Board said. All management committees/administrators of mosques have been asked to ensure that there are no statements issued that could affect peace, the statement said. (With Agency Inputs) New Delhi: A group of Congress leaders will meet President Ram Nath Kovind on June 20 to apprise him of the alleged manhandling and harassment of party MPs by the Delhi Police during protests against the questioning of Rahul Gandhi by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the National Herald case. The Congress delegation that will meet the President includes Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, party's leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, P Chidambaram, K C Venugopal and Jairam Ramesh, PTI reported. Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala alleged on June 15 that Delhi police had entered the grand old party headquarters and beat up the workers. On Thursday (June 16), several Congress MPs met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu to raise the issue, claiming they were treated like "terrorists". Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury led the delegation of MPs who met Birla, while Mallikarjun Kharge along with other lawmakers met Naidu. The Congress MPs alleged that their privileges as members of parliament have been breached, further demanding lawful action against the Delhi Police. Chowdhury said the ED and the central government should not pursue "politics of vendetta and violence". Kharge told reporters that they have informed Naidu that the Congress MPs were misbehaved with and were taken to police stations without letting the Chairman or the Speaker know as is mandated by rules. However, the Delhi police has denied Congress' allegations of thrashing its leaders and entering the AICC headquarters in Delhi. "We've examined complaint (by Congress against Delhi Police) alleging misbehaviour by police officials and entry into AICC office; nothing like that... Police tried to detain them from entrance..."Sagar Preet Hooda, Special CP (Law & Order) was quoted as saying by ANI. Many videos on social media surfaced earlier showing skirmish between Congress workers and Delhi Police. The grand old party has intensified protests across protests against EDs questioning of Rahul Gandhi. The Delhi police had imposed prohibitory orders in central Delhi in the wake of these protests leading to the detention of many Congress leaders for violating the curbs. (With agency inputs) New Delhi: Interim Congress president Sonia Gandhi was detected with a lower respiratory tract infection after her admission to the Ganga Ram Hospital and continues to be under ''close observation and treatment'', the party said Friday. Congress chief spokesperson Jairam Ramesh said Gandhi was admitted to the hospital on June 12 after bleeding from her nose following a recent Covid infection. "She was immediately put under treatment and underwent a related follow-up procedure yesterday morning," he said in a statement. Ramesh, who is the new general secretary in charge of the party's communications department, said a fungal infection in her lower respiratory tract was also detected upon admission. "She is currently being treated for it along with other post-Covid symptoms. She continues to be under close observation and treatment," Ramesh said. A statement on Congress Presidents health condition. pic.twitter.com/4tVBtgyhEi June 17, 2022 Sonia Gandhi has been summoned by the Enforcement Directorate on June 23 in a money laundering case. Her son and former Congress president Rahul Gandhi is already being questioned by the probe agency and his next deposition before the ED is scheduled on Monday. Rahul Gandhi had also requested the ED to defer his questioning to June 20 so that he can spend some time with his ailing mother. The ED has accepted his request and deferred his questioning in the National Herald money laundering case to Monday, June 20. TN 10th, 12th Results 2022: TNDGE (Tamil Nadu Directorate of Government Examinations) will now be releasing class 10 and class 12 board results on the same day - June 20, according to sources. News reports had earlier mentioned that class 10 board exams will be released today (June 17), but reportedly, the announcement has been delayed. Students who took the exam are encouraged to keep an eye on the official website for the latest developments. Students can check and download their results once they are released by visiting the education board's official websites, dge.tn.nic.in and dge.tn.gov.in. In addition to the official website, the results will be available on the state of Tamil Nadu's official results portal at tnresults.nic.in. TN SSLC, Class 12 Result 2022: List of websites to check scores Once results are announced, students can check TN SSLC result 2022 on board websites. Here is the list: -dge.tn.gov.in - dge.tn.nic.in - tnresults.nic.in - dge1.tn.nic.in - dge2.tn.nic.in TN SSLC Result 2022 - How to download your scorecard Step 1: Navigate to the official website (dge.tn.gov.in) Step 2: On the website's homepage, students will find a link that says, 'TN SSLC Result 2022' - Please click on that Step 3: Students must now fill in the required information as directed - Click the submit button Step 4: The TN SSLC Result 2022 will be shown on your screen Step 5: Download and print the results for future reference TNDGE conducted SSLC examinations in the state in offline mode from June 6 to 30, 2022. Also read: AP Intermediate Results 2022 to be declared today - how to check marks and other BIG announcements here UP Board Class 10th, 12th Result 2022 Latest Update: The Uttar Pradesh Madhyamik Shikha Parishad (UPMSP) has declared the official date to release UP Board Class 10th and Class 12th Exam 2022 results on June 18, 2022. The Uttar Pradesh Board High School (10th) Examination Results and Intermediate (12th) Examination Results will be declared by June 18. UP Class 10th Result will be declared at 2 pm tomorrow and UP Class 12th Result 2022 will be declared at 4 pm tomorrow at upresults.nic.in. UP Board released an official notification notifying UP Board Result 2022 Date and Time today in the evening. According to the Uttar Pradesh Secondary Education Council (UPSEC), over 51 lakh students had registered for UP Board Class 10th and Class 12th Exams 2022. Once declared, the UP Board Result 2022 will be available on UPMSP's official websites -- upresults.nic.in and results.upmsp.edu.in. UP Board Result 2022: Here's how to check your scorecard Students can visit UPMSP's official result website - upresults.nic.in to check their scorecard, once the results are announced. Step 1: Visit the UPMSP's official result website - upresults.nic.in Step 2: On the homepage, click on the "U. P. Board Intermediate (Class XII) Examination - 2022 Results" link or link and "U. P. Board High School (Class X) Examination - 2022 Results" link. Step 3: Enter your "Roll Number" and your "School code" (as given in the Admit Card). You also need to enter the Captcha code shown on the website and submit Step 4: The UP Board Class 12 Exam 2022 or Class 10 Exam 2022 Results will appear on the screen. Step 5: Download and print out your scorecard for future references. It is pertinent to note that the Board had directed the chief head examiners and examiners to award equal marks to all the examinees for questions asked outside the curriculum in around a dozen subjects of Class 12 and seven core subjects of Class 10, this year. In the academic year 2020-2021, the final marks of the students of class 10th were based on the average of their class 9 and class 10 pre-board exam results. The average marks received by a student in classes 10th and 11th were used to calculate the marks for Class 12 and the Board did not provide a merit list since students would be promoted without board exams. Live TV WBJEE 2022 Result 2022: Today, the West Bengal Joint Entrance Examinations Board (WBJEEB) released the state West Bengal JEE result 2022. The WBJEE exam was passed by 98.85 percent of the students. At 4 p.m. today, the WBJEE result 2022 link will be activated, and students will be able to download their rank card from the official websites. WBJEE result 2022 websites include wbjeeb.nic.in and wbjeeb.in. WBJEE 2022 Result: How To Download Scorecard wbjeeb.nic.in is the official website. Select the result link. Enter your login information and press the submit button. WBJEE 2022 results will be shown on the screen. WBJEE scorecard can be downloaded and printed for future reference. Last year, 99.5 percent of students passed the WBJEE exam. The winner was Panchojanyo Dey, who was followed by Soumyajit Dutta and Bratin Mandal. Students who pass the WBJEE 2022 must attend the admissions counselling for the participating institutes. Kolkata: A 30-year-old woman employee of a BPO here who was gangraped by two male colleagues at an office party, had her drink spiked by another female colleague before her trauma unfolded, police who are investigating the incident said Friday. The incident which took place last week but was reported Thursday, has raised a storm in social media with netizens condemning it and demanding strict action against culprits. An initial probe into the alleged crime revealed that the 30-year-old victim was forced to have the spiked drink after she was taken inside a hotel room by her female colleague, the police officer said. "CCTV footage showed that the woman had entered the hotel at around 2.45pm with other colleagues. The footage showed that she left the hotel alone after 9PM. We are trying to get the footage of the floor where she went," the officer said. ALSO READ: Hyderabad teen gang-rape case: 4th accused, a minor, arrested; Telangana Governor seeks detailed report within 2 days According to the complaint by the victim, the female accused had misguided her and taken her to the room where two other colleagues were drinking, he added. "Inside, she was asked to consume the drink which was spiked. The crime seems to have been committed after she fell unconscious. She was left alone inside the hotel room by the three who fled," the police officer said. The three accused who were earlier arrested are being interrogated, he said. "We are talking to the hotel manager and other staff. Necessary documents have been collected from the hotel room and sent for forensic tests," the police officer said, adding that the room at the hotel has been sealed. At least three persons, including a woman, have been arrested for their alleged involvement in the gangrape of their colleague at an office party in a city hotel in the Chinar Park area of the city, police said on Thursday. The victim is a young woman who is an employee of an IT company and the gangrape took place on Saturday last week, the police said. . The woman was allegedly offered a spiked drink, taken to a room of the hotel and gangraped, a senior police official said. The victim has lodged a complaint in the Baguihati police station and gave specific names of those who she alleged committed the crime. Based on the complaint we have arrested the three from the city. Bhaderwah/Jammu: Curfew continues in Bhaderwah town of Jammu and Kashmir's Doda for the ninth day as additional forces have been deployed outside mosques across the district before the Friday prayers as a precautionary measure, officials said. The curfew in Bhaderwah town was imposed on June 9 following communal tension in the wake of protests over the controversial remarks on Prophet Mohammad by now-removed BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma and some social posts by local right-wing activists in her support. The curfew was relaxed twice for a total of five hours in the town - from 9 am to 12 pm and 3 pm to 5 pm - Thursday last week and this period passed off peacefully without any untoward incident, police said. Officials said senior police and civil officers reviewed the situation and decided to continue the curfew without any relaxation in the town to ward off any trouble during the Friday prayers. "A decision to relax the curfew will be taken later in the day after the peaceful culmination of the Friday prayers," an official said, adding additional forces were deployed outside mosques across the Doda district as a precautionary measure to maintain law and order. One person was arrested and nine others were detained for creating communal tension over the past week following the registration of three FIRs at the local police station. A lookout notice was also pasted at the house of an accused who is evading arrest despite raids at several places in Bhaderwah, the officials said. Assuring full cooperation to the administration, Anjuman-e-Islamia sought the arrest of all those behind fanning communal hatred. "People from only one community were arrested or detained so far but those belonging to other communities, who provoked the people through social media posts, have been let off. One among them has sought an anticipatory bail," an office-bearer of the religious group said. Meanwhile, in the Jammu district, too, policemen were deployed in strength outside mosques with a direction to not allow any street protest after the Friday prayers, officials said. Protests were witnessed in different parts of the city, including Gujjar Nagar, Talab Khatikan and Bathindi over the past week against the remarks on the Prophet. New Delhi: Citing that farming had become unaffordable, a 22-year-old cultivator from Maharashtra's Hingoli has applied for a bank loan of over Rs 6 crore to purchase a helicopter and rent it out. Kailas Patange, a resident of Taktoda village in the district, approached a bank in Goregaon with his loan application on Thursday. Patange, who owns two acres of land, said irregular rainfall and drought-like conditions had made farming unaffordable over the years. I cultivated soybean on my land over the last two years. But it didn't fetch me good returns due to unseasonal rains. Even the money from crop insurance wasn't enough, Patange said. (ALSO READ: Net direct tax collections jump 45% till June 16 in 2022-23) Considering these factors, Patange chanced upon the idea of buying a helicopter and renting it out to make a good living. Talking to PTI, Patange said, Who says only big people should have big dreams? Farmers should also dream big. I have applied for a loan of Rs 6.65 crore to purchase a helicopter. There is a lot of competition in other businesses, so I decided to go for this." (ALSO READ: 'Guptaji Ka Ladka Rocks' say netizens after Shark Tank India's Aman Gupta bags award) New Delhi: In a bid to make digital recurring payments effortless, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) recently increased the minimum amount on e-mandates requiring One Time Passwords (OTPs) to Rs 15000, up from Rs 5000 previously. The new limit has been come into effect, making it simpler for customers to use e-mandates for payments towards loans or savings. On a review of the implementation of the e-mandate framework and the protection available to customers, it has been decided to increase the limit from Rs 5,000 to Rs 15,000 per transaction and shall come into effect immediately," the RBI said in a notification on June 16. (ALSO READ: New credit card, debit card rules for online payments from July 1: Know what is going to change) RBI governor Shaktikanta Das recently pointed out that requests have been received from stakeholders to increase the limit under the framework to facilitate payments of larger value like subscriptions, insurance premia, education fees, etc. (ALSO READ: Ashneer Grover all set to be back in business, eyes $300 million funding) According to Das, the decision has been taken to improve customer convenience. He said that the framework for processing e-mandate-based recurring payments was introduced to provide customers with the benefits of convenience, safety and security. Meanwhile, the central bank has also allowed credit card customers to link their cards with UPI (unified payments interface). It is proposed to allow linking of credit cards to UPI," the RBI governor had said while announcing the regulatory moves, along with the bi-monthly policy review. Das also noted that to start with Rupay credit cards issued by the RBI-promoted NPCI will be enabled with this facility, and the facility will be made available after system developments. UPI has become the most inclusive mode of payment in India, with over 26 crore unique users and 5 crore merchants onboarded on the platform, he said, adding that 594.63 crore transactions amounting to Rs 10.40 lakh crore were processed through UPI in May 2022. YEREVAN, JUNE 17, ARMENPRESS. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia commented on the statement of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev according to which Armenia rejected the proposal to hold a trilateral meeting in Tbilisi at the level of foreign ministers of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. We not only have not rejected, but also have always positively reacted to such a possible meeting, at the same time noting that work needs to be done to ensure the efficiency of the meeting, MFA spokesperson Vahan Hunanyan said in response to query of ARMENPRESS. New Delhi: The central government's Income Tax Department has announced an extension to the duty of linking PAN and Aadhaar for citizens. The Central Board of Direct Taxes, or CBDT, has extended the deadline for linking PAN and Aadhaar till March 31, 2023, but at a cost. Those who link their PAN-Aadhaar at this time will be fined if they do not complete this required task. "In the situation where such intimation is made within three months from the date referred to in sub-section," that is by June 30, 2022, a penalty of Rs 500 has to be paid." After then, a fine of Rs 1,000 must be paid to link Aadhaar and PAN. Every person who, in accordance with the provisions of sub-section (2) of section 139AA, is required to intimate his Aadhaar number to the prescribed authority in the prescribed form and manner, fails to do so by the date referred to in the said sub-section, shall, at the time of subsequent intimation of his Aadhaar number to the prescribed authority, be liable to pay, by way of fee, an amount equal to, (a) five hundred rupees, in a case where such intimation is made within three months from the date referred to in sub-section (2) of section 139AA; and (b) one thousand rupees, in all other cases, the latest CBDT order stated. Read More: OTP rule changes from today! Debit, credit card users must know new regulations before making payment PAN and Aadhaar can be linked in a variety of ways. For starters, you can do it without logging into the income tax portal or by logging into your account. To link your PAN and Aadhaar, along with other essential information, you must input your PAN and Aadhaar numbers. Read More: New credit card, debit card rules for online payments from July 1: Know what is going to change Apart from these options, according to fresh updates from Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), you can now link your Aadhaar card to your PAN card by SMS. Sending an SMS from your registered phone number to 567678 or 56161 will complete the connection process. The government has repeatedly stated that connecting Aadhaar and PAN is a need that will assist authorities in combating fraud. As a result, the Centre has no plans to amend its stance, and there will be consequences if PAN-Aadhaar is not linked by March 31 next year. The PAN allocated to the individual will be made inoperative in compliance with the Act if the Aadhaar number is not communicated by the last extended announced date, which is March 31, 2023, according to the CBDT's order. A non-functioning PAN can result in a variety of issues, including the inability to file a tax return, the failure to process pending returns and refunds, increased tax deductions, and more. As a result, integrating PAN and Aadhaar is a critical duty. As protesters of the Left-affiliated The India Students' Association opposed the Agnipath scheme for armed services recruitment and sought its rollback, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation closed all gates of the Delhi Metro's ITO station, along with all the gates of the Dhansa Bus stand metro station. The AISA also protested police actions against protesters protesting the Agnipath scheme. It should be mentioned that there have been protests in Bihar over the scheme, with news stories of trains being set on fire by demonstrators. The news of the closure of gates was shared via DMRC's official Twitter handle. "All gates of ITO Metro Station are closed," the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation tweeted around 12.40 pm as the protest escalated and some members of the student organisation were detained. Later on they shared further updates informing the commuters of closure of gates at Dhansa Metro station as well. All gates of Dhansa Bus Stand Metro stations are closed. https://t.co/JquzyWmAcc Delhi Metro Rail Corporation I (@OfficialDMRC) June 17, 2022 In the latest update DMRC also tweeted that all the gates of the Delhi Gate and Jama Masjid metro stations have been opened now, were also briefly closed, the DMRC said. Also read: Indian Railways to install Kavach anti-collision tech on 3000 km Delhi-Mumbai, Del-Howrah rail route The protesters held placards reading: "Immediately fill all the posts lying vacant in defence forces on a permanent basis"; "Rollback Aginpath scheme"; and "Wake up Modi government". They also raised slogans at ITO. "Agnipath wapas lo, tanashahi Nahin chalegi (take back Agnipath, dictatorship won't be allowed)." The student group claimed several of its members were detained during the protest. No immediate response from the police was available. "We are demanding the rollback of the Agnipath Scheme as it will lead to the contractualisation of Defence jobs. Shame on the Modi government for playing with the future of youth," AISA National President N Sai Balaji said. Meanwhile, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Friday said the decision to raise the upper age limit to 23 years from 21 for candidates under the 'Agnipath' scheme for 2022 will benefit those who have fallen out of the age bracket to join the armed forces. Gadkari in a tweet said that empowering youth power is the topmost priority of the Modi government, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic. "The decision to relax the age limit from 21 years to 23 years for candidates of Agnipath Yojana, will benefit those who have fallen out of the age bracket to join the armed forces. Gratitude to Hon'ble PM on this move," he said. With inputs from PTI NEW DELHI: Telugu superstar Prabhas, who will share the screen with Deepika Padukone in 'Project K', has asked the makers to postpone the shoot by a week after Deepika Padukone was rushed to the hospital after feeling uneasy on the sets. Reports say Prabhas, who was shooting for the film with the 'Piku' actress in Hyderabad, requested the producers to push the schedule forward by a week to help Deepika recover from her illness. 'Project K' marks Deepika and Prabhas' first film together. It is also Deepika's first Telugu film. The movie also stars Amitabh Bachchan and Disha Patani in key roles, and is directed by Nag Ashwin. Last month, the director had revealed that the film is in the early stages of shooting. Nag Ashwin tweeted in Telugu, "We recently wrapped a schedule. Prabhas' introduction bit was shot in this schedule. The project is still in the early stages of the shoot, so there is still a lot more time to go for the promotions. But rest assured Prabhas' fans, we are putting our heart and soul into this film." New Delhi: Jawed Ashraf, Indian Ambassador in France, on Thursday (June 16), said that NPCIs Unified Payments Interface (UPI) and Rupay cards will soon be accepted in France. India has started the process of introducing UPI in France by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), and the International and Lyra Network of France. Speaking to ANI, Ashraf said when he was the Ambassador of Singapore, he tried to launch Bhim QR and Rupay cards in the city-state. "We tried and successfully launched. Most of the merchandise are accepting UPI payments and Rupay cards, he said. I strongly believe that we can do this in Europe also. We are trying to start UPI and Rupay cards soon in France. We will have to discuss this with the central bank, regulator, as well as companies here in France. In France, there is very less use of digital payment. But it needs to be integrated and seamless. It lacks efficiency as we have in India," Ashraf told the agency. (ALSO READ: Indians' funds in Swiss banks jump 50% to over Rs 30,500 crore) He also shared his experience with the seamless and transparent mode of digital payment and how effective it could be in France. (ALSO READ: Gold rates bounce back, up by Rs 400, Check gold prices in your city) The Ambassador said that once he went to a doctor but didn`t have the cash or cheque to pay. "The doctor asked him to pay in cash or by cheque. He has to visit an ATM to withdraw the cash and pay the doctor. If UPI comes to France, then it will benefit the people of France. If we share the benefits of UPI with the people of France, then they will accept it. Regulators, banks, and companies will accept it. If we implement it in the Bank of France, then I think that we will also be able to push it for European Union," Ashraf explained. However, the Ambassador said, "We will have to start with France first. Some banks like BNP Paribas, Societe Generale, etc are having presence in India and they know the success story of UPI." As India is leading the digital technology world, Ashraf said that it has grabbed the issue of semiconductor shortage in the world. "India not only talked about the solution but also came with the products. If we talk about the Vande Bharat train which is made in India product, I am sure that we will see the Vande Bharat train in Europe within 5-6 years," said the Indian Ambassador to France. Meanwhile, Europe`s biggest start-up conference Viva Technology 2022 event has recognized India as the "country of the year." The Ambassador said that both President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have made digital technology more broadly the central pillar of the strategic partnership in the 21st century. Paul Hermelin, Chairman, Capgemini, said, "India might be better positioned in France, because Indian economics, Indian education, and young population keep playing a race with new technology." Roberto Balzaretti, Switzerland`s Ambassador to France, who visited the India Pavillion at Vivatech 2020, told ANI that India and Switzerland are going to bring together their intelligence. "We have everywhere to build up to something together which makes sense. What I am seeing here at India Pavillion is fantastic. At the India Pavillion, I am seeing small drones that can carry vaccines in regions of the country. Indian startups are innovating technologies for the welfare of people. This is the only way that we can move forward, cooperate with a collaborative approach," said Balzaretti. The Swiss Ambassador said that India is a large country twice the size and more of Europe so it makes sense that there are more unicorns. "That`s one point, which is very good. The second point probably, it`s good to have very fast-growing companies, but it must be for the benefit of everyone. If you have a relationship between unicorns and an environment that is favourable to developing new technologies for everyone, that`s what we are looking for. India is a fantastic country and you have a fantastic population, a young population, and a fantastic idea of what you can do in the future. But you have to bring all that together. Competition is good, cooperation is even better," said Balzaretti. New Delhi: Bill Gates made a joke about the conspiracy belief that he has been implanting microchips in Covid-19 vaccine recipients. "Wow, Bill Gates advises everyone to be vaccinated, then Internet Explorer dies a year later," The Daily Show said on Twitter. "I guess we finally ran out of microchips," Gates responded, "coincidence???" According to a report, the microchip myth had its start on the Internet. From 4pleb to Reddit, the idea claims that patients who received the COVID-19 vaccine had a magnetic tracking device connected to 5G mobile networks implanted in their bodies. Read More: On June 15, Internet Explorer was finally decommissioned. Last year, Microsoft announced that the new Edge browser, which is the successor to Internet Explorer, offers a compatibility mode for legacy websites and apps that still require Internet Explorer core capabilities to run. Read More: I guess we finally ran out of microchips. https://t.co/dptfYIGl4k Bill Gates (@BillGates) June 15, 2022 "Not only is Microsoft Edge a quicker, safer, and more modern browser than Internet Explorer, but it also addresses a fundamental concern: compatibility with older, legacy websites and applications." "Internet Explorer mode ("IE mode") is embedded into Microsoft Edge, so you can access old Internet Explorer-based websites and applications directly from Microsoft Edge," stated Sean Lyndersay, Microsoft Edge Partner Group Program Manager. 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: LGs new rollable TV now available for purchase in India: Check price, specs) Check out the Garena Free Fire Redeem Codes for June 17, 2022 AN3CIK5XSBST ME5866OGLPQZ BMTMP22W30Z7 QWOLSE9U86B AO02ZLKJDPGV 7L5Z3DHOS8YJ 8JQT2WZEUNKF C24INWB3YFPD FU5OPKTT56LP RNTW4A2TMCVU O8YOP7BZ150T Q1RC5NPZ2C2F 66QSZD5ZEMHH O1W9PGX13WO8 POE12EY41QCS LXXEP7XZQ5KT UV1QN0QGG9OB K1KK7Y7RN1FT E5VD23639TTJ DFL6QE534M5O 6J40XMCIVNBZ (Also read: High Risk Warning! Google Chrome users update browser immediately to stay safe) How to Redeem Garena Free Fire codes for today, 17 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) New Delhi: The government and virtual private network (VPN) service providers are now at loggerheads over the country's cybersecurity requirements. The government has issued a new order prohibiting its employees from using third-party VPNs. According to a report, the government has prohibited its employees from using third-party VPN services such as ExpressVPN, NordVPN, and others. Read More: Apple iPhones to cost over Rs 4.7 lakh? New report suggests devices could get super expensive in future This comes after firms such as ExpressVPN, Surfshark, and NordVPN indicated that they would be pulling their servers out of India as a result of the government's new cybersecurity directives, which will take effect on June 27. Read More: WhatsApp scam: This free beer message on Fathers Day 2022 could dupe you The government recently called VPN providers and other stakeholders to a meeting to review the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team's guidelines (Cert-In). Apart from prohibiting government personnel from utilising VPN services, the directive also advises them not to save any internal, restricted, or confidential government data on non-government cloud services like Google Drive or Dropbox. The National Informatics Centre (NIC), which is part of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, is said to have published the recommendations (MeitY). "These guidelines have been created in order to sensitise government personnel and contractual/outsourced resources and build awareness amongst them on what to do and what not to do from a cyber security standpoint," according to the NIC document. Employees are also advised not to "root" or "jailbreak" their handsets, according to the letter. Employees have also been told not to use CamScanner to scan official papers. CamScanner, along with other Chinese apps, was prohibited by the government in June 2020. "The government's security posture can be strengthened by following common cyber security principles in government offices across the country," the directive continued. New Delhi: Tech billionaire Elon Musk has told Twitter employees that the platform needs to get healthy" financially and bring down costs, suggesting that job cuts are likely in store if his deal to buy the social media service goes through. When asked about the possibility of layoffs during an internal Q&A, Musk said Right now costs exceed revenue," citing employees, The Verge reported. Read More: After Singapore, Indias UPI, Rupay cards to be accepted in France: All you need to know Thats not a great situation," he added. Read More: Garena Free Fire redeem codes for today, 17 June: Check website, steps to redeem The question of layoffs has been top of mind for Twitters more than 7,000 employees since Musk first said he wanted to buy the company. In an earlier meeting, Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal told employees that layoffs were not being planned at this time". Though Musk did not explicitly say if there would be job cuts, his comments suggest the odds are high. Meanwhile, he also said that employees doing excellent" work should be allowed to continue working from home. However, he clarified that he strongly prefers to work in person and would confirm with managers that remote employees were contributing positively to the company. The response came during a virtual all-hands meeting with Twitter employees, during which the Tesla CEO addressed workers for the first time and answered pre-submitted questions, read by a Twitter executive. The meeting comes amid Musks $44 billion takeover attempt. The 14th summit of BRICS nations - Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa - will be held in Beijing on June 23 via video link, the Chinese Foreign Ministry announced on Friday. China is this year's chair of the BRICS. Chinese President Xi Jinping will chair the summit, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said. The summit will be held via video link. The theme of the summit is Foster High-quality BRICS Partnership, Usher in a New Era for Global Development. Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with Russian President Vladimir Putin and leaders of Brazil and South Africa are expected to take part in the summit. Live TV Cairo: A third of Sudan's population is currently facing a food crisis due to the compounded impact of climate shocks, political turmoil and rising global food prices, the UN food agency said Thursday. A joint report by the World Food Programme and the Food and Agriculture Organisation said that 15 million people face acute food insecurity across all of the East African country's 18 provinces. "The combined effects of conflict, climate shocks, economic and political crises, rising costs and poor harvests are pushing millions of people deeper into hunger and poverty," said Eddie Rowe, WFP's representative in Sudan. Living conditions rapidly deteriorated across cash-strapped Sudan since an October military coup sent an already fragile economy into free fall, with the Russian invasion of Ukraine compounding the economic pain. Funding levels fall short of meeting humanitarian needs in Sudan, where 40% of the population is expected to slip into food insecurity by September, the report said. "We must act now to avoid increasing hunger levels and to save the lives of those already affected," Rowe said. The Oct 25 military takeover upended Sudan's transition to democratic rule after three decades of repression and international isolation under autocratic President Omar al-Bashir. Sudan has been on a fragile path to democracy since a popular uprising forced the military to remove al-Bashir and his Islamist government in April 2019. There have been weekly protests calling for the military to step down since the October coup. On Thursday, hundreds again marched toward the government headquarters in the capital of Khartoum. The Central Sudan Doctors' Committee, which keeps track of protester deaths, said one demonstrator died from injuries sustained from security forces firing into the crowd. The group said that Thursday's death brings the number of protesters killed since the coup to 102. The coup also stalled two years of efforts by the deposed civilian government to overhaul the economy with billions of dollars in loans and aid from major Western governments and international financial institutions. Such support was suspended after the coup. The report noted that the West Darfur town of Kreinik, where tribal clashes claimed more than 200 lives in April, stands out as the most affected, with 90% of the townspeople facing hunger. Sudan was plunged into an economic crisis when the oil-rich south seceded in 2011 after decades of civil war, taking with it more than half of public revenues and 95% of exports. It became an international pariah after it was placed on the US list of state sponsors of terror early in the 1990s, excluding it from the global economy and preventing loans from global institutions such as the International Monetary Fund. Former President Donald Trump removed Sudan from the blacklist after the transitional government agreed to pay $335 million in compensation for victims of attacks carried out by Osama bin Laden's al-Qaida network while the terror leader was living in Sudan. The removal also was an incentive for Sudan to normalise ties with Israel. By Azernews By Ayya Lmahamad Azerbaijan and Israel have discussed the possibility of creating a joint platform for the two countries' small and medium-sized business cooperation, Azernews reports. The discussion took place during the meeting between Orkhan Mammadov of the Azerbaijani Agency for Small and Medium-sized Business Development and Israeli Holon city Deputy Mayor Mikhail Sutovsky. During the meeting, the parties were briefed on the expansion of business relations between the two countries and the support provided to SMBs. Azerbaijan and Israel have been expanding bilateral cooperation over years. The Azerbaijani and Israeli cooperation is founded not only on economic partnership but also on traditional historical and cultural roots, as well as mutual respect and trust. Israel was one of the first countries to recognize Azerbaijan's state independence and establish diplomatic relations. Furthermore, during the 44-day Second Karabakh War, Israel was among the first countries to express support for Azerbaijan's just position and territorial integrity. Azerbaijan expressed its willingness to involve Israel in the restoration of the country's newly liberated territories in January 2021. As a result, Israel will construct a buffalo farm in Azerbaijan's liberated Zangilan region. Azerbaijan established its first Trade and Tourism Representative Office in Israel last year. In 2021, the two countries' trade turnover totaled $928.4 million. YEREVAN, JUNE 17, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian government will provide 268.5 million drams from the state budget with a co-finance for the subvention programs of the governorates. During the Cabinet meeting today, Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure Gnel Sanosyan said that the funds will be provided for 20 subvention programs of 18 settlements. Since January 2022 we have already provided 5.6 billion drams for 229 programs, and provide funds for 20 more programs today. This year we complete a total of 249 programs as of June 17 and allocate 5.9 billion drams for these works, he said, adding that these applications are mainly directed to capital investments in communities, such as renovation of streets, parks, playgrounds, construction and renovation of community buildings, cultural houses, kindergartens, etc. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said in his turn that last week he visited Ararat province and noticed that large-scale works are underway in the province. We were very happy to see that, the works are being carried out in a proper quality. We returned from Ararat province with positive impressions and energy and are planning to make similar visits to all provinces, the PM said, highlighting the construction of pools necessary for drip irrigation with subvention programs, which, he said, is a very important technology system. Washington: The US is there for India, the Biden administration has said, reiterating that New Delhi's relationship with Moscow developed over several decades when Washington was "not prepared or able to be a partner of choice" for the Indian government. State Department spokesperson Ned Price's remarks came in response to a question about whether the US is talking with the Indian authorities as India and other Asian nations are becoming an increasingly vital source of oil revenues for sanctions-hit Russia, despite strong pressure from America. "We have had a number of discussions with our Indian partners, and the point that we have made is that every country is going to have a different relationship with Moscow," State Department spokesperson Ned Price told reporters at his daily news conference on Thursday. Russia has overtaken Saudi Arabia to become India's second-biggest supplier of oil behind Iraq as refiners snap up Russian crude available at a deep discount following the war in Ukraine, industry data showed recently. Also Read: Donald Trump's closest advisers viewed plan for Mike Pence to reject 2020 election as 'nuts,' 'crazy', reveals 1/6 panel India, the world's third-biggest oil-importing and consuming nation, has long defended purchases of crude oil from Russia following President Vladimir Putin ordering the invasion of Ukraine. The oil ministry had last month stated that "energy purchases from Russia remain minuscule in comparison to India's total consumption." Price said India's relationship with Russia developed over several decades. "It developed over the course of decades at a time when the United States was not prepared or able to be a partner of choice for the Indian government," Price said."That has changed. This is a legacy of a bipartisan tradition now that has been the case for more than two decades. It goes back really to the Clinton administration, certainly to the George W Bush administration, where the United States has sought a partnership with India, has sought to be a partner of choice for India, including when it comes to the security realm," he said. Also Read: US announces USD 122 million fund for Indian health research institutes This is not a partnership built in the course of days, weeks, or months, Price said. "I mentioned before that India's relationship with Russia was built up over the course of many decades, as countries reorient their relationship with Moscow, as we have seen many of them do. This will be a gradual process," he said in response to a question."But throughout it all, we have made clear to our Indian partners that we are there for them. We are ready and able, and willing to partner with them. And we've done just that," Price said. "Of course, we had a '2+2' dialogue with our Indian partners not too long ago. We will see Prime Minister Narendra Modi once again in the context of the I2U2, the arrangement we have with the UAE and Israel, along with India, incorporating India into many of the partnerships we have, including of course the Quad," he said. "And that is a group this administration has sought to revitalise, and it has done so at very high levels," the official added. To re-energise and revitalise American alliances globally, the US, UAE, India and Israel have formed a new grouping called I2-U2. The four countries in the new grouping will hold their first virtual summit next month. Quad comprises Japan, India, Australia and the United States. The four countries in 2017 had given shape to the Quadrilateral coalition to counter China's aggressive behaviour in the Indo-Pacific region. YEREVAN, JUNE 17, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian Ministry of Defense denied Azerbaijani accusations on opening fire at the border. The statement of the Azerbaijani defense ministry according to which overnight June 16-17 the units of the Armenian Armed Forces opened fire from various caliber firearms at the Azerbaijani positions located in the eastern section of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border has nothing to do with the reality. The situation on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border is relatively stable and is under the full control of the Armenian Armed Forces, the Defense Ministry said in a statement. YEREVAN, JUNE 17, ARMENPRESS. The Secretaries of the Security Councils of the member states of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) analyzed in detail the military-political situation at a globe during their todays session in Yerevan, CSTO Secretary General Stanislav Zas said following the session, regretting over the current crisis in the global security system. Agreements existing for decades actually stop operating, and the level of mistrust between a number of leading players is approaching a critical juncture. Moreover, the security challenges and threats not only have not lost their sharpness, but also are showing trends of escalation due to the growing global uncertainty, he said. He said that the CSTO principled position on these issues remains the same that all disagreements and conflicts must be solved through political means. The organization addresses all powers with this call. In line with this, Mr. Zas said, the CSTO is taking all necessary measures to strengthen peace and stability in its member states and is ready for the protection of its interests. The development of capacities of collective security forces and means, as well as the mutual partnership of special services and law enforcement agencies is one of the main tools to ensure the security of the member states and resist the challenges and threats, the CSTO chief said. He thanked the Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia Armen Grigoryan and his staff for creating wonderful conditions for holding the session. YEREVAN, JUNE 17, ARMENPRESS. During all negotiations the Armenian side emphasizes that the Nagorno Karabah issue exists, contrary to the claims of the Azerbaijani side according to which the Nagoro Karabakh issue doesnt exist anymore, President of Armenia Vahagn Khachaturyan said at a meeting with the Armenian community in Russia. We always emphasize during all negotiations and joint statements that there is the Nagorno Karabakh issue, and it should be addressed during every meeting, he said. President Khachaturyan said that the discussions around the NK conflict settlement should continue within the Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship platform. He highlights the fact that the Co-Chairmanship also states that the NK conflict is not solved. There is an important issue here: it seems in todays conditions its impossible to organize that meeting because Russia, the United States and France could not sit around a table, but the agreement is such that we should continue, he said, adding that there is such a mood also by the Russian side. According to the Armenian President, this could be also a special platform for Russia, US and France to sit around a table at some point. The name will be the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, but completely other issues could be discussed under that name. I consider this very important, he said, adding that in any issue, where there is no dialogue, the end is conflict or war. YEREVAN, JUNE 17, ARMENPRESS. During their meeting in Yerevan today, the Foreign Minister of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan and the Secretary General of the Council of Europe Marija Pejcinovic Buric discussed also the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, the consequences of the aggression against Artsakh in 2020, and the issues of normalization of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan. I particularly emphasized the fact that by attempting to resolve the Nagorno Karabakh conflict by the use of force in 2020, as well as by invading the sovereign territory of Armenia, Azerbaijan has grossly violated its commitments undertaken with the accession to the Council of Europe, and this must be properly addressed by the Council of Europe and its member-states, the Armenian FM said during a joint press conference with the CoE Secretary General following their meeting. The FM said he reaffirmed the readiness of the Armenian government to put efforts towards the establishment of stability and peace in the region. In this context, the addressing of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict is fundamental, which should include the provisions of ensuring the security and all the rights of the people of Artsakh, and final determination of the status of Nagorno Karabakh, he noted. The people of Artsakh have the same rights as everyone and the fact of being in the conflict zone cannot deprive the Armenians of Artsakh of their universal fundamental rights, Mirzoyan highlighted. The humanitarian issues resulting from the aggression unleashed against Artsakh - the issues of the return of Armenian prisoners of war held in Azerbaijan and the humanitarian access to Artsakh remain unresolved, the politicization of which is unacceptable. The Anti-Armenian and warmongering rhetoric, physical and psychological terror against the civilian population are unacceptable in the same way. We believe that the Council of Europe, its relevant bodies and leaders should be more determined at least in the issues of Armenian prisoners of war and the humanitarian access to Artsakh, and put utmost effort so that the the interim decisions of the European Court of Human Rights, PACE Resolutions and the provisions of the memorandum of the Commissioner for Human Rights issues on November 8, 2021, be respected, he added. YEREVAN, JUNE 17, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan received members of the sitting of the Committee of Secretaries of the Security Council of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO): Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia Armen Grigoryan, Secretary of the Security Council of Russia Nikolai Patrushev, Secretary of the Security Council of Belarus Alexander Volfovich, Secretary of the Security Council of Kazakhstan Gizat Nurdauletov, Secretary of the Security Council of Tajikistan Nasrullo Makhmudzoda, Secretary General of the CSTO Stanislav Zas, ARMENPRESS was informed from the Office of the Prime Minister. In his opening remarks, PM Pashinyan said, Dear friends, I welcome you on the occasion of the regular sitting of the Committee of Secretaries of the Security Councils of the CSTO member states in the Republic of Armenia, which is taking place in our country within the framework of Armenia's chairmanship in the CSTO. This is really a double jubilee year for our organization. We are celebrating the 30th anniversary of the signing of the Collective Security Treaty, the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the Collective Security Treaty Organization, and it is a great honor for us to chair our organization in this jubilee year. You know, we have discussed it many times, increasing the efficiency of the CSTO is one of the most important priorities of our presidency, we thought and still think that the rapid and crisis response mechanisms in specific situations should be improved. I would like to note that, in principle, we also have a legal framework in this regard, On December 10, 2010, by the decision of the Collective Security Council of the Collective Security Treaty Organization, a provision was adopted regulating CSTO's response to crisis situations, and I think this document quite clearly defines the mechanisms that exist in our Organization. In particular, it outlines what we should consider a crisis situation and how we should respond to it. I would like to draw your attention to the fact that there is such a concept in that provision - "mission", which is defined as follows: A group of experts from the member states appointed by the CSTO member states in accordance with this provision, to be temporarily sent to the crisis zone to monitor the situation, understand the situation on the spot, develop proposals on the further measures of the Organization aimed at preventing the crisis situation and solving it, as well as for fulling other functions defined by the CSTO Collective Security Council. I would also like to draw your attention to the fact that in the second chapter of this document there is a chapter called "Monitoring", and the CSTO Secretariat regularly collects information and conducts analysis of the situation in the area of responsibility of the organization and on its development trends in order to identify the preconditions for crisis situations. Why am I talking about this? You know that the Azerbaijani armed forces invaded our territory in May last year, and we applied to the CSTO. I have spoken about it many times, and as the Chairman, I want to emphasize that this issue should be discussed properly. Why? Because we see that aggressive statements by Azerbaijan continue, we should discuss this issue, especially considering that Armenia has applied to the CSTO, as it is a very fundamental issue for both us and the Organization. I would also like to mention the following: After the invasion into our territory by the Azerbaijani troops, there were some comments that there is no demarcated border between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Frankly, this is a very dangerous wording, because here we are, saying the area of responsibility of the Collective Security Treaty Organization. If we say that the borders along which the demarcation and delimitation processes have been carried out should be taken into account, it may confuse the notion of the CSTO area of responsibility, because the question arises: where does the CSTO area of responsibility begin, where does the CSTO area of responsibility end? Our position is that there is a concrete border between Armenia and Azerbaijan, because in 1991, when the Commonwealth of Independent States was established, an interstate agreement was signed, which clearly states that the countries mutually recognize each other's existing borders. This refers to the administrative boundaries of the Soviet period, and I think we should have this as a starting point. The opposite interpretation of this situation, I think, will reduce the effectiveness of the CSTO. I hope that the nuances mentioned during this meeting and during your sitting will also be discussed. I recently raised this issue during the informal CSTO summit in Moscow. We have started a discussion, once again, as the Chairman, I would like to instruct the CSTO Secretary General to organize this issue in accordance with our charter documents, as the situation in our region is stable but tense. And the statements made by Azerbaijani officials should be a warning sign, I think we should discuss this issue in the CSTO format. Let me welcome you once, I'm so glad to see you. And I am very happy for the dynamics that occurred in the CSTO in the post-Covid period, because in the last two years we have actually had very little contact with the existing's formats. Of course, we have continued to work online, but I think we all agree that such meetings and contacts are very important for our work. I am glad that we returned to this regime, it happened in the year of our presidency, in this important jubilee year. Thank you. The Prime Minister discussed issues related to the agenda and activities of the Organization with the Secretaries of the Security Councils of the CSTO member states. The participants of the sitting exchanged views on regional and international security challenges. YEREVAN, 17 JUNE, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs Armenpress that today, 17 June, USD exchange rate down by 2.23 drams to 425.30 drams. EUR exchange rate up by 2.62 drams to 447.29 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate down by 0.03 drams to 7.53 drams. GBP exchange rate up by 6.45 drams to 522.74 drams. The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals. Gold price down by 93.16 drams to 24975.03 drams. Silver price down by 1.88 drams to 293.10 drams. Platinum price stood at 16414.1 drams. YEREVAN, JUNE 17, ARMENPRESS. Science, education and economy are interconnected, they guarantee a brighter future for Armenia, as a result of his visit to Armenia, the famous Armenian scientist, Nobel Prize winner Ardem Patapoutian came to this conclusion. "At first I was surprised why the Ministry of Economy invited scientists to Armenia. But now, thinking more about it, I realized that science, education and the economy are interconnected to make sure that the future path of Armenia is bright," ARMENPRESS reports, he said. Photos by Mkhitar Khachatryan Patapoutian thanked the ministry for making him part of this interesting initiative "Science-Business Days-2022" event. Referring to the prospects for the development of science in Armenia, the Nobel Prize winner emphasizes his visit to Synopsys, he is also aware of many high-tech companies operating in the country. "This is a great example of how they help educate the people who need to be hired, it helps science and technology, as well as young scientists, to find work after graduation. So what I saw here was very impressive. I think this is the basis for creating other forms of this kind of cooperation. Science, technology, Synopsys and other companies will help the economy," the scientist added. Patapoutian is convinced that as long as this effective and smart strategy continues, the future will be very bright. He singled out some of his visits and meetings in Armenia. "Visiting Tsitsernakaberd was such an emotional moment for me. Another important event was the meeting with Prime Minister Pashinyan." The famous scientist was also impressed by the visit to Martiros Saryan's house-museum. The Nobel laureate is excited about the future of the country, he has already decided how to cooperate with his Armenian colleagues. Anna Grigoryan YEREVAN, JUNE 17, ARMENPRESS. The World Health Organization (WHO) in cooperation with the European Commission and Ministry of Health of Armenia (MoH) launched the Mental Health Gap Action Program (mhGAP) in Armenia for populations affected by armed conflict, ARMENPRESS was informed from WHO Armenia Office. With the slogan Mental Health for All! the mhGAP programme in Armenia aims at strengthening community-based mental health care to reduce mental health and psychosocial suffering and promote the wellbeing of population affected by armed conflict, thus improving their access to mental health and psychosocial support. The mhGAP programme will be implemented in Yerevan and four Marzes- Kotayk, Ararat, Gegharkunik, and Syunik, ensuring that 20% of the primary health care facilities in these regions are enabled to provide quality and evidence-based community mental health and psychosocial support. On 16 June, the main aims and objectives of the mhGAP programme were presented during the meeting with head of the EU delegation to Armenia Andrea Wiktorin, representatives of European Commissions Directorate-General for EU Neighborhood and Enlargement, local government, and civil society. Ambassador Andrea Wiktorin emphasized the importance of the mental health and the role of the joint mhGAP programme in addressing this issue. Putting mental health as one of the priorities in healthcare agenda will improve the well-being of individuals, families and communities said the Ambassador. "Ministry of Health highly appreciates this important partnership with WHO and EU. The mhGAP program has a great potential to improve access to quality mental health services in the communities and to address the mental health conditions and psychosocial suffering of the population affected by the armed conflict" said Kristine Galstyan, mhGAP programme focal point at the MoH. The launch was followed by a stakeholder meeting in Kapan city, Syunik, with the presence of MoH and WHO representatives, and Syunik Regional Administration and Managers of the health care facilities. The participants discussed mental health service gaps in the Marze and opportunities of providing quality and timely Mental Health interventions for people in need at the primary health care and community levels. WHO representative to Armenia, Dr. Jihane Tawilah, said, To bring about real change, we need to work towards building more resilient systems in Armenia. We hope that the mhGAP programme will facilitate continuous capacity building of primary healthcare workers and create both momentum and experience for a national policy that scale up the integration of mental health care within primary health services in Armenia The Mental Health Gap Action Program, launched globally by WHO in 2008, is to enable scale-up of services for mental, neurological and substance use conditions in non-specialized health care settings. Implementation of the Mental Health Gap Action Program (mhGAP) in Armenia is a joint effort of the European Commission's Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid department, World Health Organization and Ministry of Health of Armenia. The program will provide evidence-based guidance and tools to integrate mental health into general health care provision in Yerevan and 4 Marzes of Armenia, supporting health workers in their daily practice and ensuring access to quality care for the population affected by the armed conflict. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia commented on the statement of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev according to which Armenia rejected the proposal to hold a trilateral meeting in Tbilisi at the level of foreign ministers of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. June 17, 2022, 11:22 Armenia hasnt rejected proposal of trilateral meeting in Tbilisi: Foreign Ministry comments on Aliyevs statement STEPANAKERT, JUNE 17, ARTSAKHPRESS: We not only have not rejected, but also have always positively reacted to such a possible meeting, at the same time noting that work needs to be done to ensure the efficiency of the meeting, MFA spokesperson Vahan Hunanyan said in response to query of Armenpress. By Azernews By Ayya Lmahamad A delegation headed by Azerbaijans Economy Minister and State Oil Companys (SOCAR) Supervisory Board Chairman Mikayil Jabbarov met with Turkiyes Energy and Natural Resources Minister Fatih Donmez, Azernews reports. During the meeting, Jabbarov underlined the high-level strategic cooperation between the two countries, strong friendly relations with brotherly Turkiye, as well as trade, economic, and energy partnerships. He briefed on the projects implemented by SOCAR in Turkiye, noting the contribution of the Petkim wind power plant to increase the potential of renewable energy sources in Turkiye and a significant reduction in carbon emissions. In turn, Fatih Donmez also noted the friendly and fraternal relations and high-level partnership between the two countries. He touched upon such issues as further strengthening of Turkish-Azerbaijani cooperation and Turkiyes participation as an investor in future projects in Azerbaijan to increase gas production. The parties also discussed opportunities for cooperation in the field of energy, renewable energy sources, the possibility of expanding SOCARs activities in Turkiye, and other issues of mutual interest. Azerbaijan and Turkiye collaborate in a variety of economic sectors and have completed major energy and infrastructure projects such as Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan, Baku-Tbilisi-Kars, and TANAP. Turkiye imports Azerbaijani natural gas through the South Caucasus Gas Pipeline (Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum) and TANAP. Azerbaijan supplies gas to Turkiye only from the Shah Deniz field. In 2021, Azerbaijan and Turkiye signed the Shusha Declaration on Allied Relations, which focuses on defense cooperation, promoting regional stability and prosperity, and establishing new transportation routes. The two countries set up a goal to bring the mutual trade turnover to $15 billion in 2023. As of 2021, the trade turnover between the two countries amounted to $4.6 billion. So far, Turkiye is Azerbaijans second-largest investor followed by the UK. Additionally, Turkiye was one of the first countries that expressed its interest and readiness to participate in the restoration of Azerbaijans liberated territories. A street in Tbilisi, Georgia, has been named after renowned Soviet Armenian filmmaker Sergei Parajanov. June 17, 2022, 14:35 Street named after Sergei Parajanov inaugurated in Tbilisi STEPANAKERT, JUNE 17, ARTSAKHPRESS: The street in the Mtatsminda district where Parajanov lived was inaugurated on Friday with the Tbilisi City Council members, art workers as well as Parajanovs relatives and friends in attendance, as Panorama.am informs, Georgias Channel One reported. Sergei Parajanov (born Sarkis Paradjanian) was one of the 20th century's greatest film directors, who made significant contribution to Ukrainian, Armenian and Georgian cinema. He was born on 9 January 1924 to Armenian parents in Tbilisi. Parajanovs work reflected the ethnic diversity of the Caucusus where he was raised. His first major work was Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors (1964), which earned him an international reputation for its rich use of costume and color, and its whimsical portrayal of rural life. Possibly his greatest work, The Color of Pomegranates (1969), described the life of the Armenian poet Sayat Nova. The film angered the Soviet authorities, who claimed that it evoked nationalist sentiment. Claiming that Parajanov promoted homosexuality, the government arrested him in 1973 and sentenced him to five years in a labor camp. A large number of prominent artists, writers and filmmakers protested his sentence, but Parajanov was only released four years later, in large part due to the efforts of French surrealist Louis Aragon. He was banned for making films for many years afterwards, when he was living in Tbilisi, but he was allowed to make The Legend of Suram Fortress (1984), which captured much of the color of his earlier work. He managed to direct three more films before he died of cancer in Yerevan on 20 July 1990, aged 66. A house was built for him in Yerevan which was completed shortly after his death, but which now houses all his belongings and has been turned into the Parajanov Museum. On June 17, the culture and youth department of the regional administration of the community of Hatsi of Artsakhs Martuni region organized a bread festival entitled "Wheat is the basis of the world." June 17, 2022, 16:50 Bread festival organized in the community of Hatsi STEPANAKERT, JUNE 17, ARTSAKHPRESS: At the beginning of the event the Karabakh Aya (in Armenian language aya means great grandmother) welcomed the attendees, and in Artsakh dialect wished them great love. Then she told the history of the village of Hatsi. Then she told the history of the village of Hatsi. "Our village has a very hospitable population, all we want is peace. The village was called Hatsi because of the hospitality of our villagers, but I want to show our guests the process of baking bread,said Aya, inviting guests to a tonratun, where the village brides were baking bread. "Our village has a very hospitable population, all we want is peace. The village was called Hatsi because of the hospitality of our villagers, but I want to show our guests the process of baking bread,said Aya, inviting guests to a tonratun, where the village brides were baking bread. According to the head of the community Santur Sargsyan, no such big event had been organized in the village after the war. According to the head of the community Santur Sargsyan, no such big event had been organized in the village after the war. The place of the festival was not chosen by chance. The name of our village is associated with bread; it symbolizes the hospitality of the residents of our community, the abundance of bread at all times. The aim of the event is to restore the cooperation between the communities, "said S. Sargsyan. The place of the festival was not chosen by chance. The name of our village is associated with bread; it symbolizes the hospitality of the residents of our community, the abundance of bread at all times. The aim of the event is to restore the cooperation between the communities, "said S. Sargsyan. The event was attended by the residents of the community of Hatsi and the neighboring villages. The event was attended by the residents of the community of Hatsi and the neighboring villages. When the Prison City Ramblers car club started in 1954, it had about a dozen members who would meet in the basement of the Auburn police station. Sixty-eight years later, that club is still around with about 80 members, and in the Cayuga County area, its also become the keeper of a Fathers Day tradition for many families. The annual Prison City Ramblers Fathers Day Car Show at Emerson Park draws hundreds of classic car owners and thousands of visitors. But for the past two years, the show couldnt be held because of COVID-19 restrictions. The hiatus is over for 2022, and thats welcome news to Ed Pinckney, the clubs president. Pinckney said everywhere he goes recently, people are expressing their excitement for the return of this years show. We felt bad the last couple of years not being able to do it, he said, noting that the clubs not been able to donate as much to local charities the past two years because the Fathers Day show was canceled. The Prison City Ramblers use the shows proceeds, which come from vehicle registration fees and 50/50 raffles, for donations to small local charities such as food pantries that typically dont get much or any funding from the government. In 2019, the last year for the Fathers Day car show, the club made about $6,000 in donations. An additional charitable opportunity at this years show will be a donation jar for the Ukraine war relief effort. The public is also encouraged to bring non-perishable food donations that will be taken to pantries. The car show has no entrance fee for spectators, and unlike previous years, there also is no Emerson Park parking fee this year. In addition to seeing and chatting with the owners of hundreds of classic automobiles, car show visitors can enjoy food, a wide range of vendors and DJ music. There is also a judging component, with dozens of awards given out to the registered car owners. As for why the Prison City Ramblers Fathers Day Car Show is so popular, Pinckney sites a few factors. Theres the connection that so many dads have with cars, which makes the event a natural opportunity for families on this holiday. And then theres the park itself. The best part is the setting Pinckney said. If we get a real nice day, people will come to the car show and then just enjoy the park. Jeremy Boyer can be reached at (315) 282-2231 or jeremy.boyer@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @CitizenBoyer Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Stay up-to-date on what's happening Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Openings are set this Sunday for a pair of new historical exhibits in southern Cayuga County, one at The Opendore and the other at the Howland Stone Store Museum. The historic sites on Route 34B in Sherwood will host visitors from 4 to 7 p.m. Sunday, June 19. At the Opendore's drawing room Exhibit, Larry Bell has curated an exhibit I Strove To Realize Myself and To Serve: The Call of Nineteenth Century Reformer Emily Howland in Early Photographs. "Earliest photographs from the Emily Howland collection present a fascinating story of a young woman responding to a call to teach African American girls in Washington, D.C. just before the Civil War. We are fortunate to have images of influential persons who shaped that call, as well as African American students from her first class," the museum said on its website. At the Howland Stone Store, Marilyn Post has curated an exhibit called Abolitionism and the Underground Railroad in Sherwood, with a look at the Scipio Friends Meeting declaration of its opposition to enslavement in 1837. Both curators will be available for tours and discussion, and refreshments will be served. The Delavan Foundation and the Cayuga County Office of Tourism sponsored the exhibit. For more information, visit howlandstonestore.org. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Every Friday, The Citizen features a pet available for adoption from the Finger Lakes SPCA of Central New York. This week, we spotlight Morgan. AGE: 2-3 years BREED: Lab mix COMMENTS: Morgan arrived at the shelter last December. He came in courtesy of the Skaneateles dog control officer. No one claimed this incredibly handsome gent, which certainly baffles us. Not only is he handsome but he is very smart and learns very quickly. Morgan has been through the SST (Shelter Spa Treatment). He has been tested for heartworm disease, is negative and is on monthly preventives. He has been treated for both internal and external parasites. Morgan is fully vaccinated (rabies, distemper, kennel cough/parvo virus), and he is neutered and microchipped. Morgan is looking for a home where he can be "top dog" in his kingdom. He wants to be an only child with no competition from other dogs (or cats). Morgan would do well with older children and teenagers. He needs routine exercise to keep him in shape and happy. He would be a perfect walking partner. Morgan's trainer (Sara) is offering a free consultation to the lucky family that adopts Morgan and will follow up with half-price training sessions if desired Morgan's bags are packed! He's ready to leave! What are you waiting for? Stop by to check him out. Q: Who is your best friend? A: That would be my Sara! Yes, she's mine! I'm sure you know who she is by now. She is this awesome human who comes here to my shelter to teach us good behaviors and a whole lot of other good stuff. After Sara, I would say that Athena is my second BFF. Someone, please adopt Athena! She is such a good girl. We are plotting a hunger strike if Athena doesn't go home. That will get your attention! But I think Gyro will sneak some food; he's like that. BOL! Q:What is your favorite toy? A: My favorite toy is not really a toy. My favorite leisure time activity is the pool! I got to jump in and out of it several times the other day when I was in the play yard. It's especially fun on very warm days. My Sara bought us a new one. She's awesome! Check out the video on our shelter Facebook page of all of us taking a dip! Q: What has been your worst experience? A: I had a home; then I didn't have it. How does that work? I thought homes were forever. I was wrong. We all were. Q: If you could have a job, what would that be? A: I want to be Sara's assistant. That way I get to spend a lot of time with her. I don't care if she doesn't pay me. A few bones would be nice though. Q: If you could visit any place in the world, where would that be? A: Well, I Googled "where is the most dog friendly place in the world?" The No. 1 answer is Tel Aviv, Israel! That city boasts that it has everything you could want if you are a dog or dog family. There are dog pools, dog parks, dog movie theaters and so much I don't have enough space to tell you about all of them. Now, the trick will be to convince my new family to visit Tel Aviv. I hope they are reading this! Q: If you could meet someone famous, who would that be? A: Let me tell you about Zorba! According to the Guinness World Records Zorba was a mastiff and is the world's overall largest dog ever. Zorba weighed 343 pounds at his peak and measured over 8 feet from his nose to his tail. He has been described as being about the size of a small donkey. I would have loved to have met the magnificent Zorba! Q: Do you have an interesting fact to share? A: I do and as long as I told you about Zorba, let me tell you about Milly. According to the Guinness World Records, the smallest dog ever recorded was Miracle Milly, the chihuahua. Milly was born in 2011, measured 3.8 inches tall and weighed in at one pound. I think that's a pretty interesting fact and I hope you do too. Q:Do you have any advice for our readers today? A: I do! Please, good Citizen readers! Please do not leave your pups in your car not only on hot days but ever! Do you know how hot the interior of your vehicle can become in a very short time? No, I didn't think so. When it's 70 degrees outside, within 10 minutes the temperature in your car can increase to 89 degrees and within a half hour it can become 104 degrees. That can be lethal. Please leave your BFFs at home where they will be safe. I thank you beyond words. Much love and many licks, Morgan and friends. The Finger Lakes SPCA of Central New York is a New York state-registered shelter/rescue, registration No. RR-181. Pursuant to Article 26-A, Section 408 of the Agriculture and Markets Law, the registrant is authorized to operate as a registered pet rescue, in compliance with such law. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Register for more free articles. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! Already a Subscriber? Already a Subscriber? Sign in Terms of Service Privacy Policy Cayuga County legislators are considering ideas to provide gas tax relief, but first want to hear from town and village leaders about how their municipalities would be affected by the lost sales tax revenue. The Legislature's Ways and Means Committee tabled any action until July after watching a presentation Thursday from Mary Beth Leeson, the county's finance director. Leeson detailed options for capping the motor fuel sales tax, which is 4% per gallon. If the county opts to pursue a cap, Leeson explained that it would change from a percentage rate to a cents-per-gallon method. Lawmakers could choose to charge sales tax on the first $2, $3 or $4 per gallon of gas. If the price is above those amounts, sales tax would not be charged. Leeson offered an example to show how much savings would be achieved with a $2 cap. Using a $4.80-per-gallon price, the sales tax owed would be 19 cents per gallon. But if a $2 cap is in place, consumers would pay sales tax totaling eight cents per gallon. For motorists that have to fill a 16-gallon gas tank, the savings would be $1.79. Beginning June 1, New York state's gas tax holiday began. The state suspended its motor fuel excise, sales and metropolitan commuter transportation district sales taxes, saving consumers at least 16 cents per gallon at the pump. Counties have the option of capping local sales taxes, but it must be done before the start of a sales tax quarter. So far, 25 counties have adopted a gas tax cap, including four counties neighboring Cayuga Onondaga, Oswego, Seneca and Wayne. Seneca and Wayne counties are charging sales taxes on the first $2 per gallon of gas and diesel, while Onondaga and Oswego counties have a $3-per-gallon cap. Since Cayuga County did not act before June 1, the earliest its gas tax cap would take effect is Sept. 1. It would not apply to Auburn since the city has its own sales tax. The city has no plans to implement a gas tax cap. At least one legislator, Jim Basile, appeared to question whether the cap would be worthwhile. He said he went to gas stations in Oswego and Wayne counties, where there are caps in place, and the prices weren't significantly different than those in Cayuga County. "They all did something along with the state to change their sales tax, but three weeks later, they are all paying the same or more than what we're paying here in Cayuga County," he said. The county's financial officers acknowledged that there is no guarantee the savings are passed through to the consumer. Gas stations could still charge higher prices according to AAA, the average gas price is $4.97 per gallon in Cayuga County and consumers wouldn't see the benefits of the gas tax holiday or cap. It also could have a budgetary impact on local governments. According to Leeson, if a $2 cap is implemented, Cayuga County's sale tax revenue would decrease by an estimated $435,000. The allocation to towns and villages would also decrease by $217,500. The blow to revenue would be less if the county chose a $3 or $4 cap. However, that doesn't necessarily mean towns and villages would receive lower sales tax revenue payments than last year. Leeson said they are still expected to receive more than in 2021, but the final total wouldn't be as high if a gas tax cap is adopted. "I think it's ridiculous that we're the ones being dragged down for this because it's a global discussion that should be had with the towns because it's going to affect them," said Legislator Andy Dennison, who mentioned that one gas station in his district has been criticizing the county for not implementing a cap. With other legislators wanting to gather input from towns and villages, the decision was made to table a gas tax cap resolution until the next committee meeting in July. Dennison suggested that the Legislature should invite town supervisors and village mayors to come and share their feedback. If the county chooses to have a cap in place by Sept. 1, the Legislature must act before the end of July. A certified resolution must be submitted to the state by July 31. The resolution must set the cents-per-gallon rate 8, 12 or 16 cents and establish a sunset date. The cap can sunset at the end of the sales tax quarter (Nov. 30), or at the end of the year. Politics reporter Robert Harding can be reached at (315) 282-2220 or robert.harding@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @robertharding. Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 1 Sad 1 Angry 2 Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. In Seneca County, Democrats and Republicans have found common ground on one issue: cryptomining. The county Board of Supervisors passed a resolution urging Gov. Kathy Hochul to sign legislation imposing a two-year moratorium on cryptomining operations. According to the bill's text, it specifically targets power plants using carbon-based fuels that provide "behind-the-meter electric energy consumed or utilized by cryptocurrency mining operations that use proof-of-work authentication methods to validate blockchain transactions." Lawmakers approved the moratorium before the end of the state legislative session this month, but it's an issue that divides members of both major parties. In the Assembly, the bill passed by a 91-56 vote, with some Democrats joining Republicans to vote against the measure. The same was true in the state Senate, where the bill passed by a 35-28 vote. Hochul is reviewing the legislation but hasn't said whether she will sign it. New York City Mayor Eric Adams is urging her to veto the bill. Seneca County does not have cryptomining operations, but it's located across Seneca Lake from Greenidge Generation's facility in Dresden, Yates County. In the supervisors' letter to Hochul, they highlighted their efforts to protect the environment, especially lakes and waterways. "We are holding up our end of the deal to protect our environment and honor the state's climate goals," they told the governor. "We ask that you hold up the state's end of the deal by denying Greenidge Generation's air permit applications and signing the bill that issues a moratorium on these kinds of currency operations." Additionally, the chairs of the Seneca County Democratic and Republican committees, David Wood and Thomas Fox, issued a rare joint statement supporting the denial of permits for Greenidge Generation's plant. "It is not often that we find common ground, but we hope that the governor takes notice that we stand united in Seneca County in preserving the wonder and beauty of the Finger Lakes," the chairs said. Opponents of cryptomining cite the environmental impact, specifically the carbon emissions that result from the practice. But supporters believe the moratorium would hurt a growing industry in the U.S. After the bill's passage, Greenidge released a statement saying that its operations would continue. The company noted that the legislation would not apply to its operations the measure would cover "all permits or renewal applications filed" after it takes effect. But there is a section that applies to permit renewals, which could affect Greenidge's facility. Kyle Barnhart, who serves as Lodi town supervisor and is the lone Democrat on the Seneca County Board of Supervisors, hopes the bill will be signed into law. "Governor Hochul must stop delaying and take action against cryptomining now," he said. Politics reporter Robert Harding can be reached at (315) 282-2220 or robert.harding@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @robertharding. Love 2 Funny 0 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. Two races will likely appear on the Aug. 23 primary election ballot in Cayuga County. Four Republicans U.S. Rep. Claudia Tenney, Mario Fratto, George Phillips and Floyd Rayburn filed to run in the newly drawn 24th Congressional District. The district is comprised of all or parts of 12 counties, including all of Cayuga. Tenney, R-New Hartford, chose to run in the 24th after a court-appointed special master finalized New York's congressional district maps. Fratto, R-Geneva, was already in the race. He filed to run in the previous version of the 24th, which is similar to the current district. Phillips, a former Broome County legislator, submitted the necessary paperwork to run in the 24th. This will be the third time he has faced Tenney in a primary. In 2016 and 2020, Phillips and Tenney were candidates for the GOP nomination. Tenney won both contests. Rayburn, R-Canandaigua, ran for state Senate in 2016 and narrowly lost to Pam Helming in the Republican primary. He filed his petitions to run in the new congressional district. The winner of the Republican primary will face Democratic candidate Steven Holden. Holden is the lone Democrat who has filed to run in the 24th, a solid Republican district. Former President Donald Trump, a Republican, won the district with 59% of the vote in 2020. There could be a primary in the new 48th state Senate District that includes all of Cayuga and most of Onondaga counties. Onondaga County Legislator Julie Abbott and Auburn attorney Justin Coretti filed to run on the Conservative Party line. Coretti is seeking to force a primary after the state Conservative Party endorsed Abbott, despite objections from the local party committees. Abbott, a Republican, will have the GOP line. The incumbent in the district is state Sen. Rachel May, a Syracuse Democrat. The primary election for congressional and state Senate races was moved to August due to the redistricting rulings. After the maps were tossed and had to be redrawn, a state Supreme Court judge moved the primary to allow more time for candidates to campaign in the new districts. Before the change, the primaries for Congress and state Senate were scheduled for June 28. There will still be a primary election on June 28, but it will be limited to statewide and state Assembly races. Politics reporter Robert Harding can be reached at (315) 282-2220 or robert.harding@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @robertharding. 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. June 17, 2007 The Seneca-Cayuga Tribe of Oklahoma will fight the Cayuga Indian Nation of New York's bid to disbar the Seneca-Cayugas from pursuing trust land in New York, promises Paul Spicer, the tribe's chief. They can ask all they want, Spicer said. I don't think it would ever get past the Department of Interior. He says it's an impossible deal because of treaty rights. We would be the spoiler, Spicer said. But Cayugas have an ally in the state with their intention. We indicated support for the provision that precludes the Seneca-Cayuga Tribe of Oklahoma securing lands into trust, said Christine Pritchard, a spokeswoman for Gov. Eliot Spitzer What the Seneca-Cayugas get is nothing, said Dan French, an attorney representing the Cayugas. The Cayugas and the Seneca-Cayugas were partners in the land claim, but they have been on opposite sides of other litigation. The Cayugas came out against the Seneca-Cayugas' pitch last summer to site a casino in Auburn. In November 2004, Clint Halftown said in a letter to Gov. George Pataki withdrawing from a settlement agreement in exchange for a Catskills casino: While the Cayuga Nation is anxious to settle its 204-year-old illegal taking of land issue with New York state, it is unwilling to do so if out-of-state tribes are allowed a presence in New York. Auburn Mayor Tim Lattimore has spoken positively of the proposed settlement with the Cayuga Indian Nation of New York because of the possibility of settling a long-simmering issue and to bring lucrative gaming to the area. But he remains supportive of the Seneca-Cayugas, who would like to open a casino in Auburn. I hate to see bureaucrats or people in government debate how many angels can dance on a pin. This thing has to be resolved, Lattimore said. Compiled by David Wilcox Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 By Azernews By Ayya Lmahamad Azerbaijan's Banks Association President Zakir Nuriyev has said that the turnover of non-cash funds in the country amounted to AZN 6 billion ($3.5bn) in January-April 2022. He made the remarks during the fintech summit in Baku on June 16, Azernews reports. Nuriyev stated that 75 percent of non-cash payments fell on transactions, adding that the payments' share in the total turnover made up 40 percent. "The number of bank cards this year increased by two million and reached almost 12 million," he said. He noted that the opportunity to open bank accounts and cards online without visiting a bank office was created in Azerbaijan. The associations head added that such a trend as neo-banks, that is, digital banks, is developing in the world. "In the first four months, banking assets in Azerbaijan amounted to AZN 40 billion ($23.5bn)," he said. Moreover, Central Bank's Executive Director Farid Osmanov stated that the bank has implemented major projects in order to expand non-cash payments and this work continues. He noted that as of June 1 this year, 12.4 million bank cards were registered in the country, which is 20 percent more compared to the same period of 2021. "Non-cash payments increased by 2.1 times - up to AZN 8.1 billion ($4.7bn), and growth in the total turnover amounted to 12 percent. Besides, AZN6 billion ($3.5bn) accounted for e-commerce," he said. Osmanov added that in accordance with the bank's roadmap until 2025, its planned to expand cooperation with fintech projects and adopt a number of laws in this area by the end of this year. The New York State Attorney General's Office said its staff will be standing by to troubleshoot problems during early voting through the completion of the state primary elections. Attorney General Letitia James on Friday announced that an Election Protection Hotline will be available for the June 28 election and during New Yorks early voting period, which runs from Saturday, June 18, through Sunday, June 26. As states throughout the country try to strip communities of their fundamental right to vote, we are continuing to make sure that the polls remain accessible for voters across New York, James said in a news release. For years, New Yorkers have relied on our election protection hotline to address any challenges they face across the state and to provide guidance for those casting a ballot. My office remains committed to ensuring that New Yorkers are able to participate fully and meaningfully in the electoral process. The hotline will be available to troubleshoot and resolve a range of issues encountered by voters, including voting by absentee ballot due to the COVID-19 crisis or in-person at their polling place. Voters that experience problems can report issues by calling the new hotline number at (866) 390-2992, submitting complaints online, or emailing election.hotline@ag.ny.gov. The telephone hotline will be open between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Saturday, June 18, through Sunday, June 26, and between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m. on Election Day, Tuesday, June 28. Written requests for election-related assistance may be submitted at any time through the online complaint form. Hotline calls and written requests for election-related assistance are processed by attorneys and staff of the attorney general's office. The office said that it has operated its Election Protection Hotline since November 2012 and that during previous elections has fielded hundreds and sometimes thousands of complaints from voters and worked with local election officials and others to address issues. The office has also taken legal action to protect against voter registration purges and to ensure that voters have adequate and equitable access to vote early as required under the law. James said that registered voters should know that they have the right to accessible elections and the right to vote free from coercion or intimidation, whether by election officials or any other person. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Beijing (Gasgoo)- AVATR, the new energy vehicle brand backed by Changan Automobile, HUAWEI, and CATL is reportedly launching its new-generation SEV technology platform, CHN, at the Chongqing auto show this year. Photo credit: AVATR Sources close to AVATR Technology disclosed to a local media outlet that the automaker would also officially showcase its first production model built on the CHN platform, the AVATR 11, and the limited edition AVATR 011 at the auto show. The brand will demonstrate its new platform, big computing power, and high-voltage charging features all at once. AVATR has recently kicked off the presale of the AVATR 11 on May 20th. As a collaborative brand established jointly by the three big-name companies, AVATR was given great expectations and attention by its makers. As Gasgoo previously reported, Changan Automobile disclosed in a conference call that HUAWEI has HUAWEI has allocated over 1,000 intelligent driving talents to work with AVATRs engineers in Chongqing for the development of the AVATR 11. Moreover, HUAWEI is planning to put AVATRs vehicles into its offline retail stores as a means of distribution. Notably, AVATRs business scope was expanded recently. Aside from new energy vehicle aspects, the company is now licensed to conduct business in integrated quick-charge stations, operations of electric vehicle charging infrastructures, and sales of lifestyle derivatives. 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. ORA Good Cat GT 401km trim hits market ORAs 2022 Good Cat GT 401km range trim hit the market on June 17th. The model comes in four new interior theme colors and a more urban-appropriate configuration. The model is priced at RM149,000 ($22,245). Photo credit: ORA Interior images of AITO M7 released AITO, the brand from HUAWEI and SERES, released images of the interior design of its soon-to-launch second production model, the AITO M7. The model features a six-seater arrangement with luxury design languages. Photo credit: AITO Hefei BYD raise registered capital to RMB2 billion Hefei BYD Auto Co., Ltd. doubled its registered capital from RMB1 billion ($149.3 million) to RMB2 billion ($298.6 million) recently, according to Chinas corporate inquiry platform Qichacha. Founded in July 2021, Hefei BYD is as wholly-owned subsidiary of BYD Auto Industry Co., Ltd. Chery New Energy recalls 8,067 eQ1s Due to improperly manufactured components in the brake master cylinder, Chery New Energy issued a recall for 8,067 units of the eQ1 (Little Ant) model manufactured from June 1, 2018 to July 31, 2018. Chinas Inner Mongolia says annual NEV production value to reach dozen billion yuan by 2025 Chinas Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region is actively pushing ahead with its new energy vehicle industry development. At a conference on June 17th, local authorities disclosed that the annual production value of the local new energy vehicle industry will reach two-digit billion yuan by the end of 2025. BMW iFACTORY in Shenyang to start operation on June 23rd BMW announced today that the Lida Factory would start operation on June 23rd, marking the German auto giants third complete vehicle factory in Shenyang, Liaoning Province. AVATR to showcase CHN platform, AVATR 11 at Chongqing auto show AVATR, the new energy vehicle brand backed by Changan Automobile, HUAWEI, and CATL is reportedly launching its new-generation SEV technology platform, CHN, at the Chongqing auto show this year. Ningbo Shanshan breaks ground on battery anode material base in Shanghai Chinese lithium battery materials supplier Ningbo Shanshan Co., Ltd. (Shanshan) celebrated on June 16 the ground-breaking for its anode base in Shanghai's Lin-gang Special Area, the company announced via its WeChat account. CATL to launch CTP 3.0 battery Qilin soon CATL will soon launch the all-new battery Qilin that uses its CTP (cell-to-pack) 3.0 technology, Wu Kai, chief scientist with CATL, said on June 16 at the 2022 World EV & ES Battery Conference. Baolong, Metoak sets up joint venture for automotive vision system Chinas auto part supplier Baolong and visual solution developer Metoak incorporated a joint venture for automotive stereoscopic vision development for passenger vehicles. Chinas SVOLT inks agreements with two companies for battery raw materials supply On June 15, SVOLT Energy Technology Co., Ltd. (SVOLT), a Chinese power battery maker carved out of Great Wall Motor (GWM), signed strategic cooperation agreements with SDIC Xinjiang Luobupo Potash Co., Ltd. (Luobupo Potash) and Hangzhou Five Star Aluminum Co., Ltd. (Five Star Aluminum) respectively to strenghten its deployment in the supply of potassium, lithium, aluminum, and other battery raw materials. Tesla lifts price on Model Y Long Range in China Tesla raised the price of the Model Y Long Range trim in China, in line with the EV makers significant price lift in the US issued a few days earlier. NXP Semiconductors partners with Chinas ArcherMind Chinas automotive intelligence company ArcherMind inked a cooperation agreement with NXP Semiconductors, officially forming a profound partnership. NIO plans 500,000 units of annual production capacity for mass-market brand NIO has paved the way for building an annual production capacity of 500,000 vehicles for its yet-to-be-launched mass-market brand, under which the vehicles would be priced around 200,000 yuan ($29,840), William Bin Li, CEO and chairman of NIO, revealed on June 16. Shanghai (Gasgoo)- Volkswagen Group announced on June 17 it has appointed Marcus Hafkemeyer, currently Executive Strategy Advisor at Huawei Automotive in Shanghai, as Chief Technology Officer of Volkswagen Group China, effective August 1. Marcus Hafkemeyer began his professional career in 1997 as a development engineer at AUDI AG in Ingolstadt. In 2020, he was named Executive Strategy Advisor to the President and COO Automotive of HUAWEI Automotive in Shanghai, China. At the same time, the company also claimed Stefan Mecha, currently CEO of Volkswagen Group Rus, has been named new CEO of the Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand and Head of Group Sales in China, as of August 1. He will report to Ralf Brandstatter, who assumes responsibility for the Chinese market on the Group Board of Management and will lead Volkswagen Group China from August 1. Stefan Mecha has been with the Volkswagen Group for more than 15 years. Prior to joining Volkswagen AG, he held various positions at Sixt AG and Daimler AG. In 2020, he was named as new General Director of Volkswagen Group Rus. Shanghai (Gasgoo)- NIO has paved the way for building an annual production capacity of 500,000 vehicles for its yet-to-be-launched mass-market brand, under which the vehicles would be priced around 200,000 yuan ($29,840), William Bin Li, CEO and chairman of NIO, revealed on June 16. The preparation he referred to is the agreement NIO signed with the local authority of Hefei Economic & Technological Development Zone on May 10 for constructing the second phase of the plant at NeoPark, a smart electric vehicle industry park at Xinqiao, Hefei, Anhui province. Photo credit: NIO Mr. Li also disclosed that the mass-market brand would provide the models that take on Tesla's Model 3 and Model Y, but are 10% cheaper and compatible with swappable battery packs. He also noted that delivery of the vehicles under the mass-market brand would begin in the second half of 2024 according to the current plan. Riding on the NT3.0 platform and a swappable battery architecture, the yet-to-be-launched brand's models would be priced between 200,000 yuan ($29,840) and 300,000 yuan ($44,750). NIO previously revealed it had already established a core team and specified the strategic direction and the brand positioning for the new sub-brand. The first batch of products have gone into a critical R&D stage. Shanghai (Gasgoo)- CATL will soon launch the all-new battery Qilin that uses its CTP (cell-to-pack) 3.0 technology, Wu Kai, chief scientist with CATL, said on June 16 at the 2022 World EV & ES Battery Conference. According to Mr. Wu's speech, the CTP 3.0 battery can prevent thermal runaway by adding a liquid-cooled plate between two cells, so as to weaken the heat conduction between neighboring cells. He also noted the new battery supports high-voltage fast-charging, particularly 4C charging, and will be rolled out into the market later next year. The CTP 3.0 technology can help significantly improve the battery service life thanks to the buffering brought by the liquid-cooled plate, Mr. Wu added. Photo credit: CATL At the China EV100 Forum held in March this year, Wu Kai also gave some information about the Qilin battery. He revealed then that the battery would boast industrial-leading battery system weight, gravimetric energy density, and volumetric energy density. Under the same chemical mechanism and the same battery pack size, Qilin's capacity can be 13% higher than the 4680 battery. In addition, the CTP 3.0 will be available in both LFP and NCM battery cell chemistries. Using the CTP technology, the LFP battery system will have a gravimetric energy density of 160Wh/kg and a volumetric energy density of 290Wh/l, while the figures for the NCM one will be at least 250Wh/kg and 450Wh/l. Its not surprising that ESPN is defending itself against anchor Sage Steeles very unusual lawsuit and filing to dismiss that suit, but one of the tactics theyre taking is interesting. As per Ben Strauss of The Washington Post, ESPNs filing to dismiss the lawsuit claims they didnt actually punish Steele after her controversial comments last fall on ESPN parent company Disneys vaccine mandate (which she called sick and scary), former U.S. president Barack Obama identifying as Black (I think thats fascinating considering his Black dad was nowhere to be found but his White mom and grandma raised him), and female on-air talents wardrobes (When you dress like that, Im not saying you deserve the gross comments, but you know what youre doing when youre putting that outfit on, too) on Jay Cutlers podcast. The ESPN stance is that Steele (who continues to appear on air for the network) cannot prove she was punished, even under the Connecticut law that extends First Amendment protections (usually just about governmental interference in speech) to the private sector. The company says thats because they never docked Steeles pay. They also say the criticism she received from coworkers (which she cited as harassment, and blamed the company for not defending her from) is protected expression from those coworkers. They also say some of her lost assignments were at the request of people representing the people and events she was supposed to interview or host, and they say that decisions on who appears on what show are casting decisions that fall under their own protected expression. Heres more on that from Strauss: ESPNs filing asked the Connecticut Superior Court to dismiss the lawsuit, arguing that Steele cannot demonstrate she was punished since her pay was never docked. ESPN also argued that is not legally responsible for how co-workers and others responded to Steeles comments and that the company has its own right to expression that includes who it puts on the air. Removing Steele from broadcasts, allowing her co-workers to forgo appearing with her, and allegedly conditioning her return to those broadcasts on her issuing an apology are casting decisions that are considered conduct furthering ESPNs protected expression, the filing read. ESPN argued that not intervening in personality conflicts did not amount to the company disciplining Steele. Steeles comments upset several of her colleagues, the companys motion said. She may be unhappy that her co-workers disliked what she said, but personality conflicts at work that generate antipathy and snubbing by . . . co-workers will not meet th[e] standard for discipline. On the lost assignment front, Strauss writes that ESPNs filing also includes that Steele losing a previously-announced assignment to interview Halle Berry at an ESPNw summit was at the request of Berrys PR team, and her lost role hosting a V Foundation gala was after the organizers perceived her comments about the coronavirus vaccine to be anti-science.' Those are interesting notes. They suggest that some of the opposition to Steele in prominent roles after these comments wasnt from ESPN, but from event organizers and interviewees. Whether thats a successful defense or not remains to be seen; Steeles representation could undoubtedly argue that ESPN has stood up for particular talent in the past even after organizers or interviewees have raised concerns, but theres history of both them doing so and not doing so depending on the situation. The more fundamental, and maybe more interesting still, discussion here is about ESPNs claim that casting decisions are conduct furthering ESPNs protected expression, and that their employees cannot prove they were punished if their pay was never docked. Theres a long history of highprofile ESPN suspensions, which have admittedly been inconsistent. But its unclear just how many of those suspensions have been without pay. (And this suggests that, at least from a legal perspective, they dont view a suspension with pay as punishment.) Its also notable that ESPN has been a particularly heavy user of the art of the demotion. Theyve often shifted people to less prominent roles after backlash or criticism, but have frequently done so in a way that minimizes negative coverage. And theyve also paid a lot of people not to work, either letting their contracts (and their non-compete clauses) run out in full or sometimes striking early-exit agreements. So under this specific legal argument, it appears that ESPN has issued very few actual punishments. Of course, thats largely not an important distinction, as they havent usually been sued by people still there (the lawsuits they have seen are more typically after someones exit), but its interesting to see them spell out their thinking that theyre making casting decisions about who appears on air rather than punishing particular employees. Theres one other thing worth mentioning in that Strauss piece, which is particularly significant for how it became the focus of pushback from Steeles legal team. In his final paragraph, Strauss wrote The lawsuit has been viewed internally at ESPN with some confusion. Steele signed a lengthy contract extension several years ago that expires in 2024. She makes around $3 million a year, according to two people with knowledge of her salary, and is the highest-paid female talent at the network. Steeles lawyer Bryan Freedman centered on that salary discussion in a statement to Ryan Glasspiegel of The New York Post, blaming Disney (rather than ESPN) and bringing up Scarlet Johansson, of all people: Here is a statement to @nypostsports from Sage Steele's attorney, Bryan Freedman, in response to ESPN's motion and the story about it broken by Ben in the Washington Post: https://t.co/KO1XUtXjev pic.twitter.com/jycwAbhWg5 Ryan Glasspiegel (@sportsrapport) June 17, 2022 Its notable that thats the detail Freedman decided to key on here, and that he portrayed it as a Disney responds. Steeles salary (absolute and relative) is interesting information, and theres a news value argument for Strauss reporting it, especially with the ESPN defense here keying on them never reducing Steeles compensation even after she lost some prominent assignments and appeared on air less often. But tying this to Disney and Johannson is a quite a leap, especially as that particular lawsuit, eventually settled, was all about financial compensation and the divide in how that worked with ticket receipts versus streaming). The only mention of Disney in Strauss story is about Steeles comments on Disneys vaccine mandate, with the legal response being solely attributed to ESPN. And there doesnt seem like a particular need for Disney to get especially involved with this ESPN matter (yes, ESPNs ultimately a Disney division, but theyre one with their own extensive legal team). Referencing Disney here rather that ESPN feels like an attempt to rile up people mad at Disney on other fronts. Beyond that, Freedmans pushback at Disney for disclosing facts about Sages salary comes with an interesting choice of words. The information about her salary doesnt seem to be in the legal filing; at the least, thats not how Strauss references it. He references it as She makes around $3 million a year, according to two people with knowledge of her salary, and is the highest-paid female talent at the network. Yes, the probability is that two people with knowledge of her salary are ESPN (or possibly Disney) executives. The other obvious people who would know that are Steele and her representatives, and theyre not likely to be the source here considering that her lawyers upset about that being revealed. But its not 100 percent provable that only ESPN/Disney execs could be the source here; salary information often makes its way to a wide list of people, sometimes even including other talents agents or other reporters. And Strauss inclusion of that information looks like reporting of information relevant to the story, not merely passing on something Disney disclosed. But while Steeles salary and her relative salary position at ESPN is notable context for members of the public looking to form their own opinions on this situation, the argument about Steeles salary going public doesnt seem extremely relevant to the legal proceedings. And thats especially true after ESPN filing that they never docked her salary. The key element there appears to be if allowing other talent to opt out of working with Steele and removing Steele from events that interviewees and organizers had problems with her working in the wake of her comments is legally-defensible conduct from ESPN. And its interesting that Steeles lawyer didnt engage with that line of argument, at least not in this statement (perhaps he will in a future filing). It would be interesting to read a legal counterargument against that ESPN claim; does Steeles camp think that ESPN on-air talent can never be reassigned or removed from events for any reason, or just that these particular comments werent sufficient reason for that reassignment/removal? At any rate, the ESPN filing here and Freedmans response to it are both notable developments in this case. And they make it seem like Steeles case against ESPN may not be resolved any time soon. Well see where this goes next. [The Washington Post] The glow sticks. The neon lanyards. DJs playing wildly inappropriate songs. The mocktails, the tipsy grown-ups, the awkward adolescent kisses in photo booths. Finally, a feature film set on the suburban bar mitzvah party circuit. But theres more than just cleverly observed cultural comedy at play in Cha Cha Real Smooth, the second feature by writer-director Cooper Raiff, who also stars in this poignant and accomplished coming-of-age tale about the years right after college when youre trying to figure out not just what to do, but who to be. And its not just Raiffs character, a newly minted college grad who earns money as a party starter at bar mitzvahs, whos coming of age. With a lovely, touching turn by Dakota Johnson as a troubled young mother, the film is a twofer, looking at two people grappling with change at vastly different stages of life. Can they help each other? Do they even belong together? Certainly the chemistry is there. Johnson, who seems to be getting better with each film, adds depth to the recent work weve seen and also, deliciously, gets to play the older woman. (Shes also a producer on the film). As for Raiff, with his rakish yet goofy good looks and Donny Osmond smile, he's so natural in his own words that it seems he must be channeling his own life as main character Andrew. But then we recall that while Andrew can barely hold down a fast-food job, Raiff is winning Sundance prizes (this film won the festival's audience award.) The title, by the way, comes from the 2000 party anthem Cha Cha Slide, that infectious line dance number thats a reliable staple at bar or bat mitzvah parties, proms and more (Cha cha now yall.). Raiff himself, though not Jewish, spent almost every weekend on the bar mitzvah circuit when he was 13 and growing up in Dallas, and lets just say the man knows his way around a candle-lighting ceremony. We begin with a flashback to a 13-year-old Andrew, at a bar mitzvah of course, who develops a deep crush for the adult female party starter the one who gets kids dancing and declares his love in the parking lot, only to be left heartbroken: Im old, she says. Ten years later, Andrews just graduated Tulane, and trying to answer the question every onscreen graduate has been asked since, well, The Graduate: What now? His girlfriend has a Fulbright to Barcelona but doesnt seem keen for him to tag along. So hes living at home with his supportive mom (a perfectly cast Leslie Mann) and her annoying husband (Brad Garrett), working at a fast-food joint called Meat Sticks, and sharing a room with his middle-school brother who's smack in the middle of bar mitzvah season. Accompanying his brother to a party one night, he finds a way to get all the kids dancing, and soon the moms are drafting him to become an official party starter. More importantly, Andrew also meets Domino (Johnson), a young mom with an autistic daughter, Lola (Vanessa Burghardt). Resigned to watching her 14-year-old daughter play with a Rubiks Cube while the other kids party, Domino is delighted when Andrew finds a way to get Lola dancing, too. The next party doesnt go so well Andrew gets drunk on vodka, throws around some inappropriate cuss words and ends up getting kicked out. Lola and Domino, too, have a very bad night, and Andrew ends up at their house later, deepening the connection with both mother and daughter. But Domino is engaged to Joseph, a lawyer with a gruff exterior who spends a lot of time out of town. Andrew is convinced that Joseph is wrong for Domino and that he, despite the decade in age difference, is her soul mate even her rescuer. For Domino, whos clearly drawn to Andrew, it isnt quite so simple. Her life has long been defined by the needs of her daughter, and always will be. A new soul mate won't change that. Raiffs writing and direction keep the action moving crisply, and he knows his world set not in Dallas but in Livingston, New Jersey very well. The film is also beautifully cast, from the adults down to the adorable, mop-headed Evan Assante as younger brother David. As Lola, the talented Burghardt, who is autistic herself, is a wonderful find. A bar mitzvah is the time when tradition says one becomes a man. For Andrew, the symbolism is obvious caught somewhere between childhood and adulthood, what kind of man will he choose to become? The movie has some unexpected answers. Whether they work for you or not, there's charm and talent to spare and some very appealing performances to ease the way. Real smooth, as the song says. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 "It is with great sadness and a heavy heart that I write this email to let you know that we can no longer sustain presenting the Flagstaff Cinema Series and will be taking an indefinite hiatus," said the press release from Executive Director Patrick Schweiss, and the board and staff of the Sedona International Film Festival. "Unfortunately, the pandemic has made it challenging to get audience members back to the theatre with the numbers we need to make it affordable for us to present the series. Since we are a nonprofit organization, every dollar is important to continue our programs. Sadly, theatre attendance has not bounced back since the pandemic, and we are losing money every month. It is not a sustainable business model for our nonprofit. Therefore, we had to make the painful decision to end the series." The cherished meadows and aspen groves of the San Francisco Peaks Inner Basin have taken a hit, but largely survived the Pipeline Fire, according to Flagstaff District Ranger Matt McGrath. An irreplaceable landscape that attracts thousands of visitors to every year, the Inner Basin also contains important Flagstaff city water facilities. These values made the preservation of the Inner Basin a top priority for firefighters battling the Pipeline Fire, which burned more than 26,000 acres in the region since starting Sunday. The hard work of the firefighters paid off, McGrath said on social media, and the area looks better than expected. McGrath joined the superintendent of the Mormon Lake Hotshot crew on a survey of the Inner Basin Thursday morning, expecting heavy fire damage. The worst of it included areas on the ridge leading to Doyle Peak above Lockett Meadow a popular campground which burned kind of hot, McGrath tweeted Thursday. Closer inspection of the area via the Water Line Road, which leads onto the burned ridge, showed that the Pipeline Fire really roared through the area and left the drainage in pretty bad shape. The severity of burn on the ridge creates the possibility of some debris flow when rain meets the burn scar, but, according to McGrath, the campground should be mostly fine. This is where our amazing wildland firefighters were able to make a stand and halt forward progress [of the Pipeline Fire], McGrath said of the scorched ridge. From deeper in the basin, McGrath shared a photo of Fremont Peak, verdant and untouched by fire, with large swaths green meadows and evergreens in the foreground. The area looks great, McGrath said, adding that city "water facilities survived. McGrath also shared a picture showing a mile of happy, healthy aspen from the road below the city water facilities. The aspens of Inner Basin are icons of northern Arizona, natural jewels that have been called the most beautiful aspen grove on Earth, by magazine Arizona Highways. I dont know if [the aspens] are actually happy, but they make me happy, McGrath said of the surviving groves. The recovery of the burned areas around Inner Basin will largely be dependent on letting nature heal itself. In the long run, the Pipeline Fire may even prove to expand the aspens in Inner Basin. According to the U.S. Forest Service, aspen growth is often fire-induced and quick-spreading aspen groves can often be traced to large fire events. McGrath anticipates that we should see a lot more aspen coming in to an area already nationally famous for them. While the Pipeline Fire is still burning and expected to show increased activity due to hot breezy conditions Friday, the prevailing survival of Inner Basin is consolatory relief. Thanks to the incredible work of a lot of brave, talented folks, things are better than they could be, McGrath wrote. Sean Golightly can be reached at sgolightly@azdailysun.com Love 11 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. By Azernews By Ayya Lmahamad Azerbaijan has exported 11.3 million tons of oil worth $8 billion from January to May 2022, Azernews reports, citing the State Customs Committee. In the first five months of the year, Italy was the main oil importer from Azerbaijan, accounting for 4.7 million tons of oil worth $3.3 billion. The top five countries in terms of oil imports from Azerbaijan were Italy, Israel (1.1 million tons of oil worth $855.5 million), India (959,145 tons of oil worth $770 million), the UK (613,731 tons of oil worth $463.4 million) and Portugal (607,944 tons of oil worth $428.1 million). Meanwhile, Azerbaijan exported 216,555 tons of oil worth $118.9 million to Turkey and 506,349 tons of oil worth $304.5 million to Ukraine in the first five months of this year. During the reported months the share of oil in the total structure of exports amounted to 52.2 percent. In 2021, Azerbaijan exported 27.1 million tons of oil worth $13.2 billion. The top five countries in terms of oil imports from Azerbaijan were Italy, Israel, Croatia, Germany, and Portugal. In addition, Azerbaijan produced 34.6 million tons of crude oil in 2021. The slight increase in oil production last year was primarily due to the gradual elimination of voluntary oil output cuts under the OPEC+ deal. Arizona Mission of Mercy will be coming to Fort Tuthill this weekend to provide free dental care to northern Arizona residents. The event is set to take place Friday and Saturday and, according to its website, has not been impacted by the fires happening to the north of Flagstaff. Mission of Mercy is in its 10th year of providing free dental care to people across Arizona. Theyve seen nearly 17,000 patients in that time and provided a total of nearly $18 million so far in free dentistry. We knew that a lot of Arizonans were falling through the cracks and were not getting regular dental care, said Dr. Ann Blue, adding that about 21% of adults and 31% of children dont have regular dental checkups. The event, known as AZMOM North, will be Mission of Mercys second in Flagstaff, after its first Fort Tuthill event in the summer of 2019. In bringing the event north of its annual event in Phoenix, the organization hopes to expand access to dental care to other parts of the state, including those in rural communities. We want to access those patients out there that may not have a ride down to Phoenix in December [for the annual event], Blue said. ... We know that people in northern Arizona need us as well. The 2019 event provided about 600 patients with $1 million in free dental care. The hope is for this year to be even bigger, Blue said -- they are hoping to serve 800 patients and provide another million dollars of free dental care. Among the services provided at this event will be medical screenings, dentures, extractions, fillings and cleanings. Anyone who lives in Arizona is welcome to come, especially patients who would otherwise be unable to afford healthcare. This includes people with a dental issue or pain that theyd like addressed as well as those seeking a checkup or additional information. There are no eligibility requirements. Our goal is to get patients who are in pain out of pain and start restoring those smiles, Blue said. Appointments are first come, first serve, so Blue recommended getting there as early as possible, especially for those who know they need a specific treatment. The Fort Tuthill Commercial Building will be seeing patients from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. on June 17 and 18. The visits will start with a medical clearance screening, involving a blood pressure check and health history form (knowinga list of their medications is always good, Blue said), followed by some patient education. This will be followed by the care itself, with a focus on the "most urgent needs" such as infection and pain. Over 600 volunteers are signed up for this weekend event, including dentists from central and northern Arizona -- enough to support between 45 and 50 chairs. We want to fill it up, we want to provide care, Blue said. ... Weve found that with the pandemic, there is a pent-up need. We know people have not been getting their check-ups, they havent been going to see the dentist as much for of reasons and so our goal is just to provide as much care as we can in the two-day period. They were still in need of volunteersboth dentists and laypeople with no experience in the field to assist with other (unrelated) tasks. Events like these require a lot of volunteers, Blue said. More about Arizona Mission of Mercy, including information for both patients and volunteers, is available at azmom.org/azmomnorth. 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. Containment on the Pipeline and Haywire fires grew Thursday, as additional residents were allowed home and new closures were announced on nearby national forests. The Type 1 Great Basin Incident Management Team (IMT) 2 assumed command of the incident Thursday morning after their arrival Wednesday. Both fires had grown a little overnight. On Thursday morning, InciWeb reported that the Pipeline Fire was at 24,815 acres and 27% containment -- the containment number was down slightly from a day earlier because of burnout operations, fire information officer Mike Reichling said. The Haywire Fire was at 5,372 acres and 11% containment. A smoke inversion and minimal winds caused a decrease in overall fire behavior across the Pipeline and Haywire fires, a Thursday morning InciWeb update noted. Crews were able to take advantage of the lighter winds and continued a burning operation to lock off the northern progression of the Pipeline Fire. The fires are now largely driven by fuels and terrain rather than the wind, according to the update. Additional residents were allowed home Thursday after several evacuations had lifted the day before. A few areas remain at the "Go" and "Set" statuses due to the fires, including around U.S. 89 north of Wupatki Trails, as "the Pipeline Fire is still very active in this area and is in close proximity to private land and the Medicine Valley residences, according to the Coconino County Sheriffs Office. Actions on the fires Thursday included completing direct and indirect lines to protect watersheds and the Kachina Peaks wilderness, and planning for potential spread on the Haywire Fire. If direct containment efforts continue to be successful, their plan is to shift focus to holding and securing perimeter lines. Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey on Thursday declared a state of emergency because of the fires and allocated $200,000 to the state emergency management department to help respond and recover from the blazes. The move allows the state forester and other agencies to provide other assistance as needed and provide disaster relief. For a community still recovering from the path of the Tunnel Fire in April, this new blaze is a reminder for all Arizonans to be vigilant and safe this wildfire season, Ducey said. Also on Thursday, a second hearing was held for Matthew Riser, the man accused of lighting a fire on the Coconino National Forest this weekend, 80 yards from where the Pipeline Fire started. He remains in detention following the hearing, and will reappear in court next Tuesday. Highway 89 reopened Thursday with continued lane restrictions, as tall, blackened trees lined the highway, some of which fell over from the fierce winds that fueled the wildfire in the first couple of days, Reichling said. It wasn't scorched earth, but it was burnt, Reichling said. It cleaned up the forest on the understory, so hopefully a lot of those trees will bounce back. Meanwhile, the Coconino and Kaibab national forests announced additional closures due to concerns about fire danger and public safety. The closure of much of the Coconino National Forest north of I-40 continues to be in effect, with the addition of the Bill Williams Mountain area Friday and the areas around Pumphouse Wash/Kelly Canyon and Fisher Point/Walnut Canyon Saturday. These closures will remain in place until hot, dry conditions are no longer expected to continue and until the forest receives enough widespread precipitation to lower fire danger. Forest officials said more extensive or even full forest closures could come if conditions worsen. Campfires aren't allowed anywhere in the forests under current restrictions. The rest of the national forests remain in Stage 2 fire restrictions, with the City of Flagstaff set to go into Stage 3 restrictions Friday. Beginning Friday, this weekend is forecast to bring increased moisture, with a chance of showers and thunderstorms highest on Saturday. A wind advisory was issued Thursday afternoon and will continue until 8 p.m. on Friday. Flooding and dry lightning that could spark new blazes also are concerns. If gusty and erratic winds develop with these storms, there could be several days of more aggressive fire behavior, according to the InciWeb page. There should be an increase in humidity, so if the winds stay moderated, the changing weather conditions could be beneficial." More about the fires is available at coconino.az.gov/2926/Pipeline-FireHaywire-Fire. Felicia Fonseca with the Associated Press contributed to this report. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Photo shows a scenic view of the Hengshan Mountain. [Photo by Kuang Daiyong/For chinadaily.com.cn] Hengshan Mountain in Hunan province has become a vibrant, green home for many wild animals and plants, including some endangered species. Located in Hengyang city, the mountain has a subtropical climate, making it a paradise for wild animals and plants. Photo shows a tourist scenic spot in the Hengshan Mountain. [Photo by Kuang Daiyong/For chinadaily.com.cn] Zhou Guiting, deputy director of Hengyang's Nanyue Forestry Bureau, said the unique geological landforms and the warm and humid climate have helped make Hengshan Mountain a refuge for many creatures, thus preserving many flagship species. "Hengshan Mountain has an obvious vertical forest land spectrum, with ancient and famous trees all over it," he said. Photo shows a Chinese river-deer foraging in the Hengshan Mountain. [Photo by Kuang Daiyong/For chinadaily.com.cn] Photo shows a grey-faced buzzard eagle flying down from a tree in the Hengshan Mountain. [Photo by Kuang Daiyong/For chinadaily.com.cn] Photo shows branches of a villous Chinese honey locust ( Gleditsia sinensis) in the Hengshan Mountain. [Photo by Kuang Daiyong/For chinadaily.com.cn] My mother once told me that, when I was a little girl, the biggest joy my father had was playing Go to Sky with me to make me happy. Daddy, sky! Daddy, sky! I repeated to myself like singing a cheerful nursery rhyme whenever I was expecting my father to come home from the high school in China where he was teaching Chinese. When he appeared in our front yard, I ran to him and shouted, Daddy, sky! He would take me in his arms and kiss me and suddenly use one hand to lift me from my back over his head, with my face looking up toward the sky, my mouth giggling, my hands and feet grabbing and kicking in the air. Go to Sky! Go to Sky! my father shouted and laughed, his hearty laughter seemed to burst from his tanned face into his black hair, long arms, and long legs. I was like a mockingbird singing and dancing on a special stagemy father's handswithout knowing many things that had happened or would happen. In 1999, when my father was 63, he suffered a stroke that left the right half of his body paralyzed, including his right hand. Before the stroke, as a famous and newly retired high school Chinese teacher in China, my father had his retirement life well planned. He was going to write books on teaching, give lectures at schools across the country, and more. The stroke, however, changed my father and his retirement plans forever. He realized that writing a memoir for his children was the most important thing he wanted to do, even though he knew it wouldn't bring him any fame or money, because his memoir cannot be published in China. My father was wrongly labeled as a counter-revolutionary during the Cultural Revolution in China. He was sent to the countryside to work as a peasant for eight years, from 1970 to 1978, to reform through labor until he was rehabilitated. Five years after his stroke, my father started to write his 300,000-word memoir with his left hand and finished it within a year. Since my father was right-handed before the stroke, he had to practice very hard to get used to writing on the paper word by word with his left hand. Reading his memoir, his college classmates, colleagues, and friends were moved to tears; they urged him to have it published. The book focuses on his experiences during the Cultural Revolution, and because of political sensitivity, it still cannot be published publicly in China. We had to wait. When my father was diagnosed with late-stage cancer in November 2011, our family decided we could no longer wait. We informally self-published it and shared it with more people. I didn't know much about the persecution and pain my father had suffered during the Cultural Revolution until I received an electronic copy of his memoir several years ago when I was studying in the U.S. One of his students typed his memoir on a computer and sent it to me. From his memoir, I learned that, before he was sent to the countryside, he was subjected to criticism meetings at his workplace, which were common during the Cultural Revolution (the Cultural Revolution began in 1966). At these criticism meetings, a victim was criticized and often subjected to humiliation and assault until he or she confessed to imaginary crimes. Because of the false accusations made up against my father, he was forced to confess; he refused. Then he was placed in an interrogation room, where he was repeatedly questioned and not allowed to sleep for five consecutive days and nights. Finally one of the leaders of the task force of the Cultural Revolution in his school said to him, Are you afraid of being shot to death? Confess if you are! Aren't you afraid? For a long time my father didn't know how to answer. Are you afraid? Answer me! Hurry up! the leader snapped, a layer of thin frost seeming to start to appear on his cold face. Give me a cigarette, please, my father said, sitting on a small square stool, his voice trembling. My father never smoked before. He sucked the cigarette a few times and immediately choked and coughed. The cigarette fell off. He picked up the cigarette from the floor, stubbed it out with his right hand, and said, I'm not afraid. My father's answer surprised the task force of the Cultural Revolution. He was not shot, however, he was locked into a small room and continually commanded to confess. He decided that he would rather die than incriminate himself. One night he tried to commit suicide by holding a pair of electric power cords in his left hand. His left hand violently flicked and felt burning. The suicide was unsuccessful because of his lack of electrical knowledge. He didn't know it wouldn't kill him unless he held one cord in one hand while he held the other cord with the other hand, causing the current to flow through his body. His ignorance saved his life. The suicide attempt, however, left a permanent irregularly shaped scar on the center of his left palm. After the suicide attempt, my father felt sorry for that he had tried to kill himself. He realized he must stay strong and live for his children, his wife, and his hope. Two weeks later, when I was about two years old, my father was sent to the countryside to reform through labor, starting his eight-year peasant life. When I grew older, I learned from my mother that my father's strong body and his ability to adapt and endure hardship helped him survive the intense physical labor in the countryside during the Cultural Revolution. On the first day of his eight-year peasant life, my father was assigned to pick up one-hundred and thirty pounds of wheat seeds from a farm six miles away, using a shoulder pole and a pair of baskets. A couple of strong villagers who were assigned the same task thought my father could not make it, since they knew my father had been an intellectual and had no experience with such physical labor. My father, to their surprise, was the second person to return. At that time, he was unfamiliar with the skill of switching the shoulder pole from one shoulder to another on the way. To save time, he didn't switch it at all and didn't even stop to take a rest. His strength and spirit impressed the villagers and won their respect and friendship. My father soon became capable at all kinds of farm work, such as using a simple wooden wheelbarrow to carry large loads, transplanting rice seedlings, making thousands of brooms, and many more strenuous tasks. My father's hands saved him and led him through the dark years. I have heard that many intellectuals committed suicide when they were forced to work in the countryside during the Cultural Revolution. My father was still working as a peasant at the end of the Cultural Revolutionin 1976as I started elementary school. One day at home, I was reciting some words while my father was doing some housework nearby. My father interrupted me and pointed out that my pronunciation of one word was wrong. Daddy, that's what my teacher taught me; it should be correct, I said, looking at my father. Baby, maybe you didn't pay attention to your teacher's pronunciation. Or, maybe your teacher pronounced it wrong. Double check with him tomorrow, he said and wrote down the pronunciation for me. To my surprise, my teacher said his pronunciation was wrong and my father's was correct. Daddy, you are a peasant. How can you read and write? I asked with my eyes wide open, sitting on my father's lap and screwing his sticky and disheveled hair (the peasant population in China was largely illiterate at the time). My father didn't say a word; he cried. He wiped away his tears with his rough hands, full of thick calluses. It was not until two years later, when my father was rehabilitated and restored to his former position that I knew he used to have smooth hands and teach Chinese in high school. In the fourth grade, I planned to participate in the first children's essay contest in our city, but it seemed hard to pick a topic. One day, I asked my father for his suggestions while he was reading in his study. He was in his forties, wearing a white shirt and a grayish-blue tie, sitting on a wooden chair in front of his cherry wood bookshelf. The bookshelf occupied a whole wall, filled with books, magazines, and newspapers. Well, sweetie, let's see. You love your little catfish and you love your kitten as well. What if your kitten eats your little fish? Do you still love your kitten? my father put down his book and said, teasing. My eyes lit up, but I didn't know how to answer at the moment. He smiled and patted my head gently with his big and delicate hand. Use your imagination, my sweetie. You might want to write something about your little fish and kitten and see how it goes, he said, picking up his book. I nodded. That night I wrote my essay entitled The Little Fish and the Kitten and it won the grand prize because of its novelty, creativity, and the vivid description of a child's psychology. I'm going to be a writer, I thought. When it was time for me to choose either the Arts Stream or the Science Stream in high school, however, my father didn't encourage me to follow his road. Instead, I entered the Science Stream and three years later started to study medicine in college. I didn't realize the reason behind his concern until I read his memoir and knew about his suffering during the Cultural Revolution. People in the field of arts were much more likely to be attacked and persecuted during that dark period than the people with science backgrounds. I understand that deep in his heart, like most intellectuals of his generation, he was still traumatized by the years of pain he had suffered, even though the Cultural Revolution had been over for about a decade when I began high school. After finishing his memoir, my father continued to write poems using his left hand and he shared them with other people. He also kept a poetry journal for his grandson, recording the child's growth and emotions. While studying in the U.S., I went back to China to visit my father in June 2011. He seemed to feel that his time with us wouldn't be long. He insisted on going with my brother to pick me up at the airport when I arrived and on going to the airport again when I departed. Dad, you take care. I have to go, I said and hugged my father, who was sitting in the front passenger seat of my brother's car, his hair gray and dry, his face smelling of the fresh scent of a familiar soap. You take care too, daughter. I wish next time I can come with your brother to pick you up again, he said slowly, his left handwith brown spots and bulging veinsholding my hands for a long time. Five months later, he was taken to an emergency room and diagnosed with late-stage cancer. Three weeks before my father passed away, he left a note in his study for my brother. My brother discovered the note the next day; he had to hold back his tears and not cry. On the note, my father wrote, Please don't cry. Let me go. Donate my body unconditionally for medical research. If my body has no value for medical research, cremate it immediately, and don't save the ashes. In the Chinese tradition, people rarely want to donate their bodies for medical research, and, they usually want to have their ashes saved. It took my father almost two hours to write the note. His left hand was too weak to write, but he felt he must get it done while his mind was still clear. In China, doctors allow elderly cancer patient's families to decide if they want to tell the diagnosis to the patient. Almost every family chooses not to tell; they believe it's the best way to help their loved ones keep confidence and look forward to recovering. The diagnosis had been kept secret from my father. From his note, however, we realized he knew in his heart and he was just pretending not to know. My father's note turned out to be his final written words, written with his left hand. The other night I dreamed of my father: his hands were holding my hands; he was smiling at me and saying, Daughter, write if you want. Follow your little fish and kitten ...... Although my father and I can no longer hold hands with one another, everyday I feel he has been looking at me from heaven. His spirit has passed from his hands to my hands, helping me sing and dance on the world stage ... (Originally written in June 2012, one month after my father passed away in China) The scenic Beartooth Highway between Red Lodge and Cooke City will need extensive repairs after rain fell on the pass' snowpack, causing rapid flooding and washing out the highway in six places. Severe flooding also struck the mountain communities of Red Lodge and Cooke City, which flank the pass, earlier this week. Three sections of the Beartooth Scenic Byway were washed out leaving 100-foot scours that will require extensive resources to repair, a Montana Department of Transportation official said Thursday. To fix the route quickly will require federal assistance to cut through red tape regarding work in a waterway and then a contractor will have to be hired. Luckily, repairs made to the highway's switchbacks following similar flooding in 2005 seemed to have worked as designed, diverting water through borrow pits and into culverts without damaging the roadway. The roadway is a lifeline for the community of Red Lodge during the summer months, funneling tourists to and from Yellowstone National Park over a scenic pass that climbs to 11,000 feet. The news comes in the wake of President Joe Biden signing a national disaster declaration that will trigger statewide damage relief. Lt. Gov. Kristen Juras and Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., toured the flood-weary community alongside FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell on Tuesday, emphasizing that local, state and federal workers are already on the ground making assessments. "We are facing a complex landscape of extreme weather events across our nation that is going to require all of us...to come together and work together to develop the solutions that are going to be needed to build the recovery and support the recovery," Criswell said. "But also to build resilience, right? To build and recover and repair these projects so they are more resilient to the types of effects of the extreme weather that we're seeing in the future." Criswell thanked the "heroes on the front line" and said her agency has people on the ground ready to reimburse the state for major repairs and to help homeowners for as long as needed. Daines said the "shocking" images he saw of the flooding while still in Washington, D.C., were unbelievable. He thanked Criswell for visiting and for the Montana National Guard arriving in town to provide a calming effect. Red Lodge Fire Chief Tom Kuntz told the officials, "We have to make things happen in the next few weeks." He stressed the tourist-dependent town needs help quickly to ensure businesses and employees can earn enough this summer to make it through the year. Scott Miller, a Carbon County Commissioner, was prompted by Kuntz's message to add that the flood damage was not limited to Red Lodge. "This is a big county and everyone needs your help," Miller said, noting that 85% of the county's irrigation infrastructure was damaged, historic ranches were inundated and cows were washed down the Clarks Fork of the Yellowstone River. Flooding swept over nearly all of southern Montana from the greater Yellowstone area and Gallatin River to east of Billings as high waters swept downstream. Yellowstone National Park has been closed to all visitation with the northern half of the park closed for this season. On the west slope of the Continental Divide, Flathead and Missoula counties were watching their rivers as snow and rain fell in the mountains near them this week. In the wake of the floods, Daines said he planned to also visit the hard hit mountain town of Gardiner on Yellowstone's north side. The town was temporarily cut off from the rest of the world by high water across Highway 89 to the north and the destruction of the road between Gardiner and Mammoth Hot Springs, Wyoming, at the Northeast Entrance. Reopening the road at any point in the future seems unlikely. Before officials toured Red Lodge on Thursday, leaders of the Western Montana Incident Management Team and Carbon County updated the visiting dignitaries about what's already been done. The list included 87 helicopter rescues by the Montana National Guard, including a 94-year-old woman lifted from East Rosebud Lake, bank stabilization of Rock Creek in Red Lodge and bridge washout repairs. Half of Red Lodge is still without water while all Carbon County communities are under a boil order. Two bridges are damaged in Fromberg where gas and electrical service was out, and Roscoe is being assessed for damage while sandbags are being made available in case creeks rise from runoff during warm days forecast through the weekend. An inciweb page has been set up with photos and information for Carbon County. Regular updates are also on carbonalert.org. Kuntz walked the visitors through the hectic activity on Monday morning when the flash flood hit, adding that the entire town responded as quickly as possible to alert residents as the situation constantly changed throughout the early hours of the day. "Unfortunately, we are pretty used to disaster," he said, noting last year's Robinson Draw fire threatened the community and its suburbs. "So we had a structure we were able to work in. "The effort that came together to try to respond to this was really incredible," he added. All told about 300 people were evacuated from 147 homes in Red Lodge and 90 homes have been affected in Fromberg. Damage assessments in other areas are complicated because bridges and roads are washed out. Of the four ways to drive into Red Lodge, Kuntz noted, only one was open until Thursday Highway 212. As front-end loaders, excavators and dump trucks moved boulders and dirt to reinforce damage done by the flood near the 19th Street Bridge, business owners are concerned their summer tourism season may dry up faster than water-logged basements. Kuntz called that possibility "terrifying" for business owners and workers who can't go two weeks without a paycheck. Loss of apartments and homes also exacerbates what was already a tight housing market. Red Lodge's police force already lost one officer after his home was destroyed and he decided to move away. Daines stressed in his comments to the press that visitors should come to Montana despite the images they may see of flooding, houses floating down rivers and bridges destroyed. Anyone wishing to help victims of the flood can donate to the Red Lodge Area Community Foundation, a 501C3 nonprofit organization. The group can be found online at Rlacf.org, or send mail to PO Box 1871, Red Lodge, MT 59068, or call 406-425-0292. The Bank of Red Lodge is matching donations up to $25,000. Donations of goods can be coordinated by the American Red Cross by calling Andrew Harper at 406-320-2229. To volunteer assistance register online at carbonalert.org or by calling 406-445-7258. A volunteer coordination tent is located at 15th and Platt Avenue South in Red Lodge and is operating from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 1 Sad 14 Angry 1 A federal judge convicted a Billings man Thursday of a series of sex and drug crimes, including the kidnapping of children. Angelo Corey Stackhouse was found guilty of seven federal offences following a four-day bench trial. U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters, who presided over the trial, found Stackhouse guilty of meth and cocaine distribution, transporting a person with the intent to engage in illegal sex acts and kidnapping, among other crimes. Stackhouse kidnapped two girls in order to sexually assault them, according to court documents, one from Billings and another from the Crow Reservation. Stackhouse was a violent cocaine trafficker who used drugs, a firearm and threats to prey on and sexually assault victims, including kidnapping two minor girls with the purpose to sexually assault them. Stackhouses convictions hold him accountable for multiple crimes, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said in a press release Thursday. Starting in early 2020, according to court documents, Stackhouse began selling cocaine in Billings. He retrieved his supply through several trips to Denver. During one of these trips, prosecutors said, Stackhouse sexually assaulted a woman who accompanied him in a Denver hotel room. Stackhouse said in court that he began selling cocaine in Billings because he was laid off from work and needed to earn money for his family. Stackhouse continued to distribute meth and cocaine in Billings throughout the summer of 2020, according to federal prosecutors. In September 2020 and April 2021, court documents say, Stackhouse kidnapped two girls in Billings and Pryor, respectively. He brought them both to Billings motels and sexually assaulted them. A grand jury indicted Stackhouse, who had prior convictions of attempted homicide and robbery, in May 2021. The original charges included cocaine and meth possession, possession with intent to distribute meth and transporting a person with the intent to engage in illegal sex acts. A superseding indictment was filed in November of that year, which added kidnapping to the charges. Stackhouse, also known as Ice according to court documents, pleaded not guilty to all counts. He reached a plea agreement with prosecutors in December 2021, an agreement in which he would have pleaded guilty to one count of kidnapping. District Judge Watters denied the agreement after Stackhouse insisted at his change of plea hearing that he did not kidnap one of the girls mentioned in charging documents. The bench trial began June 13, and included dozens of witnesses who testified on the prosecutions behalf. Watters convicted Stackhouse of all seven counts listed in the most recent indictment. Stackhouse is scheduled to be sentenced October 27, and he is currently in custody at Yellowstone County Detention Facility. He faces the possibility of up to life in prison. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 2 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Former East Helena Police Chief William Daly Harrington was sentenced to more than five years in prison for one count of distribution of child pornography in U.S. District Court for the District of Montana Thursday morning. The state successfully sought the dismissal of three other counts -- two additional counts of distribution of child pornography and one count of possessing child pornography -- in exchange for Harrington's guilty plea made Dec. 7. Harrington, who resigned from his post as police chief in East Helena in March 2021 following a separate sexual assault allegation that was found to be unsubstantiated, appeared before Chief U.S. District Judge Brian Morris in U.S. District Court in Great Falls. Harrington will serve 66 months in prison and five years under supervision following his release and must register as a sex offender. He was ordered to pay special assessments totaling $7,600, including a $5,000 payment as required by the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015. According to Montana Public Safety Officer Standards and Training Bureau Paralegal and Investigator Katrina Bolger, the case status committee of the POST Council will take up the issue at its next meeting scheduled for July 11. POST is responsible for granting and revoking the certification of public safety officers in Montana, and its meetings are open to the public. The committee is expected to send an allegation letter from the agency's director to Harrington, informing the former law enforcement officer of the allegations against him and asking for a written response. The allegation letter also gives Harrington the opportunity to send in his resignation. A report resulting from a third-party investigation into workplace culture within the East Helena Police Department, which stemmed from the sexual assault claim and was filed May 11, 2021, outlined Harrington's meticulous efforts to isolate his officers and employees from other agencies and each other. The report also claimed Harrington installed video surveillance cameras in the department and GPS tracking devices within the squad cars, allowing only him to monitor employees remotely. The report, filed by a Great Falls attorney, states "Harrington's tenure with the EHPD did nothing to address these problems (inadequate management and oversight; the failure to define roles and responsibilities; lack of training; outdated policies and procedures; burnout and stress) and in fact seemed to only worsen many of the issues." East Helena Mayor Kelly Harris, who unseated former Mayor James Schell in the 2021 election, said in early January that every last officer with the East Helena Police Department had resigned at that time. By Feb. 8, Harris announced the city council had hired a full staff including a chief and four POST-certified patrol officers. Mike Sanders was rehired as the new chief. Sanders previously spent four months in the same position under Schell before leaving the post, citing differences in goals and priorities with city leadership. He has also worked as a Helena police officer and federal Drug Enforcement Agency agent. Sanders' employment began Feb. 22. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0 During a visit to Gardiner Friday morning, Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte told residents and reporters that the primary focus of disaster recovery is reopening Yellowstone National Park, repairing the roads and sewers in the region as quickly as possible, and encouraging tourists not to cancel their travel plans despite the flood damage that occurred in the region earlier this week. For people that have planned trips to Yellowstone Park: Were open. Youve got to come, said Gianforte. There is so much to do in Montana and the vitality of our communities depend on it, and your families need what we have in Montana. So were open for business. We want you to come. A rain-on-snowpack event caused a massive amount of water to come flooding down the Yellowstone mountain ranges over the weekend washing out roads and destroying bridges and buildings in its wake. Gardiner was completely cut off from the rest of the world for more than a day until road crews could open a path out of the remote mountain town. Also struck by flooding were Red Lodge and much of Carbon and Stillwater counties. Also isolated by the flooding was another mountain gateway town, Cooke City. Incident commanders told the governor no deaths or serious injuries associated with the flooding have been reported. And no one was known to be missing. However, over 300 address locations have been impacted in some way by high water, though the extent of those damages has not yet been calculated. Park County was expecting to release hard figures before the weekend. At a packed business owner round table turned town hall meeting, Gianforte acknowledged the wreckage from the flood, which he surveyed by National Guard helicopter earlier Friday, then emphasized that with the safety of communities now secure, the plan was to repair major roadways as soon as possible so the park and Gardiner can open to visitors. Let me say clearly, youve been through hell, and Im here to listen, Gianforte told Park County residents. He listened closely and acknowledged the "wisdom" of the locals when it came to ideas to rebuild. Some included adding bridge infrastructure to the valley to house pipes crossing the waterway. Some included cutting new roads and abandoning the old Gardiner-Mammoth route. Many were concerns for the tourist industry. He again encouraged tourists to visit Montana, come, well take care of you. His remarks were met with applause by the audience. The price tag to repair the roadways is still unknown, though the money to fund the repairs is expected to come from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) following the Biden Administration's disaster declaration made Thursday. But Park County residents expressed concerns about how quickly officials would be able to "cut through the red tape" so infrastructure repairs could get underway and repairs to private property could start. "We only have five months to generate revenue here," stressed Chelsea DeWeese, the owner of a local lodge. Gardiner, Red Lodge and many other communities rely heavily on the income that Yellowstone tourism brings during the summer months. Fears from local businesses that loss of park access for years could destroy their livelihoods, drive away their employees or end their image as a destination vacation were at the forefront of those present and Gianforte acknowledged the passion many in the room felt over park access. Questions about expediting financing, insurance claims and cutting red tape arose multiple times. FEMA Associate Administrator Annie Bink was present at the town hall meeting as well and she tried to highlight her agencies ongoing efforts at expediting infrastructure repairs and assessing damage to homes, bridges, and so on. She described the agency's efforts as "expedited relief." She acknowledged though that much of what FEMA is responsible for will be directed at public infrastructure. Much of the relief surrounding homes and businesses will begin with private insurance. Some of the participants were frustrated by the comment and one told Bink he was never able to secure flood insurance through FEMA because he was not in the flood plain. He described the scene at his property as dire as the bank erodes out from under his buildings. Answers about immediate funding, beginning repairs and payroll insurance were not immediately clear Friday. The governor assured those present his administration was working to reduce red tape, expedite unemployment insurance and help small businesses stay afloat. As Bink answered questions about funding and recovery, Gianforte chimed in with a moment of levity. "So, what I hear is you have the ability to waive the red tape," Gianforte joked. "The other thing I heard is you'll waive the red tape and pay for it." The room laughed. It was a light-hearted moment in an otherwise down to business and reverent meeting. Many present in the room wanted to be heard by those in charge. A rancher pointed out the road to Mammoth was only one of two into the park and that many locals were more than capable of using the access road to Mammoth. Generally many wanted to see the "old stage coach road" to Mammoth opened sooner. One member of the audience called the closures "the heavy hand of authority" impeding their lives. A plan to open Yellowstone's north side was not immediately clear Friday, but the superintendent told crowds he expected the southern loop of Yellowstone could open as soon as next week. Superintendent of Yellowstone National Park Cam Sholly pushed back. "First of I disagree with the heavy handed comment," he said, adding crews were working to shore up the road and make it safe for travelers and that each car on the road only forces those improvements to take longer. He urged patience and understanding as the park looked to make improvements in a safe and proper manner. But he added sort of cryptically about the long-term plan, "I think you're going to like it." Others offered up creative ways for people around Gardiner to still enjoy the park without the roads. Richard Parks, owner of Parks' Fly Shop on Second Street, told Sholly he wanted to know when he could guide fly fishing trips into the backcountry and up river by foot. Parks arrived in Gardiner in 1953 at the age of 10. It was the year his dad opened the fly shop and he's been a boy, a guide and an owner there ever since. He had no plans to quit now. Sholly said the park was evaluating the backcountry trails and bridges on the park's north end but said when it was possible they would be open for use. In the meantime the hundreds to thousands of miles of backcountry trails in the Park and the National Forest Service land surrounding the park are still closed to visitation until further notice. The mood of the usually bustling tourist town was stark as well. Much of Main and Second streets were deserted. Almost none of the businesses were open, save for Parks' Fly Shop and the gas station. Montana Sen. Steve Daines, Park County Sheriff Brad Bichler, Sholly and Patrick Lonergan the head of a multi-county emergency incident command team were also in attendance. Their message was the same as everyone else's and they called on roads to be fixed, boat ramps to be repaired and the park to be open for business even though the timing of a true tourism season seemed distant. But the owner of Dino Lube in Gardiner, Jeff Gingrich, summed it up best. This disaster was something even he had never seen but there are still a lot of reasons to visit Gardiner without the park. "Yeah, it's a dead end," Gingrich said, "but it's a great dead end." Superintendent Sholly said that the reopening of the less damaged southern loop of Yellowstone is subject to a couple of repairs that need to be done. If you told me wed be where we are today on Monday Id say no way. Weve made a lot of good progress. Its been a team effort. Gardiner is resilient, as are the gateway communities around the park, Sholly told the Gardiner crowd. Weve gotten a lot done in five days. We have a lot more to do. Love 4 Funny 4 Wow 2 Sad 0 Angry 5 In the last few days, rivers in south-central and southwest Montana have risen to unprecedented levels, wreaking havoc on the communities along their banks. Images and videos of houses and bridges being washed away in rising floodwaters have populated social media sites. Whole communities in the area are isolated without any road access to them. Law enforcement and government agencies are still conducting search and rescue operations in the region. Runoff from the Beartooth mountains turned Rock Creek into a raging torrent almost overnight Monday. Flood damage at the headwaters of the Yellowstone River in Yellowstone national park caused road washouts, bridge failures, rockslides and mudslides. The Yellowstone River crested at just over 49,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) at Corwin Springs in the upper Paradise Valley on Monday, shattering its previous records of 32,200 set in June 1996. Wiping out all roads to Gardiner leaving huge crowds of travelers and residents trapped in the mountain town. Downstream, floodwaters reached Livingston where the hospital was evacuated and Billings, forcing the city to shut down its water treatment plant. While many questions remain, on this episode Brett French, outdoors editor for the Billings Gazette discusses what we do know about Montanas current high water crisis. This podcast is created in partnership across five newsrooms the Billings Gazette, the Helena Independent Record, the Missoulian, the Montana Standard and the Ravalli-Republic. You can support this podcast and our efforts by subscribing. Visit any of these newspapers websites, and click on the Become a Member button at the top of the home page. We appreciate your support of local journalism. Thom Bridge can be reached at thom.bridge@helenair.com Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 2 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. By Azernews By Ayya Lmahamad European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Oliver Varhelyi held a meeting with Azerbaijan's State Oil Company officials, Azernews reports. During the meeting, they discussed the issue of bringing more gas from diverging sources to Europe. "Productive discussion with [email protected]_pipeline and [email protected] about bringing more gas from diverging sources to Europe and its neighborhood to increase the diversification of our gas supply routes," Varhelyi wrote on his official Twitter page. The current geopolitical situation in the world has shown that Europe cannot be completely dependent on a single gas supplier. In this regard, it is no coincidence that Europe lists Azerbaijan among the countries from where it is potentially possible to increase supplies if needed. The prospects for expansion of the Southern Gas Corridor are assessed positively. Taking into account Azerbaijans proven gas potential, it is possible to say that the capacity of the Southern Gas Corridor will be increased and Azerbaijan will increase its gas exports to Europe. To recall, with the completion of the TAP (Trans-Adriatic Pipeline) construction on December 31, 2020, Azerbaijan began commercial gas supplies to Europe via the Southern Gas Corridor. The European Commission's Southern Gas Corridor initiative aims to build a natural gas supply route from the Caspian and Middle Eastern regions to Europe. The route from Azerbaijan to Europe consists of the South Caucasus Pipeline, the Trans-Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP), and TAP. Last year, TAP transported 8.1 billion cubic meters of gas to Europe. By late 2022, Azerbaijan plans to increase gas supplies to Europe to 9.1 billion cubic meters, and in 2023, the volume of gas supplies is expected to reach 11 billion cubic meters. Gov. Greg Gianforte's office said he will be back in the state by Thursday night, returning from an international trip amid historic flooding in Montana. Gianforte's return comes as President Joe Biden on Thursday issued a disaster declaration for the state of Montana, making federal funding available in response to damage caused by widespread flooding in Carbon, Park and Stillwater counties. The state's request for federal assistance on Wednesday pegged damage to transportation infrastructure at $29 million and noted the risk to more than $250 million in annual economic impacts from tourism in the region. Gianforte was out of the country as heavy rainfall and higher-than-normal snowpack generated record flooding in southern Montana beginning Sunday. Impacts continue to be felt throughout the region, with residents displaced from homes, roads still impassable and the potential for rivers and creeks to rise again as temperatures climb throughout the state. The governor's office did not notify the public that the governor was not in the country and the first indication he was gone was when an executive order issued Tuesday declaring a statewide disaster bore Lt. Gov. Kristen Juras' signature as "acting governor." The governor's office has declined to say where the governor was during the past week, but spokesperson Travis Hall said in an email Tuesday that Gianforte and his wife, Susan, left the country Saturday. "For security reasons, we do not share the governors location while he is out of the country," Hall wrote. "We will share more information when he and the first lady have returned." Hall declined in a follow-up email to elaborate on those "security reasons." Gianforte is scheduled to travel to Gardiner to tour flood damage in the area, where an estimated 10,000 people were temporarily stranded by floodwaters and washed-out roads. The northern entrance to Yellowstone National Park is closed, and is expected to remain so "for a substantial amount of time," according to the National Park Service. Gianforte will also receive a briefing from national and state officials while he's there, according to a press release issued Thursday. Gianforte's office does regularly provide a schedule to the media for planning purposes noting his public events and their locations. Neither of his schedules on Friday or Monday mentioned his travel plans, which his office has since referred to as a "personal trip." The schedule Monday stated only, "The governor has no public events scheduled this week." Gianforte spokesperson Brooke Stroyke issued a statement to news outlets Thursday morning saying "the governor is scheduled to return to Montana tonight." On Wednesday Stroyke told the press the governor was coming back to the state earlier than planned. The governor is being regularly briefed on the response to the flooding, his office said previously. Juras was scheduled to provide remarks at a press conference Thursday in Red Lodge, which has borne some of the worst impacts from the rising waters. Hall on Thursday provided a copy of an email sent late Monday morning by Gianforte to Juras, delegating "authority to act on my behalf in response to the flooding in Montana." That's allowed for under a provision of the state Constitution. Stroyke said previously that Gianforte verbally authorized the disaster declaration Monday and then asked Juras to formally issue it on his behalf Tuesday. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 15 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. Rawlins, Wyoming will host a Pride Month celebration for the first time this Saturday. The event, dubbed the First Annual Love is Love Pride Festival, is set for Saturday at the Jeffrey Memorial Community Center in Rawlins. The Pride Fair is set to begin at 6 p.m., showcasing health, wellness and other educational resources alongside vendors, food, games and live music. An event listing says attendees will also be able to have professional photos taken. The fair is open to all ages, and free to attend. At 8 p.m., the celebration is set to shift to a Pride glow dance for people 21 years old and over (IDs will be checked, the listing says). A cash bar, raffle prizes and more live music are planned for the dance, set to last until 11 p.m. Local businesses and nonprofits including Ohana Sips, Platte Vape Co., Anongs Thai Cuisine, KnoWyo, Carbon County Public Health and Pro-Choice Wyoming are sponsoring or hosting booths at the festival. According to the events social media, the health department plans to offer on-site STI testing and health information and will be conducting anonymous surveys to better serve the community. The organizers mission, according to the event listing, is to encourage peaceful coexistence through educational, entertaining, and positive events with heavy focus on the contemporary problems facing the LGBTQIA+ community. Pride celebrations are a relatively recent phenomenon for most of Wyoming, which legalized gay marriage in 2014. Cheyenne, the capital, didnt host a Pride event until 2017. Caspers Pride weekend began in 2016, Sheridans first Pride March took place in 2019 and Evanston held its first Pride parade last year. Organizers received some social media backlash when the event was announced in January, said festival founder Nathan Fryar in an email to the Star-Tribune on Tuesday. One person said they wanted to plan a straight pride celebration the day after, while others worried the event wouldnt be suitable for children. Fryar said Rawlins Police Chief Mike Ward committed to investigate any online harassment. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 When a pack of alt-right wing whackadoos decide to load up into a U-haul in Couer D Alene, Idaho, to interfere with a Pride Celebration, the gasp heard around the Mountain West should ring as loud as my voice when I belt out George Strait tunes. Its shocking that in 2022, there are people who still harbor disdain for the fact that gay folk exist and desire the same freedoms as straight folks. Ironically, the same folks that wear Dont tread on me T-shirts seek to tread on others who dont share their viewpoints. In a state where Oro y Plata is as representative of Montanans as the phrase live and let live, and where women had their right to vote recognized before the federal government came around, the behavior of the U-haul bandits makes as much sense as renting a U-haul when an Uber or carpool to the event would suffice. Shock should pulse through our veins when we see cancel culture leftists protesting Supreme Court justices at their homes versus the courthouse steps based upon perception of a forthcoming legal decision. They seek to bully (or kill off) conservative justices, and they are inspired to do so by high ranking government officials. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer carelessly stated at a courthouse protest that conservative justices will pay the priceyou wont know what hit you if you go forward with these awful decisions. There can be only one price Schumer desires the Justices to pay since their jobs are lifetime appointments for which no impeachment can occur related to legal decision making. Schumer takes zero personal accountability for these inciting statements, and instead of holding Schumer accountable, his supporters run toward equivalency, downplaying Schumers statements as not as bad as statements made by former President Trump. But we arent shocked; these antics have come to be an expected response. Both the far left and far right are bullies, seeking to cancel anyone with an alternate view. Voters used to keep these bullies out of government. When voters began to embrace and elect those with low emotional intelligence over statesmen and women with a modicum of self-control, we normalized what should otherwise be shocking and deviant behavior. We have a State Superintendent of Public Instruction who violates the laws she advocates for and expects all of us to be pacified by her admonition to observe the law that she herself failed to observe. By pleading no contest to the charge of failing to stop for a school bus, Superintendent Arntzen follows a burgeoning line of elected officials who carelessly violate Montana law, take no accountability and expect the voting public to condone their behavior. And the truth is, we do condone their behavior, trashing the Republican platform and its principles every time we vote for self-proclaimed Republicans who knowingly and recently violate Montana law. Greg Gianforte assaults a reporter, lies to the public about it, then pleads guilty because he was caught on tape and is rewarded with a both a congressional and a gubernatorial seat. Troy Downing condemns our Montana heritage by violating multiple hunting laws, blames FWP law enforcement for his own admitted-to violations and obtains a seat as State Auditor. Sen. Jason Ellsworth uses his position to bully a cop, lies about a meeting with Gianforte to violate Montana speed laws in construction zones, and obtains re-election. The Montana Legislature violated Montana law by selling historical chairs to themselves versus a public auction with zero consequence despite multiple complaints filed with the supposed watchdogs of Montana government. Make no mistake, when the crime statistics for Montana are released, these republicans will blame leftist policies rather than the fact that as leaders they exemplify and thereby promote the behavior they condemn. When deviant behavior is normalized, deviance increases. Increases in crime are expected results from a society whose leadership embraces deviant behavior. No one in Montana should be surprised that criminals now feel empowered to seek elected office in Montana, as they did in multiple legislative primaries. Leaders dont exist without followers, and our leaders have normalized deviant behavior. None of us should be surprised at the disappointment or consequences that follow. Tammi Fisher is an attorney, former mayor of Kalispell and the host of the Montana Values Podcast. Love 5 Funny 4 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0 Republican voters have nominated a state lawmaker to be North Dakotas next secretary of state. Michael Howe bested Marvin Lepp 68% to 32% in Tuesdays primary, with 307 of 398 precincts fully reporting as of 11 p.m. The Associated Press declared Howe the winner. "It's quite the honor to get an overwhelming amount of support from Republicans across North Dakota tonight," Howe said. "Excited to move on to the next chapter in the campaign and on to November." Howe, of West Fargo, has been a state representative since 2016. The Casselton-area farmer sits on the powerful House Appropriations Committee. Republicans endorsed him for secretary in April. Lepp is a service adviser at a family owned dealership in Bismarck. Howe will face Democrat Jeffrey Powell in the November general election. A Democrat has run the secretary of state's office only from 1989-92. Powell was not challenged in the Democratic-NPL primary. Longtime Republican incumbent Al Jaeger is not seeking reelection. The secretary of state's annual salary is $114,486. The two Republican primary candidates touted distinct backgrounds for the office. Howe cited his business and farming background and legislative experience in his bid. He said he wanted the secretary of state's office to play a role in helping the state's economy diversify, being a "front door" for new businesses. He also said office technology should be modernized. Lepp touted his background in his candidacy, having "worn a lot of hats over the years" and being "very detail-orientated." He said he would focus on streamlining business registration and other office functions. The candidates had different views about election integrity. Lepp said his "first and foremost" priority would be election integrity, or "the actual evaluation of our elections to make sure that every county, every precinct is run with the same manner." Howe said, "We have to gain the public's trust back in our election process." He called North Dakota's voting system "a great process" and advocated for education about the state's election administration. The secretary of state office has 33 employees and a two-year budget of about $14 million. It oversees elections, tracks campaign spending reports, registers lobbyists, and licenses businesses, home inspectors, contractors, notaries public, nonprofit groups and other organizations. It maintains a central indexing system of liens against crops, real estate and other property and is a repository for trademarks and trade names. Reach Jack Dura at 701-250-8225 or jack.dura@bismarcktribune.com. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. A relief fund set up for North Dakota ranchers in the wake of a string of severe April snowstorms during the heart of calving season is now accepting aid applications and nominations. A three-day blizzard in mid-April dropped 2-3 feet of snow over a wide area, and an Easter Sunday storm that followed added several inches more, along with heavy rain in many other areas. A late-month blizzard dumped another 1 to 1 feet of snow in the west and also brought freezing rain to the region. The counties of Ward, Mountrail, Golden Valley, Billings and Stark had estimated losses of more than 10% of their 2021 cattle inventory. Most other western counties had estimated losses of up to 5% of their cattle inventory, according to a North Dakota State University study. Ranchers also suffered widespread damage to buildings and fences. And they'd been dealing with the effects of devastating drought for more than a year. The North Dakota Stockmen's Association and its Foundation launched the Hope After Haley Disaster Relief Fund in late April with $40,000 in funding and invited donations. The fund's total has since nearly tripled. All of the money will go to ranchers in need. "Our goal is to help our producers recoup and reclaim hope after a very challenging year, said McVille rancher Dan Rorvig, the Stockmen's Foundation president. Ranchers can download application and nomination forms at http://www.ndstockmen.org/foundation/hopeafterhaley/. Nomination forms can be used to submit the names and information of producers who could use assistance but not apply for themselves. Applications and nominations can be sent to the Hope After Haley Disaster Relief Fund, c/o North Dakota Stockmens Association and Foundation, 407 S. 2nd St., Bismarck, ND 58504. The deadline is Aug. 1. Cattle-ranching families give their all to care for their livestock every day, and we want to do all we can to care for them in their time of need as well, said New Rockford rancher Jeff Schafer, the Stockmen's Association president. For more information about the relief fund, go to the website or call 701-223-2522. Drought update Drought has become nearly nonexistent in North Dakota, thanks to the wet spring highlighted by the April storms. Only 7% of the state -- a strip along the western border -- is considered abnormally dry this week, and there are no areas in moderate, severe, extreme or exceptional drought, according to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor map, released Thursday. A year ago all of the state was in some form of drought, with more than two-thirds of it in extreme or exceptional drought, the two worst categories. The improvement is due to the ample precipitation in recent months. For example, Bismarck was in extreme drought at this time last year. But the city so far this year has received nearly 2 times more precipitation than it did over the same period in 2021, according to National Weather Service data. The most recent crop report from the National Agricultural Statistics Service shows that the soggy spring continues to impact farmers, with the planting of all major crops still lagging behind the average pace. Crop report But farmers are making strides. About three-fourths of the state's staple spring wheat crop is seeded, up from about half planted last week. And soil moisture is plentiful. The crop report rates topsoil moisture supplies statewide as 95% adequate or surplus, and subsoil moisture as 92% in those categories. A year ago, those percentages were 16% and 20%, respectively. North Dakota pasture and range conditions also have improved dramatically, with 63% being rated good to excellent. Stockwater supplies are 92% in those categories. Last year at this time, the percentages were 8% and 26%, respectively. The U.S. Drought Monitor is a partnership of the National Drought Mitigation Center, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 A bird flu outbreak in the U.S. that led to the deaths of more than 40 million chickens and turkeys and contributed to a spike in egg and meat prices appears to be waning, but experts caution the virus hasn't disappeared and worry another surge could take hold this fall. The Department of Agriculture isn't ready to say the outbreak is winding down, but some state agriculture and industry officials are optimistic the end is near as hot weather spreads across the country. The cost of the outbreak is still being tallied but the USDA has already approved $793 million in additional funding this year. State wildlife officials have confirmed a mountain lion sighting in a residential area of central Bismarck, and police are searching for the animal. A home security camera captured video of the animal about 5 a.m. Thursday, according to Stephanie Tucker, furbearer biologist with the North Dakota Game and Fish Department. The home was in the 1000 block of North First Street. "I would say it was either a young male or a female -- that would put it in the range of a small lion," she said. Bismarck police were leading the investigation. Four officers including an animal control officer were looking for the lion in the 1000 block of North Fourth Street after a sighting there about 12:30 p.m. Friday, Lt. Luke Gardiner said. Tucker said residents should be alert but not worried, as mountain lions tend to shy away from people. "There's never been an attack of a mountain lion on a person in North Dakota," she said. "That doesn't mean it can't happen." She offered this advice for anyone who comes into direct contact with a lion: "Make yourself big (by raising arms), yell, back away slowly." It's impossible to say where the lion might be headed. "Mountain lions frequently wander into towns in North Dakota and other states. This is not unusual," Tucker said. "I'm sure it's trying to get out of the predicament it got itself in. It took a wrong turn and came into town." It's possible that the lion is seeking new territory. Mountain lions can have litters year-round, but there's typically a birth peak in July and August, "so it would make sense they would kick last year's litter out at this time of year," Tucker said. The last known mountain lion in Bismarck city limits was in January 2019. Police officers shot and killed the male animal near Municipal Ballpark to eliminate any danger to the public. Police also shot and killed a male lion behind the former Home Depot building in north Bismarck in November 2009. Game and Fish will not translocate a lion from city limits, according to Tucker. If the lion spotted Thursday surfaces again and is deemed by police to be a safety risk, "ultimately that lion will be killed," she said. (Reporter Alex Kautzman contributed to this story.) Reach News Editor Blake Nicholson at 701-250-8266 or blake.nicholson@bismarcktribune.com. Love 3 Funny 2 Wow 2 Sad 8 Angry 17 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. LOS ANGELES The parents of an 18-year-old from North Dakota have obtained a protective order against The Flash star Ezra Miller, adding another scandal for the embattled actor to contend with. But the teens parents and law enforcement are having a hard time locating Miller to serve the actor with the order, which accuses Miller of physically and emotionally abusing and grooming the teen. Attorney and activist Chase Iron Eyes and his wife, Sara Jumping Eagle, petitioned the Standing Rock Sioux tribal court on a reservation in North Dakota to issue an order of protection for their child, Tokata Iron Eyes. They accuse the 29-year-old Justice League star of psychologically manipulating, physically intimidating and endangering the safety and welfare of Tokata Iron Eyes, according to court documents obtained by the Los Angeles Times. A tribal court judge approved the interim order, but the Court cannot locate or serve Miller, according to a copy of the petition. In a phone interview with the L.A. Times, Chase Iron Eyes said he and the court have no idea of knowing where Tokata and Ezra are to gain help from other jurisdictions to serve or enforce the order, which bars Miller from contacting or harassing Tokata and Chase Iron Eyes and Jumping Eagle for 30 days. Miller is also ordered to stay 100 yards away from the familys residence during that time. The court set a hearing for July 12 to allow Tokata and Miller to appear and weigh in, Iron Eyes said. According to the domestic-violence protection order, the court will grant the relief requested in the petition for a restraining order if Miller, who is nonbinary and uses they/them pronouns, doesnt appear at the hearing. It cites the federal Violence Against Women Act, which gives the order broad jurisdiction nationwide. They move around so much (that) were stuck in this legal limbo situation, and we cant serve them in any place theyre in long enough, Chase Iron Eyes told the L.A. Times. Theyve been flighty. Theyve been avoiding service, and now theres public pressure mounting on them to make a decision, which makes us very concerned about Ezras volatile nature. ... Were working very hard to get this order enforced wherever they are. Representatives for Miller did not respond to the L.A. Times request for comment. Although Tokata is 18, the parents are still considered the teens legal guardians under tribal court rules, Chase Iron Eyes said. The family said its been working for months and in multiple states to get Tokata to leave Miller so that Tokata can be their beautiful independent self. The family has previously tried to obtain a temporary guardianship for Tokata, as well as an order for a mental health evaluation in Vermont, where Miller has a home, according to documents reviewed by The Times. The familys petition said that they tried to serve Tokata in Vermont three times in May and also tried to serve the teen in California in late May. Iron Eyes and Jumping Eagle went to Santa Monica for a wellness check then, the petition said, and while there, Jumping Eagle alleged that Miller assaulted her. Jumping Eagle filed an incident report with the Santa Monica Police Department. Tokata needs help without Ezras interference. Ezra is a 29-year-old person who needs to get help on their own path and not interfere with Tokatas development as their own person, Jumping Eagle, who is a pediatrician, told the L.A. Times in a joint interview with her husband. Iron Eyes told the L.A. Times that he and his wife first met Miller when the actor got involved in projects that the Sioux tribe was working on for the LandBack Reclamation Movement. Tokata and Miller allegedly met at the Standing Rock Reservation in North Dakota in 2016 when Tokata was 12 and Miller was 23. Miller allegedly exhibited a pattern of corrupting a minor, the familys petition said. According to the petition, Miller established contact with Tokata Iron Eyes under the pretense of assisting the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe during the NoDAPL (No Dakota Access Pipeline) movement ... and took an immediate and apparently innocent liking to Tokata Iron Eyes. However, as the relationship developed, Tokatas parents grew concerned for Tokatas safety and mental well-being and accused Miller of displaying cult-like and psychologically manipulative, controlling behavior, according to the petition. In the petition, they also accuse the Fantastic Beasts star of giving Tokata alcohol and drugs, such as marijuana and LSD, and flying Tokata to London, Vermont, New York, California and Hawaii. (Earlier this year, Miller had run-ins with the law in Hawaii; they pleaded no contest after an altercation at a bar in March, and Miller was arrested on suspicion of second-degree assault in April.) Tokatas parents said they allowed the teen to fly to London with Miller, along with other tribal members, for the Fantastic Beasts premiere in 2017. While there, Miller allegedly tried to sleep in the same bed as the then-14-year-old Tokata and was prevented from doing so by a chaperone who accompanied them on the trip, according to the petition. Ezra uses violence, intimidation, threat of violence, fear, paranoia, delusions, and drugs to hold sway over a young adolescent Tokata, said the filing, which listed several alleged incidents of impropriety. Tokatas parents said their child previously identified as nonbinary, queer, gay and that Ezra has decided that Tokata is nonbinary transgender, the filing said. Jumping Eagle said if anybody questions Ezras actions, Ezra says theyre being racist or transphobic, which is not the case in our case. Its about not hurting people. Dont take advantage of people. Iron Eyes and Jumping Eagle also alleged that Miller offered to pay for Tokata to attend college at age 16 at Bard College at Simons Rock in Massachusetts. They said Miller would later use this against Tokata to create a sense of indebtedness. The familys petition also cites footage obtained by TMZ during Millers alleged altercations in Hawaii that shows Tokata present with Miller. In the same document, Tokatas parents accuse Miller of sexual predatory behavior and using multiple social media accounts to threaten and gaslight any victims and truth from coming out. An Instagram account that the family said belongs to Tokata issued 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 Ive needed space and time for the processing of grief, the statement said. My comrade Ezra Miller for the entirety of the aforementioned era has only provided loving support and invaluable protection throughout this period of loss. The statement also said that Tokatas fathers accusations hold no weight and are frankly transphobic and accuse him of emotional and psychological manipulation. Jumping Eagle told the L.A. Times that Tokata hasnt had a phone for some time and that she doubts Tokata wrote the Monday statement. She also alleges that Miller has control of Tokatas Instagram account and that the statement is written in language shes heard Miller use. Tokata then appeared in an Instagram video on that same account Thursday to clarify [that the statements] are directly from me and that nobody else is controlling Tokatas Instagram account. (The person running the @tokatawin account on Instagram did not reply to the L.A. Times request for comment.) Its really distressing that the narrative of the victim in question is not being granted any trust. I worked really hard to make really clear what was going on, Tokata said in the video, adding that its nobodys business and that no one is owed a story or an outcome. This is my life. These are my decisions, and Im disappointed in my parents and the press in every way. When is Ezra going to talk? If Tokata is in charge of her own destiny then she will determine to come back to Standing Rock to reclaim her credibility, Chase Iron Eyes told the L.A. Times after Tokatas latest video was posted. Same goes for Ezra. Meanwhile, Warner Bros. long-anticipated film The Flash, which stars Miller as the titular hero, is set for release on June 23. Its unclear how much Miller will participate in the lead-up to it. Representatives for the studio did not respond Thursday to the L.A. Times request for comment. Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 1 Sad 1 Angry 0 South Dakota senators are staying silent on how they will vote as they weigh whether to remove Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg from office for his conduct surrounding a 2020 fatal car crash. Most say they will be impartial, likening themselves to jurors or judges who must give a fair hearing to an ordeal that has fractured the states Republican Party and galvanized public opinion. But the circumstances surrounding the two-day trial may have already tipped some of them. The senators have had copious evidence from the crash investigation and a House impeachment investigation, but little from Ravnsborg's side. It's not clear whether he will testify. Cold case investigators have identified human remains found 45 years ago in Washington as belonging to a Standing Rock Sioux tribal member. Blaine Has Tricks disappeared in 1977 at the age of 38. He had hopped a train with his brother, Clayton "Ross" Has Tricks, to Spokane, Washington, and gone transient in the state, according to the Snohomish County Sheriff's Office. He was last known to be in the Spokane area in February 1977. His brother returned home to North Dakota, but he was never heard from again and was not reported missing. On Sept. 7, 1977, a bulldozer operator discovered human remains in the Marysville, Washington, landfill. Investigators determined that the refuse in the landfill had come from business dumpsters in downtown Seattle. It's not known how or when Has Tricks ended up in Seattle. Authorities classified the death as a homicide after an autopsy. The cause of death was undetermined due to trauma to the body from being transported to the landfill, and from the bulldozing processes there. The body was buried at the Marysville Cemetery that year. In 2008, Sheriffs Office Detective Jim Scharf and retired Snohomish County Superior Court Judge Ken Cowsert began reexamining old unsolved homicide and unidentified person cases in Snohomish County. The body was exhumed in 2011 and DNA samples taken. Several attempts in ensuing years to match bones or teeth with missing people failed. In April 2021, Othram Inc. developed a DNA profile that revealed the decedent was predominantly Native American. The Snohomish County Medical Examiners Office uploaded the Othram DNA profile to GEDmatch and obtained a match at the great-niece level, which allowed the office to work with Native American Genealogist Martha Coleman to build family trees. Through family history and archived newspaper articles, the Medical Examiners Office learned that Blaine Has Tricks was in the Spokane area from 1974 until 1977, after he took a train there. The Bureau of Indian Affairs obtained DNA from three of Blaines relatives. DNA testing of two of them confirmed the identification of Blaine Has Tricks, who was born on May 21, 1939. Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Matt Lacy officially identified the remains. We are thankful for all of the hard work everyone put into getting Blaine identified," nephew Verle Red Tomahawk said. "Others would have given up a long time ago but you didn't. We appreciate your persistence. The last members of Blaine's family are thankful that he was identified and his remains are being sent home to where he belongs. Has Tricks' remains have been returned home to his family in North Dakota. He will be buried at the St. James Catholic Cemetery in Shields. Anyone with information about his activities in 1977 is asked to contact the Snohomish County Sheriffs Office tip line at 425-388-3845. For more information on the case, go to https://bit.ly/3Qq4deM. Love 1 Funny 1 Wow 1 Sad 5 Angry 0 By Azernews By Sabina Mammadli As many as 500,000 tourists arrived in Azerbaijan from January through May 2022, Azernews reports quoting Chairman of the Azerbaijani State Tourism Agency Fuad Naghiyev. According to him, the flights have currently been established to and from Azerbaijan in a number of directions. The flights are supposed to be carried out, particularly to Saudi Arabia and Israel. Meanwhile, new destinations are being prepared. The agency wants to enhance tourism not only in the capital of Azerbaijan but also in the regions of the country, Naghiyev said. Earlier Azerbaijan canceled the requirement for PCR test on COVID-19 for citizens arriving in the country. On February 28, 2020, the country confirmed its first COVID-19 case. On March 25, Azerbaijan implemented a special quarantine mode and implemented a number of measures to combat COVID-19 in the country. The nationwide vaccination is free and voluntary, and it is in accordance with the "Vaccination Strategy Against COVID-19 in Azerbaijan for 2021-2022." The country began vaccinating citizens with China's Sinovac on January 18, AstraZeneca's Vaxzevria vaccine on May 3, Russia's Sputnik V on May 18, and Pfizer from the United States on June 7. From May 10, the country began offering COVID-19 vaccination to citizens over the age of 18. Simultaneously, on August 9, Azerbaijan began issuing vaccination exemption certificates to citizens who have contraindications to coronavirus vaccines approved for use in the country. Two state agencies are set to receive some of the first money for North Dakota from the Federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law passed last fall. The governor-led, six-member Emergency Commission on Friday approved $2.5 million of increased spending authority for the Department of Mineral Resources for its abandoned oil well plugging program. The panel also approved about $1 million for the Department of Environmental Quality to hire four temporary, full-time-equivalent employees to administer future funding for drinking water projects and to handle new federal requirements on lead and copper water lines. The board's state House members objected to the original request for six temporary employees, seeing that discussion as more appropriate for the next legislative session in 2023. The panel pared the six employees to four for the agency's director to place where he deems best. Both agencies need final approval from the Legislature's Budget Section, which is set to meet June 28. Funding potential Most state agencies are still applying for competitive grants or awaiting guidance on the $1.2 trillion infrastructure package, according to Office of Management and Budget Director Joe Morrissette. The Legislative Council, lawmakers' nonpartisan fiscal and legal research agency, is monitoring the infrastructure package's implementation and when and how much North Dakota may receive, according to Legislative Budget Analyst & Auditor Allen Knudson. An April memo outlines a preliminary estimate that North Dakota could have available to it more than $1.1 billion of potential new money from the bill over the next five years, in addition to $1.3 billion in reauthorized, regular funding to the state in that same time frame. Well plugging Mineral Resources' funding is part of a $25 million grant; $22.5 million will go into the Abandoned Oil and Gas Well Plugging and Site Restoration Fund, not needing commission approval because of a continuing appropriation already authorized by state law. The program begun in 2020 plugged 380 wells using $66 million of federal CARES Act coronavirus aid; 186 wells remain. The $22.5 million will be used to fund contract work for well plugging and reclamation costs for the remaining wells, Morrissette said. The $2.5 million is to administer the program, he said. North Dakota's program became a model for a $4.7 billion national effort covered by the federal infrastructure package, to address thousands of abandoned wells in other states, according to Mineral Resources Director Lynn Helms. "It'll be a series of three to four grants that we'll be coming to talk to you about; this is the first," Helms told the panel. Spending limits Gov. Doug Burgum raised the issue of spending caps on the Emergency Commission, limits the 2021 Legislature imposed after gobs of federal coronavirus aid flowed through the six-person panel in 2020 with little input from state lawmakers. The board can't approve in aggregate more than $50 million in federal funds or $20 million in special funds every two years without approval of the full Legislature. The special funds limit was initially $5 million, but the Legislature approved a stopgap $20 million cap last fall after the caps raised concerns last summer. The caps might complicate federal money set to flow to North Dakota in coming years, especially large sums, and potentially put at risk competitive grant opportunities, according to the governor. "I'm sure that the intention was well meaning of somehow making sure that there was appropriate oversight on funds, but the ability to receive federal funds that are being distributed by the federal government is one thing that we probably shouldn't be handcuffing ourselves on, relative to other states," Burgum told the panel. The board has 74% of its federal spending authority and 18% of its special funds authority remaining halfway through this budget cycle, according to Morrissette. Small sums The governor also said he'd "like to see" that Morrissette as state budget director be allowed to approve minimal funding requests, such as $5,000 for the state School for the Blind that the Emergency Commission approved Friday. That amount "shouldn't constitute the gathering of six elected officials," Burgum said. The board comprises the governor, secretary of state and four key lawmakers, who met Friday in person and by videoconference. "We ought to let OMB just approve these kinds of changes if they're this small, and not have to have them come before the Emergency Commission," Burgum said, directing his comments as "an ask for change in authority going forward." The Emergency Commission is set to see huge turnover after the November election, when there will be a new secretary of state and new legislative majority leaders and appropriations committee chairs. Burgum will continue to chair the panel. Reach Jack Dura at 701-250-8225 or jack.dura@bismarcktribune.com. 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. Im still trying to get my head around it. Im very appreciative of all the support from the community to allow me to serve them. -- Accountant Mike Schmitz, after easily unseating incumbent Steve Bakken in the Bismarck mayor race. q q q We fixed a lot of things. We made hard decisions that had to be made. -- Steve Bakken on his tenure as Bismarck mayor, after being defeated by challenger Mike Schmitz in his reelection bid. q q q "When you look at production only one word comes to mind, and that is 'wow.' A 20% drop, and of course that is entirely due to the back-to-back blizzards we experienced." -- State Mineral Resources Director Lynn Helms, describing a plunge in North Dakota oil production in April due to devastating storms. Daily production dropped below 1 million barrels for the first time in two years. q q q "Here's your $5,000 flyer, Dakota Leadership PAC -- up in smoke." -- Rep. Jeff Magrum, R-Hazelton, burning Dakota Leadership PAC flyers that advocated for his opponent, after winning his District 8 primary race. Dakota Leadership PAC is largely funded by wealthy Gov. Doug Burgum's hefty donations. q q q "It's quite the honor to get an overwhelming amount of support from Republicans across North Dakota tonight. Excited to move on to the next chapter in the campaign and on to November." -- State Rep. Michael Howe, of West Fargo, after winning the GOP nomination for secretary of state. q q q I believe I work alongside the most talented group of attorneys in the state. Theyre committed to the pursuit of justice. -- Veteran federal prosecutor Jennifer Puhl, after being sworn in as the interim U.S. attorney for North Dakota and becoming the first woman to hold the position of U.S. attorney in the state. q q q He admits he committed the murders, but states that it would not have happened if the police and others would have stopped his father from abusing him. Neugebauer cannot be completely rehabilitated until he admits and takes responsibility for the entirety of the crime and his actions. -- South Central District Judge Bobbi Weiler, refusing to reduce the life sentences of Michael Neugebauer, who pleaded guilty as a teenager to the 1992 shooting deaths of four family members near Menoken. q q q "I've put hundreds of hours in out on the water chasing this record the last 10 years. I was a little worried -- I'd gotten so close before. I did everything I could as fast as I could to get that fish to the scale. I didn't feel relief until I had that certified ticket. I was real happy. The first thing I did was text my wife, 'I got the record!'" -- Bismarck angler Mitch Estabrook, after catching a state record 60-pound, 8-ounce buffalo fish. q q q They have done everything they can to make sure that everybody is well protected. -- Kurt Rhea, radiation safety officer for Secure Energy Services, whose 13-Mile Landfill near Williston has been approved by the state to accept radioactive oilfield waste. q q q If they are dumb enough in Montana to take it, we should keep sending it there." -- Darrell Dorgan, a member of the North Dakota Energy Industry Waste Coalition watchdog group, after state regulators approved a permit for a landfill north of Williston that aims to become the state's first to accept radioactive oilfield waste. q q q Cattle-ranching families give their all to care for their livestock every day, and we want to do all we can to care for them in their time of need as well. -- New Rockford rancher Jeff Schafer, president of the North Dakota Stockmen's Association, which has helped raise more than $100,000 for rancher aid in the wake of devastating April blizzards. q q q "Those fawns that hit the ground in 2021 -- though it was a smaller cohort than normal -- milder winter weather conditions led to higher survival in both the fawns and adults." -- Bruce Stillings, big game management supervisor for the North Dakota Game and Fish Department, on a positive spring mule deer survey following a disappointing fall survey amid devastating drought. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The tiny region of North Bougainville in Papua New Guinea may not be on many peoples radars, but it could hold the key to the West staving off further Chinese aggression in the Pacific. But the West will need help. Enter the Catholic Church. [] It was the Cold War, and Portugals empire was collapsing. The dictatorial regime established by Antonio de Oliveira Salazar was enduring a revolution, and thus the once great colonial enterprise that ruled some of the great ports of Africa, the Americas, and Asia was falling. By the end of the 1970s, only one small Asian port remained of the once mighty empire: Macau. But unlike with other NATO members, the U.S., the U.K., and others did not come to the defense of Portugal, even in its fight against communist rebels in places such as Mozambique, Angola, Guinea-Bissau, and Sao Tome and Principe. Worse yet for Catholics was the fact that NATO would not and Portugal could not fend off the Indonesian invaders in the former Portuguese colony now called East Timor. Why? The reasons were simple. NATO needed Indonesia as an ally against the Soviet Union, and defending East Timor would be detrimental in the quest for control of Southeast Asia. Therefore, the world watched as East Timor received minimal support against the genocide inflicted upon it by the Indonesians, who claimed their struggle was anti-imperialist. Anywhere from 17,000 to 19,000 East Timorese were killed in many executions, while between 80,000 and 180,000 suffered war-related deaths in what would be deemed crimes against humanity. Some estimates put this number as high as 300,000. Despite this reality, when it came time for East Timor to become truly independent in 2002, it chose to align with the West! So how did the West suddenly become a friend? This answer is the Catholic Church. The Catholic Church played a vital role in helping secure East Timorese freedom by delivering shelter, food, clothing, sanctuary, and a common identity in its struggle to establish one of two majority-Catholic sovereign states in the region(the Philippines being the other). The Catholic Church played such a significant role that, if you take out sovereign entities that are run by the church or affiliated with it like the Vatican city-state, no other sovereign state is more Catholic than East Timor: Prewar Catholic numbers were about 20%; now they hover at 96%. It was the work of East Timorese Catholic bishops that helped secure peace and independence, earning one such bishop, Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo, a Nobel Peace Prize (sharing it with current president Jose Ramos-Horta). So why is East Timors Catholic history important today? Simple: The Peoples Republic of China (PRC), which serves as the Pacific regions major oppressor, especially in Southeast Asia and the South China Sea, and most recently in Oceania, has been seeking to conquer new territory for its military, economic, and political sphere of influence. The PRC has been trying to win the war of the Pacific against the U.S. and the Republic of China (Taiwan) by flipping many of the states official recognition of who or what exactly China is from Taiwan to the PRC, as well as attempting to establish control of the waters in these regions via PRC-controlled ports and, potentially, even military bases. The PRC also hopes to disrupt the free waters the U.S. Navy provides via open shipping lanes so as to control more territory and attain more power and money with more places to place military and PRC-aligned companies. This is where the East Timor history lesson comes into play. Earlier this year, the PRC signed a deal with the Solomon Islands that was highly unpopular among the locals. It effectively allows the PRC to set up military bases and send in security when there are disruptions of peace. The Solomon Islands sit almost 2,000 miles from the Australian east coast and share a sea border to the north with Western ally Papua New Guinea (PNG), a country the PRC has already tried to buy off once. But, much like in Indonesia, there is a region within PNG that seeks independence and has fought a revolution already for these goals with very little Western support. And like East Timor, this region is majority Catholic , and its struggle is steeped in Catholic identity, especially in the form of Marian devotions. This Catholic region is the Autonomous Region of North Bougainville, which sits within the northern-most part of the Solomon Archipelago. North Bougainville has a long history of passing through others hands: It was once a German colony that became British and then Australian following WWI. As was the case with East Timor, North Bougainvilles fight for independence from Papua New Guinea started in 1975 with its demand to control land rights via a declaration of independence, while PNG and other regional players like Australia wanted to exploit their land for one of the worlds largest copper mines that doubles as a gold mine. Separatist fervor grew amid many abuses by the PNG forces, leading to an armed revolution from 1988 to 1998, costing more than 10,000 lives, and possibly up to 2,000 lives in direct conflict. The bloodshed became so horrific that PNG called in private mercenaries, which gained sympathy at the very least for North Bougainville and its struggle. This turn of events led to negotiations that established a framework allowing North Bougainville to hold an independence referendum within 20 years, which it did in 2019. More than 98% of the people voted for independence, and it is likely that North Bougainville will become an independent country sometime between 2023 and 2027. Yet, as with East Timor, the West has become ambivalent about the prospects of North Bougainville gaining independence, hoping not to anger Papua New Guinea, as losing them as an ally against PRC interests would be severely dangerous for the region. Enter, once again, the Catholic Church. With the uptick in persecutions of the Catholic Church in the Peoples Republic of China, it has become paramount for the church to fight for its own interests in the Pacific, and that means it must take the Wests side, even if covertly. The goal of the church should be to use its bully pulpit to influence the North Bougainvilleans to enter the Western camp like many of their neighbors in the region, especially the majority-Catholic ones. There are two good reasons for this. First, the Catholic Church should seek the spiritual good of the country, and losing its freedom to worship as it pleases to an extremely repressive and anti-religious regime is certainly not a step in that direction. Therefore, to keep the Catholic Church free and vibrant in North Bougainville, it is imperative the church seek a way for North Bougainville to stay out of the PRCs sphere of influence. And second, North Bougainville is strategically important for the U.S. in its fight to keep the Pacific from falling into the total control of the PRC. Given that it sits north of the Solomon Islands, North Bougainville, in addition to Western-aligned Indonesia, PNG, and Nauru, provides an important strategic defense, cutting off the PRCs potential military presence in the Solomon Islands. The U.S. needs the Catholic Churchs role in civil society to place North Bougainville under the Wests sphere of influence to ensure a wall of separation between the new PRC interference in the Solomon Islands and the PRC itself. The United States, however, cannot do this on its own. If either a newly independent North Bougainville or Papua New Guinea itself falls into PRC control, and the Federated States of Micronesia falls under PRC control, too, then the PRC would become even more threatening to American sovereignty and to the sovereignty of its allies, with Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands providing the last line of defense east of Taiwan, which itself is a key ally of both the U.S. (unofficially) and the Catholic Church via the Holy See (officially). And with the recent crackdowns on Catholic clergy and the church as a whole in the PRC, especially with the recent arrest of Cardinal Zen in Hong Kong, the Catholic Church really needs the American umbrella to continue protecting the Pacific from the Chinese Communist Party. The Pacific Ocean is the worlds largest and most important ocean, featuring the two great world powers, the United States of America and the Peoples Republic of China, as well as most of the worlds shipping and thus free trade. Controlling the Pacific may not be the job of the Catholic Church, but ensuring that Catholics can worship in the Pacific is. Making sure Pacific states retain their Catholic roots may be of no concern to the U.S. and other Western powers, but securing another ally in the region is of paramount importance. Therefore, the Catholic Church and the U.S. should work together to make sure that if North Bougainville does become independent, it falls into Americas and the Wests sphere of influence. And the Catholic Church is the only institution with the widespread clout in North Bougainville that can help secure this foreign policy objective. CNN's new president Chris Licht told management and executive producers he'd like his team to steer away from using the term "Big Lie" when referring to, well, Donald Trump's big lie. You know, the fat fib Trump conjured up in 2020 when he knew his days were numbered. The weighty whopper that, without a shred of evidence, accused the Democrats of stealing the election. Call it what you will, but a big lie is a big lie is a big lie. But Licht doesn't like the term because it "adopts 'branding' favored by the Democratic Party," according to Mediaite. (Well of course it's favored by the Democrats most of the GOP want to believe, or pretend to believe, in the Big Lie and thus don't want to call it a Big Lie.) Instead, Licht would like the news room to use "Trump election lie" or "election lies." From Mediaite: Julian Assange, the alleged sex pest and confirmed poseur upon whom the most shocking relevations of government misconduct in decades were wasted, was nonetheless right about one thing above all others: the reason they prosecuted him there for other things was to get him here on that thing. Today UK Home Secretary Priti Patel gave approval to his extradition to the US, to face absurd "espionage" charges over soliciting and publishing leaked information about U.S. military war crimes. He has 14 days to appeal. In May 2019, while serving a jail sentence in the UK for breaching bail, the US justice department filed 17 charges against Mr Assange for violating the Espionage Act alleging that material obtained by Wikileaks endangered lives. Mr Assange's legal team claimed classified documents published by Wikileaks, which related to the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, exposed US wrongdoing and were in the public interest. Those documents revealed how the US military had killed hundreds of civilians in unreported incidents during the war in Afghanistan, while leaked Iraq war files showed 66,000 civilians had been killed, and prisoners tortured, by Iraqi forces. From the "no duh" files, NORML offers information on a recent study of pot smoking and distracted driving. The study reveals that people who smoke pot on a daily basis drive better when under the influence than occasional users. NORML: Investigators with the University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus and the University of Iowa assessed driving simulated performance in a cohort of frequent and infrequent cannabis consumers. Participants provided their own cannabis, which contained between 15 and 30 percent THC. Following cannabis smoking ad-libitum, subjects completed a series of distracted driving scenarios. Authors reported: "Those with a pattern of occasional use were significantly more likely to experience a lane departure during distraction periods after acute cannabis use relative to baseline, while those with daily use did not exhibit a similar increase." Consistent with other studies, researchers further acknowledged, "Participants with a pattern of daily use decreased their speed, which may be interpreted as a drug effect or as a compensatory strategy." Separate studies have previously reported that repeated cannabis exposure is associated with either partial or even full tolerance in particular domains, including cognitive and psychomotor performance. "A few months ago, a source called with a totally bananas tip," tweeted Daisuke Wakabayashi, a reporter for The New York Times. "An ex-contractor was suing Google, saying he was fired for complaining about a cult-like religious sect that had infiltrated one of its business units. Couldn't be true, right? Read for yourself." I read the Times story (which Wakabayashi wrote with Cade Metz), and it is indeed bananas. It says the leaders of a spiritual sect called the Fellowship of Friends "gained a foothold inside a business unit at Google" and began hiring other Fellowship members, according to a lawsuit filed by a former Google video producer who said he was fired for complaining about the sect. The Times says it "corroborated many of the lawsuit's claims." The Fellowship of Friends is based in a small California town 70 miles north of Sacramento. Between 500-600 members live in or around an "elaborate, 1,200-acre compound full of art and ornate architecture." The members give 10% of their income to the Fellowship, according to the times. The organization was founded in 1970 by a former San Francisco Bay Area schoolteacher named Robert Earl Burton. The Times says Burton "based his teachings on the Fourth Way, a philosophy developed in the early 20th century by a Greek Armenian philosopher and one of his students," but oddly doesn't identify the philosopher as Russian mystic George Gurdjieff or his student P. D. Ouspensky . Mr. Burton based his teachings on the Fourth Way, a philosophy developed in the early 20th century by a Greek Armenian philosopher and one of his students. They believed that while most people moved through life in a state of "waking sleep," a higher consciousness was possible. Drawing on what he described as visits from angelic incarnations of historical figures like Leonardo da Vinci, Johann Sebastian Bach and Walt Whitman, Mr. Burton taught that true consciousness could be achieved by embracing the fine arts. In 1996, The Los Angeles Times reported that Burton was being sued for demanding sex from a 17-year-old boy: Disillusioned former members say the fellowship is more than just another California curiosity. A growing number of themas well as some academicscall it a cult that entraps its mostly well-educated members with a false promise of spiritual evolution. A recently ended lawsuit and accounts from ex-members echo that claim and add another: Burton, they say, has for years seduced young males in the group. The suit and similar allegations by other members have spurred dozens to leave the group. It was brought by a Marin County man who claims Burton first demanded sex from him at age 17. Troy Buzbee, who had asked for $5 million in damages, charged that Burton brainwashes members into a state of "absolute submission," allowing him to feed a "voracious appetite for sexual perversion." The Times reports that Peter Lubbers, "a longtime member of the Fellowship of Friends," runs Google Developer Studio, which produces videos to showcase Google developer tools, and "brought in several other members of the Fellowship, including a video producer named Gabe Pannell." In 2017 and 2018, according to the suit, Mr. Pannell attended video shoots intoxicated and occasionally threw things at the presenter when he was unhappy with a performance. Mr. Pannell said that he did not remember the incidents and that they did not sound like something he would do. He also acknowledged that he'd had problems with alcohol and had sought help. In 2021 Jennings Brown produced a podcast about the Fellowship of Friends for Spotify. From the show description: Ex-members say it's a doomsday cult and that its leader, Robert Earl Burton, preys on his followers. On October 20, 2018, journalist Jennings Brown was at the Fellowship's extravagant compound, observing the final black-tie dinner before the end of the world. Robert had predicted the apocalypse was going to begin the next morning and Jennings wanted to report on the community as it prepared for a global catastrophe. But Jennings soon realized the end-times prophecy was just the beginning of the story. He'd spend the next three years investigating the Fellowship and its dark secrets. Bananas. While sentencing anti-vaxxer and Capitol insurrectionist Dr. Simone Gold to 12 months of supervised release after 60-days in prison, U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper also castigated her for using the riots as a fundraiser for her anti-vax group. Gold complains "My reputation has been utterly shredded," and takes no responsibility for her actions. Oregon Live: The judge told Gold that her anti-vaccine activism wasn't a factor in her sentencing. Cooper said Gold wasn't a "casual bystander" on Jan. 6. The judge also said Gold's organization has misled supporters into believing her prosecution was politically motivated and trampled on her free speech rights. Cooper called it "unseemly" that America's Frontline Doctors has invoked the Capitol riot in raising money, including for her salary. "I think that is a real disservice to the true victims of that day," he said. Prosecutors said Gold hasn't shown remorse or accepted responsibility for her actions. They accused her of trying to profit from her crime, saying America's Frontline Doctors has raised more than $430,000 through its website for her legal expenses. "It beggars belief that Gold could have incurred anywhere near $430,000 in costs for her criminal defense: after all, she pleaded guilty in the face of indisputable, readily identifiable evidence without filing a single motion," prosecutors wrote in a court filing. The Verge has gotten ahold of a purported open letter from "a spectra" of SpaceX employees to company President Gwynne Shotwell, who recently defended CEO Elon Musk from harassment claims, complaining about CEO Elon Musk. In the letter, the employees would apparently like SpaceX to make it clear to the world, and potential new hires, that the values of the man who owns 40-50% of SpaceX and serves as its CEO are not representative of SpaceX. Rocket scientists! The Verge: The letter, reviewed by The Verge, describes how Musk's actions and the recent allegations of sexual harassment against him are negatively affecting SpaceX's reputation. The document claims that employees "across the spectra of gender, ethnicity, seniority, and technical roles have collaborated on" writing the letter. It's not known which SpaceX employees wrote the letter; the employees who posted the letter in the internal chat system have not responded to requests for comment. "Elon's behavior in the public sphere is a frequent source of distraction and embarrassment for us, particularly in recent weeks," the letter states. "As our CEO and most prominent spokesperson, Elon is seen as the face of SpaceX every Tweet that Elon sends is a de facto public statement by the company. It is critical to make clear to our teams and to our potential talent pool that his messaging does not reflect our work, our mission, or our values." Namita Acharya and JahJah Quarles likely would never have crossed paths if they didn't share a common goal of breaking into Buffalo's fast-growing tech industry. Acharya, a 52-year-old from Williamsville who worked in admissions at the University at Buffalo, and Quarles, a 30-year-old correctional officer who grew up on the East Side of Buffalo, both wanted to learn new skills and were looking for a career change when they heard about Buffalo's Tech Academy Data Analytics Bootcamp. After 12 weeks of intensive learning, Acharya and Quarles are among the first 19 graduates of the boot camp, a first of its kind in Western New York. Both have jobs lined up that they started at the end of May Acharya as a data analyst at ACV and Quarles as an enterprise data specialist with M&T Bank. Through the program, Acharya, Quarles and their classmates learned the skills to become entry-level data analysts who can transform data into compelling stories and actionable insights to help organizations make informed decisions. It's a skill set in high demand not only in Buffalo but across the country as more and more companies integrate technology and data into their everyday operations. "What is so exciting about this skill set is it applies across industries, across careers," said Sarah Tanbakuchi, president and CEO of TechBuffalo, a nonprofit group that connects individuals and organizations with training, jobs and talent. "And that's what we think made this a really great place to start." The boot camp is one of a handful of efforts locally aimed at building a tech workforce that not only meets the growing needs of Western New York's companies but is representative of the community's diverse demographics. It also illustrates how the region's job training programs have evolved from the broad-based initiatives that were standard for decades across Western New York - but which failed to produce sufficient workers with the skills that were in demand by employers. In their wake, local job training initiatives have shifted to become more focused - honing in on skills that are in short supply - with increased involvement from businesses. The data analytics boot camp shows how highly targeted some of the programs have become, creating a direct pipeline for participants to fill hard-to-fill jobs. For workers, training programs like these not only present opportunities to land well-paying, professional jobs in a fast-growing field that has long been a laggard in the Buffalo Niagara region. A study earlier this year by the Brookings Institution found that the strongest growth in technology jobs has been concentrated within coastal hubs, such as Silicon Valley in California, Seattle and New York City, while smaller metro areas, like Buffalo, have failed to keep pace. "There's just a wealth of untapped potential in Buffalo," Quarles said. Creating an accessible training program Local employers ACV, Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield of Western New York, M&T Bank, Moog and Rich Products came together to fund the boot camp with the shared goal of increasing the region's pool of trained tech workers, especially those from groups that are traditionally underrepresented in the tech industry, like people of color and women. To make the program as accessible as possible, the five employers covered tuition for students, so the boot camp was free to attend and each received a stipend for living costs. No technical experience or college education was required to enroll. Employers launching 'boot camp' to train more tech workers The 12-week program, which kicks off next week, is supported by ACV Auctions, Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield of Western New York, M&T Bank, Moog Inc. and Rich Products. Of Buffalo's tech workers, 7% are Black, 4% are Hispanic or Latino and 25% are women, according to a 2022 report from the Computing Technology Industry Association, a top tech trade association. According to data from the Tech Academy, more than half of the 19 students who participated in the boot camp identified as a person of color and nearly two-thirds had household incomes below the median in Erie County. Acharya said the program was "a shining example of the power of diversity." The bank's Tech Academy, housed on the 23rd floor of Seneca One tower and launched in late 2020 to expand and strengthen the regions tech workforce, hosted the program with the support of TechBuffalo. The two organizations partnered with General Assembly, a global technology training company that taught the boot camp and provided instructors. The instructors moved to Buffalo and spent 14 weeks in the city, said Nadine Powell, an M&T vice president who is in charge of operations for the Tech Academy. Boot campers feel ready for new careers As Acharya and Quarles prepare to embark on their new careers, they feel prepared and confident in themselves and the skills they learned during boot camp. With their newfound knowledge of tools like Python and SQL for programming and Excel, Tableau and Microsoft Power BI for data visualization, they'll be able to help their future employers make better data-based decisions. Quarles said he had always been interested in a career in tech, but hadn't considered data analytics until he heard about the boot camp from a friend. Though he was initially interested in software developing or engineering, he saw the boot camp as a way to get his foot in the door and a starting point to accomplishing his goals, which include to one day be the chief information officer of a company. Acharya first learned about data analytics through her job at UB when she was in charge of recruiting students for a new data analytics master's degree program. As she learned more about the field, she saw how the skills could be applicable to her role in admissions and research. In late 2021, she decided to make a huge career pivot and leave her job to pursue data analytics training. "It was strenuous, but it was also joyful and exciting to be dedicating all day to learning again," Acharya said of the boot camp. "It was like a reboot, a personal reboot." Every student who entered the boot camp graduated, a rare achievement, especially for a pilot program, Tanbakuchi and Powell said. Quarles and Acharya both credit the supportive, diverse environment of the boot camp to their and their classmates' successes. "From day one to last day, we all finished, no matter how hard we struggled," Quarles said. "Once you put your mind to it and really put the work in, you can do anything that you want to do." Quarles and Acharya hope anyone on the fence about exploring a career in tech will take advantage of the resources available in Western New York and take the leap to make a change in their lives. "Tech is for everyone," Acharya said. "Do not fear tech. You can do it and you will be surprised at what you learn and what you learn about yourself. Especially for women and young women and anyone of color. This is a very inclusive, collaborative community." Investing in Buffalo's future tech talent Now more than ever, access to talent is what gives companies and entire regions the edge over their competitors. In Buffalo Niagara, the hope is that the willingness of private-sector companies to come together and invest in the future of the workforce will make the region "a magnet for technology talent," M&T Bank Chief Information Officer Mike Wisler said. "Investing in tech training programs that are accessible to all makes a difference in peoples lives, strengthens local businesses and helps unleash inclusive economic growth," Wisler said. "With more technology talent, Buffalo will attract more and create more high-growth tech companies." There are plans to continue boot camp-style tech trainings in collaboration with the private sector based on their talent needs, though a second class hasn't been scheduled. The Tech Academy and TechBuffalo are evaluating which skill sets are most in need in the region, like software engineering, front-end web development or cybersecurity, before organizing another boot camp. "We're going to take this time coming out of the first pilot to really reflect, determine what went well, where are there opportunities to improve and then look at how we can scale this," said Tanbakuchi. 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. By Azernews By Ayya Lmahamad Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan have discussed issues on developing relations between the business communities of the two countries, Azernews reports. During the meeting between Azerbaijan's Agency for Small and Medium Business Development Board Chairman Orkhan Mammadov with Uzbekistan's Chamber of Commerce and Industry Head Davron Vakhabov, who is on a visit to Baku, they expressed mutual interest in developing bilateral relations. The parties discussed the issues regarding the organization of joint events, including business missions and roundtables. In addition, they discussed the exchange of information on public-private partnership projects and their experience in providing services to entrepreneurs. Moreover, Davron Vahabov also held a meeting with Azerbaijan's National Confederation of Entrepreneurs Vice President Vugar Zeynalov. The sides touched upon the prospects of strengthening business ties between the two countries and the establishment of joint ventures in areas of mutual interest. The volume of trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan amounted to $111.9 million in 2021. Presently, around 195 Azerbaijani enterprises are represented in Uzbekistan, 69 of which have joint capital and 126 of them have 100 percent Azerbaijani capital. The level of Covid-19 spreading in Erie County has dropped to "low," according to standards set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the county Health Department announced in a tweet Friday morning. The county joins all other Western New York counties at the "low" level. The CDC looks at two factors to determine the level of spread: new Covid-19 admissions per 100,000 and percent of staffed inpatient beds occupied by Covid-19 patients. On Thursday, Erie County hospitals had 85 Covid-19 patients, with 27 of those admitted due to Covid. Ten patients were in ICU, five were on airway assist and one person died. According to county data, 89 people tested positive for Covid Thursday and 707 new cases were reported over the past seven days. The CDC recommends that in areas where the Covid level is "low," people stay up to date on Covid vaccines, maintain good ventilation while indoors and to get tested if they have symptoms or have been exposed to someone with Covid. Since the beginning of the pandemic, Covid transmission levels in the Western New York region dipped to their lowest points during the summers. Public health experts say that one major factor is Covid is much less likely to spread in outdoor situations. However, new cases of Covid rose dramatically in the colder months that followed in both 2020 and 2021. The news about the change in Erie County's Covid community level comes as the first Covid vaccines for children under 5 was authorized for the first time, the Associated Press reported. The Food and Drug Administration approved shots made by Moderna and Pfizer that could be available to babies and small children as early as next week. As of Friday, 56,360 New York State residents have died of Covid. Eight Covid deaths were reported Thursday statewide. 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 two Democrats challenging New York Gov. Kathy Hochuls bid to keep her job criticized her Tuesday for her past backing from the National Rifle Association and the deal she reached to spend hundreds of millions of taxpayer money on a new stadium for the Buffalo Bills. Hochul, appearing in her first debate Tuesday night, defended the stadium deal and said she her positions on guns had evolved in the 10 years since she got a favorable rating from the NRA. She is being challenged by U.S. Rep. Tom Suozzi of Long Island and New York Citys elected Public Advocate Jumaane Williams. Bittersweet doesnt even begin to describe it. Buffalo celebrates Juneteenth this weekend, barely a month after a mass shooting that targeted the citys Black population, killing 10 people. Many of Buffalos community leaders feel that the tragedy which still casts its pall of sorrow makes observing this years Juneteenth more vitally important than it has ever been. Common Council Darius Pridgen recently stated that the 2022 event would be the most important Juneteenth ever to be held. Concurring, Mayor Byron Brown wished attendees a safe time, a happy time, a time of reflection and a time to respect rich traditions and rich Black history. We agree. Exactly because it is a holiday marked by celebration music, dancing, food and fun as well as one that commemorates Americas second Independence day, Juneteenth needs to be louder and prouder than ever. To do otherwise would be to hold silence in the presence of racism and hate. This weekend celebrates the importance of freedom from all oppressions. It is not a time to be silent. Briefly, Juneteenth marks the day, June 19, 1865, that Union soldiers brought the news of freedom to enslaved Black people in Galveston, Texas. The first line of that proclamation read: The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. That is to say, the slaves freed by Abraham Lincolns Emancipation Proclamation were, at long last, accorded the human respect envisioned in the Declaration of Independence and delineated in the Constitution. Other days could appropriately observe that essential American milestone. The 13th Amendment, which forbade slavery, passed Congress on Jan. 31, 1865, and was ratified by the states the following Dec. 6. But its Juneteenth that lives in the nations heart. Juneteenth 2022 deserves special notice for other reasons, as well. Though President Biden designated it as a federal holiday last year, many states and other government entities have been slow to follow suit. But not New York. Here, city, county and state workers as well as others will enjoy a long weekend with their families and friends. This year also marks the first time the Juneteenth festival has been held in person since 2019; the pandemic required virtual commemorations in 2020 and 2021. Those weary of Covid-related restrictions have another reason to celebrate safely. Finally, Juneteenth is yet another festival where Buffalo rises above other municipalities, with one of the largest such celebrations in the United States. It was founded by Buffalos Black federation, BUILD (Build Unity, Independence, Liberty and Dignity) in 1976. The festival takes place Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Martin Luther King Jr. Park. Western New Yorkers should accept the invitation offered by State Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes last week: You came when we were traumatized. Come while we celebrate. Visit buffalojuneteenth.com for more information on the weekends events. 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. Four candidates are seeking the Republican nomination for New York governor. Two are worthy and, of those, one has significant and successful executive political experience. For that reason, we endorse former Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino. Astorino has shown what a center-right Republican can do in this state. In overwhelmingly Democratic Westchester County, he was elected to two four-year terms as county executive. In that role, he eliminated a budget deficit and left office with a county budget of $1.8 billion the same size as the one that he started with eight years earlier. In all eight of his years, the countys Board of Legislators was in Democratic control. That should be encouraging to anyone skeptical that a Republican can succeed in blue New York. It takes backbone, skill and a willingness to work with political adversaries. That speaks well of Astorino, though were not at all sure the overwhelmingly Democratic State Legislature would be as welcoming as Westchesters Board. Astorino says he supports enhanced background checks for guns, as well as effective and fair red flag laws, but he played to the right-wing crowd by criticizing politicians who rushed out to shamefully politicize the massacre in Uvalde, Texas. Gun control is a political matter, by its nature it takes no politicizing and no one is rushing. These issues have been discussed for years. Such is the boilerplate of the Republican Party. Unsurprisingly, then, hes more interested in hardening schools against assault than doing something about access to military-style weapons. On budgets, he wants to rein in spending, and proposes to reduce the number of tax brackets to three from the current 10 and to lower their rates. He touts his environmental record, which is real, but wants to streamline the environmental review process to speed projects. Equally impressive in his approach is businessman Harry Wilson, running on his history of turning around troubled companies. His bona fides are significant enough that the state Republican Party was practically begging him to run for governor. He initially declined, though, and the party turned to Rep. Lee Zeldin of Suffolk County. But the outsider as political savior is becoming shopworn. Only former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has succeeded in a high-profile position. Maybe Wilson could be another Bloomberg, but Astorino already has a record of success. As to the others, Zeldin disqualified himself by voting, in the immediate aftermath of an insurrection, to reject electors pledged to Joe Biden. He defends the action as routine, but an insurrection isnt routine. It was terrible judgment and, for a governor, judgment is the coin of realm. Finally, Andrew Giuliani simply has no business in this race. He worked for the Trump administration, but has never led any large organization, let alone one as complex and sprawling as New York. Its not a job for beginners. Astorino claims to be the most qualified and most electable of the four Republicans running. Hes right. 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. Marc Theissen's recent column (Washington Post Writers Group; published in the The Buffalo News, June 4) states that big-government interference and the administration of President Joe Biden is responsible for the past and current baby formula crisis." Herein, I present an opposing opinion. Concerns regarding Abbotts baby formula were described in a 34-page document that was submitted on Oct. 20, 2021 to the FDA by a former employee working in the Quality Assurance unit of the company. This document detailed the: (1) Falsification of records; (2) Releasing of untested infant formula; (3) Nondisclosure of microbial contaminants in an FDA audit; (4) Violations of cleaning practices; (5) Failure to take corrective measures; and (6) Errors in product-tracking labels. The FDA inspected Abbotts production facility from Jan. 31 to March 18, 2022, and they declared: You did not establish a system of process controls covering all stages of processing that was designed to ensure that infant formula does not become adulterated due to the presence of microorganisms in the formula or in the processing environment." FDA samples collected during this inspection confirmed the presence of Cronobacter sakazakii in different locations. The CDC notes that the infection of infants with this microbial pathogen can be deadly, and that this bacteria is often linked to powdered infant formula. President Biden and the FDA have initiatives to mitigate formula supply challenges. Further, Abbott has agreed to a proposed consent decree filed by the US Department of Justice to "...take specific measures designed to increase safety and ensure compliance with the FDA..." Abbott resumed production of baby formula on June 4, 2022. John Pauly Amherst The United States Government, the Congress especially the Republicans or should I say Trumpublicans, are all guilty of dereliction of their duty. The number one mandate of any government of any nation is to protect its people. Unfortunately, the U.S. government especially Congress, the National Rifle Association, social media and white supremacy groups continue to take away even the semblance of feeling safe for just about everyone going about their lives in this country. I am not talking about getting rid of the Second Amendment. People who own guns and are lawfully responsible for them aren't the problem. Its those who choose to misuse this right and help perpetrate the continuing mass shootings. The NRA also has to play a positive role in keeping people who dont own or want a gun feel safe. If any weapons should be banned, it must be the military assault issue like AR-15s and others that belong on the battle field of war. Civilians shouldnt have access to these weapons or the components to make them. If I lost a loved one to a mass shooting like Buffalo or the one in Uvalde Texas, I would find the best and most powerful constitutional lawyer there is and sue for enormous damages high enough to severely threaten the U.S. government fiscally. It would include the NRA, social media platforms, white supremacy groups government and the gutless Congress. However, the legal options for anyone to sue in such a case probably are very limited and extremely difficult at best. It probably would never see the court room. In the end, it would only be a symbolic move for one who has had enough of the thoughts and prayers but no government action after yet another mass shooting incident. Perhaps the only way to fight back appears to suing those specifically in Congress (the likes of Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio and Mitch McConnell come to mind) who downright refuse to affect needed gun reform. Unfortunately, I wonder if this too is even possible. Marcus Costello Kenmore NBC On Wednesday, Today aired part two of an exclusive interview with actress Amber Heardher first televised sit-down after losing an explosive defamation trial against her ex-husband, actor Johnny Depp. Among other revelations, the 36-year-old claimed that she still loved Depp and denied wanting to cancel him in her op-ed at the center of the case. During the Virginia trial, which concluded on June 1, a jury ruled that Heard defamed Depp when The Washington Post published a 2018 op-ed under her byline describing herself as a victim of domestic abuse. Depp was awarded $15 million in damages but will only receive $10.35 million due to a state cap on punitive damages. The jury also awarded Heard $2 million in compensatory damages after finding that she was defamed by Depps attorney, Adam Waldman, after he accused Heard of framing Depp in a hoax. Despite winning that particular counterclaim, as well as a 2020 U.K. trial that determined Depp had abused Heard on 12 of 14 occasions, Heard has largely been painted as a liar in the public eye by Depps legion of obsessively devoted fans on social media and his Hollywood peers since she first alleged abuse in 2016. Similarly, Guthrie appeared to be skeptical of the Aquaman star throughout their one-on-one, pressing her on recordings and other evidence presented by Team Depp while conveniently ignoring much of the recordings and other evidence offered by Heard. (The U.K. trial admitted considerably more evidence than the Virginia one, which may help explain the different outcome.) In the first half of the interview that aired on Monday, the news anchor grilled the actress on whether she instigated physical violence against Depp, questioned her about recordings that Heard claims were taken out of context, and informed her that the First Amendment doesnt protect lies. In the conclusion to the interview, Guthrie appeared equally cynical and unsatisfied with Heards answers, telling the actress that her alluding to Depp in her op-ed was unmistakable. She also asked Heard if she tipped off TMZ to take photos of her with a bruise when she filed a restraining order against Depp in 2016. For the most part, her questioning didnt go beyond information that wasnt already raised during the trial and disputed by Heard, and completely lacked any insightfulness on abuse. Story continues Juror Reveals Why They Sided With Johnny Depp Its not the first time a television host has been insensitive regarding the topic of domestic abuse or unknowledgeable on how survivors adapt to violent situations with their partners. (Watch Barbara Walters interview Rihanna following her incident with Chris Brown or Gayle King interview FKA Twigs about her allegations against Shia LaBeouf). However, viewers and journalists remain stunned by the fact that Guthrie was allowed to interview Heard in the first place. The week prior, Guthrie disclosed that her husband, Michael Feldman, worked as an adviser for Depps legal team during the defamation trial right before launching into an interview with Depps attorneys Camille Vasquez and Benjamin Chew. The interview went viral on Twitter and was met with immediate backlash from users claiming a conflict of interest. If I was Amber Heards publicist or pr person, I probably wouldnt grant my clients first major interview with someone who disclosed a conflict of interest, wrote one Twitter user. If Guthrie is to continue to do these interviews, TODAY needs to make much larger disclaimers that Guthrie, through her husbands consulting gig, was personally enriched by the Depp PR team, posted another. The flagrant conflict of interest is so disrespectful to Ms. Heard. Journalism experts have since weighed in on the controversy in a Business Insider report, calling the decision for Guthrie to interview Depps lawyers a little nuts and highlighting a financial stake, seeing as how Feldman could be utilized again when Heard seeks to appeal the jury verdict. 12-Year-Old Granted Order of Protection Against Ezra Miller While Heard nor her representatives have yet to speak on the controversy, sources in the same article say that Heard and her team were both aware of Guthries connection to the case and were willing to proceed with the interview, which will conclude with an hour-long Dateline special airing on Friday. While its hard to imagine the thought process behind the arranging of this interview and its use in a subsequent editorial, its possible that Heard, who has been publicly compassionate toward the jury and Depps supporters, wanted to show the public that she could engage in a polite conversation with someone closely associated with her detractors. Still, it seems strange and extremely ill-advised that Heards team would allow their client to undergo Guthries poor, unbiased questioning for her first major television appearance post-trial, given the amount of journalists presumably chomping at the bit to land an exclusive with the actress. Regardless of intent or whatever knowledge Heard and her team received prior to the interview, the fact that Heard spent the majority of the sit-down defending herself against widely publicized claims all over again is another tragedy for the actress, whose status when it comes to the upcoming Aquaman sequel remains up in the air. Ultimately, the saddest part of the fiasco is how completely avoidable it was. 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. The PSNI has confirmed a decision for the permanent use of spit and bite guards in frontline policing. (Niall Carson/PA) (PA Archive) The use of spit and bite guards is to be made permanent in frontline policing in Northern Ireland. The mesh hoods were temporarily introduced in March 2020 as an emergency measure during the coronavirus pandemic. They were initially used in custody suites before being more widely issued to officers across frontline policing by the end of 2020. Their use has been opposed by human rights groups and childrens charities. However, the Police Federation welcomed the decision, describing spit and bite guards as an essential and badly needed protection for officers. On Thursday, Assistant Chief Constable Chris Todd confirmed a decision had been taken to adopt spit and bite guards as a permanent tactic following a considerable period of consultation, engagement and assessment. He said police are aware of concerns but said it remains the only option when attempts at de-escalation have proved unsuccessful. Four organisations - @AmnestyNI @ChildLawCentre @CAJNi and @IncludeYouth - fear the PSNI may announce a permanent deployment of spit hoods later this month, saying continued use may be in breach of equality legislation and therefore unlawful. More here - https://t.co/gXJOd3tMrU pic.twitter.com/milZnGJynz Children's Law Centre (CLC) (@ChildLawCentre) June 16, 2022 Amnesty International, Childrens Law Centre, the Committee on the Administration of Justice and Include Youth say their continued use may be in breach of equality legislation and therefore be unlawful. They have also claimed the PSNI has refused to publish findings following a public consultation. Story continues They contend that previous equality screening data from police shows a disproportionate use of on people with disabilities and on people from a Catholic community background. According to PSNI data, between March 16 and December 31, 2020, spit and bite guards were used 84 times; 81% against people with a disability, including a mental health disability; and 48% against people from a Catholic community background compared to 20% against people from a Protestant community background. They were used 16 times on people under the age of 18 between Match 16 2020 and November 11 2021, according to a response to a freedom of information act request by the Childrens Law Centre. We believe their ongoing use is unlawful as well as being in breach of human rights obligation Paddy Kelly, Children's Law Centre Patrick Corrigan, Northern Ireland Programme Director of Amnesty International, claimed the decision to introduce the use of spit and bite guards was rushed with zero evidence that they prevent the transmission of Covid-19. The police have not met the threshold for the necessity and proportionality for this type of use of force. Given serious concerns around potentially dangerous physical and mental health impacts, particularly on vulnerable groups, spit hoods should be withdrawn from use, he said. Northern Ireland: Children's and rights groups call for withdrawal of dangerous spit hoods amid fears Chief Constable plans to make them permanent 81% of recorded uses by PSNI have been on people with a disability, including a mental health disabilityhttps://t.co/YGiGHszbPl pic.twitter.com/jA9yMkOoGP Amnesty Int'l NI (@AmnestyNI) June 16, 2022 Paddy Kelly, director of the Childrens Law Centre, said her organisation is extremely concerned around the use on children. We believe their ongoing use is unlawful as well as being in breach of human rights obligations, she said. Their use on children is even more concerning given that children who come in contact with police are more likely to have a disability, mental ill-health or a learning disability. It is unclear how a police officer using a spit hood on a child can know if a child has a learning disability or suffers from serious mental ill health. Indeed, early analysis shows that protected groups are more likely to be adversely impacted by the practice. Their use should cease immediately. The Police Service is committed to a human rights based approach in everything we do and we take our obligations to local communities and our officers and staff very seriously. Assistant Chief Constable Chris Todd Responding, ACC Todd said: After a considerable period of consultation, engagement and assessment, the chief constable has confirmed to the Northern Ireland Policing Board the decision of the Police Services Strategic Management Board to adopt spit and bite guards as a permanent tactic for all frontline officers. We are acutely aware of the concerns that have been raised by the use of spit and bite guards. However, in the absence of an appropriate tactical option to deal with assaults by spitting or biting, physical restraint remains the only option when attempts at de-escalation have proved unsuccessful. In this respect, our assessment is that the continued use of spit and bite guards offers the least injurious method of dealing with these egregious forms of assault. The Police Service is committed to a human rights based approach in everything we do and we take our obligations to local communities and our officers and staff very seriously. We have undertaken a comprehensive Equality Impact Assessment, which we intend to publish in the near future, and we have developed extensive training and operational guidance for our officers in line with advice from the Northern Ireland Policing Boards Human Rights Advisor and the Police Ombudsman. We also have a robust governance and accountability mechanisms in place to monitor the use of spit and bite guards, including a Performance Accountability Framework, and their use will be the subject of ongoing assessment. Police Federation chairman Liam Kelly welcomed the decision. Too often, officers have had to cope with the revolting, vile and dangerous practice of being spat at during incidents. Similarly, officers have been bitten by individuals as they resisted arrest or were confronting officers, he said. The use of spit and bite guards fully complies with human rights obligations and fulfils the PSNIs responsibilities to do all it can to protect the health, safety and welfare of officers, he said. This decision makes sense. It offers an additional safeguard and protection for officers as they go about their everyday policing duties. Spit and bite guards also gives reassurance to officers. Although the decision to make them a permanent piece of frontline officer equipment has taken an unnecessarily long time, it is heartening that we have finally reached a sensible and practical outcome. The 20212022 NBA season is coming to an end, as 16 playoff teams have played their way down to the final two. For many sports fans, success i By Azernews By Ayya Lmahamad Azerbaijan and the UN have discussed the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals in the country, Azernews reports, citing the Economy Ministry. The discussion occurred during a meeting between Azerbaijans Economy Ministry Mikayil Jabbarov and UN Office at Geneva Director-General Tatiana Valovaya. During the meeting, they exchanged views on the fruitful cooperation established between the organization and the country, the promotion of multilateralism, and the projects carried out in Azerbaijans liberated territories. The parties noted that the UN and Azerbaijans government signed a framework document on cooperation for sustainable development for 2021-2025 and are now successfully implementing it. Jabbarov emphasized the importance of green energy and digitalization, which are on the agenda in the economic sphere, adding that these issues are reflected in the national priorities of socio-economic development of Azerbaijan. In turn, Tatiana Valovaya expressed gratitude to Azerbaijan for its solidarity in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, and for the activities and cooperation carried out to achieve SDGs. She noted that the UN Office in Geneva has extensive experience in the field of foreign direct investment, stating that the organization is ready to support the Economy Ministry in this area. Earlier the UN and Azerbaijan's Economy Ministry signed the Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) for 2021-2025. The Cooperation Framework, fully compliant with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), is based on the principles of human rights, gender equality, sustainable development, resilience, and responsibility, including socio-economic development priorities, and will cover entire Azerbaijan. The UNSDCF is the fifth UN-Azerbaijan cooperation framework and is based on an analysis of Azerbaijans progress towards the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The implementation of the cooperation framework puts the UN development system reform into practice, emphasizing transparency, accountability, and joint action in the delivery of all development results. Among a system of powerful storms that swept across Wisconsin on Wednesday, at least two confirmed tornadoes touched down in Monroe County, leaving behind substantial damage. The two tornadoes hit within about 30 miles of each other and less than an hour apart. The National Weather Service confirmed that an EF-2 tornado hit near Tomah shortly after 4 p.m., and an EF-1 tornado hit near Mauston at about 4:45 p.m. Crews were also evaluating damage in Vernon County near La Farge and Hillsboro to determine whether a tornado hit, but nothing was confirmed as of Thursday afternoon. No injuries or deaths have been reported from the storms, officials said. According to the Monroe County Sheriff's Office, the tornado that hit Tomah appears to have traveled northeast from Hwy. 131 and Hwy. A for about 15 miles before leaving Monroe County north of Shennington. The tornado took down multiple trees, power lines and barns, and damaged several homes. The county reported widespread power outages. Multiple semis were blown over onto their sides, causing Interstate 90-94 to be shut down for more than three hours. Traffic was detoured on Hwy. 12-16 through the Village of Oakdale. The tornado was described as "large and extremely dangerous" by the NWS, and it was "rain-wrapped," making it difficult to see. Debris was seen lofted on the radar. According to preliminary local storm reports, the area was also hit with hail up to an inch in diameter and winds capable of ripping bark off of trees and shingles off of roofs, though NWS said the storm didn't produce much hail. Almost simultaneously, a tornado watch was also issued for northeastern Vernon County near La Farge and Hillsboro until 4:45 p.m., and for the Mauston area until 5 p.m. Damage was reported at the Mile Bluff Medical Center in Mauston, which resorted to using backup power due to the storm, according to officials. NWS crews were on the ground in Mauston Thursday morning evaluating the storm. Other damage reported near Mauston includes flipped trailers, roof damage, and downed power lines, tree branches and traffic lights. The Mauston tornado reached wind speeds up to 90 miles-per-hour and was up to 150 yards wide. Law enforcement is asking people to avoid traveling in the storm-damaged areas as many roads remain impassible and crews are working to get them back open. The severe weather moved out of western Wisconsin by about 6:45 p.m., moving into the eastern part of the state, where damage was also done. As of Thursday morning, about 38,000 We Energies customers lost service from Bonduel south to Milwaukee. In Outagamie County, executive Tom Nelson said some rural roads were impassable, urging commuters to take extra time while traveling and to "be safe." Crews with the Green Bay Metro Fire Department responded to about 150 calls for service in their area, including calls for downed power lines, damaged poles, gas leaks and damage to homes. About an inch to and inch-and-a-half of rain fell across Vernon, Monroe, La Crosse and Jackson counties on Wednesday, adding to what was already a wet week. As of Thursday morning, the La Crosse River had reached 7.45 feet, hovering at a minor flood stage. The Lemonweir River in New Lisbon was reported at 7.7 feet, which is in the "action" flood stage. The Kickapoo River in Vernon County was on the rise but hadn't yet reached flood stage. This story was updated at 2:30 p.m. Thursday morning to include the confirmation of a second tornado and the ratings. Any storm photos, videos or reports can be sent to news@lacrossetribune.com. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Cumberland County will use money from its vehicle registration fee to help improve three municipal-owned bridges that are rated in poor condition. County commissioners on June 8 approved a proposal use about $762,000 in revenue from the fee for an estimated $4 million project to repair or replace bridges along Ladnor Lane in South Middleton Township, Village Road in Silver Spring Township and Wildwood Road in Lower Frankford Township. The balance of the cost will be paid with a local match from each municipality, along with $2 million from the federal bridge rehabilitation initiative authorized under the infrastructure bill passed by Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden last year. Since 2015, vehicle registrations in the county are charged an additional $5 for local infrastructure funding, a system enabled by Pennsylvania Act 89 of 2013, which any county can opt into. Over the past several years, Cumberland County has used this funding of roughly $1.2 million per year to finance the repair or replacement of multiple county-owned bridges, but the county will soon run out of its own bridges to fix. Rather than kill the fee, the commissioners decided in January to retain it and redirect the revenue from county-owned bridges to municipal-owned bridges and other infrastructure. The commissioners approved the local use fee bridge program proposal during a finance committee meeting. That action clears the way for staff members to send offer letters to the three townships. Each letter will outline the project costs, the county share, the local match and all the nuts and bolts of the deal, county Planning Director Kirk Stoner said on June 8. We will allow them time to review that and then their elected officials will take action on whether to sign off on the program. The county has estimated the costs to be about $1.8 million for the bridge in South Middleton Township, $1.5 million for the bridge in Silver Spring Township and $600,000 for the bridge in Lower Frankford Township, Stoner said. Everyone is very receptive of the program, he said. We looked to see if the municipalities had a match on hand and are willing to work with us. We looked at South Middleton and Silver Spring. They are two of our fastest growing municipalities. You would expect they would have money for these projects and they do. Both of these projects are priorities for those municipalities. Lower Frankford Township is one of our rural municipalities with not a lot in terms of resources, but this is a bridge that they have been saving for a while. The $2 million in federal infrastructure money will be used during the construction phase of the project, Stoner said. He said the county share will be applied to different phases of the work. Pending approval by each township, the county will manage all the work associated with the project to streamline the process and ensure the compliance of federal regulations for the infrastructure money, Stoner said. 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 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. By Michael Holden LONDON (Reuters) -The wife of Julian Assange vowed to fight using every possible legal avenue after British Home Secretary Priti Patel on Friday approved the WikiLeaks' founder's extradition to the United States to face criminal charges. Assange is wanted by U.S. authorities on 18 counts, including a spying charge, relating to WikiLeaks' release of vast troves of confidential U.S. military records and diplomatic cables which Washington said had put lives in danger. His supporters say he is an anti-establishment hero who has been victimised because he exposed U.S. wrongdoing in conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq, and that his prosecution is a politically motivated assault on journalism and free speech. His wife Stella said Assange would appeal after the Home Office said his extradition had been approved as British courts had concluded it would not be unjust or an abuse of process. "We're going to fight this. We're going to use every appeal avenue," Stella Assange told reporters, calling the decision a "travesty". "I'm going to spend every waking hour fighting for Julian until he is free, until justice is served." His brother, Gabriel Shipton, told Reuters the appeal would include new information not previously taken to the courts, including claims made in a report last year of plans to assassinate him. Originally, a British judge ruled Assange, 50, should not be deported, saying his mental health meant he would be at risk of suicide if convicted and held in a maximum security prison. But this was overturned on an appeal after the United States gave a package of assurances, including a pledge he could be transferred to Australia to serve any sentence. The Home Office said the courts had not found that extradition would be incompatible with his human rights, including his right to a fair trial and to freedom of expression, and that he would be treated appropriately. Story continues The Australian-born Assange has been involved in a legal fight in Britain for more than a decade and it could now go on for many more months. He has 14 days to appeal to London's High Court, which must give its approval for a challenge, and he could ultimately seek to take his case to the United Kingdom Supreme Court and the European Court of Human Rights. 'CHILLING MESSAGE' "We're not at the end of the road here," Stella Assange said, calling Patel's decision "a dark day for press freedom and for British democracy". Nick Vamos, the former head of extradition at Britain's Crown Prosecution Service, said verdicts were regularly overturned by the High Court. Assange would be able to claim again it was politically motivated and use new evidence, such as his allegations the CIA had plotted to assassinate him. The CIA has declined to comment on his claims. "I think he might get some traction," Vamos told Reuters. WikiLeaks first came to prominence when it published a U.S. military video in 2010 showing a 2007 attack by Apache helicopters in Baghdad that killed a dozen people, including two Reuters news staff. It then released hundreds of thousands of secret classified files and diplomatic cables in what was the largest security breach of its kind in U.S. military history. U.S. prosecutors and Western security officials regard Assange as a reckless enemy of the state whose actions imperilled the lives of agents named in the leaked material. He and his supporters argue that he is being punished for embarrassing those in power and faces 175 years in prison if found guilty, although the U.S. lawyers have said it would be more like four to six years. "Allowing Julian Assange to be extradited to the U.S. would put him at great risk and sends a chilling message to journalists the world over," said Agnes Callamard, Amnesty International's secretary general. The Australian government said it would continue to tell London and Washington that the case had "dragged on for too long and should be brought to a close". The legal saga began at the end of 2010 when Sweden sought Assange's extradition from Britain over allegations of sex crimes. When he lost that case in 2012, he fled to the Ecuadorean embassy in London, where he spent seven years. When he was finally dragged out in April 2019, he was jailed for breaching British bail conditions although the Swedish case against him had been dropped. He has been fighting extradition to the United States since June 2019 and remains in jail. During his time in the Ecuadorean embassy, he fathered two children with his now wife, who he married in Belmarsh high-security prison in London in March at a ceremony attended by just four guests, two official witnesses and two guards. (Additional reporting by Kirtsy Needham in Sydney and Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by Kate Holton and Alison Williams) By Ike Parish Reporter A group of parents have filed a judicial review with the Orange County Circuit Court challenging the Orange County School Boards divisive content resolution, which the board approved by a 3-2 vote at its May 9 meeting. The challenged resolution, written by District 4 School Board member Chelsea Quintern and based off of Governor Glenn Youngkins Executive Order Number One, states the Orange County School Board declares that Critical Race Theory and inherently divisive concepts shall not be part of its training program, curriculum, nor materials in Orange County Public Schools. It was supported by District 1 School Board member Melissa Anderson and District 5 School Board vice chair Jim Hopkins, while District 2 School Board chair Sherrie Page and District 3 School Board member Mike Jones voted against it. On June 7, Kimberly Hoosier, Laura Daniel, Alan Daniel, Patricia Lumsden and John Floyd, all of whom have children in the Orange County Public School (OCPS) system, filed the petition pursuant to Virginia code 22.1-87 stating that any parent, custodian, or legal guardian of a pupil attending the public schools in a school division who is aggrieved by an action of the school board may, within 30 days after such action, petition the circuit court having jurisdiction in the school division to review the action of the school board. The petition proclaims that the board exceeded its authority, acted arbitrarily and capriciously, and abused its discretion by approving the divisive content resolution. Critical Race Theory is not taught in Virginia public schools and was not part OCPS curriculum prior to the approval of the boards recent divisive content resolution. However, the petitioners and their children are upset by the boards action in passing the resolution, with the petition stating that petitioners and students believe that systemic racism exists and that it is their duty as citizens to combat racism in all its forms, including inherent racism in social, economic, legal, political and educational norms. The 10-page petition also argues that the divisive content resolution should be voided due to what they feel is vague wording, a deprivation of liberty and property interests and an infringement on their constitutional right to freedom of speech. Furthermore, they feel the resolution is in conflict with the school boards teaching about controversial issues policy and that the resolution could hinder a full scope of education for the students, according to the filing. In challenging the resolutions apparent vagueness, the petitioners state that a government enactment is void for vagueness when people of ordinary intelligence must guess at its meaning. The petition references several terms in the challenged resolution including divisive content, inherently divisive concepts, inequitable concepts, true history and critical race theory and contends that the resolution does not define any of those concepts. In challenging the resolutions deprivation of liberty and property interests, the petition declares that the challenged resolution deprives the students of their right to acquire useful knowledge and deprives petitioners of the right to have teachers teach their children. Meanwhile, the petition states that there is no evidence of Critical Race Theory or other inherently divisive concepts being taught in OCPS curriculum and no evidence of disruption or detriment to the students education as a result of Critical Race Theory or inherently divisive concepts prior to the resolutions approval, saying that the challenged resolution is a solution in search of a problem, where no such problem exists. The petition also alleges that the boards action in adopting the challenged resolution was politically motivated and that the boards apparent political bias is an illegitimate reason to restrict student speech. The petitioners standpoint that the boards action was politically motivated would also draw conflict with the boards teaching about controversial issues policy, which states that the school board does not endorse any political party or candidate. The policy also states that The Orange County School Board recognizes that preparation for effective citizenship is one of the major purposes of education. The preparation for effective citizenship includes the study of issues that are controversial. Such study is carried out in an atmosphere free from bias, prejudice, or coercion. The petitioners believe that the challenged resolution contradicts the boards own policy because it prohibits the study of issues which are controversial, specifically because they are controversial, and thus inhibits the preparation of students for effective citizenship. The petition requests that the Orange County Circuit Court reviews the boards action of adopting the divisive content resolution and enters an order vacating the challenged resolution. Area toddlers, infants and preschoolers could begin receiving COVID-19 vaccinations next week in the wake of Fridays U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval of vaccinations for children six months to five years of age. The FDA gave the nod to both the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines for children and the Centers for Disease Control is reviewing information this weekend. That means shots could be given to pediatric patients sometime next week. Many parents, caregivers and clinicians have been waiting for a vaccine for younger children and this action will help protect those down to 6 months of age, said FDA Commissioner Dr. Robert M. Califf in a prepared statement. As we have seen with older age groups, we expect that the vaccines for younger children will provide protection from the most severe outcomes of COVID-19, such as hospitalization and death. Califf said the vaccines were carefully evaluated and tested. Those trusted with the care of children can have confidence in the safety and effectiveness of these COVID-19 vaccines and can be assured that the agency was thorough in its evaluation of the data, he said. Dr. Debbie-Ann Shirley, of the University of Virginia Medical Center, said CDC approval could mean that vaccines will be sent out either Sunday or Monday. She hopes the medical center can start putting vaccines into the little patients sometime next week or soon after. Were working hard to be able to provide the vaccinations as quickly as possible, she said during a medical virtual press conference. Shirley said working with pediatric patients is different than working with adults, including where tiny patients receive their shots. That means most vaccinations likely will be administered in pediatrician offices and clinics. For younger patients, they often receive their vaccinations in their thighs rather than the deltoid muscles like adults and because there is a difference in how they receive their vaccines, pharmacies may not be able to participate as much as they did for adults, she said. Pfizer vaccines will require three doses with the first two doses three weeks apart and the third following eight weeks after the second, Shirley said. Moderna vaccines will require two doses four weeks apart. Its remarkable how quickly weve been able to administer a vaccine to this population. Its really extraordinary, she said, noting that vaccines often take years to develop and test. Within a year of [the pandemics start], we had a vaccine for adults and in 18 months after that, for this age group. UVa Medical Center officials said that while young children often have mild symptoms of COVID, that is not always the case. Currently, UVa has four pediatric patients in the medical center with COVID symptoms, including two in intensive care. The hospital currently has 27 patients, 21 in the adult care unit and one adult in intensive care. Were seeing some bouncing around the baseline, but overall, Id say were pretty stable in the number of patients we have in the units, said Dr. Reid Adams, chief medical officer for the hospital. COVID isnt the only infectious disease about which medical center officials are concerned, however. Just when it seemed like the world had a handle on the pandemic, nature threw a monkeypox in the works. The CDC is investigating cases of the relatively rare infection recently found in the U.S. and in Europe. The pox is normally found in central or west African countries. Only one case has been diagnosed in Virginia with some cases in Washington, D.C. and Maryland being reported. About 100 cases have been reported across the country and 1,900 across the world, outside of Africa. According to the CDC, the symptoms of monkeypox are similar to but milder than the symptoms of smallpox. It begins with fever, headache, muscle aches, and exhaustion, swollen lymph nodes and a rash. The incubation period (time from infection to symptoms) for monkeypox is usually 714 days but can range from 521 days. The rash usually develops within a week and can last two to four weeks. People usually become infected with the monkeypox virus through contact with the skin lesions or bodily fluids of infected animals or humans, alive or dead, CDC officials said on the centers website. [That includes] respiratory droplets or through contact with materials contaminated with the virus [including clothing]. Dr. Costi Sifri, head of epidemiology at UVa Medical Center, said there is not yet a pox upon the region but investigators have discovered that the recent variant indicates the infection has been moving through the worlds population for some time. We can see there was transmission that was not recognized because people werent looking for monkeypox as a cause of illness in people presenting with a rash, Sifri said. As this is more on peoples minds, we are finding more cases. Sifri said genetic hindsight shows enough variants of the pox to indicate it has been circulating since 2018 and came out of Africa, before mutating into the variant currently making its way through Europe and the U.S.. It suggests it has been going on at a lower level of infection for some period of time, he said. These viruses and emerging infections do not respect a countrys borders. Sifri said monkeypox is a reminder that the worlds medical community needs to pay attention to new and reemerging diseases. If were proactive and doing the work of being aware of whats going on around the globe, wed be in better position to intercede and prevent these types of events. Pulaski Countys top two elected officials for law enforcement said Thursday that they are leaving the Democratic Party and will now support Republicans. Sheriff Mike Worrell and Commonwealths Attorney Justin Griffith issued a joint statement saying that though they were elected as Democrats Worrell in 2019 and Griffith last year they no longer agreed with the partys approach to law and order. We are united in announcing our renunciation of the Democrat Party. This has been a long and well considered decision, the joint statement said. Griffith and Worrell said they now find themselves in accord with the principles of the Republican Party and intended to support all its nominees for public office in future elections. The sheriff and prosecutor blamed Democrats for changes in Virginia law in recent years that did away with some mandatory sentences and changed the process of jury trials so that juries decide guilt or innocence but no longer sentence defendants. They also took issue with decisions made by the Virginia Parole Board, including the release in 2019 of David Allen Simpkins, who had been convicted of 56 felonies, and who in 2020 committed another by holding up a convenience store in Pulaski County. Griffith and Worrell also pointed to the arrest last weekend in Oklahoma of Christopher Shawn Wheeler, who as a teen in 1994 killed a Wythe County sheriffs deputy. Sentenced to 43 years behind bars, Wheeler was released on probation last fall, moved to Oklahoma, and is accused of waving a gun in a restaurant and boasting that he had killed a law enforcement officer. Worrell and Griffith said they needed no more lessons, adding David Simpkins and Christopher Shawn Wheeler have taught us enough. The joint statement warned of a surge of Virginia inmates who Griffith and Worrell said are to be released beginning next month under legislation approved during a 2020 special session that Democrats called to initiate reforms to the criminal justice system. Worrell and Griffith said that the Virginia Department of Corrections had warned that most of the people being released have a violent offense in their past and are considered likely to commit another violent act. The joint statement criticized Democratic legislators blocking this year of Montgomery County Sheriff Hank Partin, a Republican, from an appointment to the revamped Virginia Parole Board, and took issue with proposals, which were not adopted, to limit the qualified immunity that can protect law enforcement officers from being sued for actions taken in their official capacity. The last item the statement mentioned was the formation of Virginia Progressive Prosecutors for Justice, a group of 12 Democratic commonwealths attorneys who in 2020 began to advocate for changes in the justice system such as ending cash bail. In Pulaski County, we are not willing to allow a shadow of a doubt be cast on justice by a progressive Democratic movement, Griffith and Worrells statement said. Kerrville, TX (78028) Today Mostly sunny in the morning then increasing clouds with some scattered thunderstorms later in the day. High 92F. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Scattered thunderstorms during the evening, then cloudy skies overnight. Low 71F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%. Yes, weather and climate experts say, its been a wet June with record rains putting a damper on community festivals and graduations across the mid-Willamette Valley and quenching a run of very dry years. Abnormally damp, directional weather brought as many as 8 inches of surplus rain to eastern Linn County by mid-June, filling reservoirs and bringing rivers in the Willamette Valley watershed within feet of flooding, National Weather Service meteorologist Rebecca Muessle said. Its been quite wet, Muessle said. Linn County nearly broke a 128-year record, inundated with 9.65 inches of rain in May just short of the record 9.72 inches in 1896. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration data starts in 1895. State meteorologist Larry ONeill said the record rain dragged the Willamette Valley out of a water deficit. Rivers that terminated well below the wall of dams are now surging over spillways, he said. We needed well-above-normal precipitation across the state, and we got that in the northwest, he said. As late as April 1, the mid-Willamette Valley was behind on rainfall. Much of Linn and roughly half of Benton counties were included in the about 75% of the state declared to be experiencing a moderate drought. Central Oregon, 13% of the states land area, was in an extreme state of drought called exceptional by climate experts at U.S. Department of Agriculture, Department of Commerce and NOAA. Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Albany Democrat-Herald. Corvallis was around 5 inches below typical with 28.8 recorded near the city and 33 to 34 inches at monitoring sites in the eastern reaches of the valley near Holley and Sweet Home. Those numbers usually are closer to 34 to 38 inches. But by June 15, the Holley site recorded 48.97 inches, 2.25 inches above the average year-to-date accumulation. Typically the cold and damp low-pressure systems that bring rain throughout the winter are warming and drying as Oregons weather turns toward the hotter summer months. This year's winter instead was among the driest on record, leaving much of the state in a drought that now stretches for several years. Things were not looking good, ONeill said. We fell behind. Meteorologists blame a jet of South Pacific air they call an atmospheric river for the rain, a belt of relatively warm moisture that blew straight east across a belt of northwest Oregon and fell as rain wherever it hit prominence like the Coast Range or Cascade foothills. When it reached our area, thats when it dumped all over us, Muessle said. Albany and Corvallis saw 1 or more inches of extra rainfall between June 1 and 15. Gates, Lyons and Mill City, tucked into the Santiam River Canyon where it traverses the Cascade Range foothills in northern Linn County, had as much as 6 to 8 inches of rain 6 to 8 inches more than normal. The Willamette River peaked at 22.48 feet in Corvallis, just 3.5 feet shy of the rivers 26-foot action stage that signals emergency managers to prepare for flooding. Corvallis floods at 30 feet of water in the river. This was abnormal and incredibly wet for the late spring, Muessle said. Muessle said its too early to tell if the excess rain and snow will help the state avoid massive wildfires that have racked Cascade foothills communities since 2020. Our season doesnt start until late July, August, and there is still a lot of time for the forest to dry out, she said. But she did say the rain can be blamed for soggy community events, where most of the above-precipitation days since the start of May fell mostly on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. If people think it was rainy over the weekend, thats because it really was, Muessle said. Alex Powers (he/him) covers business, environment and healthcare for Mid-Valley Media. Call 541-812-6116 or email Alex.Powers@lee.net. Love 3 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. By Trend Russian Utair airline will resume flights on Ufa-Baku route from June 20, 2022, Trend reports with reference to the press service of the Ufa International Airport. "Flights from Ufa to capital of Azerbaijan (Baku) are scheduled on Mondays on a Boeing 735 with a capacity of 126 seats. Travel time will be 2 hours and 50 minutes," the press service said. How do presidents get in trouble? Mondays Jan. 6 committees hearing on Donald Trumps attempts to overturn the 2020 election didnt focus on that general question, but it did demonstrate something familiar to students of the presidency. The committee heard former Attorney General William Barr and other witnesses say they had told the president flat-out that the fraud he was hearing about from various dubious sources had not happened. Trump chose to reject what the Justice Department, state governments and experienced professionals in his own presidential campaign told him, and to rely instead on nonsense conjured up by cranks. Once again, we saw a president fail to accept or, in Trumps case, fail even to try to understand that presidents are only one of many sources of legitimate authority within the U.S. political system. When presidents try to get their way despite failing to persuade those other political players to go along, they risk winding up surrounded by buffoons. The presidents plans blow up in his face, sometimes to the point of legal jeopardy. That is one way to understand what brought down Richard Nixons presidency. Trump didnt quite suffer Nixons fate, but he did wind up as the only president to be impeached twice, and the only one to have senators in his own party vote to convict him (with several others saying they would have done so had the clock not run out on his presidency). He still may wind up in considerable legal trouble. So Nixons story is instructive. Nixon had inherited the Vietnam War from Lyndon Johnson, but as it continued and in some ways expanded during his first two years in office, antiwar activism became more intense. Nixon sought to fight back, and White House staffer Tom Charles Huston drew up plans to spy on and disrupt the movement. The FBI, however, refused to carry out Hustons plan in 1970. A year later, when the Pentagon Papers were leaked to major newspapers, Nixon decided to go ahead without the FBI, hiring operatives on the White House staff to do what the agency in charge of such things refused to do. The crimes committed by the so-called White House plumbers, including two later transferred to his re-election campaign, were what destroyed Nixons presidency. The FBI refused Nixons order because, like all executive-branch agencies, it had standard operating procedures that developed over time. Part of this involves (usually, albeit not always) keeping the agency on the right side of the law, and part of it has to do with professionalism. Another way to look at it is that agencies have many bosses the president, Congress, the courts and they learn over time to keep all of them reasonably happy. In that way, following the law and upholding professional standards can be seen as strategies not only to avoid antagonizing presidents but also House and Senate committees and judges while (usually, albeit not always) producing reasonable policy results. Agencies, just like those bosses they answer to, must also answer to their constituents. The entire structure of the government is organized around representing voters and their interests, even if voters dont have any idea what most of the government is up to and dont cast their ballots based on those things. Nixon tried to short-circuit all of that by having the White House staff do what he wanted. Because they were answerable only to him personally, they were able to ignore the mix of interests and constituencies that the government normally represents. It ended badly because the people involved offered no professional expertise, only loyalty. And instead of having standard operating procedures that Nixon could have used as warning signs that he was getting into trouble, his loyalists offered loyalty. Watergate wasnt unique in this sense. Not all trouble caused by presidents trying to govern out of the White House and evade normal executive-branch agencies ends in disaster and law-breaking. But a strong case can be made that a great number of fiascoes over the last 75 years or so since the White House staff became an important part of the presidency can be traced back to the same dynamic that produced Watergate. This certainly was the case with the Iran-contra affair, which was largely an operation run by staff of the National Security Council, an agency in the White House. One can even argue that the Iraq War debacle was a case where the White House, or more specifically the vice presidents office, found ways around potential objections from the State Department and military professionals. So when Barr and others in the Justice Department, as well as various state officials, refused to go along with Trumps increasingly far-fetched schemes to overturn the election, this should have been a clear sign to the president that he was entering dangerous waters. That Trump turned instead to Rudy Giuliani, the same person he had used to try to work around the State Department on Ukraine only to wind up getting impeached over it has to be a new benchmark in incompetent presidenting. Its as if Ronald Reagan had tried to restart his presidency after the Iran-contra scandal by making Oliver North his chief of staff. Presidents always endanger themselves when they make the absolute loyalty of the people they work with the main thing they care about. Not just because those people will more often than not fail to be honest or professional, as Trump campaign manager Bill Stepien said about Giuliani and others who were feeding Trump misinformation. But because the government is a great source of information for the president, constantly sending signals about what various constituencies and interests think is important. When presidents actively take steps to ignore what the government is saying to them, they can easily wind up relying on a loony band of misfits like the one Trump surrounded himself with. As we found out on Jan. 6, 2021, they are not only dangerous to presidents. They can also put the nation and the Constitution in danger. Jonathan Bernstein is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering politics and policy. He taught political science at the University of Texas at San Antonio and DePauw University and wrote A Plain Blog About Politics. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The Juneteenth flag flies over the Colorado Capitol building on Thursday, June 16, 2022 in honor of the first official recognition of the new state holiday. By Azernews By Vugar Khalilov The Armenian armed forces have shelled Azerbaijani military positions in the liberated Kalbajar region, Azernews reports, citing the Defense Ministry. In a statement posted on its website, the ministry said: During the night of June 17, the Armenian armed forces units using small arms subjected to fire the positions of the Azerbaijan Army in the direction of the Damirchidam settlement of the Kalbajar region on the state border. The Azerbaijani army units took appropriate retaliatory measures to suppress the opposite side, the report added. Armenia periodically shells Azerbaijani military positions located on its liberated territories. The previous truce violation took place on June 3 in the same direction. To recap, on May 22, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, European Council President Charles Michel, and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan met in Brussels. After the meeting, Michel said that Azerbaijan and Armenia agreed on a number of key issues, including the creation of border delimitation commissions, of which the first meeting was held on May 24. Earlier, Ilham Aliyev stated that peace will return to the Caucasus based on the five principles Baku recently proposed for normalizing relations with Armenia. In response to the peace negotiations with Azerbaijan, Armenia's revanchist opposition took to the streets, demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. The street protests have been going on since mid-April, with no tangible outcomes. The trilateral ceasefire deal, signed by the Azerbaijani and Armenian leaders with the mediation of the Russian president on November 10, 2020, ended the three-decade conflict over Azerbaijans Karabakh region, which along with the seven adjacent regions came under the occupation of Armenian armed forces in the war in the early 1990s. The deal also stipulated the return of Azerbaijan's Kalbajar, Aghdam and Lachin regions. Before the signing of the peace deal, Azerbaijan liberated 300 villages, settlements, city centers, and historical Shusha city that had been under Armenian occupation for about 30 years. ENTERPRISE City of Enterprise, Coffee County, and Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs officials gathered here Friday to celebrate the upcoming construction of the Command Sgt. Maj. Bennie G. Adkins State Veterans Home with a groundbreaking ceremony. The new state veterans home will be approximately 182,000 square feet and house 174 residents. The facility is expected to employ around 200 people. The site chosen for the home is 108 acres off Highway 51 just north of Yancey Parker Industrial Park. This is a wonderful day for the Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs and State Board of Veterans Affairs, ADVA Commissioner Kent Davis said. We are thrilled to have such a large crowd from the community to join us in beginning the process of building the Command Sgt. Maj. Bennie G. Adkins State Veterans Home, which will serve as a wonderful home for many of our nations heroes in the Wiregrass. Enterprise was chosen as the location for Alabamas fifth state veterans home in January 2020 and was selected largely because of the significant veteran population in the city, Coffee County, and Wiregrass area. Studies show that the county, specifically Enterprise, will have a substantial increase in its veteran population in coming years. Enterprise Mayor William E. Cooper recognized the important role that the military members and veterans play in the Enterprise area and its proximity to Fort Rucker, the Armys aviation training installation. As mayor of the City of Enterprise, this is an exciting and fulfilling occasion for me, our community and the surrounding communities as well, Cooper said. Veterans and active-duty military members are close to our hearts here in Enterprise and the Wiregrass. They make up a significant segment of our population and add a unique and diverse cultural aspect to our community. That makes us especially proud and honored to be able to play a part in providing a new facility where veterans will receive care, kindness and comfort for many years to come. Two independent polls released Thursday on Alabamas U.S. Senate Republican runoff reflect that Katie Britt has a significant lead over U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks with less than a week until voters return to the polls. In both polls, Britt has the support of 50% of those surveyed while Brooks trailed by at least 16 points. Emerson College Polling, commissioned by The Hill and Alabama media outlets in the Nexstar Media Group, surveyed 1,000 likely voters in Tuesdays runoff and Britt got 50% support while Brooks received 34%. The Emerson poll had a margin of error of 3%. Auburn University Montgomery surveyed 400 likely voters and Britt got 50.4% support to Brooks 29.5%. The AUM poll had a margin of error of 4.9%. A total of three independent polls released over the last week have suggested Britt is primed to win the GOP runoff in the race to replace her former boss, retiring Sen. Richard Shelby. Louisiana-based JMC Analytics and Polling, released June 10, had Britt with 48% support and Brooks with 29%. Britt formerly served as Shelbys chief of staff as well as the head of the Business Council of Alabama. As weve traveled to all 67 counties across our state over the past year sharing our message and listening to people, the enthusiastic response weve received in every corner of Alabama has been incredible, Britt said in a statement Thursday. It is clear that hardworking Alabamians know that I am the best candidate to fight for our Christian conservative values and the America First agenda in the U.S. Senate. I would be honored to earn your vote on Tuesday, June 21. The future of our state is on the ballot, and Im in this race because that is worth fighting for. Together, we will preserve the American Dream for our children and our childrens children. The Brooks campaign declined to comment on the polls. In last months primary election, Britt received 45% of the vote in the six-candidate field. Brooks finished second with 29% of the vote. The polls underscore the the depth of the challenge facing Brooks. Since 2000, no Alabama candidate in a statewide race has rallied to win a runoff after finishing second in the primary election from as large a gap between Britt and Brooks. In the Emerson poll, 17% of those surveyed said they were undecided which candidate they would support. In the polls release, Emerson said when those undecided voters were asked which way they were leading, Britts support grew to 59% and Brooks to 41%. Britts initial ballot support in the runoff is higher among men than among women, she leads Brooks 55% to 31% among men compared to 44% to 36% among women, Spencer Kimball, Executive Director of Emerson College Polling, said in a statement accompanying the polls release. However, 20% of women are undecided and when asked who they are leaning towards, 71% support Britt. Britt leads with all age groups, however, her support is the strongest among those under 50, where she leads Brooks 53% to 28%. Nearly 53 percent of AUM Poll respondents indicated a favorable opinion of Britt compared to 32 percent for Brooks, said David Hughes, associate professor of political science and director of the AUM Poll. The division among voters is in line with the Alabama Republican Party being traditionally divided into factions consisting of a business wing, which is more (sub)urban, wealthy and better educated, and a grassroots wing, which is more rural, evangelical and socially conservative, Hughes said in a statement accompanying the polls release. The polls also indicate that former President Donald Trumps endorsement of Britt on June 10 had little impact. In the Emerson poll, conducted June 12-15, 45% of those surveyed said a Trump endorsement makes no difference while 16% said Trumps endorsement would make them less likely to support his preferred candidate. Another 40% said Trumps endorsement would make them more likely to vote for that candidate. The Trump endorsement makes a more significant impact for voters without a college degree, Kimball said in a statement. Half of voters without a college degree say a Trump endorsement makes them more likely to support a candidate, compared to 23% of those with a college degree or more. Whereas, 55% of voters with a college degree say it makes no difference on their vote compared to 28% of voters without a college degree. The AUM poll, conducted June 8-15, found that among Alabama Republican voters who view Trump favorably, 46 percent expressed support for Britt compared to 70 percent who view Trump unfavorably. The AUM Poll found that Britts support is higher among Alabama Republican voters who are better educated, wealthier, less supportive of Donald Trump, and more likely to believe that President Joe Biden legitimately won the 2020 presidential election, Hughes said in a statement. For example, among Alabama Republicans with a college degree, 57% support Britt compared to only 47% support among those with a high school degree or less. Thats consistent with the JMC poll last week that said two-thirds of those it surveyed indicated Trumps endorsement either made no difference or would lead them to vote for the other candidate. A Vietnam Airlines aircraft takes off at Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, Guangzhou, China, 2019. Photo by Shutterstock/Markus Mainka The Civil Aviation Administration of China has agreed with Vietnamese aviation authorities to double the frequency of flights between the two countries to two a week. "The increase in flight frequency between Vietnam and China highlights effective pandemic prevention and is a positive sign for the recovery of the Chinese aviation market," the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam said on its website. China is one of the few countries in the world still pursuing a zero-Covid policy with stringent entry requirements. Earlier, the Chinese government only allowed carriers of both countries to operate one flight a week. Vietnam resumed regular flights from Jan. 1 and lifted all Covid restrictions on international flights from Feb. 15. Before the pandemic, China was Vietnam's biggest tourism market with nearly 4.8 million Chinese visiting in 2019. Aviation officials expect the number of international passengers going through Vietnamese airports this year to reach 10 million, or around 24 percent of pre-pandemic levels. Of these, the country expects to draw five million foreign tourists. Authorities in South Jeolla Province of South Korea plan to resume international flights from Muan International Airport to Da Lat, Nha Trang and Da Nang from July. In addition to Vietnamese tourist hotspots, flights from Muan Airport to Bangkok and Ulaanbaatar will be resumed next month, Vietnam News Agency reported. The move came as the number of South Korean tourists to Vietnam, Thailand and Mongolia have been on the rise after travel restrictions were lifted. In the first five months of this year, Vietnam welcomed 365,000 foreign tourist arrivals, up 4.5 times year-on-year, according to the General Statistics Office. South Korea had the largest number of visitors to Vietnam with over 28,600. On March 15, the government allowed quarantine-free entry and resumed its visa waiver for citizens of 24 countries, including Japan, South Korea and some European economies. It has also removed most other entry restrictions like medical declaration and Covid tests. It is that time of year again, the beginning of the wildfire season. Cheatgrass is maturing, easily seen by the surrounding hills that still show some green but also a purplish tint from the cheatgrass. I spoke to Matt Murphy, Elko BLM interagency Fire Management Officer. Matt said it looks like this year may not be a huge season, but an increase over last year. Last year, 2021, was a historically low year in number of fires, due to a smaller crop of cheatgrass. There is more grass this year, but it looks like the fire emphasis this year could be in higher elevation sites where mountain brush is thick. I asked Matt if the fire season is starting earlier this year. He thought not, although fuels are drying out slightly early, but he said this may be a longer season. A windy spring has helped dry out the vegetation. Matt said if monsoons come north, we do not usually get rain but we will get lightning and that starts wildfires. People can get an idea of the fire potential at https://gacc.nifc.gov/gbcc/, click on Outlooks. Fire fighters are being hired. The Ruby Mountains Hotshot Crew is already in New Mexico. Twenty fire engines are ready, between the BLM, Elko County, US Forest Service and the Nevada Forestry Division. Matt stressed that wildfires are initially fought by whatever resource is the closest, regardless of the agency. The BLM will have a hand crew available, a helicopter crew, two bulldozers, and up to four Single Engine Air Tanker (SEAT) crews. The BLM is manning fire stations in Elko, Wells, Midas and Carlin. Fire breaks (green strips) are ready, they have been maintained and a new one built south of Jiggs. Personnel have been going out every two weeks to clip samples of pinyon/juniper and sagebrush. These are weighed and then heated to drive off moisture. This finds the fuel moisture level. The samples are slightly below average for June. The sagebrush moisture is dropping and just about low enough to carry fire. Personnel also clip cheatgrass in a small area to find the pounds of fine fuels per acre. Other resources are usually stationed here also. Another 10-30 pieces of equipment are kept here each summer. Elko also has a large warehouse containing things like Meals Ready to Eat (MREs), water, Gatorade, fire tools, batteries, fire clothing, fire shelters, and porta tanks. Elko is a good place to stage these resources since they can quickly be sent any direction using Interstate 80 and US Highway 93. A bad time to have a local fire is when other priorities, other large fires, have drained off some of these resources. New technology is helping firefighters. Team leaders carry smartphones and iPads to help with mapping fires. They can now communicate through texts. Helicopters perform daily mapping of fires, so everyone knows the daily current conditions. Matt Peterson is the Elko County Fire Chief. He told me they have eight trucks plus a water tender and bulldozer available at stations in Elko, Wells, Spring Creek, and Jackpot. This is in addition to the 16 volunteer fire departments around the county. They are recruiting for seasonal workers in preparation for the upcoming wildfire season. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 By Trend Albanian construction companies ready to participate in restoration process in Karabakh, President of the Republic of Albania Ilir Meta said in an exclusive interview with Trend. "Albanian-Azerbaijani relations are flourishing. We cooperate very actively in the energy sector. However, it is extremely important to encourage our relations in other areas, such as trade or tourism. It is also very important to continue cooperation at the cultural and educational levels," he said. The President elaborated on the cooperation between Azerbaijan and Albania in the energy sector. "We hope that the capacity of the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) will be doubled and multiplied in the future. This contributes to improving energy security in Europe. We are doing everything possible not only to be a transit country, but also to benefit from the project in order to attract more investments from Azerbaijan to Albania. The Ionian-Adriatic Pipeline, which is based on TAP, is also a very important project. We are confident that this project will increase energy supplies for the benefit of all the countries of the Western Balkans," Meta said. According to the President, Azerbaijan and Albania are not using their full potential in terms of investments. "Azerbaijan has a huge potential in all spheres of the economy. Now is the time to start investing in Albania, which is currently becoming one of the most attractive destinations, especially in the tourism sector. We expect the growth of Azerbaijani investments in the nearest future," he added. The President also noted that Albania is very interested in contributing to the reconstruction works in Karabakh. Today Albanian construction companies are ready to participate in restoration process in Karabakh. Albania can also help Azerbaijan by providing specialists for demining activities. "We see that the Azerbaijani leadership is fully committed to turning Karabakh into an example of unprecedented economic development and a symbol of peace restoration in the region," he added. Further speaking, the President highly appreciated the role of the IX Global Baku Forum in discussing and resolving issues on the world agenda. "The participation of world leaders in this forum shows that it is becoming more and more important. It will become a very solid forum for solving international problems and the most important issues on the global agenda. Today's opening ceremony demonstrated the importance of the forum. Various discussions, ideas and proposals that come from international leaders and decision makers at the Global Baku Forum will contribute to solving the main problems that the world is currently facing," he said. The President added that Albania is mainly focused on the consequences of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, the security situation at the global and European levels, as well as the economic situation, market prices, problems of poverty and polarization. "Food insecurity is also among the issues of concern, as Russia and Ukraine account for one third of the world's wheat supplies. It is extremely important to find solutions to avoid the food crisis. A way to deal with this crisis must be found under the leadership of the UN and its agencies," Meta said. Another important issue that the President raised is the COVID-19 pandemic. "We cannot say that we have won this battle with the pandemic. Many countries, for example, on the African continent, are still lagging behind in the level of vaccination, while other viruses and variants may emerge. This should be solved globally and at the proper level. Today we understand that it is necessary to pay more attention to public health, increasing investments in this sector," he said. Nevada Vanadium Mining Corp., which is planning the Gibellini vanadium mine in Eureka County, announced the selection of Hitachi Energy to provide consulting services for development of a renewable energy supply for the operation. Nevada Vanadium plans to power the operation with solar energy to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and save on energy costs but is still awaiting U.S. Bureau of Land Managements release of a draft environmental impact statement on the project. The Notice of Availability for the DEIS is grinding its way through Washington D.C. review. There doesnt seem to be any sense of urgency for getting projects advanced quickly back there, even if it is a critical minerals project they claim to want, said Nevada Vanadium Chief Executive Officer Ron Espell. We are certainly still targeting 2024 for start-up but every delay by D.C. puts that at risk, he said in a June 16 email. The U.S. Geological Survey has listed vanadium as a critical mineral because of its many industrial uses, including for national defense, aerospace, grid-scale energy storage and rebar steel manufacturing. However, China and Russia currently supply 75% of the worlds supply, while there is no U.S. production, according to Nevada Vanadium. The Gibellini Project, roughly 27 miles south of the town of Eureka, is expected to be the first primary vanadium mining operation in the United States. Plans outlined earlier this year by Espell call for the open pit mine to produce 10 million pounds of vanadium a year and produce yellowcake from uranium as a byproduct. The yellowcake production is estimated at 50,000 pounds per year. He said at that time 120 workers would be required during construction and 113 workers for operations. Hitachi Energy, a global technology and market leader in power grids, will work with Nevada Vanadium to define energy requirements for operations on site as the first phase in the development of a 100% renewable power supply for the mine, according to Nevada Vanadium. As part of the project, Zurich, Switzerland-based Hitachi Energy also will collaborate closely with M3 Engineering & Technology, which is responsible for the overall design of the Gibellini mining operation. We have selected Hitachi Energy as a partner for this project because of their deep understanding of the power requirements of large-scale industrial operations, their extensive experience with the mining industry and their proven expertise in the integration of variable, renewable energy sources into power grids, said Espell. Hitachi Energy also brings a wealth of knowledge about the design and deployment of mircrogrids and battery energy storage systems, which will be critical as we move into subsequent stages of this project, he said in the announcement. The company reported that it envisions the establishment of a microgrid and battery energy storage system, fed by solar energy produced at the site to provide clean, reliable, self-sufficient and cost-effective energy to the mine around the clock. Hitachi Energy will explore requirements for establishing connections between the site and the local power grid, which could enable the company to deliver power to the grid and, potentially, to local communities when solar power production is high. The connection would also provide a back-up power source to ensure reliable continuity of operations, Nevada Vanadium said. The collaboration with Hitachi Energy will look at the typical mine power profile, instantaneous maximum equipment demands for normal, emergency and transient operations and supply power profiles, interconnection options and general utility grid infrastructure capabilities, Nevada Vanadium said. The effort will also consider utility-required evaluations for interconnection, utility-required considerations for renewable, microgrid and storage facilities, opportunities for carbon dioxide equivalent emission reductions through electrification of emission sources and opportunities with local stakeholders to provide sustainable energy to rural communities. Nevada Vanadium is a spin-off of Silver Elephant Mining Corp. based in Vancouver. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Michael I. Blake, 33, of Fresno, California was arrested June 12, 2022, at Walmart for felony possession of a controlled substance, petit larceny, and stolen property. Bail: $7,280 Patrick D. Howard, 39, of Nampa, Idaho was arrested June 10, 2022, at 775 W. Silver St. on four felony counts of committing a fraudulent act in a gaming establishment. Ashton R. Moses, 24, of Sandy, Utah was arrested June 12, 2022, at Salt Lake County Jail on a felony warrant for possession of a controlled substance. Bail: $5,000 Luke L. Zataray, 29, of Spring Creek was arrested June 10, 2022, at 857 Spring Valley Parkway on two counts of assault with a deadly weapon, two counts of drawing a deadly weapon in a threatening manner, and owning or possessing a gun by a prohibited person. Bail: $65,000 Britanee M. Lacombe, 30, of Elko was arrested June 15, 2020, at Lamoille Highway and Colt Drive for burglary of a motor vehicle. Bail: $5,000 Harlan S. Arnett Jr., 29, of Markleeville, California was arrested June 15, 2022, at 1650 Buckskin Drive for two counts of fugitive felon from another state. Jeffrey L. Jerome, 28, of Spring Creek was arrested June 16, 2022, at 11th and Silver streets for failure to appear after bail on a felony crime. Alexander K. Dave-Decker, 32, of Elko was arrested June 17, 2022, at 550 12th St. for violation of probation and felony possession of a controlled substance. Bryant W. Donahue, 34, of Elko was arrested June 16, 2022, at 642 Elm St. for felony possession of a controlled substance. Bail: $5,000 Rhiannon N. Junker, 33, of Elko was arrested June 16, 2022, at Elko County Jail for violation of probation. Roy A. Sam, 40, of Elko was arrested June 16, 2022, at 642 Elm St. for felony possession of a controlled substance and driver disobeying peace officer. Bail: $11,140 Tyrone G. Taylor, 47, of Elko was arrested June 16, 2022, at 4650 Hamilton Stage Road for battery on a protected person resulting in substantial bodily harm, resisting a public officer with a deadly weapon not a firearm, and disturbing the peace. Bail: $15,355 Eric W. Whitney, 30, of Elko was arrested June 17, 2022, at 550 12th St. for felony possession of a controlled substance. Bail: $5,000 The charges listed do not imply guilt. Under the law, everyone is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court. Love 1 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 ELKO An Elko man sentenced to prison in February following a burglary at Southside Elementary School has been granted parole and will be released this weekend, according to the Nevada Department of Parole and Probation. Raul M. Duran was 23 when he was accused in April 2020 of breaking a glass door at the school and taking items to his residence at a nearby trailer park. He was arrested on charges of burglary, possession of stolen property, possession of cocaine, petit larceny and malicious damage to property. Duran pleaded guilty to attempted burglary in March 2021 and was given a deferred sentence. He was arrested again in December 2021 on a probation violation and was sentenced Feb. 3, 2022, by District Judge Kriston Hill. He was to serve 12-30 months, with two months credit for time served at the Elko County Jail, but was granted a June release. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 ELKO A former Carlin schoolteacher is scheduled to be released from prison this weekend after serving time on a drug charge. Charlotte E. Rhoden, 41, was originally arrested in a traffic stop in the early morning hours of Sept. 7, 2018, during which police said they found 13.5 grams of methamphetamine, along with sales and drug paraphernalia. She was put on paid leave from the Elko County School District prior to pleading guilty to possession of methamphetamine in January 2019. She was arrested again less than a month later on additional charges of meth trafficking. Rhoden was spotted at a gas station by Carlin police who knew she was wanted on a warrant for failure to complete DUI school following a drunken driving conviction from 2017. She was sentenced in April 2019 to five years of probation by Elko District Judge Nancy Porter. She was also ordered to refrain from teaching, except for online classes. Rhoden, aka Charlotte Wyllie, was arrested again along with her husband following a May 27, 2020, fight in an Elko music store parking lot. Elko Police Department officers said video surveillance showed the couple put on gloves and wait outside the store until a woman exited. Charlotte immediately approaches and attacks (the woman) and punches her multiple times while attempting to take her backpack, police said. The woman refuses to let go of the backpack and Charlotte continues to punch (her) even while she is on the ground. A criminal complaint was filed against the Wyllies charging them with robbery and coercion. After that incident but prior to her being formally charged and arrested, Charlotte Wyllie was arrested on Aug. 21, 2020, on felony drug and domestic battery charges. Kenneth Wyllie was arrested the same day on a domestic battery charge at their home in Spring Creek, and for making a false statement to obstruct a public officer. Charlotte agreed in December 2020 to plead no contest to a charge of attempted battery resulting in substantial bodily harm in the May 2020 case, in exchange for the District Attorney dropping robbery or coercion charges. Meanwhile, she had pleaded guilty to possession of a drug not to be introduced into interstate commerce, and possession of drug paraphernalia. She was sentenced in October 2020 to 180 days in jail. According to the Nevada Department of Corrections, Rhoden began serving a 19-48 month sentence for conspiracy to violate the Controlled Substances Act in August 2021. She was granted release the Florence McClure Womens Correctional Center at a May parole board hearing. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 13 ELKO City and county firefighters responded to a blaze Friday morning at the intersection of East Jennings Way and Interstate 80. Luckily the fire remained small in the grass and sage and was quickly extinguished, stated the Elko County Fire Protection District. The fire was caused by sparks from metal work. If you are going to be doing any welding or metal grinding, make sure to wet the area. It is not advised during high winds and low humidity like our area is experiencing today, the fire district said. The Northeastern Nevada Fire District also reported a small blaze along U.S. Highway 93 on Friday afternoon near Currie. Both that blaze and Friday morning's Elko fire burned only a tenth of an acre before they were extinguished. Strong winds have been blowing in the region since Thursday, resulting in multiple weather advisories. The National Weather Service Elko has issued a Red Flag warning for the northeastern part of the county, a high wind warning for the southeastern corner, a wind advisory for the northwest corner and a blowing dust advisory for the Elko area until 11 p.m. The forecast also calls for isolated thunderstorms Friday night and cooler but still windy conditions for the weekend. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 2 WASHINGTON (AP) One month ahead of President Joe Bidens trip to Saudi Arabia, the District of Columbia is renaming the street in front of the Saudi embassy Jamal Khashoggi Way, trolling Riyadh for its role in the killing of the dissident Saudi activist and journalist in 2018. With members of the D.C. Council in attendance, a Jamal Khashoggi Way sign was unveiled directly in front of the embassys main entrance. We intend to remind the people who are hiding behind these doors ... that we hold them responsible and we will hold them accountable for the murder of our friend, said Sarah Leah Whitson, executive director of DAWN, the pro-Arab world democracy organization founded by Khashoggi prior to his death. Whitson also criticized what she called the shameless capitulation of the Biden administration for seeking improved relations with the Saudi government and scheduling an official presidential visit to the kingdom. Khashoggi, a prominent Saudi journalist and Washington Post columnist, entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2, 2018, seeking the necessary documentation for a planned marriage with his fiancee waiting outside for him. The 59-year old never emerged. The Saudi government initially denied any wrongdoing. But under mounting international pressure, Riyadh eventually admitted that Khashoggi had been killed inside the consulate in what the Saudis characterized as a repatriation effort gone wrong. The CIA later released a report concluding that Khashoggi was killed and dismembered on the orders of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman. The Saudi regime has consistently denied that connection. Several lower-level Saudi officials and agents received jail sentences over the killing. The D.C. Council unanimously voted late last year to rename a one-block stretch for Khashoggi. I'm very proud that we did this, said D.C. Council Chair Phil Mendelson. The Saudi government cannot forget what happend, what it did. This is a constant reminder. The renaming is ceremonial, as signified by the brown street sign instead of the usual green, and it won't impact the embassy's mailing address. But the sign will remain indefinitely. An email to the Saudi Embassy seeking comment did not receive a response. Khashoggi's Turkish fiancee, Hatice Cengiz, could not attend the ceremony, but a statement from her was read aloud. In it, she bitterly criticized the Biden administration for putting oil over principles and expediency over principles. Cengiz also directly requested of Biden, when he meets with the crown prince, Can you at least ask, Where is Jamals body?' Karine Jean Pierre, the White House press secretary, would not say whether Biden would raise the issue of Khashoggis murder when he meets with Bin Salman next month. The president is a straight shooter. This is not something that hes afraid to talk about, she said. But she didnt confirm if the killing would be a topic of conversation. The D.C. government has a history of such public moves to troll or shame foreign governments. In February 2018, the street in front of the Russian embassy was named Boris Nemtsov Plaza, after a Russian activist shot dead while walking on a bridge near the Kremlin in 2015. At the previous site of the Russian embassy, a street was renamed for longtime Russian dissident Andrei Sakharov. Wednesday's street renaming was essentially a formalization of an independent activist-driven campaign that had been going on for years. Shortly after Khashoggi's death, local activist Claude Taylor started placing realistic-looking Jamal Khashoggi street signs around the city, including outside the embassy. Taylor said he had as many as 10 signs in different places at one point, including one near Dupont Circle that lasted for two years before being vandalized. It's just a form of public protest with a performance art aspect to it, Taylor said. Although he noted with a laugh that he wasn't invited to Wednesday's ceremony, Taylor said, I'm glad the city did the right thing and I'm glad he's being recognized this way. Associated Press writer Chris Megerian contributed to this report. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 At the closing session, legislators approved a resolution on continuing to strengthen the enforcement and efficiency of the implementation of policies and laws related to planning as well as a number of measures to remove difficulties and obstacles to speed up the design and improve the quality of planning in the 2021-2030 period. They also adopted a resolution on question-and-answer activities at the NAs third session, and a resolution of the third session. NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue addresses the closing session (Photo: VNA) Closing the session, NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue said that the third session was a success with all tasks completed. The NA finished a great workload with high consensus, and decided on many important issues not only for 2022 but the whole 2021-2025 period and following years, he said. He noted that legislators submitted nearly 1,500 ideas during six group and 23 plenary discussions. The NA debated and adopted five laws, 16 thematic resolutions and a general resolution for the session, while discussing six bills and deciding on many important matters, he added. According to the NA leader, the NA spent time discussing the outcomes of socio-economic development and State budget plans in 2021, as well as the implementation of such plans in the first months of 2022. He went on that along with bringing COVID-19 under control, financial and monetary support policies under the NA's Resolution 43/2022/QH15 have been implemented positively, paving the way for socio-economic recovery and development. He noted that gross domestic product (GDP) growth in the first quarter of this year reached 5.03 percent and hit a relatively high level in the second quarter, while import-export revenue in the first five months of this year exceeded 305 billion USD, up 16.1 percent year on year, and State budget collection reached 57 percent of the yearly estimate, a rise of 18.7 percent. The NA leader highlighted positive signs in business activities, the macro-economy, social welfare, security, defence, anti-corruption, and market control. Vietnam has been elected as Vice President of the NA General Assembly in the 2022-2023 tenure, representing the Asia-Pacific region, he noted, adding that Vietnam successfully hosted the 31st Southeast Asian Games. He said that NA deputies pointed out shortcomings and weaknesses in a number of sectors and forecast a number of risks and challenges in the future, while giving a number of major orientations, solutions and tasks for the Government, ministries and sectors to complete their yearly targets. The NA adopted a resolution approving the State budget settlement for 2020 and requested the Government to strengthen direction, adopt solutions to further tighten financial discipline and overcome shortcomings and limitations, while promoting thrift practices and strengthening anti-corruption efforts, while strictly handling violations in the management and use of the State budget and public property. Over the supervision activities, NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue said that the NA listened to and discussed a report on thrift practice and the prevention of wastefulness in 2021, and a report by the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front summarising voters opinions and proposals to the NAs third session, while considering a report on the supervision of responses to voters' ideas sent to the second session. Meanwhile, the NA has supervised the implementation of policies and laws related to planning since the Planning Law took effect, and agreed on the issuance of a resolution on continuing to strengthen the enforcement and efficiency of the implementation of policies and laws related to planning as well as a number of measures to remove difficulties and obstacles to speed up the design and improve the quality of planning in the 2021-2030 period, he said. The NA leader said that the NA spent two and a half days to question three ministers and the State Bank of Vietnams Governor as well as Standing Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh and other Deputy PMs and heads of sectors on issues related to agriculture and rural development, finance, banking and transport. A resolution on the NAs supervision programme for 2023 was adopted, along with a resolution on the formation of a thematic supervision team over the mobilisation, management and use of resources for COVID-19 prevention and control activities, the implementation of laws and policies on local healthcare, as well as the implementation of NA resolutions on the implementation of national targets programmes for new-style rural area building in the 2021-2025 period, and the national target programme on sustainable poverty reduction and socio-economic development in ethnic minority-inhabited and mountainous areas in the 2021-2030 period. Regarding other important issues, the NA leader said for the first time at a NA session, five important national projects were discussed and received decisions on investment policies, raising the total projects approved by the 15th NA to six with total capital of over 392 trillion VND (16.86 billion USD). During the session, following the request of the NA Standing Committee, the NA agreed on the supplementation of content related to personnel work to the sessions agenda. The NA approved the PMs proposal on the dismissal of Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long for serious mistakes related to the violations at Viet A Technologies JSC. According to the NA leader, in order for laws and resolutions to be realised effectively, the Government, the PM, NA Standing Committee and NA agencies as well as relevant ministries, sectors and NA deputies should promptly make plans to implement the laws and resolutions. He also asked deputies to keep in close contact with voters and people to report their opinions and requests, encouraging them to continue joining hands with the Government to overcome difficulties and challenges for stronger socio-economic recovery and development./. Vietnamese lychees aim to go global. - Illustrative image (Photo: VNA) The northern provinces of Hai Duong and Bac Giang are the two leading areas for lychee production. VNA cited the sayings of Tran Van Quan, Vice Chairman of Hai Duong Peoples Committee that the province aims to make Vietnamese lychee a global name thanks to its world-class quality. According to Quan, Hai Duong has over 9,000 hectares of lychees, producing 60,000 tonnes per year. About 50 percent are consumed domestically, 40 percent exported to traditional markets and 10 percent to high-end markets. The province is home to Thanh Ha lychee, a variety that has made a name for itself in many demanding markets. The fruit has been granted a Protected Geographical Indication Certificate (PGIC) in Vietnam, as one of the Top 10 producers of prestige, honoured as a quintessence of Vietnamese local specialities. Our local lychees are grown in accordance with VietGAP and GlobalGAP standards. Remarkably, 189 Planting Area Codes (PAC) have been granted to many localities with a total granted area of 1,200 hectares, he said. The vice chairman also said that the province will focus on expanding export-only lychee-growing areas to add more value to the fruit and meet the growing demand of foreign markets. Phan The Tuan, Vice Chairman of Bac Giang Peoples Committee, underscored that the province has the countrys largest lychee-growing area of over 28,000 hectares. Bac Giangs lychees are the first Vietnamese product to be granted PGIC in Japan and are eligible for trademark protection in eight countries. Bac Giang has 15,400 hectares of VietGAP lychees, equivalent to an annual output of 125,000 tonnes, and 102 hectares of GlobalGAP lychees, equivalent to over 1,000 tonnes, he said. The vice chairman also noted that so far, Bac Giangs lychees have been commercially available in over 30 countries. Vietnamese lychees introduced at the event (Source: congthuong.vn) He said the province will continue to boost lychee export to high-end markets and try to gain entry into new markets, including Canada and Thailand. Nguyen Duc Hung, manager of the Toan Cau Company, admitted that Vietnamese lychees are facing difficulties in reaching far-flung markets because the fruits cannot be kept fresh for long. "Fresh lychees can be preserved for 40 days at most, so the fruits cannot travel long distances to far-flung markets," he said. Accordingly, he recommended that Vietnamese producers develop new lychee-derived products that can last for a longer period of time so that the fruit can reach global customers. He also suggested lychees be transported via railway to the EU to cut costs and avoid delay in shipment, which has been an issue in sea shipping. Saadi Salama, Palestinian Ambassador to Vietnam, stressed that products on sale in the Middle East normally have Halal marks on their packages, indicating that the products meet Halal standards. He hoped that more Vietnamese lychee-derived products are Halal-labelled to expand its foothold in the market, allowing the fruits to be enjoyed by more foreign consumers. "I visited many Vietnamese exhibition booths today. All booths were well-organised with many eye-catching lychee products. Unfortunately, no products had been Halal-labelled. I hope that they would obtain the mark soon," he said. George Burchett, an Australian journalist, described Vietnamese lychees as fruit from heaven due to their beautiful taste, though Vietnamese lychees are much more expensive in Australia than in Vietnam due to high logistics costs. Vietnamese, Chinese airlines allowed to operate two flights per week The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) has agreed to allow airlines of Vietnam and China to operate two flights per week, instead of only one flight per week as before, VNA reported news from the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) on June 16. A plane of Vietnam Airlines (Photo: Vietnam Airlines) The move showed the effective COVID-19 prevention and control of the two countries, and the recovery of the Chinese aviation market - an important market of Vietnamese airlines, CAAV said. Statistics of CAAV showed that Vietnam has so far restored flights to more than 20 countries and territories such as Japan, the Republic of Korea, China, Taiwan (China), Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia, Hong Kong (China), the Philippines, Laos, Qatar, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), France, Germany, the UK, Russia, Australia, and the US. The number of domestic passengers is expected to reach close to the level of 2019 by the end of 2022, a representative of CAAV said. According to analysis by Airbus in collaboration with the International Air Transport Association (IATA) based on the statistical results of flight numbers from flightrada 24 and Airbus estimate, Vietnam's domestic aviation market recovered at the fastest pace in the world, with a growth rate of 123 percent over the same period in 2019. ACCV forecast that airports across the country will serve about 87.8 million passengers in 2022, including about 5 million foreign arrivals, up 190 percent and 844 percent respectively compared to 2021. Businesses seek to boost exports to Laos, Thailand The Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency (Vietrade) will host an online consultation session on June 21 to help businesses increase exports to the Lao and Thai markets, reported VOV. The event will also raise issues related to the export and import of processed agricultural products and foodstuffs between Vietnam and these markets. Statistics from the Ministry of Industry and Trade show trade turnover between Vietnam and Laos in the first five months of this year reached US$708.2 million, of which exports to Laos dropped 11.7% compared to the same period last year to US$247.2 million. Vietnams main export items include iron and steel, means of transport and spare parts, machinery, equipment, tools, fertilizers, plastic products, fruit and vegetables. Meanwhile, Vietnam's trade turnover with Thailand witnessed a seven-fold increase from US$2.31 billion in 2004 to US$16.58 billion in 2020, with the annual average growth expanding more than 11%, according to statistics of the International Trade Center (ITC). Photo for illustration (Source: laodong.vn) In the first five months of this year alone, bilateral trade hit nearly US$8.57 billion, of which Vietnamese exports surged 15.6% to US$2.95 billion and its imports edged up 3.5% to US$5.26 billion. Despite being the worlds leading exporter of agricultural products, Thailand has huge demand for importing fresh fruits and vegetables. This will create a wealth of opportunities for Vietnamese farm producers to explore the billion-dollar market moving forward, say experts. At present, Vietnams seafood, vegetables, cashew nuts, coffee, pepper, and fresh fruits are also being favored by Thai consumers./. At the opening ceremony (Photo: VNA) The event, which will run until June 19, is being jointly held by the Department of International Trade Promotion under the Thai Ministry of Commerce, the Trade Office at the Thai Embassy in Hanoi, and VINEXAD National Trade Fair and Advertising JSC of Vietnam. Mini Thailand Week, or the Top Thai Brands Exhibition, are different versions of the famous trade fair held annually in Hanoi and Hai Phong for the past 20 years. The trade fair has received positive feedback not only from businesses looking for opportunities to strengthen their networks but also from Vietnamese customers wishing to access quality Thai products and services. The event in Quang Ninh features more than 60 booths run by Thai companies, representative offices and distribution agents in Vietnam. On display are outstanding Thai products and services such as food and beverages, home appliances, electrical appliances, textiles, jewellery, cosmetics and beauty products, and tourism services. The event is expected to help boost bilateral trade and strengthen mutual understanding between Thailand and Vietnam./. A corner of Da Nang (Photo: VNA) Son asked local departments, sectors and agencies to coordinate closely to prepare human resources and tourism products to serve tourists from potential markets such as countries in the Middle East, citing as examples MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, Exhibitions) tours, resorts and other products for visitors in the high-end segment. It is necessary to study and propose new policies for new air routes and markets as well as policies to reopen more routes in the time to come, he stressed. Son underlined that the success of the Routes Asia 2022 showed the citys efforts to accompany local enterprises after two years of being hit by COVID-19, contributing to promoting local economic recovery and development. According to Director of the city Department of Tourism Truong Thi Hong Hanh, the event drew more than 700 delegates, including 500 foreigners. It comprised 18 major activities, with 15 organised by Da Nang. During the event, 1,500 official working meetings took place from June 6-8, including 1,300 direct and 200 online ones. Da Nang also held 19 meetings with partners, including Vietjet Air, Jetstar Group and airlines from India, the Philippines, Indonesia, Europe and Australia. Following the meetings, airlines operating flights on the Thailand-Da Nang route said that they plan to increase flights to Da Nang and support the city in tourism promotion. Informa Routes company will also continue to help connect Da Nang and potential partner ailines in the world and promote its tourism through the firms existing channels, Hanh added. Hanh said that participants at the event lauded the potential and attractiveness of Da Nang, and international carriers in India and Indonesia had pledged to keep working to promote the opening of direct flights to the central city of Vietnam. She highlighted the effectiveness of Route Asia 2022 in promoting Da Nang as a tourism destination and introducing the image and potential of the city in investment, trade, aviation, tourism and logistics to domestic and foreign delegates. Hanh said that Da Nang will continue to popularise its tourism in international markets while resuming international air routes and working to call for the opening of new direct flights to the city./. By Trend The IX Global Baku Forum plays an important role in terms of solving current global problems, the former Prime Minister of Bosnia and Herzegovina Zlatko Lagumdzija told Trend. According to Lagumdzija, the forum brings together different countries, thoughts, and ideas, creating a geopolitical balance. "Many countries and organizations are represented here, solutions to existing problems are discussed, and views are exchanged both at open meetings and at one-on-one meetings. The world has changed a lot in the last three years. For example, the COVID-19 pandemic has changed lives around the world. Besides, the world changes in terms of technologies," he said. "Therefore, the IX Global Baku Forum plays an important role in discussing these changes. Representatives of different countries and organizations can gather and exchange views, and hold discussions in order to turn these changes in a positive direction," added the ex-prime minister. The Global Baku Forum on "Challenges to the Global World Order" is being attended by representatives of more than 50 countries, as well as authoritative international organizations. Participants of the forum, which will last until June 18, will conduct productive discussions of important issues posing a threat to the global world order, and will also discuss challenges to energy security, issues of ensuring global security and peace, cooperation and integration in vulnerable regions, issues of growing injustice in a globalizing world, the transformation of the food and agricultural sectors to prevent poverty. Thus, the Ukrainian Navy tug "Vasily Bekh" was hit by the Navy forces in the Black Sea - at the time of the defeat he was transporting ammunition, weapons and personnel of the Black Sea Fleet to Zmiinyi (Snake) Island. "Even the presence of the Tor anti-aircraft missile system on board did not prevent the Ukrainian Navy from demilitarizing Russian invaders," the statement said. The head of the Odessa Regional State Administration Maksym Marchenko also confirmed that the tug was hitted by Ukrainian Navy The moment of the enemy shipwreck was recorded by a Bayraktar TB2 drone. It should be noted that the ship was hit by two anti-ship missiles. It can indicate that the ship will probably go to the bottom to the "Moscow". The tug "Vasily Bekh" was accepted into the Black Sea Fleet in 2017. It has a displacement of 1,605 tons - this is, for example, almost twice as much as the missile corvette of the Russian Navy project 21631 "Buyan-M", which displacement about 900 tons. The state budget of Ukraine has received a 1 billion Canadian dollars (equivalent to $773 million) soft loan from Canada for a period of 10 years at 1.69% per annum, the Ministry of Finance announced on Friday. "These are the first funds that Ukraine has received through the mechanism of the administered account of the International Monetary Fund," the ministry's press release says. Finance Minister Serhiy Marchenko thanked the Canadian government and personally Deputy Prime Minister - Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland for "uncompromising support for Ukraine in the fight for freedom," emphasizing the extremely important timeliness of support. The funds will be directed to the state budget to finance priority expenditures, in particular, to ensure priority social and humanitarian expenditures, the Ministry of Finance specified. Business should talk not only about compensation for damage caused by aggressor, but also about compensation for harm caused lawyer Businesses should talk not only about compensation for the damage caused to them due to the Russian aggression, but also about compensation for all the damage caused, Hennadiy Borysychev, founder of the Konkor law firm, has said. "Please note that damage is only part of such a concept as harm, in particular, harm caused by Russian aggression. Damage includes not only direct losses, but also additional costs, lost profits, and there is also moral damage. For example, for legal person it is real to prove the existence of moral damage caused, in particular, due to the loss of non-property assets, goodwill and others," he told Interfax-Ukraine. The lawyer said that for each of these types of damage there are specific features of recording the collection of evidence about the existence of the fact of damage and its size. At the same time, it is important to clearly establish all types of damage caused and prove both the very fact of the existence of damage and its size. "It is important to consider and prove all components of the damage caused in a complex, that is, in interconnection. It is a mistake to break down the recording and assessment of the amount of damage for separate objects of one business that suffered damage, since a business (enterprise) is a property complex, and includes both property, and non-property assets," he said. Borysychev drew attention to the fact that when assessing the damage, it is necessary to follow the government resolution No. 326 dated March 20, which sets the procedure for determining the damage and damage caused to Ukraine as a result of the armed aggression of the Russian Federation. The lawyer said that in the near future it is expected to adopt an appropriate methodology for assessing harm and approving acts for recording it. In addition, Borysychev pointed out the need for a correct legal qualification of the actions that caused damage, which will affect the prospects for compensation. "War is not an "event" like a natural disaster or accident, and not a private conflict, as a result of which harm is caused. Harm caused to a business is exactly the type of harm that refers to such grave consequences of war, which in turn entitles a business to receive the status of a victim. That is, the application of such a legal approach allows us to involve the law enforcement agencies of the state in recording the damage. This method of recording the damage when assessing evidence both in Ukraine and in foreign jurisdictions will have certain advantages and allows attracting the state to the side of the victim," the lawyer said. Borysychev drew attention to the fact that the problem of compensation for damages caused by Russian aggression is not a common well-established practice for law firms. At the same time, an important point is the lack of a mechanism for enforcing decisions on claims for damages against the Russian Federation. "This problem is extraordinary and has not yet been solved anywhere in the world, it requires the development of law enforcement practice. Ukrainian courts have positive experience in claims against the Russian Federation, there is positive experience in arbitration, but an important nuance has not yet been taken into account the mechanism for executing such decisions," he said. Borysychev said that earlier the Konkor law firm won the right to the status of a victim due to Russian aggression several years before the start of the second hot stage of the war on February 24. "Now our solutions and experience in this area have become relevant and unprecedented," he said. The lawyer said that among foreign jurisdictions, the most promising for the restoration of the violated rights of war victims are the jurisdictions of the UK, the United States and Canada. He said that the law firm will focus on the development and implementation of the legal mechanism in Ukrainian courts. Borysychev said that at present, the current issues are the adoption of a law on compensation for damage to victims of Russian aggression in Ukraine and the creation of a common accessible mechanism for all categories of victims in Ukraine to obtain the status of victims and compensation for damage. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has instructed the relevant state bodies to check readiness for a possible re-invasion of Russian troops from Belarus in four regions of Ukraine, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Oleksiy Danilov said. "As for the direction from Belarus: I want to inform you that in addition to the NSDC, there is the Supreme Commander-in-chief's rate. Yesterday there was a meeting. They [meetings] take place, we do not make them public when they take place ... the issue of Belarus was discussed at the meeting yesterday. All our bodies involved in this gave an assessment what is happening there [in Belarus], what state the Belarusian army is in today, how many Russian military are there, what plans. All this is under the control of our president," Danilov said on the air of the program The Great Lviv is Speaking on Thursday. "As a result, there is an instruction [from the president]. Now there will be a check in four areas of the state of preparation, if there are repeated calls for our country [from Belarus], " he added. At the same time, the NSDC secretary did not specify the name of specific areas. ECHR instructs Russia to ensure that death sentence of Moroccan prisoner of war in so-called DPR not to be executed The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has decided to take urgent measures against a prisoner of war sentenced to death in the so-called "Donetsk People's Republic", obliging Russia to ensure that the sentence will not be executed. As stated in the message of the ECHR, distributed on Thursday, the decision was made in the case of Saadoune v. Russia and Ukraine (application no. 28944/22) concerning a Moroccan national and a member of the Armed Forces of Ukraine who surrendered to the Russian forces during recent hostilities and has since been sentenced to death in the so-called Donetsk Peoples Republic. "The Court indicated in particular to the Government of the Russian Federation, under Rule 39 of the Rules of Court, that they should ensure that the death penalty imposed on the applicant was not carried out; ensure appropriate conditions of his detention; and, provide him with any necessary medical assistance and medication, " the message reads. In addition, the Court also instructed the Government of Ukraine to ensure, as far as possible, compliance with the applicant's convention rights. On June 9, the socalled court in Donetsk sentenced to death foreign volunteers who fought on the side of Ukraine - Moroccan Brahim Saadoune and two Britons - Shaun Pinner and Aiden Aslin. They were "accused of mercenary activities and of committing actions aimed at seizing power and overthrowing the socalled constitutional order of an entity unrecognized by anyone except the Russian Federation - the "DPR". According to media reports, the British and the Moroccan surrendered. Sweden supports granting Ukraine the status of an EU candidate with conditions, Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde said. "I have just participated in the EU committee, where I told the Council of Foreign Ministers that Sweden supports Ukraine with the status of a candidate country with conditions," Linde wrote on Twitter on Friday. The United States "will not press Ukraine to make territorial concessions" to Russia, The Hill said with reference to the U.S. President's national security adviser Jake Sullivan. Were not going to be pressing them to be making territorial concessions. We think thats inconsistent with international law and is just, frankly, wrong, Sullivan said speaking in Washington on Thursday. Sullivan added: We have been focused on what we can do today, tomorrow, next week to strengthen the Ukrainians hand to the maximum extent possible, first on the battlefield and then ultimately at the negotiating table. We do think this will have to end through diplomacy, The Hill quoted him as saying. Earlier, U.S. President Joe Biden said that he had informed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky by phone about the decision to provide Kyiv with a tranche of U.S. military assistance in the amount of $1 billion. Sanctions against Russia to remain in place until fair agreement with Ukraine Scholz The sanctions imposed against Russia will remain in effect until a fair agreement is reached with Ukraine, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said. "The sanctions that have been imposed will remain in force until a fair agreement with Ukraine is reached," he said in an interview with ZDF TV channel. At the same time, the Chancellor stressed that only Ukraine itself can determine which terms of the agreement will be fair, "this cannot and will not be dictated by anyone in Europe." Scholz noted that in conversations with Russian President Vladimir Putin, he repeatedly spoke about the inadmissibility of "dictated peace." He also said that "Germany will not put up with the annexation of Crimea," because "it would be a violation of international law." The Chancellor rejected accusations that he initially hesitated on the issue of supplying Ukraine with heavy weapons, for which he was criticized by Ukrainian representatives and a number of politicians inside the country. "There is no point in doing something just because someone is shouting, or not doing something because someone is shouting," Scholz said, adding that protecting the country and maintaining peace is his responsibility as a chancellor. By Trend Azerbaijan plays a main role in the energy stability of Europe, Vice-speaker of Polish Senate Michal Kaminski told Trend during the 9th Global Baku Forum entitled 'Challenges to the Global World Order', on June 16. "We discussed the importance of Azerbaijan for the energy security of Europe, in Baku, in the early 2000s. We understood that Azerbaijan would play a decisive role in supplying Europe with alternative energy resources," Kaminski said. According to him, Azerbaijan is Europe's most important partner in terms of global progress. "Constructive role that Azerbaijan plays today not only in the energy sector but also at the diplomatic level, helps Europe not only to have alternative sources for itself but also Europe is able to create a zone of stability and progress. This would be impossible without the help of Azerbaijan," Kaminski noted. Zelensky welcomes European Commissions conclusion on granting Ukraine candidate status: This is first step towards EU membership, which will certainly bring our victory closer President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky welcomes the decision of the European Commission to recommend granting Ukraine the status of a candidate for EU membership. "I commend the positive EU conclusion on Ukraines candidate status. Its the 1st step on the EU membership path thatll certainly bring our Victory closer. Grateful to von der Leyen & each EC member for a historic decision. I expect the positive result from EUCO next week, " Zelensky said on Twitter. Ukraine is introducing a visa regime for Russian citizens, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky told the Telegram channel on Friday. "As part of countering unprecedented threats to national security, sovereignty and territorial integrity of our state, I proposed to the Cabinet of Ministers to work out the issue of revising the regime of entry of Russian citizens into the territory of Ukraine," he wrote. "And today the Cabinet of Ministers must adopt this important resolution On the termination of the Agreement between the Government of Ukraine and the Government of the Russian Federation on visa-free travel of citizens of Ukraine and the Russian Federation and the application of certain international treaties of Ukraine with the Russian Federation," the president also wrote. According to him, "according to the planned decision of the Cabinet of Ministers, from July 1, 2022, Ukraine will introduce a visa regime for entry for citizens of the Russian Federation." President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen has said that Brussels is aware of the problem of corruption in Ukraine, but notes progress in this matter. She said this on Friday in Brussels at a press conference, answering a question from journalists about the problem of corruption in Ukraine, which the European Commission recommends granting t EU's candidate status. "It is the topic, it is the issue that we've always been working on. And indeed, the people of Ukraine elected their government just because they wanted to fight against corruption. We have, of course, seen that over time and mainly in the last years, there was progress in fighting corruption," von der Leyen said. In this regard, she recalled that even Transparency International's corruption index in relation to Ukraine has been improved. "That is important. You see also that they progressed again. What is so important? It's the digitalization of processes: because the less you have person-to-person contacts and the more you have digitized, the better you can fight corruption. And we've discussed that intensively when I was in Kyiv with President Zelensky and Prime Minister [Denys] Shmyhal. Prime Minister Shmyhal has very interesting, far-reaching plans what the digitalization of the country and processes are concerned. So there is a venue of the issue, and it should be and is the venue of the issue, but there's also intensive work that is being done. This is just a criterion where you have to improve," the President of the European Commission said. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky appeared as a hologram at VivaTech in Paris, Euronews Next said on Friday. Zelensky referred to Star Wars and called on global tech companies to help rebuild his country. "No other country in the world will offer you such a chance to use the most advanced technologies at the state level," Zelenskyy said, addressing the technology fair on Thursday. "Ukraine is an opportunity for you." Zelensky acknowledged that it is " unusual for a president or head of government to speak via hologram." But "this is not the only element of Star Wars that we will put into practice, we will beat the Empire too," he said. Wearing a futuristic fighter jet t-shirt with the words "Come to the dark side," Zelensky also urged countries to support the Lend-Lease Act, inspired by the Second World War scheme that allowed Washington to lend or lease military equipment to U.S. allies. He said such a program would help Ukraine recover from the war through a "global digital revolution." Zelensky said the proposal would be considered in detail at Ukraine Recovery Conference in Lugano, Switzerland, scheduled for July 4 and 5. The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has abolished the visa-free travel with Russia from July 1, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said. "We are finally breaking ties with Russia. To counter the unprecedented threats to national security, sovereignty and territorial integrity of our state, the government, in pursuance of the order of the President of Ukraine, has just decided to terminate the visa-free agreement with the Russian Federation," Shmyhal said on the Telegram channel on Friday. According to him, from July 1, 2022, Russians will not be able to enter Ukraine without obtaining a visa. As representative of the Cabinet of Ministers in the Verkhovna Rada Taras Melnichuk said on the Telegram channel, for the six-month period during which the 1997 Agreement will continue to be in force until it loses its effect, the possibility for Russian citizens to enter, leave, transit, stay and move on the territory of Ukraine without visas on the basis of a passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation, proving an identity outside the Russian Federation, a diplomatic or service passport, a sailor's passport (identity card), a flight certificate of an aircraft crew member, has been canceled. In addition, it was established that Russian citizens residents of the border regions of Russia should enter Ukraine and leave Ukraine only through international and interstate checkpoints. The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has approved the procedure for the implementation of measures for the treatment of prisoners of war during the special period and the procedure for the transfer and repatriation of the bodies of those killed due to the armed aggression against Ukraine. As representative of the Cabinet of Ministers in the Verkhovna Rada Taras Melnychuk said in the Telegram channel, the relevant decision was made at the Friday government meeting. In particular, the procedure for the implementation of measures for the treatment of prisoners of war during a special period was approved, which fixed the general principles for the treatment of prisoners of war, the procedure for keeping records and registration, evacuation, escort and acceptance and transfer of prisoners of war, the procedure for questioning them. The procedure for ensuring the removal of bodies (remains) of persons killed (dead) due to the armed aggression against Ukraine and the procedure for the transfer and repatriation of the bodies (remains) of persons killed (dead) in connection with the armed aggression against Ukraine was approved. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has welcomed British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on his next visit to Kyiv. "Many days of this war have proved that Great Britain's support for Ukraine is firm and resolute. Glad to see our country's great friend Boris Johnson in Kyiv again," Zelensky said on his Telegram channel. As the head of state said, this is Boris Johnson's second visit to Kyiv since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. "There is a common view on how to move towards the victory of Ukraine. I am grateful for the strong support," he said. Head of the President's Office of Ukraine Andriy Yermak said in his Telegram, the president of Ukraine, the team of the President's Office and the government discussed with Johnson the need to supply heavy weapons and air defense systems, economic support for Ukraine, enhancing sanctions pressure on Russia, in particular, the proposals of the McFaul-Yermak international expert group. The agenda also included security guarantees for Ukraine and the need for Russia to compensate for the damage caused to the Ukrainian state. "We are very grateful to Britain for its powerful support. As they say, friends are known in trouble. We have common goals and an understanding of how to achieve them. Ukraine will win with such strong allies," Yermak said. On Friday, June 17, at around 10:10, the Russian occupation forces mounted a missile attack on a municipal company in the town of Pervomaisk in Kharkiv region. Three employees of the company were injured. "The missile hit a two-storey building and the security post near the entrance of the company's territory. The windows, ceiling and walls of the building were damaged. There were employees in the territory at the moment of the attack. One woman and two men were injured as a result of the explosion," the media liaison office of the Main Department of the National Police in Kharkiv region reported. The police also said that those injured were hospitalized. The woman is conscious, while the two men are in the surgery department, the doctors are fighting for their lives, it said. Investigators, experts, rescuers and prosecutors worked on the scene. All necessary evidences of the crime committed by Russia against civilians in Kharkiv region have been collected. Zelensky: Johnson and me have common view on how to move towards victory President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said that he and the Prime Minister of Great Britain have a common view on how to move towards victory over the Russian occupiers. According to the head of state, his talks with the Prime Minister of Great Britain were as substantive as possible. "We went over all the key issues of bilateral relations. Issues of the general situation in Europe and in the world. First of all, these are two important things: defense and security. We discussed the current situation on the front line in our east, in the south of our state, our capabilities in protecting against Russian aggression. We have a common view on how to move towards victory. Since this is the result Ukraine needs the victory of our state," Zelensky said at a briefing with Johnson in Kyiv on Friday. He thanked the British Prime Minister for understanding Ukraine's needs for weapons. "We talked about the need to increase the supply of heavy weapons to Ukraine. The main thing today is also to ensure the air defense of Ukraine. We began to move in this direction," the president said. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky discussed with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson during his visit to Kyiv the issue of security guarantees for Ukraine. "We continued to work out security guarantees for Ukraine, which can give stability not only to our state, but also to Europe and the world," Zelensky said at a briefing with British Prime Minister Johnson in Kyiv on Friday. According to him, Ukraine and the UK should increase cooperation to clear mines in Ukraine. "We also began to talk about this direction in detail. And we are preparing to fill the process of restoring our state with practical steps. We have no doubts that we will win, so we are already preparing to restore the country after our victory. Many thanks again for patronage over Kyiv and Kyiv region, which was taken over by Britain," Zelensky said. By Azernews By Vugar Khalilov Azerbaijani and Lithuanian delegations have discussed issues of military cooperation in Baku, Azernews reports, citing the Defense Ministry. The representatives of the Azerbaijani and Lithuanian Defense Ministries met in the International Military Cooperation Department to discuss bilateral cooperation, the report added. The ministry added that the parties discussed the present condition and potential for the expansion of bilateral cooperation, as well as regional security challenges at the meeting. Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda paid an official visit to Baku to discuss economic, as well as different kinds of cooperation with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on May 18. The Azerbaijani and Lithuanian business circles are mutually interested in expanding cooperation, President Ilham Aliyev told at a meeting with Nauseda. In turn, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda stated that his visit to Azerbaijan is a very good opportunity to give additional stimulus to the bilateral relations between the two countries. I hope very much that we will disclose and use this potential which is, of course, in business, which is in other sectors of public life, he said. He underlined the importance of the issues which are related to the security situation in the region and cooperation with the European Union. So, Lithuania has always been a very keen supporter of a closer dialogue between the Caucasus countries and the EU. We are very keen supporters of the Eastern Partnership project and we would like to discuss this issue with you too, he said. KYIV. June 17 (Interfax-Ukraine) Injuries of the reproductive system account for up to 5-6% of wounded military personnel, mainly male soldiers receive such injuries, Halyna Strelko, the chief physician of the IVMED reproductive medicine clinic, said. "Statistics says that injuries of the reproductive system account for 5-6% of all injuries of military personnel. Mostly, men suffer from this - 96-98%, but there are also women whose military injuries affect the reproductive system. Among these injuries, up to 36% of those that very seriously or irreversibly affect reproductive potential," she said at a press conference at the Interfax-Ukraine agency on Thursday. Strelko noted that "the risks of having infertility among veterans after military service are twice as high as the average in the population. This is associated with stressful situations, infectious diseases and, of course, possible injuries." She said that the private medical business of Ukraine came up with an initiative that involves the use of the experience of the United States and Israel, whose military medicine provides for the preservation of the fertility of the military. "We came up with the initiative to offer military personnel, in order to preserve their reproductive potential, to undergo cryopreservation free of charge in our clinic before going to the zone of active hostilities," she said. Strelko expressed hope that the initiative will be supported, including by the state and charitable foundations, which will allow military personnel who take part in active hostilities to realize their reproductive function. At the same time, she noted that Ukraine in the legal field will have to solve many issues related to the reproduction and use of frozen genetic material. In turn, Oleksiy Babich, the general director of the Dila medical laboratory acting as a partner of this initiative, noted that Ukraine is on the verge of a large-scale demographic crisis. "People have been postponing the birth of children for two years due to COVID-19, now many are leaving because of the war, mostly women of reproductive age, and it's not a fact that they will return to Ukraine. We will soon have a big demographic crisis that will be superimposed on a large loss of the male population. Freezing reproductive cells will help alleviate this crisis," he said. The leadership of the Israeli judiciary must support Judge Micha Agmon-Gonen, who is under attack for her position in defending the interests of Ukrainian refugees in Israel. This is stated in an editorial in Haaretz. A minuscule number of Ukrainian refugees reached Israel, a country that was founded by refugees fleeing Europe. But instead of stepping up and doing everything possible to help them, the state has mainly been busy finding ways to reduce the number of people it lets in, and is admitting only the Jews among them. The appeals against the Population and Immigration Authoritys decisions submitted by Ukrainians seeking refuge in Israel come before Tel Aviv District Court Judge Michal Agmon-Gonen. She stands, almost alone, against the attitude of the state and the Interior Ministry, - the publication reads. The author notes that the judge has made a number of decisions that protect the basic human rights of refugees arriving in Israel. She has prevented the deportation of those whose requests to remain in Israel were denied. She ordered the Population Authority to give the refugees temporary work permits, and required the state to allow them to remain in Israel for 48 hours to fully explore their legal options before deportation, - the article said. At the same time, a political game began around the judge and Agmon-Gonen was attacked. The right wing, which is cold-blooded towards foreigners even in wartime, does not like these decisions, and Agmon-Gonen began to receive complaints. Some of them are directly related to its decisions, while others are related to ethics. But after a short investigation, the complaint was rejected, - the author notes. At the same time, the publication calls for consolidation around the support of this judge. Agmon-Gonen is saving the honor of the justice system and the state in her attitude toward the refugees. The president of the Supreme Court should publicly support Agmon-Gonen, late as it may be, - the author concluded. Earlier, the Supreme Court of Israel at the suit of the Embassy of Ukraine in Israel issued an interim decision in favor of Ukraine on the introduction by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of quotas for Ukrainian refugees. The plaintiff demanded that the Israeli authorities adhere to the intergovernmental agreements on visa-free entry into Israel for Ukrainian citizens. The court recognized the existence of legal decisions to consider the issue of entry of Ukrainian citizens into Israel. Mansoura's criminal court has postponed to Tuesday the trial of 21-year-old university student Mohamed Adel, accused of stabbing to death fellow student Nayera Ashraf in Mansoura city in northern Egypt last week. Israel's Prime Minister Naftali Bennett hosted what was almost certainly his final cabinet meeting Sunday, commending his government as "short-lived with great achievements", ahead of parliament's expected dissolution this week. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz says the West has no intention to ``torpedo'' the Group of 20 - the group of major economies that also includes Russia. Egypt issued the State Ownership Policy Document earlier this month to chart the map of future partnership between the public and private sectors, laying the groundwork for the latters greater participation in Egypts economic activities. The Italian company Etoile Ballet Theatre will visit Egypt to give four performances of Vampiri (Vampires). Russia on Friday said that close to 2,000 foreign mercenaries have been killed in Ukraine since the start of Moscow's military intervention in the pro-Western country. Russia's defence ministry said in a statement that 6,956 "mercenaries and weapons specialists" from 64 countries had arrived in Ukraine since the start of the conflict and that "1,956 have already been destroyed". Another 1,779 have left Ukraine, the statement said. It said that Poland was the "absolute leader" among European countries for the number of fighters that were sent to Ukraine, followed by Romania and Britain. It also singled out "mercenaries" from Canada, the United States and the Caucasus nation of Georgia. The ministry said the number of foreign fighters is decreasing and many are leaving Ukraine "against the backdrop of the growing number of military failures of the Kyiv regime and massive daily losses in manpower and equipment". On February 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin sent troops to Ukraine to "de-militarise" and "de-nazify" the country. A European official said in April that up to 20,000 mercenaries from the Russian private military company the Wagner Group, as well as from Syria and Libya, were fighting alongside Moscow's forces in Ukraine. Earlier this month, separatist authorities in eastern Ukraine sentenced captured British citizens Aiden Aslin and Shaun Pinner and Brahim Saadun from Morocco to death for acting as mercenaries and attempting to overthrow the government. Search Keywords: Short link: Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi said on Friday that the economic relations between Egypt and Russia have reached a distinguished level over the past two years, and that Egypt appreciates its historical friendship with Russia. In a word via videoconference at the 25th edition of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), currently being held in Russia from 15-18 June, the Egyptian president said that Egypt being the guest country at the forums jubilee is testimony to the distinguished relations between the two nations. Egypt and the Russian Federation were involved in implementing mega and promising projects that serve our countries and meet the aspirations of our people to achieve more economic advancements, such as constructing the Dabaa nuclear plant, which is part of the Egyptian states strategy to expand in renewable and new energy sources, El-Sisi said. The president also highlighted other projects between Russia and Egypt, including the establishing of a Russian industrial zone in the Suez Canal Economic Zone and the cooperation between the two countries in upgrading Egypts railway networks. President El-Sisi also called on companies participating in the SPIEF to seize the huge investment opportunities currently available in Egypt in all fields. Egypts Trade Minister Nevine El-Gamea is heading Egypts delegation at the forum. On Thursday, she inaugurated the Egyptian Pavilion at the event. The forum is held this year under unprecedented political and economic challenges and circumstances of a strategic nature, and we hope that the forums outcomes will contribute to finding effective solutions to these challenges in a way that mitigates the impact of the global economic crisis and its negative repercussions on many countries in the world, especially the economies of developing countries, the Egyptian president said. President El-Sisi spoke about the launch of Egypts Vision 2030 and how it reflects the countrys long-term strategic plan to achieve the principles and goals of sustainable development with its economic, social and ecological dimensions. Based on this vision, the Egyptian government has modernised the legislative structure so Egypt will be able to attract more foreign investments, which has placed Egypt at the top of countries attracting foreign investments in Africa, El-Sisi said. The president highlighted that Egypt was one of the few countries in the world to achieve a 3.3 percent growth rate in 2021 despite the pandemic, adding that the Egyptian economy is expected to grow by 5.5% during the current fiscal year, and that the countrys non-oil exports increased during 2021 to $32 billion. El-Sisi also spoke about the achievements Egypt has made recently as part of its strategy to expand agricultural land and to implement agricultural mega projects, as well as implementing transportation and clean energy megaprojects. He added that the disruption in the movement of civil aviation caused by the pandemic impacted vital areas of the Egyptian economy, at the top of which is tourism and insurance. The president added that facing the global crises demands international effort and cooperation from all parties to restore normalcy, especially in maritime traffic and the regularity of supply chains of food, including grains and vegetable oils. There is a need to work to restore international stability and calm in order to mitigate the effects of this economic crisis on people seeking peace and development, he said Search Keywords: Short link: Islamic State-linked jihadists, whose power was once thought to be waning in the Sahel, have expanded their reach recently, marking their presence with an unprecedented series of civilian massacres. Six months ago, the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS) appeared to be in a weakened position after losing several leaders, including its founder, Adnan Abou Walid Al-Sahraoui. He was killed in Mali in August 2021 by France's anti-jihadist Barkhane force. In January 2020 France had designated ISGS as its chief target in the immense and remote "three borders" area where Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger meet. By February 2021, President Emmanuel Macron declared that ISGS "had lost its grip," while groups fighting under the rival al-Qaeda banner were said to have gained the upper hand, at least in Mali. But Souley Oumaroum, an expert with an NGO called the Forum for Responsible Citizenship, said ISGS was very far from vanquished. "At a time when we thought we had got rid of the 'terrorists', they were reorganising," said Oumaroum, an adviser to the former president of Niger, Mahamadou Issoufou. France and its allies eliminated key ISGS leaders but mid-ranking commanders remained in place and took over recruitment, said Mathieu Pellerin, a French researcher specialising in the region. An elected Malian official, speaking on condition of anonymity for security reasons, said ISGS was expanding from Gourma in Mali to the Mali-Niger border and Oudalan province in northern Burkina Faso. 'Three fronts' This month alone, ISGS seems to have carried out operations in an area spanning hundreds of kilometres (miles). It has fought Malian soldiers and pro-government armed groups in Anderamboukane near Mali's border with Niger to reputedly slaughter 86 civilians in northern Burkina Faso. The group did not claim that attack in the Burkinabe village of Seytenga but the incident bore its hallmarks. ISGS fighters also clashed this month with al-Qaeda forces in Tessit, in Mali's central region of Gao, some 370 kilometres (230 miles) west of Anderamboukane, according to local sources. "The group is able to operate on all three fronts simultaneously," said Pellerin. The number of civilians killed in the central Sahel in attacks attributed to extremist groups has almost doubled since 2020, a coalition of West African NGOs said in a report released on Thursday. "Never in the Sahel has there been such a succession of massacres of civilians," a United Nations official told AFP on condition of anonymity. French pullout The strategic landscape has changed since 2021, with France and its allies no longer at the forefront of the fight in Mali. French forces, which have provided invaluable air support and intelligence-gathering, are in the process of leaving their last base there and reorganising their Sahel operation. Relations between Bamako and Paris soured after the Malian junta refused to set an early date for restoring civilian rule and brought in "military instructors" that France and its allies said were mercenaries from the pro-Kremlin Wagner group. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a recent report the French withdrawal was "likely to create a vacuum in some areas that risk being exploited by terrorist armed groups." The withdrawal and deteriorating security in the three borders area "will have consequences for the protection of civilians," he warned in a letter to the Security Council. The Seytenga massacre is just the latest in a string of massacres -- mostly unclaimed -- in the three borders area since last year. Last month, President Mohamed Bazoum of Niger described his country's border with Mali as being "under the control" of ISGS. In Mali, about 100 people were killed in March in Tamalat and around 50 died in Ouatagouna in August 2021. In Niger, 141 people were killed in Tillia in March 2021. ISGS punishes villagers it accuses of collaborating with its enemies. According to Ibrahim Yahya Ibrahim of the International Crisis Group (ICG) think tank, the jihadist group has also "extended its definition of apostasy to almost anyone who disagrees with it." Search Keywords: Short link: Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev received the chairman of the board of the King Faisal Center for Islamic Studies in Saudi Arabia, Prince Turki Al Faisal Al Saud on June 17, Azernews reports per Azertag. The sides recalled with pleasure Turki AlFaisal Al Sauds visit to Azerbaijan last year and his meeting with President Ilham Aliyev. The importance of the 9th Global Baku Forum was pointed out at the meeting. The participation of a great number of influential guests in the event was described as an indicative of interest in the Forum. They noted that the Forum has already become a platform for discussing global issues at the international level. During the meeting, the sides hailed the successful development of friendly relations between Azerbaijan and Saudi Arabia. "In some parts of Spain and France, temperatures are more than 10 degrees higher, that's huge, than the average for this time of year,'' Clare Nullis, a spokesperson for the World Meteorological Organization in Geneva, said. In France, some 18 million people woke to heat wave alerts affecting about a third of the country Friday. Forest fire warnings were issued from the Pyrenees in the south to the Paris region. Tourists dunked their feet in fountains near the Eiffel Tower or sought relief in the Mediterranean. A restaurant server rested under a lonely tree as the heat baked the port city of Marseille in southern France. France has introduced numerous measures to cope with extreme summer temperatures following a deadly heat wave in 2003 that killed about 15,000 people. On Friday, schoolchildren were allowed to stay home in the 12 French regions in the southwest and west that were under the highest alert. The government stepped up efforts to ensure nursing home residents and other vulnerable populations could stay hydrated. Temperatures in France have mounted all week and were expected to hit over 40 C (104 F) in the country's southwest on Friday, and in the Paris region on Saturday. Nighttime temperatures are also unusually high, and the heat is stretching to normally cooler regions in Brittany and Normandy on the Atlantic Coast. Matthieu Sorel, a climatologist at national weather service Meteo France, told public broadcaster France-Info that temperatures are expected to break several records. He called the exceptionally early long stretch of hot weather a "marker of climate change.'' Britain recorded its hottest day of the year so far, with the temperature reaching 30.7 Celsius (82 Fahrenheit) at Heathrow Airport near London just after midday. The Met Office weather service said the mercury could hit 34C (93F) in southern England before a cooler, rainy weekend. The heatwave prompted organizers of the Royal Ascot horse racing event to relax their famously strict dress code, with men allowed remove their jackets and ties once the traditional carriage procession by members of the royal family had ended. Britain's Met Office said global warming has increased the average temperature of U.K. summers, and the likelihood of more extreme temperatures during hot spells and heat waves. "Reaching 34 C during June is a rare, but not unprecedented, event in the historical climate records for the U.K.," said Mark McCarthy, head of the Met Office's National Climate Information Center. "But if it should happen this week, it would be notable that it would have occurred on three days during the last six Junes.'' Before 2017, the last three times the U.K. recorded June temperatures of 34 degrees Celsius (93.2 F) or higher were in 1947, 1957 and 1976. In the Dutch capital, Amsterdam, people ran to reach trains heading for the nearest North Sea beach early Friday afternoon while others sought to cool off in boats and on stand-up paddle boards on one of the city's historic ring of canals. Germany's national weather service DWD predicted that the big sweat would continue over the weekend, as the heat moves eastward into central and Eastern Europe. The hot weather follows an unusually dry spring in Western Europe, with authorities ordering water to be rationed in northern Italy and parts of France and Germany. Experts say that climate change is already affecting rainfall patterns and evaporation rates across the region, with knock-on effects for agriculture, industry and wildlife. "Heat waves are starting earlier,'' said Nullis, the U.N. weather agency spokesperson. "They're becoming more frequent and more severe because of concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, which are at record levels. What we're witnessing today is, unfortunately, a foretaste of the future.'' She noted that extreme temperatures hit other parts of the globe in recent weeks. Nearly a third of Americans were under some form of heat advisory this week. During months of scorching temperatures, India and Pakistan saw the mercury scrape past 50 C (122 F) in some places. The current heat wave in Europe started almost a week ago in Spain, where temperatures reached up to 43 C (109.4F). Spanish authorities hope the weather will begin to cool again Sunday. The intense temperatures and a lack of rain have helped fuel wildfires across Spain, taxing firefighting capacity. The heat made itself felt also at a meeting in Madrid, where experts and policymakers gathered to discuss ways to tackle drought and the increasing spread of deserts across the globe. French leftist politician Jean-Luc Melenchon promised Friday to grant French nationality to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange if left-wing parties win a majority in parliamentary elections this weekend. Assange is wanted in the US for allegedly violating the Espionage Act by publishing military and diplomatic files in 2010, and could face up to 175 years in jail if found guilty, though the exact sentence is difficult to estimate. Ahead of voting on Sunday, Melenchon was asked about the extradition of Assange to the United States, which the British government approved on Friday to the dismay of his supporters and free-press campaigners. "If I am prime minister on Monday, Mr Julien Assange -- I believe he has already asked for it -- will be naturalised as French and we will ask for him to be sent to us," Melenchon told reporters. "Mr Assange should be decorated for all his services to French people," he added. Melenchon's new NUPES coalition of left-wing and green parties is hoping for a majority after Sunday's vote, which could lead to 70-year-old Melenchon being named prime minister. But polls suggest centrist President Emmanuel Macron's "Together" coalition is likely to emerge as the biggest party. The French parliament debated a motion in February proposing granting Assange political asylum, which was defeated after failing to win enough support from Macron's MPs. The WikiLeaks founder has influential contacts inside the current French government, however, with his former lawyer Eric Dupond-Moretti now serving as justice minister. Dupond-Moretti had requested a meeting with Macron in 2020 in order to ask for political asylum for his client, and has faced calls from French rights groups to make good on his promise now that he is inside the cabinet. Assange has 14 days to appeal the UK government decision, which came after a British court issued a formal order clearing his removal in April. His supporters have held frequent rallies to protest the planned deportation, which they see as an infringement on media freedom and free speech. He has been detained at a top-security jail in southeast London since 2019 for jumping bail in a previous case accusing him of sexual assault in Sweden. In February 2020, Dupond-Moretti, one of France's best-known lawyers before he entered politics, called the possible 175-year prison sentence "shameful, unbearable and contrary to the idea everyone has of human rights." Search Keywords: Short link: Egypts Minister of Trade and Industry Nevine Gamea continued on Friday her meetings with Russian officials, including advisor to the Russian president Anton Kobyakov, during the St. Petersburg International Forum (SPIF), the Ministry of Trade and Industry announced. Gamea and Kobyakov discussed boosting economic cooperation and relations between Russia and Egypt, which is participating in the jubilee event of the forum as a guest country. Gamea also held a meeting with her Russian counterpart Denis Manturov, where they discussed boosting trade exchange, as the Russian market represents one of the future markets for Egyptian exports. They also discussed the developments regarding the Russian Industrial Zone in Egypt, which will contribute to localising a number of Russian industries in Egypt. Gamea also met on Friday with CEO of Transmashholding Kirill Lipa, where they conferred on the supply of 1,300 locomotives to the Egyptian Railway Authority, of which 650 locomotives have already been delivered. Egypt-Russia trade hit $4.7 billion in 2021, up 5.1 percent from $4.5 billion a year earlier; with Egypts exports to Russia amounting to $591.7 million and imports $4.178 billion, rising 14.7 percent and 3.9 percent respectively, according to Minister Gamea. She also met with Founder and President of Mobitruck, where they discussed the experience of the company in producing mobile and food trucks as well as the possibility of having a production line in the Egyptian market. During the Russia-Africa session on the sidelines of the forum on Thursday, the minister underlined the importance of enhancing efforts to promote Africa-Russia economic relations and establish more joint projects to beef up Russian industrial cooperation with Africa. Gamea reiterated the need for utilising Egypt's location as a gateway to Africa as well as the trade agreements signed between Egypt and fellow African states to strengthen Russian-African ties. She said the volume of trade exchange between Russia and Africa reached $16.9 billion in 2021 compared to $13.9 billion in 2020, an increase of 21.6 percent. The minister also noted that the Russian industrial zone project in Egypt is a good step towards deepening Russia-Egyptian investments, calling for benefiting from the preferential trade agreements signed between Egypt and a number of economic blocs worldwide. Search Keywords: Short link: Speculations about the health of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas have sparked debate over the future of Palestinian politics, especially in the light of domestic and overseas challenges posed by continued Palestinian quarrels between Fatah and Hamas, bleak prospects for the peace process with Israel, the US stepping back from its role of pressuring Israel and fulfilling its promises to restore hope to the Palestinian leadership of imposing a two-state solution that the Palestinians demand. Palestinian and international reports assert that Abbas has transferred some of his key powers to the newly appointed Secretary of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) Hussein Al-Sheikh, who at the end of last month became the second most important person on the Palestinian political arena after succeeding the late Saeb Erekat. Al-Sheikh tweeted a denial that Abbas transferred any powers to him, describing the news as false and aiming to tamper with the domestic Palestinian situation. However, Palestinian officials told the Hebrew newspaper Israel Hayom that they will investigate the news leak. The newspaper reported that the leak is due to divisions in Abbas close circle which ignited a war of succession over the Palestinian Authority [PA] leadership, and triggered political machinations within Fatah. Abbas, who is 87 and rarely makes any media appearances, is the president of Palestine, chairman of the PLO Executive Committee (the highest Palestinian executive authority), and leader of Fatah movement. If he is unable to serve in these positions, there will be a serious vacuum on the political arena, especially in view of an extremely complex domestic scene. Abbas appointed Al-Sheikh secretary of the Executive Committee, a position that had remained vacant since November 2020, and after much debate about who should be appointed to this senior position. There is increasing speculation that Abbas is grooming Al-Sheikh to succeed him. However, there are several obstacles in Al-Sheikhs way, even though he has good relations with Israel since he has served as minister of Civil Affairs for many years. That is the ministry in charge of regulating the civil and security side of relations between the PA and Israel. A key obstacle facing him is divisions within the PLO which already failed to bring Hamas and the Islamic Jihad into its fold, a condition that was required for Palestinian reconciliation. There are also growing disputes between Fatah and other factions under the PLO umbrella such as the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) and the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP). Although these two groups have not yet left the PLO, they have issued public attacks on the umbrella group and accuse Fatah of hijacking the PLOs decisions, marginalising other Palestinian forces and factions in the PLO, and delaying the implementation of the Palestinian Executive Councils decision to withdraw PLO recognition of Israel, since the latter is unresponsive to Palestinian demands to return to negotiations that will lead to the creation of a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital. The PLO recognises Israel as part of the 1993 Oslo Agreement signed by the late president Yasser Arafat, but this agreement is as good as dead since Israel has reneged on most of its stipulations. The PA has also said it was created as an interim solution until there is a transition from PA to statehood. Other divisions within the PLO have become public fractures within Fatah itself. Several circles have voiced their disapproval of the performance of the government led by Mohamed Shtayyeh, the Fatah Central Committee member. Key Fatah members have demanded the governments resignation, and accuse it of losing the groups popularity in the West Bank. There have been recent demonstrations there protesting high prices and demanding better living conditions. Recent local elections at professional syndicates and university student councils in the West Bank revealed a remarkable drop in Fatahs popularity, which rang an alarm bell for the group to take action to prevent further deterioration in public support due to the failure of its political path approach towards Israel. There have also been some domestic crises, such as the killing of Nizar Banat, an activist, at the hands of Palestinian security forces in mid 2021. This complex domestic Palestinian scene is compounded by unprecedented Israeli extremism in dealing with Palestinians. The incumbent government led by Naftali Bennett wants to mitigate its internal crisis by eroding Palestinian rights, increasing settlement building and raiding Al-Aqsa Mosque. The PA warns that these measures will ignite an open confrontation in the region that will spiral beyond the control of all actors. However, the Israeli government, which appears to be on the brink of collapse and close to new Knesset elections, uses these anti-Palestinian actions as election publicity to attract the radical right in Israel. Along with the dim prospects with Israel, there is also a stalemate in relations between the PA and US President Joe Bidens administration, which did not fulfil its promise to open a consulate for Palestinians in Jerusalem. Neither did it reopen the PLO office in Washington, or put enough pressure on Israel to discourage it from continuing its abuses against Palestinians. Washington has only reinstated some of the financial aid it was providing Palestinian institutions, after it was cut off under former US president Donald Trump. The PAs troubled foreign relations, domestic developments and economic conditions in the West Bank have raised pressure by Hamas on its political opponent, Fatah. Hamas wants to expand its popular base and present itself as an alternative to the PA and Fatah. Israel worries that Hamas will take control of the West Bank, since it is geographically adjacent to Israel, and the groups growing military power, similar to the Gaza Strip. However, Tel Aviv has nothing to offer the PA which raised questions inside Israel about the future of its security situation, in light of the PAs fragility, threats from armed factions in the Gaza Strip, and forces loyal to Iran in countries surrounding Israel. All of these challenges are a minefield for the Palestinian leadership in the coming phase, whether Abbas continues in power or is succeeded by someone from his close circle. His absence from the scene will lead to more bleak scenarios for the political scene in Palestine. A version of this article appears in print in the 16 June, 2022 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly. Search Keywords: Short link: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was back in Kyiv Friday on what was his second visit in just over two months, President Volodymyr Zelensky said, hailing Britain's "resolute" support for Ukraine. "Many days of this war have proved that Great Britain's support for Ukraine is firm and resolute. Glad to see our country's great friend Boris Johnson in Kyiv again," he wrote on Telegram with a video of him greeting the British leader at the presidential palace. "Mr President, Volodymyr, it is good to be in Kyiv again," wrote Johnson on his official Twitter account. Mr President, Volodymyr, It is good to be in Kyiv again. pic.twitter.com/wbpMuf6YqY Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) June 17, 2022 The visit came a day after the European Union's most powerful heads of state embraced Ukraine's bid to be accepted as a candidate for EU membership, nearly four months into the Russian invasion. It also came just hours after the European Commission threw its weight behind Kyiv being granted EU candidacy status in a move likely to be formalised at an EU leaders' summit on June 23-24. Such a move would be a potent symbol of support for Kyiv in its conflict with Russia. Johnson became the first leader of a G7 country to visit Kyiv on April 9, two weeks after Russian troops had been driven back from the suburbs of the capital. He was filmed on a walkabout through Kyiv's deserted streets with Zelensky in a move acclaimed by Ukrainians for his show of solidarity, prompting the president to say Britain's support for Ukraine would "remain forever in history". Search Keywords: Short link: A growing number of graduates from four-year universities are signing up for vocational colleges to boost their chances of landing a job, according to data New Politics Alliance for Democracy lawmaker Yoo Ki-hong obtained from the Korean Council for University College Education. The number of graduates who choose this path increased from 1,102 in 2012 to 1,379 this year and would be even higher if students who drop out of universities to go to vocational schools are included. An official at the council said, "There has been an increasing awareness that specific skills can go further in landing a job than a university degree, which has led to a growing number of university graduates returning to vocational colleges. Vocational colleges offer hands-on courses that are closely correlated to the needs of businesses." One 28-year-old graduate went on to study nursing at vocational college and found a job as a hospital nurse. "When I graduated from high school, I thought I was in a better position than my classmate who went to vocational college to study dental hygiene, but my views changed quickly when I saw that friend get a job right out of school. I realized that the most important thing is to be able to have the knowhow to perform on the job." Nursing is the most popular field among university dropouts. Next are preschool education and physiotherapy. Last year, the employment rate among fresh vocational school graduates was 61 percent, compared to 52.6 percent for university graduates. The gap increased from 5.3 percent in 2012 to 8.4 percent in 2014. Yoo said more students are re-entering vocational colleges to change course every year, which is a waste of time and money. "Gone are the days when going to university was the goal and graduates landed jobs if they searched hard enough," said Yang Jung-ho at Sungkyunkwan University. "We need to develop a system where students can choose the schools they want based on their interests and find a variety of different job options." Kirby said the remaining $650 million in aid, including coastal defense systems, radios, night vision devices and other equipment, will be purchased by the Pentagon from weapons manufacturers through a funding mechanism known as the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters at the White House the aid includes $350 million of equipment coming directly from the U.S. military, including 18 high-powered mobile long-range howitzers, 36,000 rounds of ammunition and 18 tactical vehicles to tow the howitzers, along with additional ammunition and other equipment. The United States announced Wednesday it is sending $1 billion more in military aid to Ukraine, Washington's 12th and biggest tranche yet of weaponry and equipment intended to confront Russia's slow but relentless advance on Ukraine's eastern Donbas region. The trip comes as the European Commission considers whether to recommend Ukraine be granted candidate status for European Union membership. While in Kyiv, Macron, Scholz and Draghi met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. "It's an important moment. It's a message of unity we're sending to the Ukrainians," Macron said. French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi visited Kyiv on Thursday in a show of support to Ukraine amid its battle to fend off Russia's invasion. Kirby said the United States has provided more than $914 million in humanitarian assistance to Ukraine since the beginning of the invasion on February 24, including an additional $225 million announced Wednesday by President Joe Biden. Biden said in a statement the new money will fund safe drinking water, critical medical supplies and health care, food, shelter, and cash for families to purchase essential items. "The bravery, resilience, and determination of the Ukrainian people continues to inspire the world," Biden said. "And the United States, together with our allies and partners, will not waver in our commitment to the Ukrainian people as they fight for their freedom." The aid announcement came as U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin met in Brussels with allied defense ministers from more than 45 countries that have been supplying armaments to Ukraines forces. Russia is attempting to take full control of eastern Ukraine after failing earlier in the 3-month invasion to topple Zelenskyy's government or capture the capital, Kyiv. Opening the talks with the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, Austin said Western allies remain "committed to do even more" to help Ukraine defend itself against Russia's invasion at what he characterized as a "critical moment on the battlefield." On Thursday, at a NATO ministerial meeting, Austin called Russia's invasion an "enormous crisis in European security," but said, "Together we have risen to the challenge of Putin's war of choice and Russia's assault on trans-Atlantic security." Even before Biden's announcement of new military assistance, the United States and its allies supporting Ukraine had sent billions of dollars of weaponry and ammunition to assist Ukraine's fighters. But U.S. General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, provided a grim assessment of the current battlefield situation on the sidelines of the Brussels conference, telling reporters that the Ukrainian military is suffering as many as 300 casualties a day, including 100 soldiers killed in action and between 100 to 300 wounded. "For Ukraine, this is an existential threat," Milley said. "They're fighting for the very life of their country. So, your ability to endure suffering, your ability to endure casualties is directly proportional to the object to be obtained." Ukraine has continued to push for more military aid and to get it to the front lines more quickly, as its forces face daunting odds in the Donbas region. Representative Adam Smith, chairman of the U.S. House Armed Services Committee, told members of the Defense Writers Group, "We need to be giving more sophisticated systems, particularly when it comes to drones and long-range artillery. I don't think we have been fast enough to get the Ukrainians the drones we have available." He added, "The way the fight is playing out right now, certainly, the Russians have more artillery. The Russians right now have better ISR (intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance). They have better drones going out and seeing Ukrainian artillery positions. The Ukrainians don't have that same visibility." Despite Russian claims of targeting and hitting Western weapon deliveries, Smith said, "We are still capable of getting a lot of weapons into Ukraine, and we're seeing them being used in the battlefield." Other U.S. officials also played down the Russian assertions. "We have not seen a lot of evidence of the Russian claims," a senior U.S. defense official told reporters late Wednesday, speaking on condition of anonymity in order to discuss sensitive details. But while the official dismissed concerns about recent Russian gains, he expressed confidence that the badly needed assistance would reach Ukraine in time to make "a significant difference." "We're likely to be in this phase for a while," the official said. "The Russian gains continue to be incremental." Chinese state media says President Xi Jinping reaffirmed his country's close ties to Russia during a phone call Wednesday with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Xi told his Russian counterpart that it supports a negotiated solution to the crisis in Ukraine, according to both Xinhua News Agency and state broadcaster CCTV. A statement by the Kremlin said that the Chinese leader "noted the legitimacy" of Russia's actions to protect its "fundamental national interests in the face of challenges to its security created by external forces." Xi and Putin signed a wide-ranging cooperation pact in February on the sidelines of the Beijing Winter Olympics under which the two sides pledged there would be "no limits" on their partnership. The pact was signed weeks before Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine on February 24. China has refused to criticize Russia over its actions in Ukraine, even so far as not to describe it as an invasion. KYODO NEWS - Jun 17, 2022 - 20:39 | Feature, All, Japan Prosecutors on Friday dropped charges against 13 then senior officials of an immigration center in central Japan over the death of a Sri Lankan woman while in detention at the facility. The Nagoya District Public Prosecutors Office told the family of Ratnayake Liyanage Wishma Sandamali that they could not say that the officials failed to provide her with appropriate medical care. She died at 33 on March 6 last year at the Nagoya Regional Immigration Services Bureau following a month of medical complaints, including vomiting and stomachaches. Her death garnered significant attention, sparking an outcry over her treatment. Dissatisfied with the decision, her family said they plan to file a request with the Committee for the Inquest of Prosecution to continue pressing for the criminal liability of the officials. The committee reviews decisions by the prosecutors. Last November, the family filed a criminal complaint with the prosecutors' office, accusing the officials of committing murder and failing to provide proper medical care to Wishma. The complaint was made against the director and deputy director of the facility, as well as officers in charge on the day of Wishma's death. According to the complaint, the director has a duty to take appropriate measures when a detainee complains of poor health and that the bureau's treatment amounted to willful negligence. They also said the officials did not care if she died. The prosecutors have been investigating the case by interviewing the facility's staff members and analyzing related documents. An official at the Immigration Services Agency of Japan declined to comment on the prosecutors' decision, saying they were not in a position to do so. The agency said in an investigative report issued in August last year that the immigration center staff lacked the ability to handle crises but that it could not determine the precise cause of Wishma's death. Wishma, who came to Japan in 2017 on a student visa, was taken to the facility in Nagoya in August 2020 after overstaying her visa. Related coverage: Family of dead Sri Lankan detainee demands apology from Japan gov't 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 KYODO NEWS - Jun 17, 2022 - 22:39 | All, Japan The Japanese government will allocate up to 476 billion yen ($3.6 billion) for a Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. subsidiary to use in funding the ongoing construction of a plant in southwestern Japan, the industry minister said Friday. In a bid to secure a stable supply of chips, the government backed the plan by Japan Advanced Semiconductor Manufacturing Inc., a joint venture of TSMC, Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corp. and Denso Corp., to set up the factory in Kumamoto Prefecture, industry minister Koichi Hagiuda said. Amid global chip shortages, Japan is aiming to improve the nation's economic security by supporting the subsidiary of the world's largest contract chipmaker, with Terushi Shimizu, president and CEO of Sony Semiconductor Solutions, saying he felt "emboldened" by the plan. The construction of the plant capable of producing 55,000 12-inch wafers per month started at a 213,000-square-meter lot in April. About 1,700 people are expected to work at the chip manufacturing and research facility. "We are hoping that it will continuously contribute to the development of the semiconductor industry for the future, in addition to resilience of the semiconductor supply chain in our country," Hagiuda said at a press conference. He also said the ministry, local companies and educational institutions are trying to cultivate semiconductor talent as securing necessary human resources becomes increasingly important in an era of digitalization and decarbonization. Since TSMC has offered its support for developing such talent in Japan, the government will learn from examples in Taiwan as well, he added. Shimizu also said the venture has become the "impetus" for the cultivation of new talent in the field, while TSMC CEO C.C. Wei said he was confident it would "contribute to the development of the local community." The $8.6-billion plant in Kikuyo invested in by TSMC, Sony and Denso, a Japanese auto parts maker, aims to begin operations in December 2024. Koji Arima, president and CEO of Denso, said the plan aims to "stabilize the procurement of semiconductors in the medium- to long-term and contribute to the entire auto industry." Related coverage: TSMC unit to start chip plant construction in Japan this week TSMC to increase investment in chip plant in Japan's Kumamoto TSMC hails Japan plant as special case in overseas expansion NEWS PROVIDED BY Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights June 17, 2022 NEW YORK, June 17, 2022 /Christian Newswire/ -- Catholic League president Bill Donohue (photo) sent the following letter to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland today: June 17, 2022 The Honorable Merrick Garland Attorney General U.S. Department of Justice 950 Pennsylvania Avenue Washington, D.C. 20530-0001 Dear Attorney General Garland: As president of the nation's largest Catholic civil rights organization, I am requesting that you immediately deploy the full resources of the Department of Justice to apprehend and prosecute domestic terrorists who have recently attacked Catholic individuals, vandalized Catholic churches and torched Catholic-operated crisis pregnancy centers. We have witnessed a rash of vandalism against Catholic churches, firebombings of crisis pregnancy centers (many of which are run by Catholics), Masses being interrupted, illegal protests outside the homes of Catholic Supreme Court Justices, and an attempted murder of one of the Catholic Justices. While there are several groups involved in these attacks, none is more dangerous than Jane's Revenge. Jane's Revenge is a domestic terrorist group, par excellence. Recently formed, it brags about blowing up crisis pregnancy centers. Worse, it is calling for a "Night of Rage" on the day the Supreme Court is expected to overturn Roe v. Wade. Jane's Revenge made its first public statement on May 8, following the firebombing of a crisis pregnancy center in Madison, Wisconsin. It demanded that these facilities be shut down, pledging to destroy them if they remained open. It ended by saying, "We are not one group, but many. We are in your city. We are in every city." It was on May 30 when it issued its "Night of Rage" threat. "On the night the final ruling is issued," it said, "we are asking for courageous hearts to come out after dark." It said it had chosen "a time of 8pm for actions nationwide to begin, but know that this is just a general guideline." On June 14, Jane's Revenge issued another online post, citing operations in 16 cities, as well as in "countless locations invisibly." Saying that "it's open season" on "anti-choice" groups, it pledged to "never stop, back down, slow down, or retreat." It sent a message to pro-life entities saying, "Eventually your insurance companies, and your financial backers will realize you are a bad investment." On June 16, it said it would continue to destroy crisis pregnancy centers like the one in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area. Reportedly, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is investigating Jane's Revenge. The Department of Homeland Security's National Terrorism Advisory issued a statement on June 7 saying, "The United States remains in a heightened threat environment," noting that "faith-based institutions" are among those being targeted. On June 16, the FBI admitted that it is investigating these attacks on pro-life and faith-based institutions, though it did not say which groups it is probing. Assumedly, Jane's Revenge is at the top of its list. We have learned, from credible sources, that there is a link between Jane's Revenge and Antifa, the far-left anarchist group. Their modus operandi and goals are very similar. Together, these two loosely organized terrorist groups pose a grave threat to democracy. Sixteen senators wrote to you on June 7 asking for information on what the Justice Department is doing about these attacks. I applaud them for their interest, but we are beyond the point where data gathering is sufficient. We have now reached the stage where probes are academic. The clock is ticking. We need aggressive action against those who have not only taken credit for violence across the nation--they are pledging to engage in more of it. Jane's Revenge fits the bill in both instances. The "Night of Rage" that it is threatening must never be allowed to commence. Please take immediate action to see to it that these threats never materialize. Sincerely, William A. Donohue, Ph.D. President By Trend The fourth-panel session on "Global Health Governance" within the IX Global Baku Forum was held on June 17, Trend reports. Participants of the session, moderated by the former Prime Minister of Bosnia and Herzegovina Zlatko Lagumdzija, discussed issues of the recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic and ensuring global healthcare system coordination. Lagumdzija thanked Azerbaijan and directly Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev for the assistance provided to Bosnia and Herzegovina during the pandemic. During his speech, the Minister of Health of Azerbaijan Teymur Musayev said that an appropriate working group was created under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev, the necessary equipment was received in all medical institutions, and the number of hospital beds increased. Musayev noted that from the very beginning of the pandemic, Azerbaijan has been working in this area in close cooperation with WHO. "We have carried out effective public campaigns to make people aware of the virus origin and the need for vaccination," he reminded. The minister also congratulated healthcare workers on their professional holidays. WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus noted the need for better governance of the global health sector. According to Ghebreyesus, the countries of the world need to join their efforts and develop common responses to global problems. He also said that $31 million is needed to finance the global health sector every year, and therefore adequate funding at the national and international levels is necessary. Secretary General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon in his video message congratulated on the opening of the forum and wished its participants successful work. Ban Ki-moon also noted the need to increase the level of achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals in this period of uncertainty. The COVID-19 pandemic has shown how interconnected and vulnerable humanity is, he added. 73rd President of the UN General Assembly, former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ecuador Maria Fernanda Espinosa, former Prime Minister of the Czech Republic Jan Fischer, former President of Bosnia and Herzegovina Mladen Ivanic, former President of Latvia Valdis Zatlers and Special Adviser to Secretary General Jeffrey Sachs also noted the importance of global public health governance and the availability of vaccines for the population. By Sho Hirakawa, KYODO NEWS - Jun 17, 2022 - 12:12 | Arts, Feature, All, Japan In May, members of a packed audience at a small theater in Tokyo greeted a documentary on traditional Kurdish music with rapturous applause. Many of them then went up on stage to join an invited Kurdish musician in a dance. The event was part of a spotlight recently turned on several films and publications about the everyday lives and culture of Kurds, some 2,000 of whom live in Japan. It represents a shift in focus from the issues surrounding political repression and refugees that are usually associated with them. Making up sizable minorities in Turkey, Iraq, Iran, and Syria, the Kurds are the world's largest ethnic group without a state. Natsuki Nakajima, 27, visited a Kurdish area in southeast Turkey to make "Voices from the Homeland," which features singing storytellers known as "dengbejs." It won the Grand Prix in the short film category at last year's Tokyo Documentary Film Festival. Nakajima, who is a composer as well as a documentary director, said she was enthralled by the dengbejs' song lyrics, which range from love stories to the history of the persecution of the Kurds, and their distinctive singing voices. In Turkey, Kurds have been subject to an assimilation policy for more than 100 years and faced political repression until recently, including being banned from using the Kurdish language. Dengbejs, however, continued to sing in their mother tongue, and are seen as a symbol of the Kurdish people's overcoming of the hardships of the past. Elsewhere, screenings across Japan began in May of the movie drama "My Small Land," which follows the struggles of a Kurdish high school girl growing up in Saitama Prefecture, north of Tokyo. The girl's father has been detained by immigration authorities after his asylum application is rejected, but she finds a way to move forward as an attraction develops between her and a Japanese boy she meets at her part-time job. The film was directed by Emma Kawawada, 30, who was born to a British father and a Japanese mother. She said she sees an overlap between the absence of a sense of belonging among the Kurdish diaspora who have no mother country and her own bitter experience of not being treated as Japanese because of her appearance. But the movie not only highlights the difficulties Kurds encounter in daily life in Japan but also their rich culture, including their wedding ceremonies and food. Kodansha Ltd., a leading publishing company, has published a novel of the movie written by Kawawada. In Kawaguchi, Saitama, said to have the largest Kurdish community in Japan, Naomi Nakajima, 64, who offers cooking classes, released a Kurdish recipe booklet through Buna-no-Mori Co., a local publisher, in the spring. The booklet, called "Kurdish Table," features colorful photos taken from the kitchen of a Kurdish family she is acquainted with. Kurdish cuisine is distinctive for its use of mutton and a fermented tomato paste called "salca" and entices the appetite with a spicy aroma. Recently in Japan, ingredients for Kurdish dishes have become more available through halal stores, which comply with Islamic religious precepts, and other places, Nakajima said. The booklet includes roundtable discussions between teenage Kurds who migrated to Japan as small children. "I hope readers understand they (young Kurds) are here, and we're living together," she said. Aerial photo taken on Dec. 18, 2021 shows a view of the Pacific international container terminal at the Tianjin Port of north China's Tianjin Municipality. (Xinhua/Zhao Zishuo) SHANGHAI, June 16 (Xinhua) -- China's index of export container transport edges down in May, according to the Shanghai Shipping Exchange. The average China Containerized Freight Index (CCFI) decreased by 0.4 percent month on month to 3,117.94 in the period, said the exchange. The sub-reading for the Persian Gulf/Red Sea service led the drop with a month-on-month decline of 14.1 percent, followed by the South Africa service, which went down 5.1 percent from the previous month. Bucking the trend of decline, the sub-reading for the west coast America service rose 7.2 percent from that of April. The CCFI tracks spot and contractual freight rates from Chinese container ports for 12 shipping routes across the globe, based on data from 22 international carriers. The index was set at 1,000 on Jan. 1, 1998. Representatives are seen during the meeting of NATO Ministers of Defense in NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, June 16, 2022. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) will strengthen its battle groups along its eastern flank, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Thursday following a meeting of the alliance's defense ministers. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong) BRUSSELS, June 16 (Xinhua) -- The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) will strengthen its battle groups along its eastern flank, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Thursday following a meeting of the alliance's defense ministers. Addressing a press conference at the end of two days of preparations for a NATO summit scheduled to be held in Madrid, Spain on June 29-30, Stoltenberg said the ministers had discussed the organization's future posture and how it can step up practical support for the allies by substantially strengthening its presence, capabilities and readiness. "This will mean more NATO forward deployed combat formations to strengthen our battlegroups in the eastern part of our alliance," Stoltenberg said. "More air, sea and cyber defenses, as well as pre-positioned equipment and weapon stockpiles. And a new force model, with more forces at higher readiness, and specific forces pre-assigned to the defense of specific allies to enable much faster reinforcement." Stoltenberg said the ministers had also discussed resourcing. He recalled that defense investment has been rising across the European allies and Canada for seven consecutive years now and that the allies continue to contribute to NATO deployments and invest more in high-end capabilities. "Now is the time to keep up the momentum. So we can continue to preserve peace, prevent conflict and protect our people," he said. "We made clear that all countries have the right to choose their own path without outside interference. ...Russia's aggression is a game-changer. So NATO must maintain credible deterrence and strong defense," he said. The allied ministers met with Ukraine's defense minister and said that it was crucial for NATO to deliver continued support to Ukraine. The NATO summit in Madrid will be "transformative, Stoltenberg said, "with important decisions in key areas, such as strengthening NATO's deterrence and defense capabilities and sustaining support for Ukraine and other partners at risk. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky will participate in the summit. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg speaks during a press conference after the meeting of NATO Ministers of Defense in NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, June 16, 2022. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) will strengthen its battle groups along its eastern flank, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Thursday following a meeting of the alliance's defense ministers. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong) Representatives pose for a group photo during the meeting of NATO Ministers of Defense in NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, June 16, 2022. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) will strengthen its battle groups along its eastern flank, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Thursday following a meeting of the alliance's defense ministers. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong) NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg speaks during a press conference after the meeting of NATO Ministers of Defense in NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, June 16, 2022. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) will strengthen its battle groups along its eastern flank, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Thursday following a meeting of the alliance's defense ministers. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong) A Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) expert performs acupuncture on a patient in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on May 31, 2022. (Li Xiaohong/Handout via Xinhua) PHNOM PENH, June 17 (Xinhua) -- Sok Cheav, a 68-year-old Cambodian woman, suffered a stroke several years ago and was since left paralyzed. But with the help of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), she said she has partially regained mobility. Cheav, who rode in a wheelchair assisted by her son, said she had sought TCM after hearing that a team of TCM experts had arrived in Cambodia and offered TCM treatments to patients at the Cambodia-China Friendship Preah Kossamak Hospital here. "Previously, I could not move my body, and collapsed when I sat unassisted," the mother of four told Xinhua on Wednesday while revisiting the TCM experts for follow-up medical care. "Now, I can sit independently, and my right hand is movable, but my left hand is still unmovable," she said. "Using TCM has also given me a good sleep." Cheav's son, Teng Vichai, 31, said the China-aided medical project is very useful for Cambodian patients, and it truly shows China's particular attention to helping improve the wellbeing of Cambodian people. "TCM experts are very professional and they pay attention to diagnosing diseases before providing treatment," he told Xinhua. "Traditional Chinese medicines are very effective because my mother feels better after using them." Vichai said he was very grateful to China for having dispatched its TCM experts to help treat the Cambodian people. Xu Feng, head of the TCM anti-COVID-19 pandemic team in Cambodia, said the team of 10 members will perform its medical tasks in the country for one year, starting from May. He said 50 to 60 patients are treated daily at the TCM clinic of the Cambodia-China Friendship Preah Kossamak Hospital. "The TCM clinic provides free treatment services to all patients," he told Xinhua. "We will promote the health of the Cambodian people through practical and effective clinical technology of traditional Chinese medicine, and hope to introduce the excellent culture and clinical technology of traditional Chinese medicine to the Cambodian people," he said. Xu said the team has promoted the diagnosis and treatment model of integrated Chinese and Western medicine. "We use TCM four diagnostic methods to improve the curative effect of diseases and improve the life quality of patients with chronic diseases," he said. "On this basis, we will provide Chinese herbal medicine, and non-drug therapy, including acupuncture, massage, cupping, etc., according to the patient's diagnosis results." He said his team is very happy to see patients recovering from illness after using TCM. "We hope through the implementation of this project, Cambodia can defeat the COVID-19 pandemic and establish a sound infectious disease prevention and control system," Xu said. A Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) expert performs acupuncture on a patient in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on June 17, 2022. (Li Xiaohong/Handout via Xinhua) BEIJING, June 17 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin on Friday refuted remarks by U.S. ambassador to China Nicholas Burns concerning China's dynamic zero-COVID approach. "The reason why China adopted the dynamic zero-COVID approach is that we put the 1.4 billion people's lives and health before anything else," Wang told a press briefing, adding it is a testament to the governance philosophy of the CPC and the Chinese government, which is to give top priority to protecting the people and their lives. He said whereas the average life expectancy in some developed countries, such as the United States, declined during the pandemic, China's average life expectancy has steadily gone up in recent years. China's COVID containment measures are constantly adjusted to better respond to the latest developments in the COVID situation, which has proven to be effective, Wang said. Noting the overall epidemic metrics in China have been stable, Wang said China has effectively brought virus transmission under control in Shanghai and other places, where life and work are going back to normal. "Facts have proven that the existing anti-epidemic protocols can help to achieve the dynamic zero-COVID goal," Wang said, adding China's COVID policy suits its national reality and can stand the test of history. Thanks to China's science-based, precise and effective epidemic prevention and control measures, China has not only mitigated the impact of the coronavirus on economic and social development to the greatest extent, but achieved steady economic growth, Wang said. "According to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics, China's economy has gradually emerged from the shadow of COVID-19, with major indexes showing better performance in May. China's economy has shown momentum of recovery," Wang said. Noting China's foreign trade went up 8.3 percent and FDI expanded 17.3 percent year-on-year in the period from January to May, Wang said China is fully confident in ensuring effective COVID response, stable economic performance and safe and secure development. "During the same period, investment from the Republic of Korea, the United States, and Germany climbed by 52.8 percent, 27.1 percent and 21.4 percent respectively," Wang noted. "These specific figures reflect foreign investors' genuine interest in investing in China and confidence in China's socioeconomic development," he added. Wang said it is clear evidence that effective COVID response provides a good foundation for socioeconomic development and an important condition for fostering a favorable business environment. "We are fully confident in ensuring effective COVID control, stable economic performance and safe and secure development," he added. GUANGZHOU, June 17 (Xinhua) -- About 274,000 residents have been affected by torrential rains in Guangdong Province, south China, the provincial emergency management department said Friday. The cities of Shaoguan, Heyuan, Meizhou, Zhaoqing and Qingyuan have seen natural disasters such as rainstorms, floods and landslides, resulting in the relocation of 15,200 people. Guangdong authorities have sent 22,600 pieces of relief supplies including tents, folding beds, towels, blankets, clothes, mobile lighting facilities, water purifiers and generators to the worst-hit areas of Shaoguan and Heyuan. The provincial flood control headquarters have upgraded the emergency alert to the second highest level, considering upstream incoming water and weather forecast of heavy rainfall. RAMALLAH, June 16 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Joe Biden is following the same "crude and hostile" foreign policy of his predecessor Donald Trump in dealing with Middle East issues, a Palestinian writer wrote on Thursday. "The truth is that Biden's foreign policy so far didn't show any difference from Trump's crude and hostile policy, especially in the Middle East," Rajab Abu Sariya, a Palestinian political analyst and columnist, wrote in an opinion piece published in the Al-Ayyam newspaper. Biden has neither cancelled the sanctions imposed by Trump on Iran, nor delivered the promise to reopen the U.S. consulate in the occupied East Jerusalem, while failing to open any clear horizon for a political process between the Palestinians and Israelis, Abu Sariya said. "So far, Biden is still content with words only, without translating them into actions," he opined. The U.S. is similar to Israel where the change of government always fails to bring about a change in the foreign policy, he said. The article was in response to the recent announcement by the White House about the planned Biden's visits to Israel and Palestine in July, the first since he took office. To prepare for Biden's visit, senior U.S. diplomats arrived in the West Bank earlier this week and held talks with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Prime Minister Mohammed Ishtaye, and other officials in the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). During the meetings, the Palestinian officials urged the U.S. government to remove the PLO from the U.S. list of terrorism, reopen the closed office of the PLO in Washington, and reopen the U.S. consulate in East Jerusalem that was closed during Trump's era. But Biden's visit to Israel aims primarily at trying to persuade Israel to move beyond its neutral stance toward the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Abu Sariya noted. Therefore, Biden will try to calm the inflamed Palestinian front by preventing the Palestinian leadership from escalating its position against Israel, Abu Sariya said. He concluded that as Biden adopts the slogan of "money for peace," all that the U.S. president can offer to the Palestinian side is to help the Palestinian Authority to pay the salary bills. A man receives a COVID-19 vaccine booster shot during the launch of a vaccination center at Kenya Medical Training College in Nairobi, capital of Kenya, June 16, 2022. Kenya's ministry of health on Thursday launched an accelerated COVID-19 vaccine booster shot campaign amid rising infections. (Photo by Joy Nabukewa/Xinhua) NAIROBI, June 16 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's ministry of health on Thursday launched an accelerated COVID-19 vaccine booster shot campaign amid rising infections. Susan Mochache, Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Health told journalists in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya that research conducted on the efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccine has revealed that immuno-compromised people might need a third dose. "In addition, over time, the immunity, even for healthy people, starts to go down necessitating the booster shot for increased immune response. Further, the booster dose is critical in responding against emerging variants," Mochache said. The ministry of health said that it is committed to safeguard the health of Kenyans and will also take concerted efforts to ensure that the gains made in the fight against COVID-19 are not lost. Mochache observed that a big part of the youthful population under the age of 18 have yet to undergo the full COVID-19 vaccination. Mochache revealed that Kenya is determined to reach the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendation that all countries reach the 70 percent vaccination rate for the general population but 100 percent for those aged over 60 years, health workers and those with underlying health conditions. According to the ministry of health, the positivity rate in the country currently stands at 12.5 percent. "This only means that we cannot, and we must not, relent in ensuring that a huge population is fully vaccinated against the virus," Mochache said. She observed that even though the country has done relatively well having 31.3 percent of adults above 18 years being fully vaccinated, more needs to be done. Lebanese Telecommunications Minister Johnny Corm delivers a speech at a conference on cyber security in Beirut, Lebanon, on June 16, 2022. Chairman of the Arab Internet & Telecom Union Feras Bakour on Thursday urged the Arab world to invest more in cyber technology, as digital transformation contributes to only 4 percent of the region's GDP growth. (Xinhua/Bilal Jawich) BEIRUT, June 16 (Xinhua) -- Chairman of the Arab Internet & Telecom Union Feras Bakour on Thursday urged the Arab world to invest more in cyber technology, as digital transformation contributes to only 4 percent of the region's GDP growth. Bakour made the remarks during a conference in Beirut, which was sponsored by China's telecom giant Huawei and hosted by Lebanon's Professional Computer Association. The two-day conference features discussions on challenges and opportunities of cyber security in the Middle East region. "The Arab world should invest in advanced technology, and study all aspects of cyber threats to build trust in the Arab world's systems," he said. Such achievement won't take place, unless funds are allocated for human resources with the required abilities, said Bakour. He said the private sector is encouraged to establish centers for technology development and research, and a safe cyber environment should be established. Because more people are using the Internet globally, Bakour believed there would be an increase in cyber threats in the future. "Cybercrimes used to threaten only individuals in the past, but they now have a significant impact on countries and companies and could cause disasters," he warned. For his part, Chinese Ambassador to Lebanon Qian Minjian said that the Global Initiative on Data Security launched by China in September 2020 with the goal of providing Chinese solutions to global cyber security and digital governance rules, has been well received and praised by the international community. The China-Arab Cooperation Initiative on Data Security, jointly announced by China and member states of the Arab League (AL) last year as a result of the initiative, makes the Arab world the first region in the world to do so, he said. Lebanon, a member state of the AL, welcomed the initiative in the first instance, "which demonstrates the high degree of consensus on cyber security and digital governance between China and Lebanon as well as Arab nations," the Chinese envoy said. "It also symbolizes a significant step forward for developing countries to join hands to promote global digital governance," he added. Chairman of the Arab Internet & Telecom Union Feras Bakour (Front) attends a conference on cyber security in Beirut, Lebanon, on June 16, 2022. Bakour on Thursday urged the Arab world to invest more in cyber technology, as digital transformation contributes to only 4 percent of the region's GDP growth. (Xinhua/Bilal Jawich) Chinese Ambassador to Lebanon Qian Minjian (Rear) delivers a speech at a conference on cyber security in Beirut, Lebanon, on June 16, 2022. Chairman of the Arab Internet & Telecom Union Feras Bakour on Thursday urged the Arab world to invest more in cyber technology, as digital transformation contributes to only 4 percent of the region's GDP growth. (Xinhua/Bilal Jawich) Vehicles pass the European Commission headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, Oct. 8, 2021. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong) The European Council will make its decision next week during its next meeting on June 23-24. BRUSSELS, June 17 (Xinhua) -- The European Commission on Friday recommended Ukraine and Moldova be granted candidate status for accession to the European Union (EU). Both countries should also be granted the "European Perspective," said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen (L) and President of the European Council Charles Michel address the press conference after a special meeting of the European Council in Brussels, Belgium, May 31, 2022. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong) The College of the European Commission met on Friday morning to issue an opinion on whether Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia should be granted the European Perspective and candidate status for EU accession. The College's opinion will help the European Council make a decision on granting or not candidate status to the three countries. The European Council will make its decision next week during its next meeting on June 23-24. A woman walks past the European Commission building in Brussels, Belgium, on Dec. 21, 2021. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong) By Azernews By Vugar Khalilov In violation of international laws, the world community has been apathetic to Azerbaijans territorial integrity for many years, Azernews reports with reference to presidential foreign policy aide Hikmat Hajiyev. The official made the remarks at the ongoing IX Global Baku Forum, titled Challenges to the Global World Order, the report added. "Unfortunately, the world community has been silent about the Karabakh conflict throughout the years. But finally, Europe and the world community have started to understand the importance of maintaining territorial integrity," Hajiyev stressed. Since its independence, Azerbaijan has placed a high value on international institutions and their activities. This idea, however, was proven incorrect. While being a member of the OSCE and the UN, Azerbaijan was militarily attacked, and lost areas as a result of Armenia's occupation. No organization or institution has ever referred to Armenia as an aggressor, Hajiyev underlined. The presidential advisor said that only three countries - Turkey, Pakistan, and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia - did not establish any relations with Armenia. He emphasized that Azerbaijan had to implement four UN Security Council resolutions at its own expense almost 30 years later by liberating its territories from the Armenian occupation. He also emphasized the importance of multilateral relations, which allow countries to voice their views on a worldwide scale. Underlining the importance of reviving multilateralism, Hajiyev added that the UN Charter should be updated. Highlighting Azerbaijans role as the chairman of the Non-Aligned Movement, he emphasized the country's successful initiatives. "We are grateful to the founders of the Non-Aligned Movement. Azerbaijan, as the chairman of this organization, has set a real example in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic," Hajiyev stressed. HEFEI, June 17 (Xinhua) -- China has launched a series of favorable policies to boost the sales of automobiles amid the country's efforts to resume car production and stabilize supply chains. In the latest move, the country has decided to slash the purchase tax by half for passenger cars no more than 300,000 yuan (about 44,800 U.S. dollars) with engine displacements within 2 liters purchased between June 1 and Dec. 31 this year. The tax, which usually stands at 10 percent of a vehicle's sticker price, has now been cut to 5 percent. The market impact of the tax cut has been almost immediate as car stores have already started to get a flurry of inquiries from prospective customers. "We sold around 80 cars in May. Based on the current sales, we expect to sell 50 more cars this month thanks to the favorable policy," said Wang Guangnian, sales manager at a car dealership in Hefei, capital of east China's Anhui Province. Chen Shihua, deputy secretary-general of the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM), estimated that the tax cut would generate additional sales of more than 2 million units and drive up auto consumption by over 300 billion yuan. "If factoring in upstream and downstream industries such as auto parts, raw materials and financial insurance business, the tax cut will stimulate consumption in the entire industry by 500 billion yuan," Chen noted. Apart from the national decision to reduce purchase tax, consumers are embracing more incentives for car purchases in different places across the country. Huainan city in Anhui has released 10,000 digital coupons to encourage people to buy passenger cars in the city. Those who purchase a new car and register it in the city can receive a discount of 2,000 yuan. More local Chinese governments are pitching in. In Beijing, by the end of 2022, those trading in for a new energy vehicle in the city will receive a subsidy of up to 10,000 yuan, while Shanghai has increased its quota for car ownership this year by 40,000. In east China's Shandong Province, local authorities have issued stimulus measures in the automobile industry by offering consumption coupons worth an estimated 500 million yuan for individual car purchases. Overall, China's automobile production and sales rebounded in May from April, with total production and sales reaching 1.93 million and 1.86 million units in May, up 59.7 percent and 57.6 percent respectively month on month, according to the CAAM. As the COVID-19 infections gradually waned and logistics disruptions were addressed in the country, China's auto industry is expected to go back to normal operation soon, said the association. VLADIVOSTOK, Russia, June 17 (Xinhua) -- A detachment of Russia's Pacific Fleet has entered the Philippine Sea, engaging in anti-aircraft training activities as well as those in search of submarines of a mock enemy, said the press service of the fleet Friday. The training also includes interaction with naval aviation crews of the Pacific Fleet. The training, which involves the command ship Marshal Krylov, the frigate Marshal Shaposhnikov, corvettes and the large anti-submarine ship Admiral Panteleev war ships, is part of the planned combat training of the Pacific Fleet, it said. Guizhou snub-nosed monkeys are seen with a cub in a wildlife rescue center of Fanjingshan National Nature Reserve in southwest China's Guizhou Province, June 16, 2022. A Guizhou snub-nosed monkey cub was born on April 13 and has been raised in the wildlife rescue center of Fanjingshan National Nature Reserve. The Guizhou snub-nosed monkey, or Guizhou golden monkey, is under top-level protection in China and is listed as an endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Among the three species of golden snub-nosed monkeys endemic to China, the Guizhou snub-nosed monkey is the one with the smallest population, the narrowest habitat, and the least ecological information. Mount Fanjingshan in northeast Guizhou is its only habitat. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin) A Guizhou snub-nosed monkey is seen with a cub in a wildlife rescue center of Fanjingshan National Nature Reserve in southwest China's Guizhou Province, June 16, 2022. A Guizhou snub-nosed monkey cub was born on April 13 and has been raised in the wildlife rescue center of Fanjingshan National Nature Reserve. The Guizhou snub-nosed monkey, or Guizhou golden monkey, is under top-level protection in China and is listed as an endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Among the three species of golden snub-nosed monkeys endemic to China, the Guizhou snub-nosed monkey is the one with the smallest population, the narrowest habitat, and the least ecological information. Mount Fanjingshan in northeast Guizhou is its only habitat. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin) Guizhou snub-nosed monkeys are seen with a cub in a wildlife rescue center of Fanjingshan National Nature Reserve in southwest China's Guizhou Province, June 16, 2022. A Guizhou snub-nosed monkey cub was born on April 13 and has been raised in the wildlife rescue center of Fanjingshan National Nature Reserve. The Guizhou snub-nosed monkey, or Guizhou golden monkey, is under top-level protection in China and is listed as an endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Among the three species of golden snub-nosed monkeys endemic to China, the Guizhou snub-nosed monkey is the one with the smallest population, the narrowest habitat, and the least ecological information. Mount Fanjingshan in northeast Guizhou is its only habitat. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin) Guizhou snub-nosed monkeys are seen with a cub in a wildlife rescue center of Fanjingshan National Nature Reserve in southwest China's Guizhou Province, June 16, 2022. A Guizhou snub-nosed monkey cub was born on April 13 and has been raised in the wildlife rescue center of Fanjingshan National Nature Reserve. The Guizhou snub-nosed monkey, or Guizhou golden monkey, is under top-level protection in China and is listed as an endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Among the three species of golden snub-nosed monkeys endemic to China, the Guizhou snub-nosed monkey is the one with the smallest population, the narrowest habitat, and the least ecological information. Mount Fanjingshan in northeast Guizhou is its only habitat. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin) A Guizhou snub-nosed monkey is seen with a cub in a wildlife rescue center of Fanjingshan National Nature Reserve in southwest China's Guizhou Province, June 16, 2022. A Guizhou snub-nosed monkey cub was born on April 13 and has been raised in the wildlife rescue center of Fanjingshan National Nature Reserve. The Guizhou snub-nosed monkey, or Guizhou golden monkey, is under top-level protection in China and is listed as an endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Among the three species of golden snub-nosed monkeys endemic to China, the Guizhou snub-nosed monkey is the one with the smallest population, the narrowest habitat, and the least ecological information. Mount Fanjingshan in northeast Guizhou is its only habitat. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin) A Guizhou snub-nosed monkey cub is seen in a wildlife rescue center of Fanjingshan National Nature Reserve in southwest China's Guizhou Province, June 16, 2022. A Guizhou snub-nosed monkey cub was born on April 13 and has been raised in the wildlife rescue center of Fanjingshan National Nature Reserve. The Guizhou snub-nosed monkey, or Guizhou golden monkey, is under top-level protection in China and is listed as an endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Among the three species of golden snub-nosed monkeys endemic to China, the Guizhou snub-nosed monkey is the one with the smallest population, the narrowest habitat, and the least ecological information. Mount Fanjingshan in northeast Guizhou is its only habitat. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin) A Guizhou snub-nosed monkey is seen with a cub in a wildlife rescue center of Fanjingshan National Nature Reserve in southwest China's Guizhou Province, June 16, 2022. A Guizhou snub-nosed monkey cub was born on April 13 and has been raised in the wildlife rescue center of Fanjingshan National Nature Reserve. The Guizhou snub-nosed monkey, or Guizhou golden monkey, is under top-level protection in China and is listed as an endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Among the three species of golden snub-nosed monkeys endemic to China, the Guizhou snub-nosed monkey is the one with the smallest population, the narrowest habitat, and the least ecological information. Mount Fanjingshan in northeast Guizhou is its only habitat. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin) A Guizhou snub-nosed monkey cub is seen in a wildlife rescue center of Fanjingshan National Nature Reserve in southwest China's Guizhou Province, June 16, 2022. A Guizhou snub-nosed monkey cub was born on April 13 and has been raised in the wildlife rescue center of Fanjingshan National Nature Reserve. The Guizhou snub-nosed monkey, or Guizhou golden monkey, is under top-level protection in China and is listed as an endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Among the three species of golden snub-nosed monkeys endemic to China, the Guizhou snub-nosed monkey is the one with the smallest population, the narrowest habitat, and the least ecological information. Mount Fanjingshan in northeast Guizhou is its only habitat. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin) In this aerial photo, an outbound international freight train departs from a station in southwest China's Chongqing, June 16, 2022. The first outbound international freight train for test from China's Chongqing to South Asia pulled out of a station in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality on Thursday. The new route from Chongqing to Nepal's capital Kathmandu can save about 20 days on the way compared with traditional logistics routes. (Xinhua/Tang Yi) In this aerial photo, an outbound international freight train is about to depart from a station in southwest China's Chongqing, June 16, 2022. The first outbound international freight train for test from China's Chongqing to South Asia pulled out of a station in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality on Thursday. The new route from Chongqing to Nepal's capital Kathmandu can save about 20 days on the way compared with traditional logistics routes. (Xinhua/Tang Yi) An outbound international freight train departs from a station in southwest China's Chongqing, June 16, 2022. The first outbound international freight train for test from China's Chongqing to South Asia pulled out of a station in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality on Thursday. The new route from Chongqing to Nepal's capital Kathmandu can save about 20 days on the way compared with traditional logistics routes. (Xinhua/Tang Yi) A railway worker speaks via a walkie-talkie as an outbound international freight train is about to depart from a station in southwest China's Chongqing, June 16, 2022. The first outbound international freight train for test from China's Chongqing to South Asia pulled out of a station in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality on Thursday. The new route from Chongqing to Nepal's capital Kathmandu can save about 20 days on the way compared with traditional logistics routes. (Xinhua/Tang Yi) In this aerial photo, an outbound international freight train departs from a station in southwest China's Chongqing, June 16, 2022. The first outbound international freight train for test from China's Chongqing to South Asia pulled out of a station in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality on Thursday. The new route from Chongqing to Nepal's capital Kathmandu can save about 20 days on the way compared with traditional logistics routes. (Xinhua/Tang Yi) An outbound international freight train is about to depart from a station in southwest China's Chongqing, June 16, 2022. The first outbound international freight train for test from China's Chongqing to South Asia pulled out of a station in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality on Thursday. The new route from Chongqing to Nepal's capital Kathmandu can save about 20 days on the way compared with traditional logistics routes. (Xinhua/Tang Yi) A railway worker braces himself for the departure of an outbound international freight train at a station in southwest China's Chongqing, June 16, 2022. The first outbound international freight train for test from China's Chongqing to South Asia pulled out of a station in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality on Thursday. The new route from Chongqing to Nepal's capital Kathmandu can save about 20 days on the way compared with traditional logistics routes. (Xinhua/Tang Yi) JENIN, West Bank, June 17 (Xinhua) -- Amid sadness and anger, thousands of mourners on Friday buried three Palestinian young men killed by Israeli soldiers in the northern West Bank city of Jenin. Family members, friends, activists, and militants joined the funeral of the three, who were members of Hamas' armed wing Al-Qassam Brigades. The mourners waved Palestinian flags and chanted slogans against Israel. Several gunmen shot in the air in an expression of anger, while masked men threatened to act in retaliation for the killing of the three activists. Hamas, ruling faction of the Gaza Strip, mourned the death of the three young men in a press statement, saying "the cowardly assassination will not go unpunished." "The Palestinian people and their armed resistance know how to respond to the heinous crime," the statement said, calling on the city of Jenin "to stand at the forefront of the Palestinian revolution against the (Israeli) occupation and injustice." The Israeli army said in a statement that its troops had been conducting an operation in Jenin to search for weapons, during which they spotted a suspicious car parked on the side of the road in the eastern neighborhood of Jenin. According to the Israeli statement, three militants in the car were killed after they traded fire with the soldiers, and two M-16 machineguns, a homemade Carlogostav machinegun, ammunition, and a protective jacket were found in the car. However, Palestinian eyewitnesses said the Israeli force ambushed the three young men and opened fire at their car. Social media activists posted photos showing the car hit by intensive gunshots and with smears of blood inside. The Palestinian presidency held the Israeli government responsible for the recent escalation, saying in a statement that "this serious escalation would drag the region into more tension and violence." "The Israeli crime comes ahead of U.S. President Joe Biden's visit to the region in an attempt to avoid any political commitment," the statement said. It called on the United States "to effectively pressure the Israeli government to stop its continuous crimes and aggression against the Palestinians before it is too late and things get out of control." Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Ishtaye also called on the international community "to stop its double-standard policy and ensure an international protection for the Palestinian people." He urged the International Criminal Court to speed up investigation into the crimes of the Israeli army and the settlers against the Palestinians. TEHRAN, June 17 (Xinhua) -- Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said on Friday that Iran possesses the right "not to trust" the United States, official news agency IRNA reported. "I'm surprised by the Americans who are sending a message of negotiation on the one hand and adding to the sanctions list on the other hand," Raisi said, referring to fresh U.S. anti-Iran sanctions on Thursday. "The world must give us the right not to trust America, because it is a pact-breaker," he noted. In a statement on Thursday, the U.S. Department of the Treasury announced imposition of fresh sanctions on three Iranian companies, accusing them of helping "evade sanctions" by supporting the sale of Iran's petrochemical products abroad. Iran signed a nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), with the world powers in July 2015, agreeing to curb its nuclear program in return for the removal of the U.S.-led sanctions. However, former U.S. President Donald Trump pulled Washington out of the JCPOA in May 2018 and reimposed unilateral sanctions on Iran. BEIJING, June 17 (Xinhua) -- Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, on Friday presided over a meeting of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee to deliberate a report on the rectification of problems discovered during an inspection over financial institutions. KUNDUZ, Afghanistan, June 17 (Xinhua) -- At least one worshipper lost his life and six others sustained injuries as a blast ripped through a mosque in Imam Sahib district of the northern Kunduz province on Friday. An eyewitness who declined to be named confirmed that the blast took place at 01:35 p.m. local time in Alefbirdi mosque when dozens of worshipers were offering Friday prayers, leaving at least one dead and six more injured. In the meantime, another eyewitness Mohammad Karim asserted that some worshippers were killed or injured due to the blast inside the mosque. Kunduz police spokesman Abidullah Abidi has confirmed the blast, saying it inflicted casualties and details would be made public after the completion of the investigation. No group or individual has claimed responsibility for the attack yet. In late April, a similar blast in a mosque in Kunduz province, for which the hardliner Islamic State group claimed responsibility, left nearly three dozens dead and more than 40 others injured. SHANGHAI, June 17 (Xinhua) -- Shanghai reported one locally-transmitted asymptomatic COVID-19 case from midnight to 5 p.m. Friday, the municipal health commission said at a press conference. The infection was detected during a community screening, and the case has been sent to a designated hospital for medical observation, said the health commission. Epidemiological investigations were carried out immediately. As of 4 p.m. Friday, 83 close contacts and 52 sub-close contacts of the case have been traced for quarantine. The area connected to the infection has been classified as medium-risk for COVID-19, according to the municipal anti-epidemic headquarters. Panchen Erdeni Chos-kyi rGyal-po visits the Tibet Buddhism Academy in Nyethang Township under Chushur County in Lhasa, capital of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, June 17, 2022. Panchen Rinpoche on Thursday and Friday visited the Tibet Buddhism Academy. (Xinhua/Chogo) LHASA, June 17 (Xinhua) -- Panchen Erdeni Chos-kyi rGyal-po on Thursday and Friday visited the Tibet Buddhism Academy, where he gave lectures and performed head-touching rituals for students. Panchen Rinpoche arrived at the academy in Nyethang Township under Chushur County in Lhasa, capital of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region around 10 a.m. Thursday. In the main hall that houses Buddha statues of the main sects of Tibetan Buddhism, Panchen Rinpoche chanted prayers with the monks, gave lectures, and distributed alms to all the students. After lecturing for more than one hour, Panchen Rinpoche had a discussion with student representatives. On Friday morning, Panchen Rinpoche performed head-touching rituals for all the monks and nuns at the academy. It was Panchen Rinpoche's fourth visit to the academy to give lectures and have exchanges with students. The Tibet Buddhism Academy was established in October 2011. So far, China has invested nearly 400 million yuan (about 59.8 million U.S. dollars) in the building of the largest Buddhist academy in Tibet, and it has trained thousands of outstanding monks and nuns for the Tibetan Buddhist community. Gaesang Wangdue, vice president of the academy, said currently there are 906 students from 469 temples across Tibet, including more than 800 monks, 132 nuns, and 14 young Living Buddhas. Panchen Erdeni is one of the most influential Living Buddhas in Tibetan Buddhism. Panchen Erdeni Chos-kyi rGyal-po was born on Feb. 13, 1990 in Lhari County of Nagqu in Tibet Autonomous Region. On Nov. 29, 1995, he was approved and confirmed by the State Council as the reincarnation of the 10th Panchen after lot-drawing from a golden urn. He was then enthroned as the 11th Panchen Erdeni. Panchen Erdeni Chos-kyi rGyal-po performs head-touching rituals at the Tibet Buddhism Academy in Nyethang Township under Chushur County in Lhasa, capital of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, June 17, 2022. Panchen Rinpoche on Thursday and Friday visited the Tibet Buddhism Academy. (Xinhua/Chogo) By Azernews By Vugar Khalilov Azerbaijan and NATOs military education representatives have discussed cooperation in the relevant sphere, Azernews reports, citing the Defense Ministry. A working meeting with the program coordinators for Azerbaijan and NATO's specialists on various educational topics was conducted on June 17, at the Defense Ministrys National Defense University as part of NATO's Defence Education Enhancement Program (DEEP), the report added. At the meeting, the sides exchanged views on the potential for the growth of the military educational system and cooperation. Moreover, briefings were held on the experience gained in the relevant area. The guests visited the military institute named after Heydar Aliyev under the National Defense University and the Military Medical Faculty of the Azerbaijani Medical University in line with the program. The visitors were briefed about the educational process, and the parties discussed other matters of mutual interest. Relations with NATO started in 1992 when Azerbaijan joined the North Atlantic Cooperation Council. This forum for dialogue was succeeded in 1997 by the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council, which brings together all Allies and partner countries in the Euro-Atlantic area. Bilateral cooperation began when Azerbaijan joined the Partnership for Peace (PfP) program in 1994. Thanks to regular participation in PfP activities, Azerbaijan has been able to contribute actively to Euro-Atlantic security by supporting NATO-led peace-support operations. Azerbaijans participation in the PfP Planning and Review Process (PARP) since 1997 has allowed NATO and individual Allies to assist Azerbaijan in developing selected units to improve interoperability with those of the allies. NATO and Azerbaijan started work on a jointly agreed Defence Education Enhancement Programme (DEEP) in 2008 to integrate NATO standards into the teaching methodologies and curricula of the countrys Professional Military Education (PME) institutions. In 2018, Azerbaijan asked NATO to also involve the Military High School, a pre-commissioning school, in DEEP. NANJING, June 17 (Xinhua) -- At an industrial park in the city of Taicang, east China's Jiangsu Province, streamers are introducing investment policies and urban living conditions to German merchants via live video. The streamers are working staff from Taicang's investment promotion department. Due to the impact of the COVID-19 resurgence, they have begun to use online live streaming to attract foreign investment, and German businessmen have been their main audience. Taicang, a neighboring city of Shanghai, is dubbed as the "hometown of German enterprises" in China. The small city gathers about 400 German firms including Schaeffler and Brose, which achieved sales revenue of 44.8 billion yuan (about 6.7 billion U.S. dollars) last year, a year-on-year increase of 87.7 percent. According to Taicang's commerce bureau, all the local-based German companies have resumed work and their production capacity has recovered to more than 90 percent, despite the epidemic earlier this year. "We have adhered to the principle of 'do not disturb and always respond' to serve enterprises," said Liu Limin, director of the commerce bureau, adding that they offered services like service hotline and free dormitories to German firms and assisted them in logistics as soon as the epidemic waned. "We have been trying our best to support German companies in maintaining production and stable operations, hoping to minimize the impact of the epidemic to them," Liu said. The soothing process of resumption of work has boosted German firms' confidence in investing in the Chinese market. In early June this year, four German projects were inked during an online signing ceremony held by Taicang, and the city plans to introduce more than 40 new German projects this year. Germany's cleaning systems provider Karcher has invested 100 million yuan in the construction of its high-tech research and development center in Jiangsu's Suzhou City. "Despite the epidemic, we are still fully confident in the Chinese market, and our long-term plans in China will not change," said Tang Xiaodong, president of Karcher Greater China, noting that the firm's resumption of production has been progressing in an orderly manner. "SIG Combibloc Group has begun to expand its business in China," said Fan Lidong, general manager of the German company in Suzhou, adding that they plan to build more manufacturing factories and increase investment in research and development. Fan said that since the outbreak of the epidemic, the local government has taken quick actions to help solve problems in fields including logistics and recruitment. At the end of May this year, German company Merck Group announced that it would invest in building an advanced semiconductor integrated base which includes a manufacturing base, a warehouse and an operation center in the city of Zhangjiagang. The move is part of Merck's plan to double its investment in China by spending over 1 billion yuan by 2025 on expanding its electronics business. In April this year, the German firm signed a deal to invest about 100 million euros in expanding its manufacturing base of life sciences in the city of Wuxi. German company Siemens is also optimistic about its development in China. Last year, the company set up the Siemens Electrical Products China headquarters in Suzhou. With the help of local commerce department, the newly-established company solved the logistics problems and successfully weathered the epidemic resurgence. "Siemens Electrical Products could not have grown to be as strong as it is now without the favorable business environment in Suzhou as well as the mature supply chain ecosystem," said Markus Grabmeier, general manager of Siemens Electrical Products China. "We are confident to continue our sustainable business development and we will focus on technological innovations to further enhance our strong position in the market and optimally serve our customers in China and beyond," Grabmeier said. BAGHDAD, June 16 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein on Thursday expressed Iraq's readiness to host a new round of direct talks between Iran and Saudi Arabia in Baghdad. Hussein made the remarks in a phone conversation with his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, the Iraqi Foreign Ministry said in a statement. During the phone call, the Iraqi top diplomat confirmed "the Iraqi government's intention to continue facilitating direct talks between the Saudi and Iranian foreign ministers in Baghdad to restore relations to normal," said the statement. Calling the latest round of talks with Saudi Arabia in Baghdad as "positive," Amir-Abdollahian welcomed the implementation of the outcomes of the negotiations and praised the Iraqi Foreign Ministry's role in this regard, according to the statement. To improve bilateral relations and ease regional tension, Baghdad hosted four rounds of direct talks between Iran and Saudi Arabia last year, and the fifth round was held in April this year. In response to the attacks on Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran after the kingdom executed a Shiite cleric, Saudi Arabia cut diplomatic ties with Iran in early 2016. The two rivals' strained relations showed signs of improvement after they resumed direct talks on normalizing diplomatic relations in April 2021. People grieve during the funeral of Palestinians killed during clashes with Israeli soldiers in the West Bank city of Jenin, on June 17, 2022. Thousands of mourners on Friday buried three Palestinian young men killed by Israeli soldiers in the northern West Bank city of Jenin. (Photo by Nidal Eshtayeh/Xinhua) RAMALLAH, June 17 (Xinhua) -- Three Palestinians were killed and eight injured by Israeli soldiers early Friday during clashes in the northern West Bank city of Jenin, medics and eyewitnesses said. The killed are Yousef Sallah, Laith Abu Sorour and Bara'a Lahlouh, and three of the eight injured were in critical conditions, the Palestinian Ministry of Health said in a statement. Palestinian eyewitnesses said that an Israeli army force raided a refugee camp adjacent to the city, attacked three Palestinians in a car and killed them, followed by fierce clashes in the camp between dozens of Palestinians and Israeli soldiers. The Israeli Defense Forces said the soldiers, operating in the city, came under shots fired at them from a nearby stationary vehicle, and "neutralized the gunmen," The Times of Israel reported. The Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) spokesman in Gaza Abdulatif al-Qanou'a accused Israel of assassinating the three Palestinians. "The Israeli occupation will be the price for its crimes." Hundreds of Palestinians gathered outside the governmental hospital in Jenin and shouted slogans that called for revenge against Israel. GENEVA, June 16 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese diplomat on Thursday stressed that the United States should be responsible for the current situation in Afghanistan and should take meaningful steps to compensate the Afghan people for their sufferings. Many innocent Afghan civilians have been killed by the U.S. military or as a result of war, and tens of millions of Afghan people have become refugees, said a representative from the Chinese Mission to the United Nations (UN) in Geneva when speaking at the ongoing 50th session of the UN Human Rights Council. The United States hastily withdrew its troops from Afghanistan, leaving the Afghan people in a severe humanitarian crisis that continues to this day, the Chinese diplomat said. Instead of taking the responsibility to relieve the crisis, the U.S. has openly looted Afghan national assets and exacerbated the Afghan people's suffering, the diplomat added. "China urges the United States to immediately and comprehensively lift its unilateral sanctions against Afghanistan, unconditionally return the Afghan people's assets, and compensate them with concrete actions," the diplomat noted. According to the Chinese diplomat, although the Afghan interim government has made headways in some aspects, it still faces many challenges, including humanitarian, economic and security difficulties. The diplomat called on the international community to maintain communication and dialogue with the interim government, encourage it to set up a broader, more inclusive political framework as well as a moderate and stable domestic policy, resolutely combat terrorism in all its forms, and provide Afghanistan with the necessary emergency humanitarian aid and anti-epidemic assistance. ISTANBUL, June 17 (Xinhua) -- The Turkish police on Friday detained 19 people suspected of financing the Islamic State (IS) militant group, Demiroren News Agency reported. Five more suspects are still on the run in the operations launched across 12 different provinces in the early morning, according to the report. The Istanbul Attorney General's office carried out the investigation after social media surveillance revealed an IS funding scheme of more than 8 million Turkish liras (460,000 U.S. dollars) that involves more than 900 individual contributors, Demiroren said. The money was transferred into Syria through suspects moving in and out of Turkey's southernmost border province of Hatay, it added. The IS is blamed for a spate of deadly attacks in Turkey since 2015. UNITED NATIONS, June 17 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday called for actions to reverse the downward spiral of land degradation which results in drought and other nature disasters. "Let us act now to drought-proof our future," the UN chief said in a message for World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought. He said droughts in all regions are getting more frequent and fierce, and that the well-being of hundreds of millions of people is being compromised by increasing sandstorms, wildfires, crop failures, displacement and conflict. Guterres warned that by mid-century, three-quarters of people could be living with drought. "Climate change bears much responsibility, but so does how we manage our land," the UN chief said. Half the world's population is already coping with the consequences of land degradation, he said, noting that "we can and must reverse this downward spiral." "We can restore land for a fraction of what is currently being spent on environmentally harmful subsidies. Every dollar invested in restoring land can generate 30 times that much in benefits," he said. Guterres said that while there are success stories of land restoration, such as the Great Green Wall of the Sahel in Africa which has already restored millions of hectares of land and created thousands of jobs, "much more needs to be done." "Taking care of our land and its biodiversity can help address the climate crisis and assist in reaching all our Sustainable Development Goals," he said. CHENGDU, June 17 (Xinhua) -- Traffic has resumed on all 81 rural roads that had been disrupted after earthquakes hit southwest China's Sichuan Province on June 10, local authorities said Friday. Emergency telecommunication and supply of water and electricity have also resumed in the quake-hit areas, according to a press briefing. A cluster of quakes, with the most severe one recording 6.0 magnitude, struck the city of Maerkang in Aba Tibetan-Qiang Autonomous Prefecture on June 10. Six people were injured, and a total of 113,950 people were affected after the quakes. There have been no reports of people missing or killed. By the end of Thursday, the earthquakes had incurred a total economic loss of about 2 billion yuan (about 298.2 million U.S. dollars). Authorities have dispatched more than 7,500 rescuers to the quake-hit areas. by Martina Fuchs GENEVA, June 17 (Xinhua) -- World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) International on Friday welcomed the agreement by the World Trade Organization (WTO) members to curb harmful fisheries subsidies that drive overfishing and for which the environmental group has been working for more than two decades. WTO members concluded the 12th Ministerial Conference (MC12) here on Friday, securing what Director General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala called "unprecedented" trade deals on fisheries subsidies, a partial waiver of intellectual property (IP) rights for COVID-19 vaccines, food safety and agriculture, and WTO reform. The agreement to curb fisheries subsidies is only the second multilateral accord on global trading rules struck in the WTO's 27-year history. It aims to ban subsidies for illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing or fishing of an overfished stock and could have the potential to reverse collapsing fish stocks. While the fisheries trade deal is significant, the WWF urged members to continue to work toward a global framework for fisheries that emphasizes "equity, sustainable development and resilience-building for both people and nature." "These practices, in coastal waters and on the high seas, degrade the resources coastal communities depend on and jeopardize the future of the industry they set out to support. Today, one-third of fish populations are already exploited beyond sustainable levels," the organization wrote in a press release. Marco Lambertini, director general of WWF International, said: "The new agreement is the product of compromise among 164 countries, so it's not perfect." "But the ocean needs help now, and marine ecosystems as well as coastal communities cannot wait for a perfect solution. What the WTO has delivered is an agreement that should be a catalyst for further subsidy and fisheries reform." He emphasized that "Countries can leverage this momentum heading into the UN (United Nations) Ocean Conference in Lisbon at the end of the month to further raise the ambition to achieve a nature-positive and sustainable future." The new deal reached on Friday comes after more than two decades of negotiations. According to the WWF, almost 85 percent of capacity enhancing subsidies go to large-scale, industrial fisheries, with little evidence of benefits flowing to small-scale fishers. "Today we welcome the progress made by WTO members and tireless campaigners around the world, but let's not forget that much more needs to be done to change course and help put us on the path to a healthier ocean and more resilient communities." WWF International, based in Gland, Switzerland, is an independent conservation organization with a global network active in nearly 100 countries and regions. Its mission is to stop the degradation of the planet's natural environment and to build a future in which people live in harmony with nature. BEIJING, June 17 (Xinhua) -- China had refunded value-added tax (VAT) credit worth over 1.6 trillion yuan (about 251 billion U.S. dollars) by June 14 to free up much-needed cash for enterprises, official data showed. Of the total, around 1.56 trillion yuan had been refunded since the country started implementing the policy on a larger scale on April 1, the data showed. The State Taxation Administration and five other government organs said their crackdown on tax fraud has seen progress, and will impose stern penalties on any attempt to defraud the country of VAT credit refunds. China will extend VAT credit refunds to seven more sectors including wholesale and retail sales, agriculture, accommodation and catering from July 1. BAGHDAD, June 17 (Xinhua) -- The Iraqi health ministry on Friday warned of the possibility of new COVID-19 spread in the country, calling on the public to follow health measures and receive vaccines, official Iraqi News Agency (INA) reported. "The problem of the coronavirus pandemic is still present, ... There is a possibility that new variants will appear," Sayf al-Badr, the ministry's spokesman, told the INA. "We are closely monitoring all developments in coordination with the World Health Organization, and there may be a pandemic wave as is happening in countries close to Iraq," al-Badr said. On Friday, Iraq reported 339 new COVID-19 cases, raising the nationwide caseload to 2,331,487, and one more fatality, bringing the death toll from the virus to 25,226. The total recoveries in Iraq grew by 177 to 2,303,954. A total of 12,037 people were vaccinated against COVID-19 in the past 24 hours across Iraq, bringing the total number of doses administered to 10,785,973, according to the health ministry. The Chinese government has sent several batches of medical aid to Iraq and donated four shipments of Sinopharm vaccines to help fight the pandemic. By Azernews By Vugar Khalilov The State Border Service has prevented the smuggling of over 28.7 kg of drugs from Iran to Azerbaijan, Azernews reports, citing the service. At 2215 hours, on June 7, two unknown individuals violated the state border from Iran to Azerbaijan in the service area of Horadiz border detachments border post near Zangilan regions Bartaz village. The service area was immediately cordoned off. Despite the border guard's stop command and the warning fire, the offenders ignored the order and attempted to kill the border guards by putting up armed resistance. As a result of border searches and operational actions taken in conjunction with a state border violation, one of the border trespassers was apprehended, and a substance like marijuana weighing about 5.8 kg was discovered in one package. Another trespasser fled back to Iran, taking advantage of the darkness and the dense forest and bushy area. In the same vein, the Coast Guard of the State Border Service dispatched border guard ships to Neftchala at 0150 on June 12, in response to information received concerning an unknown target violating sea borders. The high-speed vessel's path was tracked using sophisticated surveillance equipment and radars, and immediate action was taken to chase and stop it. In response to the incident, border security was stepped up, and coastal regions were investigated in the direction of the vessel's journey. As a result, two suspicious sacks were discovered on the coastline, in the service area of the Southern Regional Department's Mayak coastal control unit near Neftchalas Mayak village. During the inspection of the bags, over 22.8 kilograms of drugs (15,180 grams - of marijuana, 7,175 grams - of opium, 500 grams - of heroin) and 1,543 psychotropic pills were taken from 13 packages. Investigative measures are underway. ISTANBUL, June 17 (Xinhua) -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reiterated on Friday that Turkey would no longer hold the High-Level Strategic Council meetings with Greece. "Unless I come across an honest politician, I will no longer be meeting them, and we have terminated our high-level strategic council meetings, and we will not hold the meeting with Greece," Erdogan told reporters in Istanbul. Erdogan's comments came after a week of heated exchanges between the two countries regarding the status of the Aegean sea and its islands. Erdogan demanded last week that Greece respect previously-signed treaties and keep the Aegean islands demilitarized. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Friday that he wanted to keep an open channel of communication with Turkey. The Aegean Sea region has been historically a hot dispute between Turkey and Greece. Turkey accused Greece of arming previously-demilitarized islands and said Greece's ambitions to increase their maritime borders would effectively isolate western Turkey and the Black Sea from the Mediterranean. Greece, meanwhile, argued that its militarization is legitimized by Turkish threats and accused Turkey of not respecting its rights to extend its territorial sea to 12 nautical miles. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres (C) addresses the Security Council ministerial-level open debate on women, peace and security at the UN Headquarters in New York, June 15, 2022. (Loey Felipe/UN Photo/Handout via Xinhua) UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that nearly 1 billion people around the world, including millions of children and young people, "have a mental health condition," adding that most of them lack access to treatment. UNITED NATIONS, June 17 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday warned against a "global mental health crisis," while launching a report on mental health. "We are living through a global mental health crisis," the top UN official said in his video message to launch the World Mental Health Report 2022: Transforming Mental Health For All. Guterres said that nearly 1 billion people around the world, including millions of children and young people, "have a mental health condition," adding that most of them lack access to treatment. "Services may be unavailable or unaffordable. Stigma also prevents people from seeking help," he said. Guterres said that people with mental health conditions are at increased risk of physical and emotional abuse, denial of education and employment, and other human rights violations. "The costs, both human and financial, are huge. Depression and anxiety alone cost the global economy an estimated 1 trillion U.S. dollars per year." In addressing factors that have worsened the situation, Guterres said that while the COVID-19 pandemic has increased mental health problems, it has also led to a far greater understanding of the importance - and fragility - of good mental health. Palestinian yoga instructor Ameera Nejem (standing) gives an open-air yoga lesson to help people maintain mental and physical health in the West Bank city of Ramallah, on Sept. 23, 2020. (Photo by Ayman Nobani/Xinhua) "Unfortunately, in most countries, mental health remains the most neglected area of health policy," warned the secretary-general. Commenting on the report prepared by the World Health Organization, Guterres said the report is a roadmap to guide countries in improving their mental health systems. "It highlights where improvement is needed and how it can be achieved, starting in childhood and continuing throughout all the stages of life. It sets out ways to reduce risks, build resilience and dismantle the barriers that prevent people with mental health conditions from participating fully in society," he said. "I recommend it to governments, and mental health stakeholders, everywhere," said the secretary-general. KIGALI, June 17 (Xinhua) -- A new set of regional initiatives for 2023-2025 aimed at addressing the global connectivity gap was adopted in Kigali, the Rwandan capital, at the conclusion of the World Telecommunication Development Conference (WTDC). The initiatives outlined in the Kigali Action Plan address specific needs for each major region of the world to advance and accelerate digital transformation. According to the resolutions, every school will be connected to the internet and every young person will be able to access information and communication technology (ICT) services. The conference also adopted the Partner2Connect Digital Coalition, the primary platform to foster new partnerships around meaningful connectivity and digital transformation globally, focusing on the hardest-to-connect communities. The resolutions also include driving efforts to advance digital transformation for sustainable development and recognizing the enormous potential that ICTs have to create positive, meaningful and lasting change. Creating a thriving environment for entrepreneurship and digital innovation ecosystems to help accelerate the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has also been adopted as a new resolution to accelerate global connectivity. "Having this conference take place in Rwanda is an important milestone. Let's build on this momentum to strengthen the image of ITU (International Telecommunication Union) as a UN specialized agency not just for technology but also for development and to accelerate digital transformation for all, here in Africa and the rest of the world," ITU Secretary-General Zhao Houlin told the WTDC closing ceremony on Thursday. Paula Ingabire, Rwandan minister of ICT and innovation, said the new resolutions adopted in Kigali will play a crucial role in bridging the digital divide and closing the global connectivity gap. "Rwanda was privileged to host this very first World Telecommunication Development Conference as an African-led event in Africa," she said. "We had set out to make sure this conference is different, and that it has to make a difference." The June 6-16 technology conference was aimed to reinvigorate progress on SDGs and put digital uptake at the forefront for the remaining seven years of the UN's Decade of Action. The event's theme was "Connecting the unconnected to achieve sustainable development." The Kigali Action Plan agreed at the conference charts a course for digital development that aligns closely with the SDGs set out by the United Nations for 2030. It also defines the work plan of the ITU's Development Sector (ITU-D) until the next World Telecommunication Development Conference. People visit the Muizz Street in Cairo, Egypt, on June 17, 2022. Egypt on Thursday lifted all COVID-19-related entry restrictions for all travelers, whether Egyptians or foreigners. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa) CAIRO, June 16 (Xinhua) -- Egypt on Thursday lifted all COVID-19-related entry restrictions for all travelers, whether Egyptians or foreigners. The decision was made by Egypt's Supreme Committee for the Management of the Epidemiology and Health Pandemic Crisis according to the pandemic conditions in Egypt and abroad, said Nader Saad, a spokesperson of the Egyptian cabinet, in a statement. Nearly 86.6 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines, as well as 4.5 million booster shots, have been provided for the people, the statement said, adding that there are nearly 57.5 million doses in reserve to continue the vaccination campaign. The statement said that 800 DNA reagents were distributed by the Egyptian health ministry to detect the monkeypox cases, and strict measures are taken to have veterinary quarantine for the animals coming from abroad. People visit the Muizz Street in Cairo, Egypt, on June 17, 2022. Egypt on Thursday lifted all COVID-19-related entry restrictions for all travelers, whether Egyptians or foreigners. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa) MOGADISHU, June 17 (Xinhua) -- Somali government confirmed Friday that 42 al-Shabab terrorists were killed and several others wounded when the regional Galmudug State forces foiled an attack by the militants on a town in the central part of the country. Deputy Minister of Information Abdirahman Yusuf Omar said the Somali National Army (SNA) and the local community in Bahdo town showed bravery and inflicted heavy losses on the militants. Omar said six SNA troops and a civilian were killed during Friday's fighting that was sparked by al-Shabab militants who detonated multiple vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices (VBIED) targeting the village and security forces. The SNA commanders said the troops are searching for al-Shabab remnants after the deadly fighting, the first since the new President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud was elected. NAIROBI, June 17 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's Ministry of Health said Friday that it has established a multisectoral team to help with the management of sickle cell disease. Rashid Aman, the chief administrative secretary of the Ministry of Health, said that the team will help in reducing the new cases since approximately 14,000 children are born with the disease annually. "We expect the team to spearhead advocacy, screening, diagnosis, surveillance and research in addressing the disease that has become a big burden in the country," Aman said during the commemoration of World Sickle Cell Day in Nairobi, the Kenyan capital. Aman said that at least 240,000 children in Africa are born each year with sickle cell disease, noting that with the absence of routine newborn screening and appropriate treatment, an estimated 50 percent to 90 percent of the minors born with the condition die undiagnosed before their 5th birthday. Sickle cell disease is common across Kenya with a high out-of-pocket spending burden in western and coastal regions, said Aman, who observed that with migration and intermarriages, the condition is being increasingly reported in other regions of the country. He said that Kenya has developed policy guidelines for infant screening of sickle cell disease that will be launched soon, stressing that the guidelines which will be implemented in phases will ensure that infants are screened and linked to care. According to Aman, Kenya also plans to tackle the disease through the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) which will ensure that populations and communities receive the health services they need without suffering financial hardship. The UHC includes the full spectrum of essential, quality health services, ranging from health promotion, prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation to palliative care. Under the UHC commitment, patients with sickle cell disease and other non-communicable diseases that suffer the most in terms of out-of-pocket payments to access care over the lifelong course of the diseases will be covered under health insurance, Aman said. MOGADISHU, June 17 (Xinhua) -- Somalia's Galmudug State forces killed 67 al-Shabab militants and wounded several others in a foiled attack in the central town of Bahdo early Friday. The Information Minister of Galmudug Ahmed Shire told the Somali National News Agency that the local residents and regional forces repulsed the attack by al-Shabab militants on the town in Galgaduud region. Shire said the troops arrested a suicide bomber who was planning to detonate vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices (VBIED) on the security forces and villagers. The minister said the vehicle was also seized as well as weapons that the suicide bomber had intended to use to stage the attack. "The army and the local residents repelled an attack by al-Shabab on the town on Friday," Shire said of the heavy fighting which the locals said ensued for about two hours and resulted in casualties on both sides. Six government troops and a civilian were killed in the fighting. Odowaa Yusuf Rage, chief of Defense Forces, said that the Somali National Army (SNA) elite force Danab and Galmudug Paramilitary forces are searching for the militants who fled the area, noting that the death toll could rise. The residents said relative calm has been restored in the town which is under the control of Galmudug security forces. The government forces have vowed to intensify security operations in the central and southern regions until the insurgents who have conducted terror attacks to kill and maim innocent residents will have been wiped out from the regions. The terror group has lost many areas previously under its control, but the militant group is still capable of staging attacks in Somalia. SYDNEY, June 17 (Xinhua) -- Sail Grand Prix (SailGP) will return to the iconic Sydney Harbour in February next year as the ninth event in the third season calendar. The Grand Prix announced on Friday that the event in Sydney is scheduled from February 18 to 19, 2023, with the third season starting in Bermuda in May this year. Ten teams will compete in the third season, including new franchises Canada and Switzerland and returning nations Australia, Denmark, France, Britain, Japan, New Zealand, Spain and the United States. The event will also feature a range of on-water and on-land fan experiences, providing fans with a front-row seat to witness advanced catamarans ripping through the harbor at breathtaking speeds of up to 100 kilometers per hour (km/h). Sydney has also secured the right to host the racing for three consecutive seasons. The race attracted an estimated 20,000 people to Sydney Harbour in December 2021, and overall, the Grand Prix reached 88.5 million people worldwide. "As one of only eleven iconic locations in the global SailGP league, the Australia Sail Grand Prix will provide a significant boost to the state's visitor economy by showcasing our spectacular Harbour city to the world," said Stuart Ayres, NSW Minister for Tourism and Sport. After Sydney, Sail GP will head to New Zealand in March, followed by the United States which will host the Grand Final. CANBERRA, June 17 (Xinhua) -- A marsupial species native to an Australian island is facing extinction due to bushfires and feral cats, a study has warned. In a study published on Friday, a team from the University of Adelaide proved for the first time that feral cats prey on the Kangaroo Island (KI) dunnart, a mouse-sized carnivorous marsupial endemic to the island off the coast of South Australia (SA). The already-endangered dunnarts were left on the brink of extinction when the 2019/20 Black Summer bushfires severely burned 98 percent of their habitat. Now study co-authors Louis Lignereux and Pat Hodgens and colleagues warned cats could be pushing them further to extinction. Researchers analyzed the stomach contents of 86 feral cats that were captured and euthanized between February and August 2020 and found the remains of eight dunnarts in seven different cats. They said that because a cat's digestion time is typically less than 36 hours the findings were significant. "These findings represent the first confirmation that feral cats do prey on Kangaroo Island dunnarts, and suggests they are efficient hunters of this species given the small numbers of dunnarts that remain following the bushfires," said Lignereux. "The combined pressures of a small, isolated population, natural disasters like bushfires, and introduced predators such as feral cats could lead to the extinction of this vulnerable species." Previous studies have warned that feral cats pose a significant threat to Australia's biodiversity. A research published in March found that cats and foxes kill a combined 2.6 billion animals in Australia every year including 1.4 billion mammals. SYDNEY, June 17 (Xinhua) -- Australian researchers, using data collected across more than three decades, have found that physically fit children are more likely to remain mentally robust during their later years. The findings, believed to be the first of their kind in the world, were published in the Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport and revealed on Friday. Associate Professor Michele Callisaya from the National Center for Healthy Ageing (NCHA) at Monash University told Xinhua on Friday that "this study essentially appears to show that being fit as a kid can be beneficial for brain health later in life." The researchers, including scientists from the Menzies Institute for Medical Research (MIMR) at the University of Tasmania, drew their conclusions from data accumulated from 1985 to 2019 of 1244 people who were aged between seven and 15 at the outset. The young participants were initially assessed for their muscular fitness and waist-to-hip measurements and then were followed up between the years 2004-2006, 2009-2011 and finally 2014-2019, when they were tested for their cognitive functioning with a series of computerized tests. The researchers found that the fittest children had higher midlife scores in cognitive tests that challenged their memories, and ability to think quickly and pay attention. Callisaya said the study appeared to indicate that "early activity levels, fitness and metabolic health may protect against dementia in our older years." The researchers say that children's physical activity could have a direct benefit on their growing brains due to increasing the blood flow and helping to form new neurons. Furthermore, lack of exercise in childhood can lead to obesity which, in turn, is often associated with conditions such as high blood pressure and diabetes which can all impact brain health. "Developing strategies that improve low fitness and decrease obesity levels in childhood are important because it could contribute to improvements in cognitive performance in midlife," Callisaya said. "Importantly the study indicates that protective strategies against future cognitive decline may need to start as far back as early childhood, so the brain can develop sufficient reserve against developing conditions such as dementia in older life." By Trend Azerbaijan is waiting for concrete steps from Armenia for the early signing of a peace treaty, Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister Elnur Mammadov said during the 9th Global Baku Forum entitled 'Challenges to the Global World Order', Trend reports. "Azerbaijan, for its part, presented Armenia with five basic principles that must be followed," Mammadov said. Speaking about the relations between Azerbaijan and Georgia, Mammadov noted that these relations can serve as an example. "Our relations with Georgia are a very good example. We have implemented significant infrastructure projects in the energy and other sectors over the past 15 years," Mammadov noted. He added that the acceleration of the peace process is necessary for the development of South Caucasus. NEW DELHI, June 17 (Xinhua) -- Violent protests continued in several parts of India, including Delhi, on Friday against the newly-announced recruitment scheme "Agnipath" in the armed forces, the agitated protesters set trains on fire at many places in the states of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. More than 50 students assembled outside the ITO Metro Station in central Delhi, protesting against the new recruitment scheme even as the security personnel struggled to remove them. The protests have been going on in India for the past three days. The protesters allege several flaws in the new recruitment scheme, mainly the age bracket of 17-and-a-half years to 21 years and the fact that 75 percent of the recruits would be removed from service after four years as per the scheme's provisions. TV reports showed trains set on fire in Bihar state's Kulharia, Danapur, Aara Samastipur, Supaul, Lakhisarai and Muzaffarpur areas, and Uttar Pradesh's Ballia and Sikandrabad areas. In many other areas in these two states, the agitated youths sat on railway tracks shouting slogans against the new recruitment scheme. As a result of incidents of arson and sit-in protests on railway tracks, around 40 trains were canceled while more than 70 trains were delayed. Meanwhile, a large number of protesting youths were arrested at several places, said local media reports. There has been no recruitment in the country's armed forces over the past two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The protesters aged between 21 and 23 years alleged that they had been preparing for recruitment in the armed forces for the past two years, but were now rendered ineligible under the new scheme on the basis of age. As a measure to calm down the violent protests, the federal government on Friday announced the one-time relaxation of the upper age limit from 21 to 23 years. BANGKOK, June 17 (Xinhua) -- Thailand reported 1,967 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 19 more deaths from the pandemic on Friday, taking the total tally to over 4.49 million with 30,422 deaths. According to the Center for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA), as of Thursday, the Southeast Asian country has administered nearly 139 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines, with 76.2 percent of its population having been fully vaccinated, and 41.8 percent having received booster shots. Thailand also announced it will further ease domestic COVID-19 restrictions and border control measures. Outdoor mask mandate will be dropped, but infected and high-risk groups are strongly advised to wear masks when being with other people, Maratee Nalita Andamo, an official with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said at the CCSA daily news briefing. KUALA LUMPUR, June 17 (Xinhua) -- Malaysia's exports increased by 30.5 percent to 120.49 billion ringgit (about 27.37 billion U.S. dollars) in May, as shipments to major markets, notably ASEAN, China, the United States, the European Union and Japan, recorded double-digit growth, official data showed Friday. The export growth was also driven by higher demand for electrical and electronic (E&E) products, petroleum products as well as palm oil and palm oil-based agriculture products, the Malaysian Ministry of International Trade and Industry said in a statement. Meanwhile, Malaysia's trade performance in May remained resilient, recording the fastest growth since November 2021 with trade rising by 33.6 percent year-on-year to 228.37 billion ringgit. Imports in May grew by 37.3 percent to 107.88 billion ringgit, while trade surplus contracted by 8.3 percent to 12.62 billion ringgit. For January to May, Malaysia's trade climbed by 25.1 percent to 1.09 trillion ringgit compared to the same period last year. Its exports jumped by 23.5 percent to 592.97 billion ringgit, while imports leaped by 27 percent to 491.85 billion ringgit. Trade surplus for the period also edged up by 9 percent to 101.12 billion ringgit. In May, Malaysia's trade with China, which made up 16.3 percent of Malaysia's total trade, rose by 11.1 percent year-on-year to 37.17 billion ringgit, the 18th successive month of double-digit growth. Exports to China registered a growth of 10.1 percent to 15.27 billion ringgit following robust exports of E&E products. Imports from China also increased by 11.9 percent to 21.89 billion ringgit. Trade with China during the first five months of 2022 expanded by 16.2 percent to 187.8 billion ringgit compared to the same period last year. Exports for the period grew by 16 percent to 82.70 billion ringgit bolstered by higher exports of E&E products, liquefied natural gas as well as palm oil and palm oil-based agriculture products. Imports from China also climbed by 16.4 percent to 105.10 billion ringgit. (1 U.S. dollar equals 4.4 ringgit) CANBERRA, June 17 (Xinhua) -- The Australian government has agreed to extend its coronavirus health funding model until the end of 2022. Prime Minister (PM) Anthony Albanese on Friday chaired his first meeting of the national cabinet where he addressed health funding with state and territory leaders. Following the meeting, he announced that the 50/50 split in hospital funding between the states and territories and the federal government, which was due to end in September, will continue until the end of the year. The measure will cost the federal government an additional 760 million Australian dollars (about 533.9 million U.S. dollars). Amid rising coronavirus cases and an influenza resurgence, state and territory leaders united to demand the agreement be extended. Albanese said the funding would help get people out of emergency departments who do not need to be there. "The decision that we made today to extend the funding is a recognition that there are currently about 3,000 people in hospital as a result of COVID-19. It is still having an impact," he told reporters. "What it's about is a recognition that our hospital system at the moment has people who should be looked after by their local GP (General Practitioner), but GPs just unavailable." The lack of nurses and health professionals in the aged care system means that many people who should be either looked after at home or looked after as aged care residents end up in the hospital system as well, putting further pressure on the system, he said. Australia on Friday reported more than 30,000 new COVID-19 cases and more than 50 deaths. According to the Department of Health data, there were 2,818 COVID-19 cases being treated in Australian hospitals on Thursday including 97 in intensive care. Friday's meeting also addressed skills shortages across the country, with leaders agreeing more needed to be done to fast-track visa applications for skilled workers. TASHKENT, June 17 (Xinhua) -- Uzbekistan has made the first safe cargo transit from Pakistani port via Afghanistan in a week-long route, Uzbekistan's Transport Ministry said Friday. "Uzbek drivers, who traveled 2,760 kilometers on the route Tashkent - Termez - Mazar-e-Sharif - Kabul - Peshawar - Karachi, delivered cargo (frozen meat) from the port of Karachi to Tashkent," it said. Tripartite efforts have enabled the delivery of goods along this transport corridor through the territories of Uzbekistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan, in the shortest possible time and safely, according to the ministry. Landlocked Uzbekistan has been promoting transit transportation projects through the war-torn Afghan territory since the Taliban came back to power. Another important project is the 600-km Mazar-i-Sharif-Kabul-Peshawar railway project that will open Pakistani seaports to the Central Asian and Eurasian railway systems, significantly increasing cargo flows if implemented. BEIJING, June 17 (Xinhua) -- The following are the latest developments in the Ukraine crisis: KIEV -- Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said Friday that the cabinet has decided to introduce a visa regime for Russian citizens starting from July 1. The decision was adopted at the request of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Shmyhal wrote on Telegram. - - - - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with the leaders of France, Germany, Italy and Romania in Kiev on Thursday to discuss his country's prospects to join the European Union and the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the presidential press service reported. At the meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi and Romanian President Klaus Iohannis, Zelensky briefed the European leaders about the situation on the frontline and the needs of the Ukrainian armed forces in the conflict with Russia. - - - - BRUSSELS -- The European Commission on Friday recommended Ukraine and Moldova be granted candidate status for accession to the European Union. Both countries should also be granted the "European Perspective," said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. - - - - NAIROBI -- The Russia-Ukraine conflict has disrupted supply of wheat, maize, fertilizer and oil seeds in Kenya, leading to sharp rise in prices of the commodities and aggravating the hunger situation, the Food and Agriculture Authority (AFA) said in a situational report on Thursday. The AFA noted that Kenya imported oil seeds worth 1 billion shillings (about 8.5 million U.S. dollars) from Ukraine in 2021 and from Russia maize worth 8.5 million dollars and wheat worth 136 million dollars, supplies that have been disrupted by the conflict. KIEV, June 17 (Xinhua) -- Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said Friday that the cabinet has decided to introduce a visa regime for Russian citizens starting from July 1. The decision was adopted at the request of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Shmyhal wrote on Telegram. Earlier in the day, Zelensky said the country has decided to end visa-free travel for Russian citizens due to the "unprecedented threats to the national security, sovereignty and territorial integrity" of Ukraine. Previously, Russian citizens did not need visas to enter Ukraine, and they were allowed to stay for less than 90 days in the 180-day period from the date of the first entry. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (C) welcomes French President Emmanuel Macron (2nd L), German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (1st L), Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi (2nd R) and Romanian President Klaus Iohannis in Kiev, capital of Ukraine, June 16, 2022. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with the leaders of France, Germany, Italy and Romania in Kiev Thursday to discuss his country's prospects to join the European Union and the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the presidential press service reported. (Ukrainian Presidential Office/Handout via Xinhua) KIEV, June 16 (Xinhua) -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with the leaders of France, Germany, Italy and Romania in Kiev Thursday to discuss his country's prospects to join the European Union and the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the presidential press service reported. At the meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi and Romanian President Klaus Iohannis, Zelensky briefed the European leaders about the situation on the frontline and the needs of the Ukrainian armed forces in the conflict with Russia. Ukraine expects fresh supplies of heavy weapons, modern jet artillery and missile defense systems from its partners, Zelensky said. He also assured the European leaders that Ukraine stands ready to carry out the necessary work to gain full membership in the EU. For his part, Macron said that Ukraine is part of the European family, and the leaders of the four countries support granting Ukraine the status of a candidate for EU membership. Meanwhile, Scholz said that the candidate status is an important milestone in Ukraine's European path, while noting that the country needs to meet certain criteria to join the 27-member bloc. Iohannis stressed that European countries must create effective tools for rebuilding Ukraine after the conflict, while Draghi noted that the EU is demonstrating unity in its readiness to help Ukraine. At their talks, the parties also touched upon the issues of economic support for Ukraine, the blockade of the export of Ukrainian grain, and fresh economic sanctions on Russia. Macron, Scholz, Draghi and Iohannis arrived in Kiev earlier in the day for their first visit since the start of the Russia-Ukraine conflict on Feb. 24. On Feb. 28, Zelensky signed an official appeal to the EU asking for the accession of Ukraine via a new special procedure. And on June 11, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the commission will finalize the assessment on granting Ukraine EU candidate status by the end of this week. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen attends a press conference in Brussels, Belgium, June 17, 2022. The European Commission recommended that Ukraine and Moldova should be granted candidate status for accession to the European Union (EU), said its president Ursula von der Leyen on Friday. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong) BRUSSELS, June 17 (Xinhua) -- The European Commission recommended that Ukraine and Moldova should be granted candidate status for accession to the European Union (EU), said its president Ursula von der Leyen on Friday. Georgia still has some progress to make before being granted candidate status, but is on the right track, according to von der Leyen. "Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia share the strong and legitimate aspiration of joining the European Union. Today, we are sending them a clear signal of support in their aspirations, even as they face challenging circumstances," she said. The College of the European Commission met on Friday morning to issue an opinion on whether Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia should be granted the European Perspective and candidate status for EU accession, at the demand of the European Council. The council will then make its decision on the three countries' applications on June 23-24. Ukraine's decision to start the procedure to enter the EU was fast-tracked when the Russia-Ukraine conflict started on Feb. 24. The country handed in its application on Feb. 28. Moldova and Georgia applied for EU membership on March 3. The European Commission's opinion is based on three criteria -- political criteria, economic criteria, and the ability of the country to assume the obligations of EU membership. "Our partner countries should already start working to deliver on their side on the key reforms outlined in our recommendation. This is crucial in order for Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia to move ahead on their EU path," explained Oliver Varhelyi, European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement. Areas of improvement for all three countries include reform of the judiciary, the fight against corruption and money laundering, limiting the influence of oligarchs, aligning with EU media law, and protection of minorities. Moldova and Georgia also have to work on the fight against organized crime, well-functioning state institutions and the involvement of civil society, among other things. Georgia's request to be granted candidate status will be re-examined at a later stage when further reforms will have been made. Candidate status is the first step in the long road to becoming an EU member state. The next step is the opening of formal accession talks, a step which again requires the approval of all EU member countries. However, a candidate or in accession negotiations does not guarantee EU membership. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen attends a press conference in Brussels, Belgium, June 17, 2022. The European Commission recommended that Ukraine and Moldova should be granted candidate status for accession to the European Union (EU), said its president Ursula von der Leyen on Friday. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong) A supporter of Julian Assange holds up a sign outside the Home Office in London, Britain, June 17, 2022. British Home Secretary Priti Patel has approved the extradition of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to the United States to face espionage charges, the Home Office confirmed on Friday. (Photo by Stephen Chung/Xinhua) LONDON, June 17 (Xinhua) -- British Home Secretary Priti Patel has approved the extradition of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to the United States to face espionage charges, the Home Office confirmed on Friday. Britain's Westminster Magistrates' Court issued a formal order in April to extradite Assange, leaving the final decision to Patel. Assange and lawyers for the United States have gone through several rounds of legal battle over the past months that reached up to the British Supreme Court. Assange, 50, is wanted in the United States on allegations of disclosing national defense information following WikiLeaks's publication of hundreds of thousands of leaked military documents relating to the Afghanistan and Iraq wars a decade ago, which included an Apache helicopter video footage documenting the U.S. military gunning down Reuters journalists and children in Baghdad's streets in 2007. The Home Office said in a statement: "On 17 June, following consideration by both the Magistrates Court and High Court, the extradition of Mr. Julian Assange to the U.S. was ordered." "In this case, the UK courts have not found that it would be oppressive, unjust or an abuse of process to extradite Mr. Assange," it said. "Nor have they found that extradition would be incompatible with his human rights, including his right to a fair trial and to freedom of expression." Assange has 14 days to appeal the decision and his legal team said they will be appealing. "Today is not the end of the fight. It is only the beginning of a new legal battle. We will appeal through the legal system, the next appeal will be before the High Court," WikiLeaks said in a statement on Twitter. It also argued that Assange did nothing wrong and this case has been politically motivated. "Make no mistake, this has always been a political case. Julian published evidence that the country trying to extradite him committed war crimes and covered them up; tortured and rendered; bribed foreign officials; and corrupted judicial inquiries into U.S. wrongdoing. Their revenge is to try to disappear him into the darkest recesses of their prison system for the rest of his life to deter others from holding governments to account," it said. "This is a dark day for press freedom and for British democracy," it added. Assange has been held at south London's high-security Belmarsh Prison since 2019. Lawyers for the United States said earlier that Assange would be allowed to transfer to Australia, his home country, to serve any prison sentence he may be given. A supporter of Julian Assange holds up a sign outside the Home Office in London, Britain, June 17, 2022. British Home Secretary Priti Patel has approved the extradition of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to the United States to face espionage charges, the Home Office confirmed on Friday. (Photo by Stephen Chung/Xinhua) A supporter of Julian Assange holds up a sign outside the Home Office in London, Britain, June 17, 2022. British Home Secretary Priti Patel has approved the extradition of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to the United States to face espionage charges, the Home Office confirmed on Friday. (Photo by Stephen Chung/Xinhua) A supporter of Julian Assange holds up a sign outside the Home Office in London, Britain, June 17, 2022. British Home Secretary Priti Patel has approved the extradition of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to the United States to face espionage charges, the Home Office confirmed on Friday. (Photo by Stephen Chung/Xinhua) By Trend The Global Baku Forum is significantly different, compared to other international forums in terms of scale and depth, Azerbaijani MP Elshan Musayev told Trend. Davos Forum covers economic issues, and the Munich Forum covers security issues, but Global Baku Forum is more universal and comprehensive in this regard. It is open to discussion of all political, economic, humanitarian and other topics on international agenda, he said. "This forum is attended by both current leaders and former heads of numerous states, well-known public and political figures, leading experts, and also heads of international structures. At the same time, a number of heads of state sent their appeals to the forum," the MP said. "This indicates the fact that Azerbaijan, as always, is again discussing topics, issues of a global nature, showing great activity in this direction, making another contribution to international politics with its initiative," parliamentarian noted. MP Vugar Isgandarov said that Azerbaijan's victory in second Karabakh war created new realities. "Now our main goal is to achieve development of the region in accordance with these realities, also implementation of all provisions of a trilateral statement by Armenia, signed on November 10, 2020, Isgandarov said. Azerbaijan continues to work in this direction. These moments were reflected in the speech of President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev at the opening ceremony of the 9th Global Baku Forum., he noted. Head of State reiterated the need to fulfill the provisions of the tripartite statement, including reiterated that the fulfillment of the requirement to open Zangazur corridor is a fundamental factor in ensuring peace and stability, Isgandarov added. "President Aliyev emphasized Azerbaijan's desire for a stable, sustainable and developed region, resolution of Karabakh conflict created a unique opportunity for it, including an opinion on OSCE Minsk Group," Isgandarov said. Parliamentarian noted that such international events, in general, serve as a successful platform for Azerbaijan to convey its position to the world community. According to the MP, up to 400 representatives from more than 50 countries, including former heads of state and government, also young leaders, take part in the 9th Global Baku Forum entitled 'Challenges to the Global World Order'. The forum actively discusses the most urgent issues in the world, and searches for ways to solve problems, he said. KIEV, June 17 (Xinhua) -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with visiting British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Friday to discuss defense and security issues, the presidential press service said. In particular, Zelensky and Johnson discussed in detail the current situation on the frontline in the east and the south of Ukraine as well as the supplies of weapons. "We talked about the need to increase the supply of heavy weapons. The main thing today is to provide air defense for Ukraine as well. We started to move in this direction," Zelensky told reporters after the talks. For his part, Johnson said that his country stands ready to continue providing weapons to Ukraine and organizing military training for its use. Besides, the parties have discussed security guarantees for Ukraine and the efforts to clear the Ukrainian territory from landmines. Other key topics of the conversation were financial and economic support for Kiev, the blockade of Ukrainian ports, as well as efforts to address the energy crisis in Ukraine. Johnson arrived in Kiev earlier in the day for his second visit since the start of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Previously, the British prime minister visited the Ukrainian capital on April 9. WASHINGTON, June 16 (Xinhua) -- One person died and two others were injured after a shooting at a church in Vestavia Hills in the U.S. state of Alabama on Thursday evening. Vestavia Hills police said they received a call of an active shooter at Saint Stephen's Episcopal Church at approximately 6:22 p.m. local time (2322 GMT). Police chief Shane Ware told reporters that three people were shot. One victim died, and two others were being treated at a hospital. A suspect, who has not been named, is in custody. Vestavia Hills is a suburb in the Birmingham Metropolitan area. According to the latest data from Gun Violence Archive, the United States has suffered 267 mass shootings since the start of the year, with more than 20,000 lives lost to gun violence. Shannon Watts, an American gun violence prevention activist and the founder of Moms Demand Action, urged politicians to take concrete action to address the issue on Thursday night. "If thoughts and prayers prevented gun violence, Americans wouldn't be shot in places of worship," Watts tweeted. A group of bipartisan U.S. senators has recently reached a narrow gun safety deal amid public disappointment about political inaction. The plan includes measures to crack down on criminals who straw purchase and traffic guns, strengthen criminal background check requirements for gun buyers younger than 21 and fund mental health services. A straw purchase occurs when an individual buys a firearm for someone who is not legally permitted to own one. Both Democrats and Republicans touted the deal as a victory. Still, it fell short of the White House's proposals to ban assault weapons and raise the minimum age of purchasing certain firearms from 18 to 21, among other things. PHNOM PENH: Cambodia is preparing to host the 16th ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting (ADMM) on June 22 in Phnom Penh, which will be chaired by Cambodian Defense Minister Gen. Tea Banh, according to an official statement released on Friday. The summit will bring together Defense Ministers from all ASEAN member states, according to the announcement, reported Xinhua news agency. A number of documents, including enhanced military cooperation among ASEAN member states to prevent cross-border pandemics, promoting support mechanisms for female peacekeepers, and establishing cooperation among military educational institutions, are expected to be adopted at the upcoming meeting, according to the statement. The meeting is also expected to endorse a Phnom Penh vision on the role of defence institutions in supporting the post-Covid pandemic recovery, as well as a joint declaration to strengthen solidarity for harmonious security, according to General Nem Sowath, director-general of Cambodia's General Department of the Defence Ministry's Policy and Foreign Affairs. "As the host of the ASEAN Defence Ministers' meeting and related security gatherings in 2022, Cambodia is committed to promote ASEAN solidarity to confront current and upcoming security problems in the area," he said during a press conference today. Apart from the 16th ADMM, a virtual ASEAN-China Defence Ministers' informal meeting and a physical ASEAN-Japan Defence Ministers' informal meeting will be held, Sowath said. India firmly supports a robust unified ASEAN: Jaishankar UNSC should resolutely respond to N.K. provocations: Yoon These Aussie states to introduce extra year of pre-school CAIRO: Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi has said that the country's infrastructure projects have cost about USD 500 billion in the last seven years. According to the state media report, Sisi remarked in a televised speech during one of the sessions of the African Export-Import Bank's 29th Annual Meetings (AAM2022) held in Egypt's New Administrative Capital east of Cairo, "adequate infrastructure is the key to development and luring investments." However, according to the president, what has been done so far only covers 10% to 12% of Egypt's overall territory of 1 million square kilometres. Africa's agricultural potential is great, but it lacks the infrastructure to manage its natural resources, according to Sisi, who urged worldwide major banks to provide money to Africa to modernise its infrastructure for development projects. More than 3,000 people from African central banks, governments, and international organisations are attending the AAM2022, which runs till Saturday. UNRWA faces USD100 funding gap for Palestine refugees Ukraine to get additional USD 1 bn security support from US Korean Air to impose record fuel surcharges on int'l routes in July New Delhi: A film, 'The Lady of Heaven' released in UK on 3rd June. As soon as it was released, protests started all over the UK and due to this protest, theaters had to cancel the shows of the film. Indeed, theaters were concerned that the safety of their staff could be seriously threatened by these demonstrations. Critics have accused the film of being racist and blasphemy. Protests are taking place in Britain to ban the film completely, petitions are reaching the court. Let us tell you that there has not only been a ruckus in Britain regarding this film, but Islamic countries like Pakistan, Egypt and Iran have also banned 'The Lady of Heaven'. Morocco's name has also been included in this list of countries. While first-time director Elai King has directed The Ladi of Heaven, the story is written by Shia cleric Sheikh Yasser Al Habib. The film begins with an Iraqi child. In the beginning of the film, it is told that the dreaded terrorist organization ISIS has captured Iraq. Terror has increased in the country and common people are being massacred. In one such terrorist attack, this child loses his mother. After the death of that child's mother, a woman adopts him. This woman narrates a story to give courage to the orphaned child, a 1400 year old story. This is the story of Fatima, the daughter of the Prophet of Muslims, 'Mohammed'. From here the film moves simultaneously in two periods, one the terror of ISIS and the 1400 year old story of Fatima. The film depicts Fatima as the first victim of terrorism. Through the story of Fatima, this child is able to understand things like patience and suffering. Why is there a ruckus over 'The Lady of Heaven'? There are two main reasons for the uproar over 'The Lady of Heaven'. Firstly, the film is about Prophet Mohammed and his daughter Fatima, whose portraits are strictly prohibited in Islam. However, the filmmakers say that they did not sign any actors for Prophet and Fatima. These characters have been created with the help of in-camera and visual effects. Even Fatima's face is not shown in this film. But even after this, there are allegations of dividing Muslim communities on this film. Opponents argue that some characters from Islamic history have been compared with ISIS terrorists in the film. All these characters were from Sunni community and the person who wrote this film is a Shia cleric. This is also one of the reasons why Sunnis are furious over this film. Opponents say that history has been shown in its own way by distorting the film. On this, the film's executive producer Malik says in an interview that we wanted to show Fatima's life and struggles on screen. He said that, we think that Fatima is an important figure in history. There is a lot to be learned from them on how you can combat things like fundamentalism and corruption. So we felt we should share Fatima's story with the world. Malik said that differences on issues related to religion have happened in the past also. As for tampering with history, we have not done anything extravagant with history. We spent almost a year on the pre-production of the film to put the right facts in front of the world. According to Malik, people are free to criticize the film and they can put forward their stand. But, these protests have crossed all limits. Let us tell you that it is not that the whole of Britain is opposing this film. There are some Muslims here who do not want the film to be banned. At the same time, if we talk about the government's stand on this issue, then no official statement has come from their side on this whole controversy, but they have fired Imam Qari Asim. Qari was the UK government's Islamophobia advisor. He was appointed in 2019 to help the government define Islamophobia, and take steps to reduce the growing hatred towards Muslims. The government fired Imam Qari, saying he was supporting the ongoing protests against 'The Lady of Heaven'. After all, how did this man make dozens of girls girlfriends? Kim is holidaying with 12 years younger boyfriend This famous actor has been hit by Corona KIEV; Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with the presidents of France, Germany, Italy, and Romania in Kiev to discuss his country's possibilities for EU membership as well as the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the presidential press service reported. Zelensky briefed European leaders on the situation on the frontlines and the needs of the Ukrainian armed forces in the conflict with Russia during a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, and Romanian President Klaus Iohannis, as per reports. Ukraine anticipates new heavy weaponry, contemporary jet artillery, and missile defence systems from its allies, Zelensky said. He also assured European leaders that Ukraine is ready to put in the work necessary to attain full EU membership. Macron, for one, stated that Ukraine is a member of the European family, and that the presidents of the four nations are in favour of Ukraine being designated as a candidate for EU membership. Scholz, for his part, said that candidate status is a significant step forward in Ukraine's European journey, but that the country must still meet specific conditions in order to join the 27-member EU. Draghi underlined that the EU is exhibiting unity in its readiness to assist Ukraine, while Iohannis emphasised that European countries must provide effective tools for rebuilding Ukraine after the conflict. Ukraine to get additional USD 1 bn security support from US Russia goes on to cut gas supply to Europe, Know why? UK pledges more Rwanda deportation flights after legal setback SEOUL: South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol advised United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres that the UN Security Council should respond to North Korea's provocations with resoluteness and unity. Yoon made the statements in a phone chat with Guterres on Friday, stating that North Korean provocations constitute a severe threat to peace on the Korean Peninsula and the international community. Due to vetoes from China and Russia, the Security Council failed to pass a fresh sanctions resolution on North Korea, which had fired a series of ballistic missiles, including intercontinental ballistic missiles, last month. "Unless the Security Council takes a robust and united response," Yoon told Guterres, "a misleading message could be given that it tolerates North Korea's nuclear and missile development." Yoon also voiced concerns about the spread of Covid-19 outbreaks in North Korea. He told the UN Chief that North Korea remains unresponsive to South Korea's offer to provide vaccines and treatment for the virus. 'Nothing finalised' on potential meeting with Japan PM: Yoon S.Korean President Yoon to attend NATO summit in Spain Yoon pledges stern response to any N.Korean provocation HAVANA: An airline carrying passengers from Florida, Miami to the central Cuban city of Santa Clara marked the resumption of American air connections to destinations beyond the island nation's capital Havana. According to reports, the action came after the US government announced it was loosening restrictions on American nationals visiting the Caribbean nation. This month, US airlines will resume service to Camaguey, Holguin, Santiago de Cuba, and Santa Clara, according to ECASA, Cuba's airport administration corporation. Flights to five more destinations, including the coastal resorts of Varadero, Cayo Coco, and Cayo Largo, as well as the cities of Cienfuegos and Manzanillo, will resume in the following weeks. For the time being, flights will leave from the US cities of Tampa and Miami, both of which are in Florida and are home to the majority of Cubans living abroad. The US government has also announced the gradual reinstatement of consular services at the American Embassy in Havana, as well as the easing of the remittance cap that Cuban Americans send to their families on the island, in recent months. In order to comply with increased sanctions against the island, American charter and regularly scheduled aircraft were limited to Havana during the previous US government. UK pledges more Rwanda deportation flights after legal setback DGCA imposes Rs 10 lakh fine on Vistara airlines, used to play with passengers' lives WTO panel agree on key issues at ministerial meet Zelensky announces visa regime for Russian citizens from July 1 17 June, 03:53 PM Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (Photo:Ludovic Marin/Pool via REUTERS) Ukraine is introducing a visa regime for Russian citizens from July 1, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a Telegram messenger post on June 17. According to the Ukrainian president, as part of measures to counter the unprecedented threats to Ukraine's national security, sovereignty and territorial integrity, he suggested that the Cabinet of Ministers consider revising the regime of entry of Russian citizens into Ukraine. Zelensky noted that the Cabinet of Ministers must make this important decision later today. Read also: French arms firm busts sanctions to help Russia build weapons "According to the planned decision of the Cabinet of Ministers, Ukraine will introduce a visa regime for Russian citizens from July 1, 2022," he said. In early May, a petition to introduce a visa regime for Russian citizens, registered on the president's official website on Feb. 11, received the required 25,000 signatures. On May 25, Zelensky responded to a petition and sent a letter to Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal requesting that this issue be addressed. Help NV continue its work reporting on the Russian invasion Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Google News The geographical diversity of Nepal never ceases to amaze people. Because of this variation, the country is rich in natural resources and biodiversity alike, giving rise to unique ecosystems in Nepal. In awe of the same, Sunita Chaudhary grew herself as an ecosystem services specialist and is working at the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD). Chaudhary has a graduate degree in protected areas (Austria) and a PhD in natural resources management (Australia). She first started working at ICIMOD in 2009 and then joined again in 2020 after she completed her further studies. At ICIMOD, she works for research policy support with a focus on capacity building and awareness regarding Nepal ecosystems and the Hindu Kush Himalaya. Recently, Onlinekhabar caught up with her to discuss the areas of the Nepal ecosystems that are easily missed from environmental discussions. Excerpts: There is no debate regarding Nepals diverse geography as well as ecosystems. Regardless, what are the areas that people do not connect to the Nepal ecosystems? First of all, Nepal has many mountain and hill ecosystems. In total, it has 118 ecosystems that have been classified on the basis of altitudinal, climatic variations and vegetation types. Its Terai-based ecosystems and, to an extent, hilly region ecosystems are relatively explored. However, there are many areas that we have not reached and, hence, we are yet to discover more kinds of ecosystems, even totally new ones. Yet, where people have reached, solid waste is becoming the next emerging issue. Sunita Chaudhary, ICIMOD specialist about Nepal ecosystems. Photo: Jitendra Raj Bajracharya/ICIMOD There are many ignored areas. Dialogues, discussions and even awareness about the ecosystems are still a challenge, more so outside Kathmandu. Conservation-wise, Nepal is rich in forest and doing better in its conservation with forest presence increasing from 38 per cent (on average) five years ago to 41.59 per cent today. But, the destruction of the Nepal ecosystems is an equally prominent issue. The focus is more on protected areas like Chitwan National Park, which is doing better, comparatively. On the other hand, the wetland areas even Ramsar sites are heavily ignored; it is degrading every day though its number has increased. The majority of the wetlands have been encroached for settlement or markets or dried down. They are great at water retention and important in terms of flood and drought too, so we need to talk more about them. Climate change is the talk of the century. Yet, has the nation fully understood what impacts climate change has on everyday lives and the Nepal ecosystems? When we talk about climate change, it is more focused on the human world. But, the non-human world is often ignored. Climate change has got more traction, but animal welfare is not prioritised. The avalanches followed by the 2015 earthquake killed many people in the mountain region. Yet, there have been no studies conducted regarding the impact on ecosystems or wildlife. I recently went to Langtang National Park. I saw glaciers are retreating and the local environment is changing. In Kyanjin, there are many species including endangered species like Musk deer. With increased tourism, the pristine ecosystems and species are exposed to many changes including the modern human lifestyles, junk foods and human solid waste, causing microplastics to reach their stomach. Tourism in the area is highly dependent on forests for cooking and heating. If alternatives to fuelwood for cooking and heating are not initiated, the forests in the area might be at high risk of degradation. It will take at least 15 to 20 years to recuperate. Kyanjin Gompa, the last settlement of Langtang valley. Photo Courtesy: Sunita Chaudhary Similarly, cases of human-wildlife conflict are also increasing as habitat range is shifting and so is inter-species mingling. The bears are attacking the households in search of specific fruits and vegetation for hibernation. But, that is natural when tourists are flowing in and, due to human intervention and climate change, their habitat is disturbed. Habitats of red pandas are also disturbed. There are many Nepal ecosystems in the mountains existing on a smaller scale. The effects of climate change and change in eating habits and human lifestyle, have hampered the cryosphere in the mountains and the overall ecosystem. The change in wetlands and impacts of climate change have a cascading impact on society. Everyone needs to look into that. National parks are positive so are the private and research organisations so that is a good thing. How have you observed the implementation and penalisation of conservation acts and policies here, in particular in the context of Nepal? Implementation is impacted due to limited funding, from the national government. First, our federal system is still in the experimental phase. Second, the benefits of Nepal ecosystem conservation are all indirect in connection to the national gross domestic product. Hence, the government easily prioritises and focuses on concrete physical infrastructures, which has marginalised the conservation sector. Meanwhile, the private sector is also inactive in its actions and is yet to own up to its subsequent impacts including its carbon footprint. We need more synergy between them and the local government. I believe that national parks are better in this implementation. National parks in Terai are better; however, the human resources in the mountainous areas are very few and they are not enough for vigilant monitoring in all areas. Regarding penalisation, it is irregular. Poaching is rampant in mountainous regions where the outside poachers have taken advantage of the thin population and laid traps to hunt the animals. As a remedy, we can use tracking and chipping the wildlife but it is difficult. But, if we collaborate with local communities we can tackle poaching. Yak in Langtang village. Photo Courtesy: Sunita Chaudhary To better curb the lack of implementation, stakeholders are focusing on the census of all species including the red panda and snow leopard. As it depends on the budget and the human resources, I am hopeful to see national and international funding for the same. If there are problems, there should be solutions too. What measures do you think can people take to better the ecosystems? In Langtang, locals are using firewood for household chores and their lifestyle. Meanwhile, locals have made a small hydropower project there. However, they are only making use of hydropower to fulfil 30 per cent of their consumption. However, we are pushing for awareness with a focus to optimise hydropower and fulfilling their remaining 70 per cent of power consumption with renewable resources. Apart from this, we have to engage and mobilise our young population in conservation efforts. We have to give more priority to the objective as well as engage them in training and workshops. ICIMOD is organising a youth engagement hub and national workshops, so interested ones can participate. You have pointed out that active local participation is lacking in Nepal ecosystem management. How can the country mobilise locals better? Representational image. Photo: Pexels/ Artem Podrez: Local people are less incentivised, especially in conservation efforts and their waste segregation and disposal habits. Hence, if we can increase that, the mobilisation can be encouraged. Ideas regarding the mobilisation of local people or local resources are also not clear in the minds of those in power systems either as they are not well-rounded in information regarding conservation efforts. We need to work on the sectoral division among the government bodies and agencies. For better management of the Nepal ecosystems, we need to have synergy among all stakeholders encouraging them to work together, and bridge the gap in coordination and communication while focusing on conflict and their remedy management. Cooperation is with our neighbours and regional efforts are our plus point so that we can capitalise on too. In what areas do people need to work for the next five years so that different ecosystems are conserved? In the coming years, we have to prioritise solid waste management and curb its impacts on the ecosystems of Nepal, considering Langtangs case. Next, we have to focus on clean energy and work on ways to support tourism, which is one of the key revenue-generating ways. Further, the projects that we undertake all need to undergo a detailed assessment of the environment and its impacts that ensure efforts of the Nepal ecosystem conservation and preservation. We cannot marginalise conservation for the sake of development. Awareness and sensitisation in the conservation sector should be the way forward. Nepal also is included on the top 10 list of disaster-prone countries. We have a few institutions working in the field, but we now need to focus on technology and automation to get timely information and avoid life-threatening impacts, even by a second. Last but not the least, we need to invest in more surveys and scientific research for a better understanding of the ever-changing scenarios and their impacts on our ecosystems and biodiversity. Likewise, we have to focus on local capacity building involving youth coupled with local governments and have a recovery plan in place. By Azernews By Vugar Khalilov Azerbaijani servicemen have attended a briefing on preparations for the Anatolian Eagle-2022 international drills slated to take place in Turkiye, Azernews reports per the Defense Ministry. The briefing on the Anatolian Eagle-2022 international flight-tactical drills, which is organized with the participation of servicemen of various countries, was held at the airbase in Konya, Turkiye. First, participants were provided with extensive information on the design and location of the exercises, as well as the preparational procedure and the tasks to be completed in phases. It should be noted that the Azerbaijani Air Force pilots, as well as jets, will represent the country in the international drills. On June 16, the Naval Forces' headquarters hosted a planning conference for the international Sea Cup competition, which will be conducted in Azerbaijan's territorial waters as part of the International Army Games - 2022, the Defense Ministry said in a separate report. The meeting, which included representatives from Azerbaijan, Russia, Kazakhstan, and Iran, examined concerns and forthcoming work linked to the Sea Cup competition. The training facility, where the contest will be held, was then inspected. The Sea Cup competition is set to take place in August. The Azerbaijani seamen ranked fourth in the Sea Cup contest held as part of the International Army Games-2021 in Irans port city of Enzeli (Anzali) last year. As a result of the contest, the Iranian team ranked first (38 points), which was followed by Russian (36 points) and Kazakh servicemen (34 points) on the list. The Azerbaijani armed forces have taken part in the International Army Games since 2015. Since then the Azerbaijani army has participated in the Tank Biathlon, Sniper Frontier, Military medical relay race, Field Kitchen, Masters of Artillery Fire, and Sea Cup competitions. The Azerbaijani representatives twice won the Sea Cup competition. Moreover, the team won 3rd place in the Masters of Artillery Fire and the Field Kitchen contests. Sean Pavone / Getty Images/iStockphoto As of March, the average monthly Social Security benefit is $1,618.29 for an individual, according to the Social Security Administration (SSA). Doubling up for a couple, that's $3,236.58. Not a bad haul, if it's supplementing other income or padding a nice, big nest egg. If Social Security is all you're living on, however, you're going to have to pick your retirement city very carefully to stretch those dollars to their absolute limit -- particularly on the notoriously expensive West Coast, which, for the purposes of this study, includes Alaska. See: How Biden Is Impacting Social Security in 2022 Learn: 10 Reasons You Should Claim Social Security Early To determine the best places for couples to live on the West Coast on only their combined Social Security checks, GOBankingRates used cost-of-living data from Sperling's Best Places. The ranking also includes ApartmentList data on the average rent for a one-bedroom apartment, as well as each city's livability score, sourced from AreaVibes. Each city was then given a combined score -- which represents a summation of all those factors -- with lower scores being better. The list is ranked in order of the worst score to the best. Read on to learn about the West Coast spots that are most welcoming to retirees living on Social Security. jared ropelato / Shutterstock.com Vallejo, California 2022 average 1-bedroom rent: $1,607 Vallejo has a lousy livability score of 56 -- livability scores are calculated by algorithms that factor in dozens of variables like proximity to amenities, crime and schools. The cost-of-living index is a high 131.3, with 100 representing the national average. The average one-bedroom apartment will run you $1,607 per month, the highest on this list. Jon Bilous / Shutterstock.com Riverside, California 2022 average 1-bedroom rent: $1,508 At 133.1, Riverside's cost-of-living index is even higher than even Vallejo's -- a full one-third more than the national average. The town's livability score is an unimpressive 59, mostly because of its relatively high crime rate. The average rent for a one-bedroom apartment is $1,508, one of the three highest on the list. Story continues Small Business Spotlight 2022: Nominate Your Favorite Small Biz Sean Pavone / Getty Images/iStockphoto Seattle 2022 average 1-bedroom rent: $1,596 Moving up the coast to Washington is Seattle, a pricey city where the average one-bedroom costs $1,596. That contributes to a bruising 172.3 cost-of-living index -- the highest on this list, by far -- which means that daily living in Seattle is 72.3% more expensive than the national average. All in all, its livability score is an underwhelming 65 thanks to high crime rates, high housing costs and, of course, a high cost of living. Manny Chavez / Getty Images/iStockphoto Sacramento, California 2022 average 1-bedroom rent: $1,432 The capital city of California, Sacramento has a below-average livability score of 62, mostly because of its crime statistics and relatively high prices. The cost-of-living index there is 118.2, making the city nearly 20% costlier to live in than the national average. The typical renter will shell out $1,432 for a one-bedroom. JMcQ / Shutterstock.com Anchorage, Alaska 2022 average 1-bedroom rent: $1,176 In Anchorage, crime and real estate prices are high even by Alaska standards, both of which contribute to the city's drab livability score of 60. Although the average one-bedroom there costs $1,176 per month, one of the least expensive on this list, Anchorage residents still struggle with a rough cost-of-living index of 123.5. Spondylolithesis / Getty Images Napa, California 2022 average 1-bedroom rent: $1,522 Known for its legendary vineyards, daily life in Napa is nearly as pricey as its wine -- the cost-of-living index is 162.1, second only to Seattle. With an average monthly rent of $1,522, it's one of only four cities on this list where the typical one-bedroom costs more than $1,500. Overall, its livability score is a middling 70. Kyle Sprague / Shutterstock.com Portland, Oregon 2022 average 1-bedroom rent: $1,344 The cost of living in Portland is 30.8% higher than the national average. Although its $1,344 average rent makes it one of just five cities on this list where a one-bedroom goes for less than $1,400, its very high crime rate contributes to a dreary livability score of 65. DenisTangneyJr / iStock.com Fresno, California 2022 average 1-bedroom rent: $1,025 Just two cities on this list are less expensive than Fresno, which boasts a forgiving cost-of-living index of 102.6. With an average monthly rent of $1,025.00, a one-bedroom is cheaper in just thee other cities. Unfortunately, high crime contributes to a subpar livability score of 58. Ceri Breeze / Shutterstock.com Bremerton, Washington 2022 average 1-bedroom rent: $1,440 Bremerton comes up with an average livability score of 70. With a cost-of-living index of 108.9 and an average rent of $1,440 for a one-bedroom, it's certainly one of the more affordable cities to make the cut. GarysFRP / Getty Images Eugene, Oregon 2022 average 1-bedroom rent: $928 With a cost-of-living index of 105.3, Eugene is even more affordable than Bremerton. A lot of that has to do with the fact that it's one of only three cities on the list with a three-figure monthly rent -- $928 per month, to be exact, which makes it the cheapest on the entire list. Thanks to its high crime rate, however, Eugene earns a meh livability score of 65. John T Callery / Shutterstock.com Olympia, Washington 2022 average 1-bedroom rent: $1,436 The capital city of Washington has a cost-of-living index of 106.1, which puts it on the lower side of this list. Olympia's livability score is 74 -- the highest of any city profiled here -- and a $1,436 average monthly rent. benedek / Getty Images/iStockphoto Spokane, Washington 2022 average 1-bedroom rent: $947 Just one city on this list is cheaper to live in than the national average -- Spokane, whose cost-of-living index is an impressive 92.3. Although the city's paltry livability score of 67 leaves plenty to be desired, its $947 monthly rent makes it the No. 2 least expensive place to rent an apartment. Shutterstock.com Salem, Oregon 2022 average 1-bedroom rent: $979 With a cost-of-living index of 101.8, Salem is less expensive to live in than any city on this list except for Spokane. One of just three cities with a sub-$1,000 average rent, a one-bedroom goes for just $979 per month. That's all good news, despite Salem's low livability score of 69. More From GOBankingRates Methodology: GOBankingRates determined the best places for a couple to live on the West Coast on only their combined Social Security checks based on the (1) average monthly benefit for retired workers, $1,618.29, sourced from the Social Security Administration, and doubled ($3,236.58); (2) the overall cost of living in each city, sourced from Sperling's Best Places; (3) average 2022 rent for a one-bedroom apartment as sourced from ApartmentList; and (4) livability scores sourced from AreaVibes. Factors (2) through (4) were scored and combined, with the lowest score being the best. Factor (4) was weighted double in final calculations. All data was collected and is up to date as of April 22, 2022. This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 13 Best Places on the West Coast for Couples To Live on Only a Social Security Check A Meta tracker on 33 hospital websites collected visitors' confidential data, The Markup reported. The code tagged the data to visitors' IP addresses, which could identify who they were. Sharing this information with Meta could be a violation of federal law, experts told The Markup. In what experts say could be a violation of federal law, some hospitals have been sharing users' personal medical information with Meta, a new report from The Markup found. Under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), hospitals are required to safeguard sensitive medical data and not share it with external organizations. But 33 of the top 100 hospitals in the US, including Johns Hopkins Hospital and New York-Presbyterian, had a tracker called Meta Pixel on their site, per the June 16 report from The Markup. Meta Pixel is a code that logs visitors' activity and sends the data to Meta. Meta analyzes the data and lets website owners know how powerful their ads are on Facebook and Instagram. But Meta Pixel also captured data including reasons for medical appointments and names of patients' doctors when people tried to schedule appointments on these hospitals' sites, The Markup found. The outlet found "pregnancy termination" and "Alzheimer's" listed as reasons for consultation among the Meta Pixel data. The outlet found that seven health systems shared details about patients' allergies, medications, upcoming appointments, and their sexual orientation with Meta via Meta Pixel. Regulatory and data privacy experts told The Markup the hospitals may have violated HIPAA. That's because Meta's code also captured the visitor's IP address, making it possible for external parties to link specific individuals to the data. Seven hospitals and five health systems removed Meta Pixel from their sites after The Markup approached them. The Markup said it wasn't sure if Meta profited from the data it received. A Meta spokesperson did not respond to the outlet's questions, but did point to the company's policy, which states that its system can identify and remove confidential health data before it gets stored in a database. While Meta isn't subject to HIPAA, the company said in 2018 that it would stop using data from third parties to target users. Story continues Some experts took to Twitter to voice concerns about The Markup's findings. Last month, Politico reported that the Supreme Court could overturn Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 decision that guaranteed abortion rights. David Vanness, a health policy and administration professor at Penn State University, tweeted on Thursday: "The potential uses of this information are terrifying - particularly in a post-Roe world!" A venture capitalist urged tech companies to play their part in preventing privacy breaches. "As the data privacy debate continues, it seems Meta has crossed another line, this time in healthcare," Alyssa Jaffee, a partner at healthcare venture fund 7wireVentures, tweeted on Thursday. Meta, Johns Hopkins Hospital, and New York-Presbyterian did not immediately respond to Insider's requests for comments. Read the original article on Business Insider OTTAWA, ON, June 17, 2022 /CNW/ - The Government of Canada is working hard to resettle at least 40,000 Afghan nationals as quickly and safely as possible. Canada has now welcomed over 16,000 Afghan refugees, including the arrival of a charter flight in Vancouver this morning with 313 Afghans who supported Canada's mission in Afghanistan. As we prepare to mark World Refugee Day on June 20, we are sharing stories of the Afghan newcomers who have found safe haven and a new life in Canada. World Refugee Day, established by the United Nations in 2001, is a time to celebrate the strength and courage of those forced to flee their home country to escape conflict and persecution, understand the plight of refugee newcomers, and recognize their resilience as they rebuild their lives under the most difficult of circumstances. We recognize the bravery and achievements of refugee newcomers, including: Abdul Hakim Azizi was as an interpreter for the Canadian Armed Forces who arrived in Canada last August. He and his wife have settled in Ottawa, where she is studying English and he has found work at a tech start-up. Since arriving in Canada, this young couple has built a close community of friends, including other Afghan newcomers, helping to create a feeling of home in their new city. Although the challenges of settling in a new country are many, Mr. Azizi is both appreciative of the support he's received and proud of what he and his wife have accomplished in only a few months. "Canada is a warm, welcoming country, and I'm very proud that I stabilized my life so soon. It is because of the support that I received, but also my struggle and hard work. I have goals to continue my education and build a stronger professional career." Abdul Hakim Azizi Mohammad Tamim Hamkar worked as the deputy director of a non-governmental organization in partnership with the Canadian Embassy in Kabul. He, his wife and their 3 children arrived in Ottawa in October 2021. Although he had never imagined leaving Afghanistan, the collapse of the government meant Mr. Hamkar could no longer see a secure future for his family in their home country. Since arriving in Canada, the Hamkar children have settled in to their new school, while the family works to build their new life. "I'm proud of my daughters because now they are going to school, and they are fully dedicated to their school. One day they will be able to contribute and work here. This is my legacy." Mohammad Tamim Hamkar Story continues Together with our partners across the country, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is making a difference in the lives of Afghan newcomers and their families, and providing support to those who need it most. Individuals and businesses looking to get involved through volunteering, donating, sponsoring or supporting the wider resettlement efforts can learn more about how Canadians can help. Photos of recent arrivals are available in Dropbox for use by media. You can also monitor Canada's progress on welcoming Afghan refugees to Canada. Quote: "Canada has a proud history of welcoming the world's most vulnerable, and we're working hard to protect and improve the lives of refugees every day. Canadians across the country continue to welcome refugee newcomers from Afghanistan, and around the world, into their communities. As we approach World Refugee Day, we reaffirm our commitment to continue this crucial work and to offer protection to those at risk, including at least 40,000 vulnerable Afghans." The Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Quick facts: This year, the theme of World Refugee Day is "Whoever. Wherever. Whenever.", focusing on the right of everyone to seek safety. According to the United Nations Refugee Agency, there are approximately 100 million people forcibly displaced worldwide as a result of conflict, persecution, violence or human rights violations. Associated links: Follow us: SOURCE Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada Cision View original content: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/June2022/17/c2770.html Kalama School District Police have arrested a high school student in Washington on hate crime charges for allegedly assaulting a non-binary classmate in a vicious attack at schoolbut the arrest only came after a student-led protest that was itself the target of more anti-LGBTQ hate. The 16-year student at Kalama High School was arrested this week for allegedly starting a brutal fight with a classmate, local news outlet KPTV reported. Natasha Wheeler, the parent of the student assaulted, told The Daily Beast Friday that the incident was the culmination of mounting threats that all began when her child started a club for LGBTQ+ students. (Wheelers son, who does not want to be publicly identified, prefers the pronouns they and them.) The harassment at school, its been ongoing for a while. But when [my son] started the club is when it got real severe and they started targeting all these kids, Wheeler said. They pick on any[one whos] different. In a video obtained by KPTV, Wheelers child and the 16-year-old student can be seen exchanging punches. The outlet reported that the Kalama Police Department said the suspect used homophobic slurs before allegedly kicking his victim in the head. That kid broke his hand on my kids skull and knocked [them] out, Wheeler said. Then, he stood up and kicked [them] in the head and said, How do you like that? with an F-slur. The attack, and the school districts failure to prevent a culture of hate, prompted students to stage a protest at school Monday; yet, the demonstration was disrupted by another student who allegedly threatened to shoot the participants, resulting in a district-wide lockdown and yet another arrest. Losers!: Mob of White Supremacists Busted Near Idaho Pride Event [Students] were out theremaking their voice[s] heard, standing up for themselves. Then, they got shot right back down with another threat of violence, Wheeler said. Its ridiculous whats happening at this school. Story continues In a letter released by the Kalama School District and reviewed by The Daily Beast, officials acknowledged there was a lockdown due to a threat made against a group of students assembled in front of the school peacefully demonstrating support for the LGBTQ+ community. While the police determined that the threat was not actionable, no threat against any student or staff member is taken lightly, the statement said. But Wheeler accused the district of doing nothing to actually address anti-LGBTQ+ bullying that she alleges has been well-documented, widespread, and constantly ignored. She said harassment increased after her son created a club dedicated to LGBTQ+ students. Its a lot of kids [who] are experiencing this, she said. Its all been reported. Its all been documented. Theres been a lot leading up to it. In my eyes, [administrators] allowed it to happen. That bullying and need for a community was what made her child and other students start the LGBTQ+ club, she said. They started with three, and now they have over 30 members, Wheeler said. Some people within the Kalama community opposed the club and posted about itand her son specificallyin a Facebook group, she said. Wheeler claimed that two students had been shouting homophobic slurs toward her son at school. She alleges she reported the targeted Facebook posts to the police in March and persistently complained to the school about the slurs, but nothing ever happened until it boiled over into the physical fight on June 6. Bishop Cuts Off Catholic Massachusetts Boys School Over Pride, Black Lives Matter Flags That day, Wheeler said, her son confronted one of the students. But another student grabbed her son from behind, she said, and threw them to the ground, allegedly knocking her son out and calling them the f-word. After the fight happened, Wheeler said school administrators just called her but didnt call for medical help or the police. She said she could immediately tell by her sons repetitive speech and crying that something was wrong. So, she picked them up from school and took them to the emergency room, she said. Wheeler noted that Kalama High School Principal Heidi Bunker did contact the family to check on her son, but Kamala School District Superintendent Eric Nerison never reached out until Wheeler asked how to file a grievance with the district. Due to an ongoing investigation, district administrators told The Daily Beast they were limited on information they could share. Ive already filed a lot of documents with a lot of organizations against this school because of the hate speech in the past. I told themsomebodys going to get hurt at this school, Wheeler said. Ive done all my parental diligence to avoid something like this from happening. And it happened anyways. In a letter about the fight to the Kalama School District, which was shared with The Daily Beast, school officials stated, "The actions by one of our studentsare not consistent with the values and mission of Kalama School District. We stand with our student body in demanding a school environment free from harassment, abuse and violence, and we thank our students and families for helping to drive the conversation around acceptance, understanding and school safety." This Pride, LGBTQ Allies Need to Do More Than Just Wave Rainbow Flags Wheeler, on the other hand, doesnt think the school district is serious in its handling of discrimination. Theyre preaching right now they have this zero-tolerance policy, when Ive been up at the school advocating for zero-tolerance policy, and they flat-out denied it, she said. Its crazy. Its like the twilight zone. 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. LOS ANGELES David Van Auker and Buck Burns stepped off an elevator and into a second-floor gallery at the J. Paul Getty Museum. It was a Friday night, a time when the renowned museum is typically closed to visitors. But they weren't just any visitors. In 2017, as co-owners of a furniture and antiques store in Silver City, New Mexico, they made national news when they discovered a stolen Willem de Kooning painting in an estate sale and returned it to its rightful owners at the University of Arizona Museum of Art. Now, on this Friday evening, they were about to see the painting for the first time since it had undergone conservation work at the Getty. They were accompanied by current and former museum staff and Getty painting conservators. Everyone chatted excitedly as they poured off the elevator, their voices echoing off the walls. They shared a special bond: A famous painting they were all connected to was back on exhibit after 37 years. In the room's center was "Woman-Ochre," an oil-on-canvas painting estimated to be worth more than $100 million. David Van Auker, left, and Buck Burns of Silver City, New Mexico. Van Auker and Burns were silent as they gazed at the painting. Burns shook his head and smiled. Van Auker put his hand over his heart. They stepped closer. The painting, made in the winter of 1954-55, depicts a nude woman with a grimaced face. The Dutch-American artist de Kooning used vivid hues of yellow, turquoise and crimson and a distinctive, gestural brush stroke. "Wow," Van Auker said, wiping his eyes. "I'm speechless." The crowd clapped and cheered. For subscribers: The saga of Arizona's famous stolen de Kooning painting. New details paint picture of alleged thieves "Olivia, come here," Van Auker said, gesturing to Olivia Miller, curator of the university art museum. She was the person who accepted a phone call on Aug. 3, 2017, from Van Auker when he thought he had found the museum's stolen de Kooning. They have since become fast friends. On Friday, she hugged Van Auker and Burns, as they celebrated another milestone in the painting's long journey back to the public eye. Story continues "I love you guys," she said. Rick Johnson, left, David Van Auker and Buck Burns, owners of Manzanita Ridge, a furniture and antique store in Silver City, New Mexico. Burns thanked the Getty for the work. Then everyone took turns posing in front of "Woman-Ochre," taking group photos and selfies. "What's interesting to me is the way this painting, this project, has kind of gathered people around it," said Andy Schulz, the university's vice president for the Arts and dean of the College of Fine Arts, during brief remarks before the private viewing. Friendships have formed among current and former museum staffers, conservators at the Getty Museum and scientists at the Getty Conservation Institute. They all share a bond, a connection, over a work of art. For subscribers: $100 million de Kooning was recovered in 2017. New details paint picture of alleged thieves "Woman-Ochre" was donated to the university in 1958 and was considered a jewel in the museum's collection. When it wasn't on exhibit, it was on loan to other museums. Then, in 1985, it was stolen on the day after Thanksgiving in a brazen heist and remained missing for more than 30 years. The Silver City antique dealers picked up the painting in August 2017 as part of an estate sale in a nearby town and, after customers began inquiring about whether it was a real de Kooning, Van Auker started Googling and came across an Arizona Republic article about the theft. He called the museum right away. Within days, "Woman-Ochre" was back home. Miller said on Friday that although the theft showed the worst side of people, the recovery and conservation represent "the best parts of people." Many people played a role in getting the painting back and enabling the art to be on exhibit again, she said. Van Auker and Burns last saw the painting in March 2019, during an invitation-only, one-night exhibit at the university art museum. Then the painting was moved from Tucson to the Getty for research, analysis and repairs. Getty scientists and conservators quickly discovered the 40-inch tall by 30-inch wide painting had been terribly damaged. Horizontal cracks marred the surface, where the thieves had cut the painting out with a sharp object possibly a box cutter and ripped it from a backing canvas. The painting had been covered with two layers of varnish, obscuring the vivid colors and giving a grayish or yellowish tint. The Getty undertook the project at no charge to the university in exchange for being able to display the de Kooning for a few months after conservators finished their work. The work took nearly three years. The exhibit, "Conserving de Kooning: Theft and Recovery," opened June 7 and runs through Aug. 28. The focus is back on the painting, not the damage, said Ulrich Birkmaier, the Getty Museum's senior conservator of paintings. You can still see traces of the painting's tumultuous history if you look closely, he said. But more importantly, the painting "reads" well again and has aged gracefully. He told the assembled crowd on Friday, over appetizers of shrimp cocktail and empanadas, that it is heartwarming to see so many people who are so closely connected to the painting. Referring to the antique dealers, he said: "We're just in awe of everything you've done for the painting." The antique dealers found "Woman-Ochre" in the bedroom of a deceased, retired couple, Jerry and Rita Alter, who lived in rural Cliff, New Mexico. Jerry Alter had been a music teacher, Rita Alter a school speech pathologist. The couple spent nearly every vacation traveling to exotic locations. The FBI won't comment on whether the couple were the thieves. From left, Andy Schulz, vice president of the Arts and Dean of the College of Fine Arts at the University of Arizona, David Van Auker, Buck Burns, Olivia Miller, curator of University of Arizona Museum of Art, at a private viewing of "Woman-Ochre" on June 10, 2022 at the Getty Museum in Los Angeles. Van Auker and Burns are the ones who found the de Kooning in an estate sale and returned it to the museum after discovering it was stolen. But circumstantial evidence links the Alters to the crime: A family photograph places the couple in Tucson on Thanksgiving Day in 1985, the day before the theft. The photo eerily resembles a composite sketch of the thieves. Witnesses said the thieves drove a red car; the Alters had purchased a red Toyota Supra earlier that year, according to their travel journal. The painting likely hung in their bedroom for years because heavy dust had accumulated on the gold commercial frame. It was behind a bedroom door so it could only be seen from inside the bedroom, when the door was closed. By contrast at the Getty, "Woman-Ochre" is now viewed by a steady stream of visitors. They stop to read about painting's conservation and watch a short video about the theft and repairs. The now-famous painting is in good company. Just around the corner is a gallery with several Rembrandt paintings, including the famous "Rembrandt Laughing." Finding the de Kooning has been a life-changing experience for the Silver City antique dealers. At least once a week, someone will come into Manzanita Ridge, their 10,000-square-foot store, and ask about the stolen painting. Van Auker never tires of telling the story. Its the most exciting thing that has ever happened to him. He has been interviewed more times than he can count. People have called the store, just to say, "thank you." So many years have passed, no one at the university quite remembers the details of the $10,000 reward that was originally offered for the painting's return. The antique dealers said they wouldnt accept one anyway. The university gave them the gold frame that once housed the de Kooning after it was stolen. Van Auker proudly hung the empty frame in the guest house he and Burns own, in the same spot where they originally intended to hang the de Kooning before finding out it was real and stolen. The Getty exhibit was something Van Auker and Burns looked forward to for weeks. They bought new clothes. Van Auker lost weight. They took time off work so they could fly to Los Angeles. Their third business partner, Rick Johnson, stayed in Silver City to care for his mother and four dogs. But he is planning to see the painting when it goes on exhibit in Tucson. Van Auker and Burns were especially excited to see a photograph of themselves and Johnson and their names displayed in the Getty exhibit. The photo caption reads, "A 2017 photo of the three antique dealers who called the FBI after they realized they had purchased a stolen painting (left to right): Rick Johnson, Buck Burns, and David Van Auker, all of Silver City, New Mexico." Van Auker and Burns took a selfie in front of the photo of themselves, being careful not to block Johnson's head so they could all three appear in the photo. Once that was done, Van Auker was no longer speechless. "I'm absolutely blown away," he said, his eyes still wet with tears. "I had no idea I would have this kind of emotion seeing it finished. I'm honored, touched. I'm so thrilled I got to be part of this." And the journey is not over. "Woman-Ochre" will come back to Tucson for exhibit, beginning Oct. 8. Republic reporter Anne Ryman was the first journalist to break the story that "Woman-Ochre" had been recovered and has written extensively about the painting. Have a question about the painting? You can reach her at anne.ryman@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-8072. Follow her on Twitter @anneryman. Reach the reporter at anne.ryman@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-8072. Follow her on Twitter @anneryman. Support local journalism. Subscribe to azcentral.com today. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Antique dealers who found stolen Willem de Kooning painting honored Oral Presentation at FSHD IRC highlights preclinical data that demonstrated prevention of muscle weakness by reducing DUX4 expression AOC 1020 on track to be in the clinic by end of 2022 for the treatment of FSHD SAN DIEGO, June 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Avidity Biosciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: RNA), a biopharmaceutical company committed to delivering a new class of RNA therapeutics called Antibody Oligonucleotide Conjugates (AOCs), joins in activities to raise awareness for Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) in support of World FSHD Day and highlights preclinical results supporting AOC 1020 for the treatment of FSHD at the 29th Annual FSHD Society International Research Congress (FSHD IRC) in Orlando, Florida. Currently, there are no approved therapies for the treatment of FSHD. "We are grateful for our partnership with the global FSHD community as we collectively work together toward developing treatments for one of the most common forms of muscular dystrophy. We continue to work closely with the community to advance AOC 1020 for the treatment of FSHD into the clinic by the end of this year," said Sarah Boyce, president and chief executive officer. FSHD is a rare, hereditary muscle-weakening condition that affects approximately 16,000-38,000 people in the United States. It is marked by life-long, progressive loss of muscle function and causes significant pain, fatigue, and disability. FSHD is an autosomal dominant disease caused by the abnormal expression of DUX4 (double homeobox 4), a gene involved in embryonic development but not typically expressed in muscles. This abnormal expression of DUX4 leads to a series of downstream events that result in skeletal muscle wasting and compromised muscle function with onset often in teenage and early adult years. "Our preclinical data, presented at FSHD IRC, support our approach of directly targeting DUX4 with AOC 1020. The data demonstrate that a murine version of AOC 1020 prevents muscle weakness by blocking expression of DUX4 in a FSHD mouse model of disease. These findings are particularly important for progressive diseases like FSHD where aberrant and sporadic expression of DUX4 leads to cumulative damage across different muscle groups," said W. Michael Flanagan, Ph.D., Avidity's chief technical officer. Story continues Every June 20th, people around the world join in activities to raise awareness for FSHD through World FSHD Day and to recognize patients and families around the world who are affected by FSHD. To mark FSHD awareness day, Avidity is participating in the FSHD IRC as well as the FSHD Connect Conference, an educational conference specifically for people living with FSHD and their families. Both conferences are being held in Orlando, Florida and organized by the FSHD Society, the world's largest research-focused patient organization for FSHD. Oral Presentation at FSHD IRC Today, Avidity will share preclinical data from the FSHD program during a presentation at the FSHD IRC. Studies were conducted in mouse models of FSHD that are genetically engineered to express human DUX4 in skeletal muscle. AOC 1020 is comprised of a DUX4-targeting siRNA conjugated to the human anti-transferrin receptor 1 monoclonal antibody. The preclinical studies were done using a monoclonal antibody suitable for mice. The preclinical data provides support for AOC 1020 to enter the clinic for the treatment of FSHD by end of 2022. Key highlights from the oral presentation include: Data from a study conducted to assess pharmacology in the mouse model of FSHD showed robust dose-dependent down regulation of DUX4 genes in skeletal muscle for 8 weeks following a single intravenous (IV) dose of the murine version of AOC 1020. Data from a study designed to assess phenotype development in the FSHD mouse model showed that a single IV treatment with the murine version of AOC 1020 prevented muscle weakness development demonstrated by three functional assays - treadmill running, in vivo force and compound muscle action potential. Avidity is also presenting data from a real-world data analysis of patients with FSHD before and after their diagnosis. The results highlight the increased morbidity and medical and financial burden patients face as they progress through their journey living with FSHD. The presentations will be available later today on Avidity's website at https://www.aviditybiosciences.com on the Publications page. About Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) is characterized by progressive and often asymmetric skeletal muscle loss that initially causes weakness in muscles in the face, shoulders, arms and trunk, and progresses to weakness in muscles in lower body. FSHD is an autosomal dominant genetic disease, meaning a single copy of the disease-associated gene, DUX4 (double homeobox 4), is enough to cause the disease. The abnormal expression of DUX4 leads to a series of downstream events that result in skeletal muscle wasting and compromised muscle function, including an inability to lift arms for more than a few seconds, loss of ability to show facial expressions and serious speech impediments. These symptoms cause many people affected by FSHD to become dependent on the use of a wheelchair for mobility. Currently, there are no approved therapies for the treatment of FSHD. About Avidity Avidity Biosciences, Inc.'s mission is to profoundly improve people's lives by delivering a new class of RNA therapeutics - Antibody Oligonucleotide Conjugates (AOCs). Avidity's proprietary AOCs are designed to combine the specificity of monoclonal antibodies with the precision of oligonucleotide therapies to target the root cause of diseases previously untreatable with RNA therapeutics. Avidity is on track to have three programs in clinical development by the end of 2022. The company's lead product candidate, AOC 1001, is designed to treat patients with myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1). AOC 1001 is currently in Phase 1/2 development with the ongoing MARINATM trial in adults with DM1.The next programs in the company's advancing and expanding pipeline are AOC 1044, the lead of three programs for the treatment of DMD, and AOC 1020, designed to treat people living with FSHD. Avidity anticipates both programs will enter the clinic by the end of 2022. Avidity is also broadening the reach of AOCs beyond muscle tissues through both internal discovery efforts and key partnerships as the company continues to deliver on the RNA revolution. Avidity is headquartered in San Diego, CA. For more information about our science, pipeline and people, please visit www.aviditybiosciences.com and engage with us on LinkedIn and Twitter. Forward-Looking Statements Avidity cautions readers that statements contained in this press release regarding matters that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. These statements are based on the company's current beliefs and expectations. Such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding: the progression of the AOC 1020 pre-clinical or clinical program and timing of a planned clinical trial; the pharmacological activity or duration of action of AOC 1020 in a clinical trial; and the development of treatments for muscular dystrophy. The inclusion of forward-looking statements should not be regarded as a representation by Avidity that any of these plans will be achieved. Actual results may differ from those set forth in this press release due to the risks and uncertainties inherent in the business, including, without limitation: Avidity is early in its development efforts; Avidity's approach to the discovery and development of product candidates based on its AOC platform is unproven, and the company does not know whether it will be able to develop any products of commercial value; potential delays in the commencement, enrollment and completion of clinical trials; disruption to its operations from the COVID-19 pandemic or the war in Ukraine; the success of its preclinical studies and clinical trials for the company's product candidates; the results of preclinical studies and early clinical trials are not necessarily predictive of future results; Avidity's dependence on third parties in connection with preclinical testing and product manufacturing; unexpected adverse side effects or inadequate efficacy of its product candidates that may limit their development, regulatory approval and/or commercialization, or may result in recalls or product liability claims; regulatory developments in the United States and foreign countries, including acceptance of INDs and similar foreign regulatory filings and the proposed design of future clinical trials; Avidity could use its available capital resources sooner than it currently expects; and other risks described in prior press releases and in filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Avidity cautions readers not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof, and the company undertakes no obligation to update such statements to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist after the date hereof. All forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement, which is made under the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Company Contact: Kath Gallagher kath.gallagher@aviditybio.com (858) 401-7900 Media Contact: Cherise Adkins cadkins@spectrumscience.com (301) 267-4161 Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/avidity-biosciences-supports-world-facioscapulohumeral-muscular-dystrophy-fshd-day-and-presents-preclinical-data-from-fshd-program-301570152.html SOURCE Avidity Biosciences, Inc. Beijing will host a virtual annual summit for the BRICS nations - Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa - on June 23. President Xi Jinping will chair the summit, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying announced on Friday. The event will be preceded and followed by two other virtual meetings to foster economic ties between the countries. The follow-up event on June 24 aims to build sustainable economic relations between the BRICS countries as well as other emerging economies. Do you have questions about the biggest topics and trends from around the world? Get the answers with SCMP Knowledge, our new platform of curated content with explainers, FAQs, analyses and infographics brought to you by our award-winning team. While Russia has been facing immense pressure such as economic sanctions following its invasion of Ukraine, the BRICS nations - except Brazil - have abstained from several United Nations votes condemning Russia. Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro highlighted the country's neutrality, while Brazil's ambassador to the UN voted in favour of condemning Russia's invasion. On Wednesday, Xi had a phone call with Russian leader Vladimir Putin during which he reaffirmed his support for Russia on issues of sovereignty and security. China has also repeatedly urged Western countries not to sanction Russia. Just a month before Russia's attack on Ukraine, Xi and Putin met in Beijing during the Winter Olympics, where Xi said there were "no limits" to the cooperation between the two countries, although it is unclear if he knew about Putin's plans. The 14th annual summit for the BRICS leaders is to be held at a time when European countries are stepping up their pressure on Russia. The leaders of France, Germany, Italy and Romania travelled to Kyiv this week and pledged their support for Ukraine's candidacy to join the European Union. This leaders of the five BRICS nations pictured at last years online summit, hosted by India. Photo: AP alt=This leaders of the five BRICS nations pictured at last years online summit, hosted by India. Photo: AP> Story continues On the other hand, Russia is trying to forge economic and financial deals with other countries to help the country buffer the blow caused by US and European economic sanctions. The BRICS countries have been discussing different initiatives to move away from the US dollar. Russia is keen to accelerate the progress after it was expelled from the SWIFT international bank transfer system. The sanctions have frozen half of Russia's gold and foreign exchange reserves, which stood at around US$600 billion. Earlier this month, Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov called on the BRICS countries to coordinate measures to stabilise the economic situation, saying global monetary tightening and sanctions could cause global stagflation and a food crisis. In April, he urged the BRICS partners in a ministerial meeting to arrange trade settlements in their respective currencies and to avoid the use of the US dollar. Siluanov, told the meeting: "New sanctions are destroying the foundation of the existing international monetary and financial system based on the US dollar. "This pushes us to the need to speed up work in the following areas: the use of national currencies for export-import operations, the integration of payment systems and cards, our own financial messaging system and the creation of an independent BRICS rating agency." This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP's Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright 2022 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Copyright (c) 2022. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. More ships flying the Russian flag have reportedly been spotted unloading Ukrainian grain abroad, as Russian President Vladimir Putin continues using the threat of a global hunger crisis to coerce Western countries into lifting their sanctions on Russia. Two Russian bulk carriers, merchant ships designed to carry unpackaged bulk cargo such as grain, were spotted unloading grain at Syrian ports by U.S. satellite company Maxar Technologies, Reuters reported. The same ships had been seen days earlier loading grain at the Crimean port city of Sevastopol, Maxar said, where Russian troops have for weeks been reportedly loading stolen Ukrainian grain, according to satellite images taken by Maxar in May. Syria has been a close ally to Russia since the invasion of Ukraine began at the end of February, accepting Russian ships in their ports even as Ukrainian officials warned they were carrying stolen grain and urged countries not to buy from Russia. But the war and an agricultural shortfall has brought several Middle Eastern and African countries to the brink of a catastrophic hunger crisis, including Syria, where around 60% of the population suffers from food insecurity, according to the UN. At the beginning of the war, Putin sought to use Europes dependence on Russian energy exports as a bargaining chip, attempting to have European countries pay for Russian gas in rubles to prop up the failing currency. The European Union didnt abide, and decided to cut off 90% of Russian oil imports and two-thirds of gas imports by the end of the year instead. Now, Putin appears to be moving on to using a looming global hunger crisis, and the worldwide strife created by missing Russian and Ukrainian food exports, to his advantage. Weeks of stolen grain reports The Maxar images corroborate reports from May provided by the intelligence arm of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense that Russian ships were ferrying stolen Ukrainian grain to Syria. Both the UN and U.S. intelligence have warned that there is credible evidence that Russian troops have been stealing Ukrainian harvests. Last month, Russian trucks were also seen looting Ukrainian grain silos and transporting the stolen goods to Russian-controlled ports in Crimea, CNN reported. Story continues Russian troops have stolen around 600,000 tons of Ukrainian grain during the war, according to UAC, a Ukrainian agricultural producers union. Of this, around 100,000 tons of wheat worth more than $40 million have been shipped to Syria over the past three months, the Ukrainian embassy in Lebanon told Reuters earlier this month. This is criminal activity, the embassy said. Russian officials have repeatedly denied the claims that its troops are stealing Ukrainian grain, with Deputy Prime Minister Viktoria Abramchenko saying in an interview this week that Russia does not ship grains from Ukraine. But in spite of Russias protests, Ukrainian officials have insisted that stolen grain from Ukraine is circulating in many Middle Eastern and African countries. One Ukrainian diplomatic envoy to Turkey told reporters this month that Turkish buyers were receiving large volumes of stolen grain shipments. Putins strategy Combined, Ukraine and Russia accounted for nearly one-third of global wheat supply, while Russia was a major exporter of fertilizer, and Ukraine of corn and sunflower oil. The reduced food exports from the two countries is aggravating a global hunger crisis, and Putin has made clear to the West that he intends to withhold supplies until sanctions are lifted. The UN has expressed openness to negotiating with Russia, although the U.S. has so far remained staunchly opposed to lifting sanctions, even cautioning nations against buying Russias stolen grain supplies. But several African nationswhere years of drought and bad agricultural conditions have dramatically reduced domestic outputhave become reliant on food imports, with some leaders joining Putin in calling for a lifting of Western sanctions. The war in Ukraine has accelerated what the UN has called an alarming rise of hunger in the worlds most vulnerable regions, particularly around the Horn of Africa, where countries are especially reliant on Ukrainian and Russian food imports. In Sudan, where over half the countrys wheat imports originate in the Black Sea regions, the UN warned Thursday, one-third of the countrys population was facing acute food insecurity. This story was originally featured on Fortune.com ReportLinker The dental implants market is projected to reach US$ 8,075. 98 million by 2028 from US$ 4,824. 96 million in 2021; it is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7. 6% from 2021 to 2028. The report highlights trends prevailing in the market and factors driving its growth. New York, June 17, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Dental Implants Market Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis By Product, Material, and End User, and Geography" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06279429/?utm_source=GNW The dental implants market growth is attributed to the rising cases of tooth loss, elevating demand for cosmetic dentistry, and technological advancements in dental implants. However, the lack of standardization of reimbursement policies, and high costs of dental implants and bridges restrict the dental implants market growth. The dental implants market is segmented on the basis of product, material, end user, and geography.The market, by geography, is broadly segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, the Middle East & Africa, and South & Central America. The dental implants market report offers insights and in-depth analysis of the market, emphasizing parameters such as market size, trends, technological advancements, and market dynamics, along with the analysis of the competitive landscape of the leading market players. Dental implants are long lasting and effective teeth replacement solutions that helps to benefit overall oral health, looks and helps to function like natural teeth.New dental technology allows dentists to accurately insert dental implants through minimally invasive surgeries and incorporate advanced navigation and monitoring technologies. Although conventional dental implants are one of the greatest inventions in dentistry in recent years, the dental implant procedure may not be ideal for some candidates. However, the dental technology has now improved the implantation procedures with the help of innovative products such as mini-implants, dentures and other prosthetics. In October 2018, at the 27th Annual Scientific Meeting of the European Association for Osseointegration in Vienna, Straumann introduced a new standard line of mini dental implants.These implants are a very small diameter monotype dental-implants that offers a cost effective, minimally invasive and an immediate solution for edentulous patients with reduced horizontal bone. Moreover, in September 2018, Dentsply Sirona introduced Azento, single tooth replacement in one box solution that is highly customized to meet the needs and timeframes of the patients as well as dentists.The streamlined workflow solution is designed to help dentists to select the best-fitted implant, determine its optimal position as well as healing environment restoration for individual patient case. In March 2015, during the International Dental Show (IDS), Nobel Biocare that is now acquired by Danaher introduced new NobelProcera FCZ, which is a new cement-free, full-contour implant crown with angulated screw channel for restoring molar teeth. The rising number of technologically advanced dental implant and their solutions would be supportive in propelling the growth of global dental implants market. The dental implants market, based on product, is segmented into dental bridges, dental crowns, dentures, abutments, and others.The dental bridges segment held the largest share of the market in 2021. However, the dentures segment is anticipated to register the highest CAGR in the market during the forecast period.The dental implants market, based on material, is segmented into titanium implants, zirconium implants, and others. The titanium implants segment held the largest market share in 2021.However, the zirconium implants segment is anticipated to register the highest CAGR in the market during the forecast period. The dental implants market, based on end user, is segmented into hospital & clinics, dental laboratories, and others. The hospitals & clinics segment held the largest market share in 2021, and it is anticipated to register the highest CAGR in the market during the forecast period. COVID-19 Impact Dental Implants Market The global economy was severely affected in 2020 due to the exponential growth of COVID-19 cases.Since the beginning of the pandemic, millions of patients worldwide faced health issues due to delayed care as hospitals canceled nonurgent operations, including dental implants. A large number of operations were canceled or postponed owing to disruption caused by COVID-19.The Association of Dental Implantology estimated over 130,000 individual implantation procedures to be performed in the UK in a year. According to NHS estimates, from 2016 to 2018, more than 22 million patients were diagnosed or treated by a dentist in the UK.However, according to British Dental Association, in July 2020, out of 2,053 dentists, only 36% were ready to resume dental practices in the UK. Additionally, 64% of surgical procedures were postponed, and more than half have had follow-up appointments rescheduled. Thus, the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the dental implants market. However, with the mitigation of ill effects with time, the oral health treatment service providers are performing normally in the UK. Various organic and inorganic strategies are adopted by companies in the dental implants market.The organic strategies mainly include product launches and product approvals. Inorganic growth strategies adopted by the dental implants market players are acquisitions, collaboration, and partnerships.These growth strategies allow them to expand their businesses and enhance their geographic presence, along with contributing to the overall market growth. Additionally, strategies such as acquisitions and partnerships help them in strengthening their customer base and extending product portfolios. A few of the significant developments by key players in the dental implants market are listed below. In December 2021, Institut Straumann AG entered into an agreement to acquire a controlling stake in Nihon implant , a leader in dental implant treatment concierge in Japan. The acquisition supports the Groups strategic priority of Institut Straumann AG to build a expand its clientele by including consumer presence for expansion and access to healthcare consumers in its existing consumer base. In February 2021, Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc. announced its intention to spin off its Spine and Dental businesses to form a new and independent, publicly-traded company ("NewCo"). The planned transaction will enhance the focus of both Zimmer Biomet and NewCo to meet the needs of their respective patients and customers to achieve faster growth as well as deliver greater value to all stakeholders. A few of the major primary and secondary sources referred to while preparing the report on the dental implants market are the National Center for Health Statistics (a department of the US Department of Health & Human Services), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), World Health Organization (WHO), and Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06279429/?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 By Trend Azerbaijan plays a crucial role in the South Caucasus in terms of energy supplies, Former US Ambassador to Turkmenistan Allan Mustard told Trend on the sidelines of the IX Global Baku Forum named 'Challenges to the Global World Order'. "Azerbaijan's shift to renewable energy sources, as well as the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic's (SOCAR) statements on promotion of solar and wind energy projects testify to the fossil fuels' loss of relevance," the ambassador said. According to him, Azerbaijan will make a significant contribution to the transition to renewable energy sources over the next 20-30 years. "Azerbaijan constitutes a source of energy supplies from the Caspian region to Europe through the Southern Gas Corridor," Mustard said. He emphasized Azerbaijan's and Turkmenistan's potential for further cooperation on joint energy projects. "The West would like Turkmen gas to move not only to China and Russia, but also to the European market," he said. KYIV, June 17 (Reuters) - The eastern Ukrainian city of Lysychansk was heavily shelled by Russian forces on Friday and there were many dead, Governor Serhiy Gaidai told Ukraine's public broadcaster. Lysychansk sits just the other side of the Siverskyi Donets river to the battleground city of Sievierodonetsk, which over the last several weeks has seen some of the most brutal street fighting observed during Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Gaidai said Russian forces had not managed to capture Sieverodonetsk and fighting continued to rage there on Friday. (Reporting by Pavel Polityuk, writing by Nerijus Adomaitis, editing by Mark Heinrich) Company Logo Global 3D Food Printing Market Global 3D Food Printing Market Dublin, June 17, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Global 3D Food Printing Market by Vertical (Government, Commercial, and Residential), Technique (Extrusion Based Printing, Selective Laser Sintering, Binder Jetting and Inkjet Printing), Ingredient and Geography - Forecast to 2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. According to the publisher, the 3D Food Printing market is estimated to account for nearly USD 201 million in 2022 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 57.3 %, to reach nearly USD 1,941 million by 2027. The 3D food printing market is mainly impacted by innovations, as manufacturers are always introducing new processing techniques to produce complex food products of different shapes and sizes, thereby focusing on catering to the increasing demand of customized food products and changing consumer behavior. Asia pacific: fastest growing segment of 3D food printing market, by region The 3D food printing market in the Asia Pacific is projected to witness the fastest growth between 2022 and 2027. Asia Pacific, being the region with a huge population, hosts the largest number of consumers, and it is also the fastest-growing region in the world in terms of technology. The market in Asia Pacific has been further segmented on the basis of countries into Japan, China, South Korea, and Rest of Asia Pacific. Asia Pacific is projected to be the fastest-growing 3D food printing market, with Japan and China being the major contributors. China is expected to lead the 3D food printing market in Asia Pacific during the forecast period. China has the world's largest aging population; the capability of 3D food printers to deliver soft chewable printed food based on the specific requirements of the nutrients would prove better than traditional food. During the forecast period, the 3D food printing market in Asia Pacific is predicted to grow fastest. Growing age and poverty, as well as a lack of sufficient food to feed the population, are expected to drive the market's quickest growth in Asia Pacific throughout the projection period. 3D printing enables the creation of easy-to-chew meals with a composition tailored to the patients' nutritional needs. This is expected to aid in feeding elderly patients with specific nutrient-rich foods based on their needs. Proteins: Second largest segment of 3D food printing market, by ingredient type Based on ingredient type, protein segment is projected to record the second largest growth in 3D food printing market between 2022 and 2027 followed by the carbohydrate segment. It contains protein derived from both plants and dairy. Story continues Specifically, several startups focused on 3D printing plant-based alternative proteins have emerged in the last few years. Redefine Meat, an Israeli company founded last year, is among the most well-funded. The 3D printer can arrange nanofibers of plant proteins such as pea powder and seaweed to mimic the structure and texture of steak or chicken. Many companies are growing real meat from animal cells and expect to have the first lab-grown steak in limited markets in just a couple of years. Some of the key companies in this segment are Novameats, Savoreats, Aleph Farms, and Perfect Day. Extrusion based printing: largest segment of 3D food printing market, by technique The 3D food printing market in the Extrusion-based printing is projected to witness the largest growth during the forecast period. 3D food printing is originally a costly process in terms of production and also takes time to print the food apart from the major advantages like customized nutrient food. There are four major techniques are in widely used in market which are extrusion-based printing, binder jetting, Selective Laser Sintering (SLS)/Hot-Air Sintering (HAS), and Inkjet printing. Each technique had a unique application and features, of which extrusion-based printing is a majorly adopted technique among the key players Competitive landscape The key players in this market include 3D Systems (US), TNO (Netherlands), NATURAL MACHINES (Spain), Choc edge (UK), Systems & Materials Research Corporation (US), byFlow B.V. (Netherlands), BeeHex (US), CandyFab (US), ZMORPH S.A (Poland), and Wiiboox (China). Premium Insights Increase in Demand for Customized Food to Propel the Market Carbohydrates and the Us to Account for the Largest Shares in the North American Market in 2022 3D Carbohydrate Printing to Dominate the Market During the Forecast Period North America to Dominate the Market During the Forecast Period Commercial Use to Dominate the Market During the Forecast Period Extrusion-Based Printing Segment to Dominate the Market During the Forecast Period Market Dynamics Drivers Bourgeoning Demand for Gourmet Food Higher Focus on the Development of Nutritionally Customized Foods for Enhanced Health Benefits Rise in Use of 3D Printers in Plant-Based Meat Alternatives Increase in Adoption of 3D Food Printing to Reduce Food Wastage Restraints Slow Processing Time Involved Lack of Original Flavor and Texture Opportunities Growth in Demand from the Hospitality Industry Strong Rise in Innovations and Developments in Bioprinting for Printing Meat and Seafood Products Increase in Research Initiatives for Development of Newer Innovative 3D Food Printing Models Challenges Limitations in Processing Different Ingredients Hamper Usage of 3D Printers Ongoing Research & Development of this Technology Indicates a Low Current Market Use Industry Trends Value Chain Research & Product Development Processing and Software Implementation Product Manufacturing Distribution, Manufacturing, and Post-Sales Case Studies Byflow: Increasing Demand for Personalized Chocolates Dovetailed: Increasing Demand for Liquid-Based 3D Food Printer Regulatory Affairs Europe Status of Printed Food Marketing Requirements Global The Different Standards Pertaining to Industrial 3D Printers Astm International Company Profiles 3D Systems 3Desserts Graphiques Barilla Beehex Byflow Candyfab Choc Edge Food Ink Mycusini Natural Machines Novameat Open Meals Procusini Redefine Meat Ltd Savoureat Ltd Systems & Materials Research Corporation The Sugar Lab Tno Wiiboox Zmorph For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/nk1f5e Attachment CONTACT: CONTACT: ResearchAndMarkets.com Laura Wood, Senior Press Manager press@researchandmarkets.com For E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 The Intersectoral Action Fund addresses complex public health challenges VICTORIA, BC, June 17, 2022 /CNW/ - Canada is one of the healthiest countries in the world, and everyone in Canada deserves opportunities to thrive and lead a healthy life. The Government of Canada recognizes that every individual should have the resources and opportunities for health and wellbeing and is taking action to address systemic health challenges and barriers. Health inequities are the systematic, unfair, and avoidable differences in health outcomes. Health inequities have long existed in Canada, but have been even more evident during the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic disproportionately affected the mental and physical wellbeing of many groups in society, including Indigenous peoples, Black and racialized communities, as well as people from lower income households, children, youth, and seniors. Today, John Aldag, Member of Parliament for Cloverdale - Langley City, on behalf of the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Health, announced an investment of more than $370,000 through the new Intersectoral Action Fund (ISAF) for two organizations based in British Columbia. Generation Squeeze, based in Metro Vancouver, will receive $249,680 in funding to increase awareness of the importance of social spending for positive health outcomes, and champion the development and use of data on the relationship between social spending and medical care spending to inform policy decisions. This project will work within and across four key sectors public health, childcare, housing, and poverty reduction to promote wellbeing in Canada from the early years onwards. The Community Social Planning Council of Greater Victoria will receive $122,200 in funding to develop and test a regional strategy for building equity into climate action. The strategy will focus on the intersection between climate and health equity. It will help guide transportation decision-making to maximize the benefits between climate, accessibility, affordability, and health outcomes. This project recognizes that climate change and poverty disproportionally impact vulnerable individuals and are compounded by Indigenous, visible minority, refugee, newcomer, gender, and sexual identity status. Story continues The Public Health Agency of Canada, through the ISAF, is funding projects across the country to improve the conditions for health and the systems and structures that shape them, and to help everyone in Canada reach their full health potential. Quotes "Our government is taking action to address complex health inequities so that everyone in Canada can live a healthy life. By supporting projects likes the ones announced today, we can take meaningful steps towards tackling the root cause of health disparities and help improve health outcomes for all. " The Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos Minister of Health "Generation Squeeze and the Community Social Planning Council of Greater Victoria play an important role in helping the Government of Canada strengthen its efforts to address our country's complex public health challenges. These projects will help build a healthier future for communities in British Columbia." John Aldag Member of Parliament for Cloverdale - Langley City "A key lesson from public health is that health doesn't start with health care. Data shows that social investments matter more for our health than the money we put into medical care, because health begins where we are born, grow, live, work and age. Our project will help bring these data to life by showcasing that spending on child care is health spending, investments in affordable housing are health spending, and reducing poverty as we did through the pandemic is health spending." Dr. Paul Kershaw Founder, Generation Squeeze "There is a growing recognition across communities that the impacts of climate change and resulting climate emergencies are disproportionately landing on marginalized communities. Tying equity to climate action is crucial for creating solutions that work for all community members, and this funding will help us support municipalities in doing just that." Diana Gibson Executive Director of the Community Social Planning Council of Greater Victoria Quick Facts The ISAF launched in May 2021 to support action on social determinants of health. The Fund helps build capacity in communities to advance intersectoral action on social determinants of health, particularly as they move towards the difficult work of recovering from the pandemic. Social determinants of health refer to the broad range of social, economic and environmental factors that relate to an individual's place in society (such as gender, race, income, education, or employment) and that determine individual and population health. These determinants are shaped by the distribution of wealth, power, and opportunities within and between populations. Intersectoral action refers to the ways that different groups and sectors of society work together to enhance the health of our communities. The ISAF supports communities to build capacity for such action, and helps ensure that the social determinants of health and health inequities are understood and addressed. Fourteen projects were selected for funding through the ISAF. These projects will address the root causes of long-standing community health challenges or those heightened by COVID-19, or proposed activities that build on or advance intersectoral initiatives to expand their reach or impact. Associated Links SOURCE Public Health Agency of Canada Cision View original content: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/June2022/17/c6935.html As Elon Musk addressed Twitter employees for the first time in an all-hands Q&A meeting, the Tesla and SpaceX CEO provided some more details about his plans for the social platform. When Musk first announced his bid to buy Twitter for $44 billion, he proposed the idea of "authenticating all humans" on Twitter. As we're well aware, one of his biggest grievances with the platform is its bots and fake accounts. Today, Musk elaborated on what this plan might entail and clarified that he doesn't think human authentication is a requirement to use Twitter. He added that anonymity can be helpful for people to freely express their political views, which is a priority for him. According to Bloomberg, Musk proposed an idea that users could pay to be authenticated as human through a tool like the subscription product Twitter Blue, and that those users' tweets might then be ranked above others. Regarding content moderation, Musk stayed true to his previous statements that people should be able to say "pretty outrageous things" as long as those statements are legal. Musk has routinely referred to himself as a "free speech absolutist" (despite prematurely endorsing Florida Governor Ron DeSantis for president, who supported and signed legislation limiting discussions about race and LGBTQ issues in state public schools). But Twitters existing platform guidelines arent that stringent. In addition to banning illegal actions, the platform bans hateful conduct (attacking or threatening people based on race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, disability, etc.), depictions of graphic violence and promotion of suicide or self-harm. On the business side, Musk said he wants Twitter to have over a billion users. As of its last quarterly report, Twitter has 229 million monetizable daily active users. User growth would directly support Musk's other ideas for Twitter -- he wants the company to generate more money through advertising, in-app payments and more creator features. Though Twitter has rolled out some creator products like super follows, ticketed spaces and tipping, creators aren't relying on Twitter for their income, whereas running a successful YouTube account can be a viable career. Story continues Musk said he wants Twitter to be more like China's WeChat, noting that its users "basically live on" the app, since it combines social media, messaging, calling, games and payments into one app. He also complimented TikTok, owned by Chinese company ByteDance, for keeping users entertained. It remains unclear how, when or if this deal might close, as Musk demands more information from Twitter about how many accounts are not actually real humans. At the same time, the stock market has suffered, driving down Twitter and Tesla stocks alike, which puts Musk in a bind as Twitter expects him to honor his $44 billion offer. Still, Musk claims to love Twitter, and is at least committed enough to answer employee questions. Some people use their hair to express themselves. I use Twitter, he said. Frances Annecy Intl. Animation Film Festival is celebrating Swiss animation which marked its 100th anniversary back in 2021 with a slew of retrospectives, screenings and special events. In its Official Selection, Switzerland is represented through 13 films spread across different sections. The fest has collaborated with various institutions on the tribute, including the GSFA, the association of Swiss animation filmmakers, the Swiss Films Archive or the Animatou and Fantoche festivals. More from Variety All the while, notes artistic director Marcel Jean, the Focus tries to express the films variety and range. There isnt one technique thats associated with that country, there isnt one style. I would say that the main characteristic is the fact that there are not that many feature films, he says. Still, Sam and Fred Guillaumes Max & Co, Zoltan Horvath and Juan Jose Lozanos Red Jungle will also be shown, as well as the Oscar-nominated My Life as a Zucchini by Claude Barras, awarded the top prize at Annecy in 2016 and now accompanied by Charlotte Desigauds photographic exhibition. Noting that without international co-producers a move into features is impossible at the moment, Swiss artists like Marina Rosset or Jonathan Laskar enjoy expressing themselves in a shorter form. There is no real market for short films, but thats the point because there is no market, we can make what we want, says Laskar. In Switzerland, we are free. Laskars The Record is shown in the official short films competition alongside Noah Ernis The Invention of Less which sees a polar bear moving to Zurich and working as an Uber carrier and Lucky Man, Claude Luyets take on the American dream. Story continues I had to go back to my own story, the story of my family, says Laskar about a film revolving around a magic record, able to read ones soul. As one man listens to it, old memories return. Including those of World War II. I have a Jewish background. When I was 20, I went to Germany. I could see Buchenwald [concentration camp] from my window. At first, I didnt want to talk about this theme. But this man, he remembers the truth that in itself is a positive thing. Its our duty to talk about hope. While the festival wanted to spotlight recognizable names, from sand animation masters Gisele and Ernest Nag Ansorge to Julius Pinschsewer and Georges Schwizgebel, recipient of an Annecy Honorary Cristal in 2017, it also welcomed new blood. These auteurs with strong personalities, its something we know about Swiss animation. But we also wanted to focus on a younger generation, Marcel Jean tells Variety, mentioning the likes of Marcel Barelli, behind 2021 In Nature (Very interesting, a very underrated filmmaker) or Isabelle Favez. The latter, favoring stories for a younger audience, will also show her latest TV special Giuseppe about a small hedgehog who wants to discover winter. Its my second film made specially for children after Zibilla [about a zebra adopted by a family of horses] and the more I am doing it, the more I love it, she says. As a hedgehog, Giuseppe has limitations. He has to accept that its too cold for him in the winter. We keep telling our children they can do anything, but we shouldnt lie. Sometimes, we have to accept our limits. And it can actually be a good thing. Marina Rosset will also skew younger in The Queen of the Foxes, focusing on the saddest of all foxes. While her minions keep bringing her discarded love letters humans were too shy to send out, she remains unmoved. After all, where are the compliments about furry ears? Someone was writing me love letters I didnt want to receive. I was writing love letters, which I wasnt sending. I started to think about all that, she says. Admitting that her close-knit community tries its best to reflect its countrys cultural and linguistic identity. The Swiss animation scene can be easily defined with one word: diversity, agrees Swiss Films Marcel Muller, mentioning varied techniques and topics. Its strongly linked to the specificity of our little country where four different official languages are spoken, he adds, pointing out that Swiss shorts tend to be more oriented towards arthouse and are less commercial than their French or American counterparts. Even Swiss people ask us: Why do you want to focus on Swiss animation?! But when I look at Annecys selection over the past 10 years, Switzerland has been among the countries with the most films. Its important, its just a bit under the radar, notes Marcel Jean. Isabelle Favez adds: We are a small country, but you cant really say: Thats a Swiss film. And I like it! The Record - Credit: Credit: Annecy Festival Credit: Annecy Festival 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. June 17 (Reuters) - Russia is in contact with Turkey regarding the export of grain from Ukraine but there are a lot of uncertainties from the Ukrainian side, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Friday. Turkey on Wednesday said it would "take some time" to de-mine Ukraine's ports but that a safe sea corridor could be established in areas without mines under a U.N. proposal. Russia said it had offered "safe passage" for Ukrainian grain shipments from Black Sea ports but was not responsible for establishing the corridors. Russia said on Thursday it was facilitating the export of grain and oilseeds from Ukraine through Russian-held transit points on the Azov Sea, without explaining who was providing the foodstuffs for export. (Reporting by Reuters; Editing by Kevin Liffey) FRIDAY, JUNE 17 @ 10:00 a.m., L.A. PROTEST MARCH, Olvera Street to the L.A. Federal Building March is being held in solidarity with the National Poor Peoples Campaign and National Coalition for the Homeless events taking place in Washington, DC this weekend AHFs Housing Is A Human Right and National Coalition for the Homeless announce and celebrate new partnership to end and prevent homelessness, work to expand permanent housing and stop criminalization policies against the unhoused community. LOS ANGELES, June 17, 2022--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Advocates from Housing Is A Human Right (HHR), the housing advocacy division of AHF, will take part in "Sweepless Summer 2022," (LA March Against Criminalization of the Homeless Friday, June 17th starting at 10:00 a.m. from historic Olvera Street across from Union Station in Downtown Los Angeles (845 Alameda St, 90012). The marchwhich will proceed to the Federal Building (300 N. Los Angeles Street, 90012)is part of a national action against unjust clearing of encampments in DC and cities across the country and is being held in solidarity with the National Poor Peoples Campaign and National Coalition for the Homeless events that will be taking place in Washington, DC this weekend. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220616005975/en/ Flyer for the Los Angeles 'Sweepless Summer 2022' march against the criminalization of the homeless and clearing of encampments. (Graphic: Business Wire) What: MARCH AGAINST CRIMINALIZATION of the HOMELESS and in SOLIDARITY with the National Poor Peoples Campaign and National Coalition for the Homeless events taking place in Washington, DC this weekend. When: L.A. March: Friday, June 17, 2022 starts @ 10:00 a.m. (meet @ Olvera Street) NOTE: March should take approx. to 1 hour from start to finish Where: Starts: Olvera Street (across from Union Station) 845 N. Alameda St., Los Angeles 90012 Marching to: Los Angeles Federal Building 300 N Los Angeles St, Los Angeles, CA 90012 March Media Contact for AHF: Eduardo Martinez, Eduardo.martinez@ahf.org 323. 535.8511 c Housing Is A Human Right will also use the events in Los Angeles and Washington to announce and celebrate its new partnership with National Coalition for the Homeless, which will include co-locating NCHs West Coast headquarters at HHRs Hollywood offices, collaboration on projects and strategies to reduce homelessness and increase the supply of permanent housing for the unhoused. Story continues "Housing Is A Human Right is excited to provide a growing presence in Los Angeles for the incredible work of the National Coalition for the Homeless!" said Susie Shannon, Policy Director for Housing Is A Human Right. "Our organizations have collectively fought for the rights of our unhoused community and for permanent housing. Together we will be a formidable force in promoting real solutions to homelessness." "National Coalition for the Homeless is excited to open an office in Los Angeles. - the homeless capital of the United States - in partnership with Housing is a Human Right. NCH and HHR have shared goals in ending and preventing homelessness and finding real solutions through a Housing First approach," stated Don Whitehead, National Executive Director of NCH. "We look forward to expanding our coalition throughout the State of California." AHFs Los Angeles Domestic Advocacy team will provide the hand-made posters, banner, and about a dozen or more mobilizers for the march. Drinking water will be provided for everyone. Some of the signs and slogans will include the following: Homelessness is not a Crime Houses not Handcuffs Sweeps Don't Solve Homelessness NO to Sweeps - YES to Housing Permanent Housing Now Stop the Sweeps For more information on Housing Is A Human Right (HHR), click here, and follow HHR on: FB: https://www.facebook.com/housinghumanright/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/housinghumanrt For information on the National Coalition for the Homeless (NCH), click here, and follow NCH on: FB: https://www.facebook.com/NationalCoalitionfortheHomeless View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220616005975/en/ Contacts Ged Kenslea, Senior Director, Communications for AHF, +1.323.791.5526, gedk@aidshealth.org Eduardo Martinez Los Angeles Domestic Advocacy for AHF, +1.323.535.8511 eduardo.martinez@ahf.org FILE PHOTO: The logo for Morgan Stanley is seen on the trading floor at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in Manhattan, New York City SHANGHAI (Reuters) - The head of Morgan Stanley's China securities business proposed the setting up of an international board in China to allow offshore-listed Chinese companies and foreign firms to list in the domestic market. Jing Qian, CEO of Morgan Stanley Securities (China), also told the official Shanghai Securities News in an interview that China should consider lowering the profitability threshold for initial public offerings (IPOs) by tech companies and start-ups. Morgan Stanley confirmed the interview. The proposal comes as a growing number of U.S.-traded Chinese companies conduct secondary listings in Hong Kong as a long-running dispute between China and the United States over audits threatens to kick them off American exchanges. The Shanghai Stock Exchange prepared for the setting up of an international board more than a decade ago to attract listings by such multinationals as HSBC but the plan never materialised. As China further opens up its capital markets, calls are getting louder for it to establish an international board, Qian said in the interview. Allowing quality global companies to list in China can help introduce competition, expand investment channels for domestic investors, and increase the international appeal of China's stock market, Qian was quoted by the newspaper as saying. As China expands IPO reforms, regulators can first allow domestic public share sales by offshore-listed companies before giving the go-ahead to international companies, she said. Although China has allowed domestic listings of so-called red-chip companies - offshore incorporated firms with businesses mainly in China - the bar was too high, Qian said. Rough half of Hong Kong-listed red chips were not eligible for a China listing. Common difficulties are complex approval processes and inadequate market capitalization. Qian also suggested China relax profitability requirements under its registration-based IPO system, so as to allow more pre-profit companies to list on Shanghai's tech-focused STAR Market and the Shenzhen start-up board ChiNext. Story continues Morgan Stanley Securities (China) is 94.06% controlled by Morgan Stanley, which is moving towards full ownership. The securities venture currently has a team of more than 180 people and has completed eight IPO underwriting deals, according to the company. (Reporting by Samuel Shen and Andrew Galbraith; Editing by Bradley Perrett) Fears of an economic downturn are growing among CEOs, with some convinced the economy has already rolled over. The majority of chief executive officers and other C-suite leaders across the globe believe their geographic region will enter a recession by the end of 2023, according to a survey from the Conference Board released Friday. The business research firm found that 60% of CEOs expect the economy to contract in their primary area of operations in the next 12 to 18 months. Some 15% of CEOs say they believe their region has already entered recession. This increasingly pessimistic sentiment among business leaders regarding the economic outlook comes as central banks around the world lay out aggressive plans to raise interest rates in a bid to quell multi-decade highs in inflation. In the U.S., the Federal Reserve on Wednesday raised interest rates by 0.75%, its largest increase since 1994. More than 60 percent of CEOs globally say they expect a recession in their primary region of operations before the end of 2023 or earlier, a sentiment shared by other C-suite executives. The central bank's larger-than-expected rate increase prompted a wave of downwardly revised forecasts on Wall Street. Economists at Bank of America Global Research slashed their U.S. growth forecast this week, and the firm now sees a 40% chance of recession next year. Meanwhile, strategists at JPMorgan said the S&P 500's decline implies an 85% chance of recession. Earlier this week, the S&P 500 (^GSPC) entered a bear market. But many U.S. CEOs had already indicated they were bracing for an economic slowdown even before the Feds latest move. In recent weeks, top business leaders including JPMorgan (JPM) CEO Jamie Dimon and Tesla (TSLA) chief Elon Musk have expressed concerns about the economic outlook and even taken measures to prepare for what they've warned are challenging times ahead. Elon Musk pauses and looks down as he speaks during a press conference on February 10, 2022. (Photo by JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images) Earlier in June, Musk said he had a "super bad feeling" about the economy, revealing a plan to trim about 10% of jobs at the electric-vehicle maker and "pause all hiring worldwide." Musk's warning came the same week Dimon spurred a wave of recession chatter, telling attendees at a business conference that an economic "hurricane" was underway. Story continues Youd better brace yourself, Dimon told an audience of analysts and investors. JPMorgan is bracing ourselves and were going to be very conservative with our balance sheet. Like Tesla, other companies have also signaled that their outlooks are grim by revising hiring plans or laying off workers. Citing preparations for an economic downturn, crypto exchange Coinbase (COIN) fired 18% of its staff this week. And in the real estate sector, an increasingly troubling housing market has prompted job cuts at both Redfin (RDFN) and Compass (COMP). Still, even as many leaders sound the alarm, some maintain a more tempered view on the economy. Morgan Stanley (MS) CEO James Gorman at a recent conference suggested he thinks a recession is on the table but not inevitable, pointing to bright spots in the current environment: strong corporate balance sheets, solid consumer spending, and a tight labor market. Its possible we will go into a recession obviously," Gorman said at an investor panel on Monday. There are 50-50 odds now. Alexandra Semenova is a reporter for Yahoo Finance. Follow her on Twitter @alexandraandnyc Click here for the latest economic news and economic indicators to help you in your investing decisions Read the latest financial and business news from Yahoo Finance Download the Yahoo Finance app for Apple or Android Follow Yahoo Finance on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Flipboard, LinkedIn, and YouTube OTTAWA, ON, June 16, 2022 /CNW/ - Government of Canada officials will provide an update on COVID-19 and be available to address other public health concerns. Participants will be available to answer questions from the media following their remarks. Date June 17, 2022 Time 10:00 AM (EDT) Location The news conference will be virtual only. Participation in the question and answer portion of this event is for accredited members of the Press Gallery only. Media who are not members of the Press Gallery may contact pressres2@parl.gc.ca for temporary access. A teleconference line is also available for listening to the event: Toll-free dial-in number (Canada/US): 1-866-206-0153 Local dial-in number: 613-954-9003 Participant passcode: 2508728 NOTE: To help ensure optimal simultaneous interpretation sound quality, journalists are encouraged to use a microphone (headphones/headset) or, when possible, a landline, and to avoid using speaker mode if queuing up for questions. Twitter: @GovCanHealth Facebook: Healthy Canadians SOURCE Public Health Agency of Canada Cision View original content: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/June2022/17/c9521.html By Trend Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsman) of Azerbaijan Sabina Aliyeva issued a statement in connection with the injury of an employee of the National Agency for Mine Action as a result of a mine explosion in Jabrayil district [liberated from Armenian occupation in 2020], Trend reports. According to the statement, the ombudsman appealed many times to the international community in connection with a serious threat, posed by anti-tank and anti-personnel mines planted by Armenian armed forces in the previously occupied Azerbaijani territories, to the life and health of people, stressing the necessity to put to an end to such situation. The problem of mines in the liberated territories has not only delayed the return of internally displaced persons to their native lands, but also claimed the lives of many people, Aliyeva said. "Another citizen of Azerbaijan suffered from an explosion of anti-personnel mine. An employee of the National Agency for Mine Action Rukhin Valiyev was injured by anti-personnel mine when performing his duties in the liberated Jabrayil district, and was hospitalized, after losing part of his leg in the blast. Unfortunately, international organizations dont take specific measures in relation to mines, which continue to pose a potential threat to human life, she noted. I once again express my serious concern about the mine threat, remind Armenia of its obligation to respect international law and call on international organizations, demonstrating a fair approach and expressing a firm position, to support Azerbaijan in this matter," added the ombudsman. RSAMMDA.LLC RSAMMDA.LLC and Protext Mobility invite individual and institutional investors as well as advisors and analysts, to attend its real-time, interactive presentation at the Emerging Growth Conference Johannesburg, South Africa, June 17, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Republic of South Africa Medical Marijuana Dispensaries Acquisitions LLC (RSAMMDA.LLC) and Protext Mobility, Inc (OTC PINK: TXTM) are pleased to announce that its has been invited to present at the Emerging Growth Conference on Wednesday June 22nd, 2022 from 12:30pm -1pm EST. The Emerging Growth Conference is host to over 20,000 attendees and is a live, interactive online event. Existing shareholders and the investment community will have the opportunity to interact with the Companys Chairman Dr. Ahmed Jamaloodeen (Dr.J) and CEO Dylon Du Plooy, who will be presenting in real time. Dr.J, Protext Chairman commented We are looking forward to presenting at our first investor conference and the timing of the Emerging Growth Conference next week couldnt be better. We plan to share our near term goals and future plans with current shareholders as well as new investors interested in hearing our growth story. Everyone will get to meet the leaders who are building shareholder value and guiding the Company into the future. Please register here to ensure you are able to attend the conference and receive any updates that are released. https://goto.webcasts.com/starthere.jsp?ei=1552105&tp_key=e6b72c2da4&sti=txtm If attendees are not able to join the event live on the day of the conference, an archived webcast will also be made available on EmergingGrowth.com and we will also release a link to that after the event. About the Emerging Growth Conference The Emerging Growth conference is an effective way for public companies to present and communicate their new products, services and other major announcements to the investment community from the convenience of their office, in a time efficient manner. Story continues The Conference focus and coverage includes companies in a wide range of growth sectors, with strong management teams, innovative products & services, focused strategy, execution, and th overall potential for long term growth. Its audience includes potentially tens of thousands of Individual and Institutional investors, as well as Investment advisors and analysts. All sessions will be conducted through video webcasts and will take place in the Eastern Time Zone. CONTACT INFORMATION For all media inquiries or for further information, please contact Dylon Du Plooy at: dylon@rsammd.co.za Dr.J at: exportintl@aol.com Follow us at: https://twitter.com/RSAMMD https://twitter.com/ProtextP About RSAMMD RSAMMD Acquisitions LLC is a jointly owned business of RSAMMD a South African pioneer in the research, cultivation, production and distribution of medical cannabis and cannabinoids and Dr. J, who operates the 5000 Hectacre New Castle Farm as well as the federally issued cannabis and hemp licenses. Together, we partner with leading hospitals and universities globally to advance the clinical benefits and applications of cannabinoids. RSAMMDs founders are a group of medical doctors and pharmacists, and cannabis activists who have been at the forefront of medical cannabis legislation and South African cannabis legalization, which took place in September 2018. We are committed to the advancement of technology and scientific research that leads to an improved quality of life for patients around the world. Please visit www.rsammd.co.za for further information About Protext (OTC PINK: TXTM) Through previously disclosed acquisitions, Protext has engaged in the research, testing and commercialization of highly bioavailable botanical products all-natural ingredients formulated for nutraceutical and pharmaceutical applications through the use of proprietary live plant extraction technology. Safe Harbor Statement This release contains forward-looking statements that are based upon current expectations or beliefs, as well as a number of assumptions about future events. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements and the assumptions upon which they are based are reasonable, we can give no assurance or guarantee that such expectations and assumptions will prove to have been correct. Forward-looking statements are generally identifiable by the use of words like "may," "will," "should," "could," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "believe," "intend," or "project" or the negative of these words or other variations on these words or comparable terminology. The reader is cautioned not to put undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, as these statements are subject to numerous factors and uncertainties, including but not limited to: adverse economic conditions, competition, adverse federal, state and local government regulation, international governmental regulation, inadequate capital, inability to carry out research, development and commercialization plans, loss or retirement of key executives and other specific risks. To the extent that statements in this press release are not strictly historical, including statements as to revenue projections, business strategy, outlook, objectives, future milestones, plans, intentions, goals, future financial conditions, events conditioned on stockholder or other approval, or otherwise as to future events, such statements are forward-looking and are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The forward-looking statements contained in this release are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the statements made. The company disclaims any obligation to update information contained in any forward-looking statement. This press release shall not be deemed a general solicitation. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - June 17, 2022) - Spearmint Resources Inc. (CSE: SPMT) (OTC Pink: SPMTF) (FSE: A2AHL5) (the "Company" or "Spearmint") is pleased to announce that it has received the updated Technical Report and Mineral Resource estimate for the 100-per-cent-owned McGee Lithium Clay Deposit in Clayton Valley, Nevada. The Technical Report includes an updated Mineral Resource estimate of 1,369,000 indicated tonnes and 723,000 inferred tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) for a total of 2,092,000 tonnes of LCE. The Technical Report and Mineral Resource Estimate has been prepared by Derek Loveday, P.Geo. and Mariea Kartick, P.Geo. of Stantec Consulting Services Ltd. ("Stantec") in conformity with CIM "Estimation of Mineral Resource and Mineral Reserves Best Practices" guidelines and are reported in accordance with the Canadian Securities Administrators NI 43-101. The Stantec Qualified Persons (Derek Loveday, P.Geo. and Mariea Kartick, P.Geo.), have direct experience in lithium clay exploration projects in Nevada. Derek Loveday was the Qualified Person for the American Lithium Corp. TLC Lithium Project Technical Report. To view the 43-101 Technical Report click here. James Nelson, President of Spearmint Resources, stated, "We are very pleased to have increased our mineral resource estimate by more than double that of our maiden resource estimate. We foresee continued consolidation within the lithium space and this updated report adds significant value to Spearmint. Our goal is to develop this deposit with the hope to secure a domestic source of lithium right in the heart of the Clayton Valley, Nevada, one of the top lithium districts in the world. The four holes drilled in 2022 allowed us to significantly expand the resource to the west and based on this report, further potential increases to this resource estimate are possible. Lithium prices and demand remain near all-time highs, up over 900 percent since the start of 2021. In addition, announced on March 31, 2022, President Joe Biden enacted the Defense Production Act to increase domestic production of strategic and critical materials, such as lithium and cobalt, needed to build batteries for electric vehicles and other types of energy technologies. This could provide a major catalyst and sector momentum for developing domestic sources of battery metals." Story continues Clayton Valley Ownership Map To view an enhanced version of this map, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/4360/128125_99e1bfaeb4d85bdb_002full.jpg Spearmint's McGee Lithium Clay Deposit is located 55 kilometres (34 miles) west of the town of Tonopah. The Deposit is accessed off paved State Highway 265, which terminates at the Silver Peak Mine, and then by well-maintained county gravel roads. The Deposit consists of 26 contiguous unpatented placer claims that span from McGee 30 to McGee 55 and cover 890 acres (~360 hectares). Exploration drilling in the Deposit has identified three main geological units, a zone of mixed sediments (tuffaceous mudstone) overlying a green clay that in turn overlies a brown sandstone. The mixed sediments gradationally overly the green clays and are positively weathering relative to the green clay below. Lithium mineralization is present in the green clays with some, though minor, elevated lithium concentrations in the mixed sediments above. Lithium mineralization at depth is limited to the green clay-brown sandstone contact that ranges from near surface to maximum depth of approximately 900 ft (274 m) below surface. The dimensions of the mineralized claystone on the Deposit have expanded significantly with the inclusion of four new drillholes in 2022 since the prior Loveday and Turner (2021) Technical Report. Mineralize claystone aerial footprint has expanded from 0.87 to 1.22 square miles (2.2 to 3.16 km2). This increase is the result of the placement of four new drillholes in the west of the Property in 2022 that sampled lithium claystone in a region previously interpreted as not containing lithium mineralization due to lack of supporting data. The geologic model from which lithium resources are reported is an update of the 3D block model originally compiled by Loveday and Turner (2021). The resource estimates are contained within an economic pit shell at constant 45 pit slope to a maximum vertical depth of 885 ft (270 m) below surface using a base case cutoff grade of 300 ppm lithium to produce an eventual battery grade lithium carbonate product. The following costs, recoveries and revenue, in metric units and US$, were used to derive a base case cutoff grade for an eventual lithium carbonate (Li 2 CO 3 ) product: Mining costs US$2.50/tonne; Processing costs US$15/tonne; Processing recovery 80%; and US$14,000/tonne revenue for Li 2 CO 3 product. The lithium mineral resource estimates are presented in Table 25.1 in U.S. customary units and Table 25.2 in metric units. Lithium resources are presented for a range of cutoff grades to a maximum of 900 ppm lithium. The base case lithium resource estimates are highlighted in bold type in Table 25.1 and Table 25.2. All lithium resources on the Deposit are surface mineable at a stripping ratio of 0.30 waste yd3/ton (0.25 m3/tonne) at the base case cutoff grade of 300 ppm lithium. The effective date of the lithium resource estimate is June 8, 2022. The mineral resource estimates represent as an increase from the prior Loveday and Turner (2021) estimates with base case lithium carbonate (Li 2 CO 3 ) equivalent tonnes increasing from 0.815 to 1.369 million tonnes at an Indicated level of assurance. Base case inferred Li 2 CO 3 equivalent tonnes increase from 0.191 to 0.723 million tonnes. The increase is attributed to further expansion of the mineral resource extent to towards the west and improvements in the market price of battery grade Li 2 CO 3 reducing the base case resource cutoff grade from a minimum of 400 ppm Li to 300 ppm Li. Table 25.1 Lithium Resource Estimates - U.S. Customary Units Cutoff Volume Tons Li Tons ('000 st) Li (ppm) (Myd3) (Mst) (ppm) Li Li 2 CO 3 Indicated 300 246 353 803 284 1509 600 206 296 861 255 1355 900 77 111 1,030 114 607 Inferred 300 121 173 865 150 797 600 110 158 898 142 756 900 53 76 1,041 79 420 CIM definitions are followed for classification of Mineral Resource. Mineral Resource surface pit extent has been estimated using a lithium carbonate price of US14,000 US$/tonne and mining cost of US$2.50 per tonne, a lithium recovery of 80%, fixed density of 1.70 g/cm 3 (1.43 tons/yd 3 ). Conversions: 1 metric tonne = 1.102 short tons, metric m 3 = 1.308 yd 3 , Li 2 CO 3 :Li ratio = 5.32. Totals may not represent the sum of the parts due to rounding. The Mineral Resource estimate has been prepared by Derek Loveday, P.Geo. and Mariea Kartick, P.Geo. of Stantec Consulting Services Ltd. in conformity with CIM "Estimation of Mineral Resource and Mineral Reserves Best Practices" guidelines and are reported in accordance with the Canadian Securities Administrators NI 43-101. Mineral resources are not mineral reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability. There is no certainty that any mineral resource will be converted into mineral reserve. Table 25.2 Lithium Resource Estimates - Metric Units Cutoff Volume Tonnes Li Tonnes ('000 t) Li (ppm) (Mm3) (Mt) (ppm) Li Li 2 CO 3 Indicated 300 188 320 803 257 1,369 600 158 268 861 231 1,229 900 59 101 1,030 104 551 Inferred 300 92 157 865 136 723 600 84 143 898 129 686 900 40 69 1,041 72 381 CIM definitions are followed for classification of Mineral Resource. Mineral Resource surface pit extent has been estimated using a lithium carbonate price of US14,000 US$/tonne and mining cost of US$2.50 per tonne, a lithium recovery of 80%, fixed density of 1.70 g/cm 3 (1.43 tons/yd 3 ). Conversions: 1 metric tonne = 1.102 short tons, metric m 3 = 1.308 yd 3 , Li 2 CO 3 :Li ratio = 5.32. Totals may not represent the sum of the parts due to rounding. The Mineral Resource estimate has been prepared by Derek Loveday, P.Geo. and Mariea Kartick, P.Geo. of Stantec Consulting Services Ltd. in conformity with CIM "Estimation of Mineral Resource and Mineral Reserves Best Practices" guidelines and are reported in accordance with the Canadian Securities Administrators NI 43-101. Mineral resources are not mineral reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability. There is no certainty that any mineral resource will be converted into mineral reserve. Qualified Person Mr. Derek Loveday, P.Geo., a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical disclosure contained within this news release. Ms.Mariea Kartick, P.Geo., a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical disclosure contained within this news release. About Spearmint Resources Spearmint's primary projects include three lithium projects in Clayton Valley, Nevada; the 'McGee Lithium Clay Deposit' which has a resource estimate of 1,369,000 indicated tonnes and 723,000 inferred tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) for a total of 2,092,000 tonnes of LCE., directly bordering Pure Energy Minerals & Cypress Development Corp.; the 'Elon Lithium Brine Project' which has access to some of the deepest parts of the only lithium brine basin in production in North America; and the recently acquired 'Green Clay Lithium Project' comprised of 97 contiguous claims totaling approximately 2,000 acres. Spearmint's other primary projects include the 'Goose' Gold project directly bordering New Found Gold Corp. where Spearmint has sampled up to 973 ppb gold, and the Perron-East Gold Project consisting of 5 mineral claim blocks covering 11,608 acres located in the Abitibi greenstone belt of northwestern Quebec in the direct vicinity of Amex Exploration Inc.'s Perron property and past-producing Normetal mine. For a complete list of Spearmint's projects please visit spearmintresources.ca. Management cautions that past results or discoveries on properties in proximity to Spearmint may not necessarily be indicative to the presence of mineralization on the Company's properties. If you would like to be added to Spearmint's news distribution list, please send your email address to info@spearmintresources.ca Contact Information Tel: 1604646-6903 www.spearmintresources.ca "James Nelson" President Spearmint Resources Inc. The CSE has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the content of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/128125 By Rocky Swift TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's yen is at its weakest in decades and inflicting high costs of imported food and fuel on households and businesses, but also proving to be an unexpected tailwind for multinationals such as pharmaceutical giant Takeda. As the Bank of Japan reiterated its commitment to loose monetary policy on Friday, affirming its position as a standalone dove in a global environment of rising inflation, the yen edged back towards the 135.60-per-dollar lows it struck this week. It is down 14% against the U.S. dollar this year. Households have complained of the effect on their wallets. Nearly half of companies that responded to a Tokyo Shoko Research poll this week said the weaker yen would have a negative impact on their businesses. Only 3% said that it would be a good thing. Yet many firms' forecasts for the current fiscal year are based on assumptions the currency will be 15-20 yen stronger against the U.S. dollar than current levels. That means those with a lot of overseas business and lower dollar debt should get a boost to their revenues simply by meeting their existing targets. For Takeda Pharmaceutical Co, Japan's biggest drugmaker, a weaker yen helps because 80% of its sales are overseas, said CFO Costa Saroukos. Takeda had made its projections based on a yen at 119 per dollar. "Assuming FX rates continue where they were in April and May, with the dollar at around 130 yen, we will have high-single-digit percentage upside versus what we've given in our revenue and profit forecasts," Saroukos said this week. Toyota Motor Corp, Panasonic Corp, and Nintendo Co were also conservative, expecting the yen to be at 115 versus the dollar by March 2023. Sony Group Corp has one of the weakest yen projections, 123 per dollar - but that is still far from the current levels, which have not seen since 1998. Nintendo, a Kyoto-based video game maker, released its full-year earnings forecast last month, assuming dollar-yen would be at 115 by March 2023, the end of its fiscal year. President Shuntaro Furakawa told investors at the time that a one-yen shift from that rate would result in a 6.3-billion-yen ($47-million) bump in U.S. revenue alone if sales were flat. Story continues Fujio Mitarai, president of camera maker Canon, said the fall in the currency's value could be "a very big plus" for the company. He made the comment after Canon released forecasts based on an expected rate of 120 yen per dollar. But Mitarai cautioned that this would depend on avoiding extreme increases in component pricing or slowdowns in production. He cited downside risks that were "moving violently and difficult to predict." Some Japanese companies that could benefit from the exchange rate are seeing complications that limit the upside. Koji Shibata, CEO of airline ANA Holdings Inc, said on April 28 that the weak yen was "a great opportunity for visitors to Japan" but called the current limits on foreign-arrivals a "waste". MIXED BLESSING Nintendo makes most of its profit through high-margin software, so it stands to benefit from sales abroad made in comparatively stronger currencies. But other Japanese companies, which rely on their own manufacturing, have to deal with reduced buying power for components and materials due to the weaker yen. And after years of bolstering overseas production and supply chains, many manufacturers now see less benefit from a softer currency than they did years ago. Conveyor-belt sushi restaurant operator Sushiro said last month that its iconic 100 yen plates would come to an end in October after nearly 40 years, a casualty of the weak yen and increasing production costs. Asahi Group Holdings said in April it would raise the price of its market-leading Super Dry canned beer for the first time in 14 years. Competitors Kirin Holdings Co, Suntory Beverage & Food Ltd, and Sapporo Holdings Inc have followed suit in announcing price hikes. Researcher Teikoku Databank said this month that prices on more than 10,000 food items in Japan would rise in 2022. "We import a lot, so the impact of the weakening yen is significant," Toru Sakamoto, managing executive officer of seafood producer Maruha Nichiro Corp, said last month. "Costs are rising due to a shortage of containers and increasing fuel prices. We're doing everything to trim production costs, but at this point, we have no choice but to pass it on through our prices." Tadashi Yanai, Japan's richest person and CEO of Uniqlo parent Fast Retailing Co, believes there is "absolutely no merit" to a weaker yen. "Japan is engaged in the business of importing raw materials from all over the world, processing them, adding value to them, and selling them," he said in April. "In this context, there is no advantage if the value of a country's currency weakens." Takeshi Hashimoto, CEO of transport giant Mitsui OSK Lines, said in April his firm's profits were rising because of the weak yen. "However, I feel that's not our true strength, and I don't think we should be happy or sad that profits are increasing or decreasing because of that." (Editing by Vidya Ranganathan and Bradley Perrett) SIRIUS MANAGEMENT CONSULTING Thailand data center market size was valued at $660 million by 2021 and is expected to reach $1 billion by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 7.7% during 2022-2027. Chicago, June 17, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to Arizton latest research report, Thailand data center market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7.7% during 2021-2027. Digitalization driven by the COVID-19 pandemic, deployment of 5G technology, and the introduction of the Personal Data Protection Law (PDPL) are some factors that will drive the Thailand data center market as it will lead to an increase in the demand for the data center facilities. The Thailand data center market currently includes about 16 unique third-party data center service providers, operating more than 30 facilities. In addition, the country also consists of several on-premises or dedicated data centers owned by local enterprises. Telehouse was among the new entrant in the market. In January 2022, the company announced its plan to build a new data center in Bangkok and is expected to be online by 2023. The facility will span across 97,000 square feet with 9.5 MW of power capacity. Thailand Data Center Market Report Scope Report Attributes Details MARKET SIZE (2027) USD 1.03 Billion MARKET SIZE-AREA (2027) 165.5 thousand sq. Feet MARKET SIZE POWER CAPACITY (2027) 34.8 MW COLOCATION MARKET SIZE (2027) USD 300 Million CAGR (2022-2027) 7.75% BASE YEAR 2021 FORECAST YEAR 2022-2027 MARKET SEGMENT IT Infrastructure, Electrical Infrastructure, Mechanical Infrastructure, General Construction, Tier Standards Click Here to Download the Free Sample Report Key Insights Thailand's data center market to witness investment of over $5 billion during 2022-2027 in IT infrastructure as well as through data center development initiatives. Tencent & Alibaba have already launched Thailand cloud regions, which is likely to be followed by Amazon Web Service (AWS), Microsoft, and Google over the next 5 years. Over 180+ MW of data center capacity is expected to be deployed in Thailand data center during 2022-2027, hyperscale investments a major boost to 9% year-over-year growth. Following, ST Telemedia Global Data Centers, 7 other developers/operators are actively developing or have announced development plans in the Thailand data center market. Colocation service revenue is expected to grow by around 15% from 2021-to 2027. On-premises migration to cloud-based services will play a vital role in the growth of managed colocation as well as hybrid infrastructure services in the market. Over $300 million will be spent on building the core & shell of data centers in Thailand. Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) will witness strong growth in data center development, following Bangkok Metropolitan Region. Story continues The Report Segments Data Center Investment by the Following Areas: IT Infrastructure Servers Storage Systems Network Infrastructure Electrical Infrastructure UPS Systems Generators Switches & Switchgears PDUs Other Electrical Infrastructure Mechanical Infrastructure Cooling Systems Rack Cabinets Other Mechanical Infrastructure General Construction Core & Shell Development Installation & commissioning Services Building & Engineering Design Fire Detection & Suppression Systems Physical Security Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM) Tier Standard Tier I & Tier II Tier III Tier IV In Thailand, retail colocation contributed to around 88% market share in 2021, where wholesale colocation accounted for the remaining 12%. The market includes several on-premises data centers operated by government agencies and other financial and enterprise institutions, migration of workloads by these organization to colocation/cloud will grow the demand in the market. Currently, several SMBs in the market are dependent on managed hosting services/cloud in the region. Enterprises consider data security and hidden cost as major deterrent in preferring a colocation service provider in the market. Also, providing managed services in addition to stand-alone colocation will aid in attracting multiple customers in the market. Thailand market is witnessing multiple new entrants in building and operating data centers, which will decline colocation pricing in Thailand through increasing competition. In addition, existing operators namely, True IDC and INET are also involved in expanding their presence in the market. Major Vendors IT INFRASTRUCTURE PROVIDERS Arista Networks Atos Cisco Systems Dell Technologies Fujitsu HPE Huawei Technologies IBM Inspur Lenovo NetApp DATA CENTER CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTORS & SUB-CONTRACTORS Arup Architects 49 Chaan Finishing Touch Design Studio Meinhardt Group Plan Architect PPS Group QTC Group SUPPORT INFRASTRUCTURE PROVIDERS ABB Airedale International Air Conditioning Caterpillar Cummins Cyber Power Systems Delta Electronics Eaton Fuji Electric HITEC Power Protection KOHLER Legrand Mitsubishi Electric Piller Power Systems Rittal Schneider Electric STULZ Siemens Vertiv DATA CENTER INVESTORS Alibaba Cloud Huawei Technologies Internet Thailand KT Corporation Tencent Cloud True IDC NEW ENTRANTS Chindata Group KT Corporation ST Telemedia Global Data Centres Telehouse Explore our data center knowledge base profile to know more about the industry. Click Here to Download the Free Sample Report Read some of the top-selling reports: About Arizton: Arizton Advisory and Intelligence is an innovation and quality-driven firm, which offers cutting-edge research solutions to clients across the world. We excel in providing comprehensive market intelligence reports and advisory and consulting services. We offer comprehensive market research reports on industries such as consumer goods & retail technology, automotive and mobility, smart tech, healthcare, and life sciences, industrial machinery, chemicals, and materials, IT and media, logistics and packaging. These reports contain detailed industry analysis, market size, share, growth drivers, and trend forecasts. Arizton comprises a team of exuberant and well-experienced analysts who have mastered in generating incisive reports. Our specialist analysts possess exemplary skills in market research. We train our team in advanced research practices, techniques, and ethics to outperform in fabricating impregnable research reports. Click Here to Contact Us Call: +1-312-235-2040 +1 302 469 0707 CONTACT: Arizton Advisory and Intelligence Call: +1-312-235-2040 +1 302 469 0707 Don't miss CoinDesk's Consensus 2022, the must-attend crypto & blockchain festival experience of the year in Austin, TX this June 9-12. Beleaguered cryptocurrency fund Three Arrows Capital (3AC) confirmed Friday it had suffered heavy losses in the recent market downturn and said it had hired legal and financial advisors to figure a way out, according to a WSJ report. We are committed to working things out and finding an equitable solution for all our constituents, 3AC co-founder Kyle Davies told the WSJ. The fund had over $3 billion worth of cryptocurrencies under management as of April. 3AC is exploring options including asset sales and a rescue by another firm and hopes to reach a settlement with creditors, Davies said. 3AC owes at least $6 million to crypto exchange BitMEX, as per a separate report by The Block today. Davies said 3AC invested over $200 million in LUNA tokens as part of a $1 billion raise by the Luna Foundation Guard in February, an amount that is now essentially worthless since the Terra ecosystem imploded in mid-May. The Terra-Luna situation caught us very much off guard, Davies told the WSJ. LUNA lost nearly all of its value over the course of a week, while ecosystem algorithmic stablecoin terraUSD (UST) fell to a few pennies after losing its intended peg with the U.S. dollar. 3AC was additionally known as one of the largest holders of Grayscale Bitcoin Trust (GBTC), an institutional bitcoin product, as well as staked ether (stETH) tokens, both of which have seen steep declines recently (Grayscale and CoinDesk are independent subsidiaries of the Digital Currency Group). Davies added that 3AC was working on quantifying its losses and valuing its illiquid assets, which include many venture-capital investments in crypto startups. ReportLinker Yacht Market Research Report by Type (Flybridge Yacht, Long Range Yacht, and Sport Yacht), Yacht Length, Propulsion, Region (Americas, Asia-Pacific, and Europe, Middle East & Africa) - Global Forecast to 2027 - Cumulative Impact of COVID-19 New York, June 17, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Yacht Market Research Report by Type, Yacht Length, Propulsion, Region - Global Forecast to 2027 - Cumulative Impact of COVID-19" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06287269/?utm_source=GNW The Global Yacht Market size was estimated at USD 9,871.34 million in 2021 and expected to reach USD 10,678.81 million in 2022, and is projected to grow at a CAGR 8.43% to reach USD 16,046.92 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 Yacht to forecast the revenues and analyze the trends in each of the following sub-markets: Based on Type, the market was studied across Flybridge Yacht, Long Range Yacht, Sport Yacht, and Super Yacht. Based on Yacht Length, the market was studied across 20-50 Meters, Above 50 Meters, and Up to 20 Meters. Based on Propulsion, the market was studied across Motor Yacht and Sailing Yacht. 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 Yacht 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 Yacht 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 Yacht Market, including Alexander Marine International Co., Ltd., Azimut Benetti S.p.A., BAGLIETTO S.p.A., Bavaria Yachtbau GmbH, Brunswick Corporation, Cheoy Lee Shipyards Ltd., Damen Shipyards Group, Dyna Craft Ltd., Ferretti S.p.A., Fr. Lurssen Werft GmbH & Co. KG, Heesen Yachts Sales B.V., Horizon Yachts, Inc., Kingship Marine Limited, Overmarine Group S.p.A., Princess Yachts Limited, Sanlorenzo S.p.A., Sunseeker International Ltd., The Italian Sea Group S.p.A., and Viking Yacht Company. The report provides insights on the following pointers: 1. Market Penetration: Provides comprehensive information on the market offered by the key players 2. Market Development: Provides in-depth information about lucrative emerging markets and analyze penetration across mature segments of the markets 3. Market Diversification: Provides detailed information about new product launches, untapped geographies, recent developments, and investments 4. Competitive Assessment & Intelligence: Provides an exhaustive assessment of market shares, strategies, products, certification, regulatory approvals, patent landscape, and manufacturing capabilities of the leading players 5. Product Development & Innovation: Provides intelligent insights on future technologies, R&D activities, and breakthrough product developments The report answers questions such as: 1. What is the market size and forecast of the Global Yacht Market? 2. What are the inhibiting factors and impact of COVID-19 shaping the Global Yacht Market during the forecast period? 3. Which are the products/segments/applications/areas to invest in over the forecast period in the Global Yacht Market? 4. What is the competitive strategic window for opportunities in the Global Yacht Market? 5. What are the technology trends and regulatory frameworks in the Global Yacht Market? 6. What is the market share of the leading vendors in the Global Yacht Market? 7. What modes and strategic moves are considered suitable for entering the Global Yacht Market? Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06287269/?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 MIGRATION should remain a concern for Gov. Glenn Youngkin as Virginias gas prices exceed $5 a gallon and outrageous fees are approved. Numbers recently released by the Virginia Public Access Project on state-to-state migration show more Virginia residents left the commonwealth than settling here between 2015 and 2020. Virginias net population loss was 62,000 people. Dr. Jack Albertine, a longtime Fredericksburg businessman and economist who taught at the University of Mary Washington, attributes part of the migration to Virginias high cost of living, as well as our changing climate. Economic victories for Youngkin like Raytheon Technologies establishing its global headquarters in Arlington may help offset population flight, but any actual personnel increases from this announcement remain futuristic. Albertine suggested higher-paying jobs, especially in Northern Virginia counties, make it difficult for blue collar folks to pay exorbitant costs for homes. The announcement of LEGO bringing 2,000 jobs to Virginia could help counter that. Regarding increased fees, examine the recent action by Staffords Republican-led Board of Supervisors. Despite strenuous opposition from George Washington District Supervisor Tom Coen and GriffisWidewater Supervisor Tinesha Allen, a $25 parking fee for nonresident parking on River Road and nearby river access points by the Historic Port of Falmouth begins as a pilot program next month. Officials indicated the action was intended to address maintenance incurred by communities and visiting tourists leaving considerable trash behind. Its not uncommon to see large numbers of Hispanic and Black families frequent the river region. Will a $25 parking fee be seen as excessive, or as a deterrent to communities with respect to tourism? Unfortunately, it reminds me of the Texas poll tax of my youth, which was designed to prevent Hispanic and Black citizens from gathering to vote. Hopefully, increased fees are not sending the wrong outreach message. Albertine stated Stafford should deal responsibly with the trash problem by the river, but that he was philosophically against increased taxes or fees adversely affecting a specific community by race, ethnicity, or gender. Other factors affecting migration are law enforcement issues. According to the crime report from 2020 by the Virginia State Police, violent crime dropped by 1.9%, but homicides increased by 23.4%. After the 2018 Parkland shooting, Stafford Sheriff David Decatur developed a school safety task force to improve school security. It continues as Decatur has met with everyone from Attorney General Jason Miyares to Congresswoman Abigal Spanberger to discuss common-sense enforcement issues. An FBI expert is scheduled for August training promoting active shooter countermeasures, while Decatur continues to partner with Micah Ministries. Getting a handle on crime is critical. It just takes one unfortunate incident involving law enforcement and a member of a minority community to stigmatize Stafford forever. Albertine and Decatur also agree on the need for more mental health practitioners. At times, local law enforcement spends days in an emergency room dealing with mental health issues. And yes, the Uvalde tragedy again puts gun safety in focus, which should be a key election issue this November, also affecting migration. Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger, the Democratic candidate for the 7th District Race, has supported the need for responsible gun reforms regarding magazine capacity, mental health, and increased background checks. Conservative candidates would be wise to not wait, but join Spanberger to pass common-sense gun safety issues and not bow to uncompromising gun lobbyists regardless who wins in November. Heres an out-of-the-box idea for Youngkin. Consider forming a state civility commission with experts like Albertine. This could go a long way toward coping with vitriol over legislation, law enforcement concerns, and outrageous parking fees by Stafford that affect our migrant community. Daniel P. Cortez is a Stafford resident, presidential appointee, political writer, and broadcaster who serves as the volunteer co-chairman of the Latinos for Youngkin coalition. PLATTSMOUTH Two people who stole more than $50,000 worth of items from three Weeping Water houses were sentenced in district court Monday morning. Red Oak, Iowa, resident Kooper C. Stohlmann, 27, and Omaha resident Quidonnite J. Gill, 29, appeared in Cass County District Court for sentencing hearings. Stohlmann pled no contest and Gill pled guilty to single counts of burglary earlier this spring. Both charges are Class II felonies. Prosecutors agreed to dismiss eight additional felony counts against Stohlmann and five felony charges against Gill as part of plea bargains. They also agreed to recommend probation for both defendants. Prosecutors required Stohlmann to pay restitution upfront before they offered any plea deal. She delivered a check for $50,306.50 to the Cass County Courthouse in early April. Cass County Attorney Colin Palm said Gill and Stohlmann took part in three burglaries in Weeping Water in January 2020. The owners of three homes were family members who went on vacation together out of the country. Palm said Stohlmann bore responsibility for the thefts because of her relationships to the victims. She grew up in Weeping Water and had connections with each of the families. This defendant knew the victims personally and knew that the victims were out of town, Palm said. She took advantage of that. Investigators learned Stohlmann and Gill took items worth approximately $30,000 from one of the homes. These included a large number of rare and valuable coins. The list included a James Polk dollar coin, Indian head pennies, 1908 and 1909 coins, Roman coins and a 1917 dime. Items worth more than $8,500 were taken from a second house. These included a Mothers Day ring, diamond earrings and cash. Authorities found a broken door handle on a lower-screen door in the rear of the third home. A bracelet, watch, video game system and multiple video games were stolen. There was also an estimated $4,000 worth of damages to the outside of the house. Cass County Sheriffs Office investigators interviewed a relative of Stohlmann soon after learning about the burglaries. They then interviewed her about the crimes. Stohlmann initially denied being at the home where the third burglary took place, but surveillance footage showed otherwise. Authorities obtained a search warrant for Stohlmanns residence in Weeping Water at the time. They found the 1917 dime and James Polk dollar coin hidden under a couch cushion. Palm said they located other evidence that verified she had taken part in the burglaries. Palm asked the court to issue five years of probation to both Gill and Stohlmann. He said lengthy sentences were appropriate due to the nature of the incidents. The victims had their safety and security taken from them in addition to their property, Palm said. It remains a violation today. They just dont feel the same when they leave their homes now. Defense attorney Julie Bear represented Gill at his hearing. She said her client had been working at a bank prior to the robberies, but he has now lost his job and has been having trouble obtaining employment. She said he had fully cooperated with investigators. Defense attorney Michael Bianchi represented Stohlmann at her hearing. He said Stohlmann had her nursing license suspended in both Nebraska and Iowa as a result of the charges. He felt she now recognized the type of negative impact the robberies had on the victims. Judge Michael Smith ordered Gill to serve 24 months on probation and ordered Stohlmann to serve 36 months on probation. Both must complete 80 hours of community service, write letters of apology to the victims and take part in victim impact panels. Both must also pay monthly probation fees, abstain from alcohol and drugs and submit to random drug tests. Stohlmann must also obtain a chemical dependency evaluation within 30 days and follow all of the recommendations. Smith made her probation sentence longer in order for her to meet that requirement. 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. Fire safety isnt just for kids. Its for people of all ages whether youre a teen at college or a nursing home resident. Its amazing the stuff you learn, said Pam Pabian, fire prevention coordinator for the East Central Nebraska Fire Prevention Co-op. On Saturday, the public is invited to a Fire Prevention Fun Day for people of all ages. Activities are set from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Fremont Lakes State Recreation Activity Center, Lake 16, 4349 W. State Lakes Road (go south on County Road 19, off U.S. Highway 30). A valid state park sticker is required to enter the park. A host of activities kids games, demonstrations and firetruck rides are planned and free hamburgers, hot dogs and chips will be served. The Fremont Rural Volunteer Fire Department and East Central Nebraska Fire Prevention Co-op are hosting the annual event. Pabian, a firefighter for the Morse Bluff Rural Volunteer Fire Department, believes the education is important, citing it as a contributing factor to a decrease in fire calls. Kids can go through the smoke trailer, where they can learn to get down low and crawl and find the nearest exit. Smokey the Bear will make an appearance along with Sparky, a Dalmatian pup. A 911 Dispatch representative from Fremont will be onsite to teach kids how to properly use this service to call for help and not to dial it unnecessarily. The Dodge County Sheriffs Department will be on hand. The Nebraska State Patrol will bring its rollover/seatbelt simulator, which shows how a seatbelt works in a vehicle rollover collision. You sit in there and they actually turn these kids upside down, Pabian said. Union Pacific Railroad will teach about crossing safety. A UP representative will stress the importance of staying off railroad tracks and not going around crossing arms. You cannot stand on a railroad track and take a picture going either way, Pabian said. This is a safety risk and is considered trespassing on railroad property. Trespassing onto railroad property, including tracks, bridges, buildings and signal towers is illegal. Along with demonstrations, a variety of kids games will be part of the event. Games include Connect 4, corn hole, Plinko and a fishing game. Firetruck rides will be available. Aerial trucks will spray water for kids to play in, she said. This marks the seventh year for the event. It would have been our eighth, but we couldnt do it during COVID, she said. Pabian encourages the public to attend. If youve ever been to a fire and youre a firefighter and you have to pull somebody out and they havent made it, its pretty devastating, especially when its a child, she said. The event is designed to help people learn how to prevent a fire before it would start. We do other stuff throughout the year, but this is a huge event, she said. The first year, I think we had 150 people. Last year, I think we had 500 people. If we can prevent a tragedy before it happens, thats exactly what our program is all about. 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. Do you like political thrillers? Stories with intrigue, backdoor, bad boy politics and, of course, some heroes? Then look no further than the story of Esther in the Bible. No, Im not kidding. Far from just a story about a woman who becomes a queen, this is a true-life account of someone who bravely faced death and ended up saving lots of people. The story found in the Old Testament begins when King Xerxes of Persia throws a big, expensive banquet and his Queen Vashti is a no-show. A furious King Xerxes consults his noblemen who figure if Vashti can get away with such conduct, their wives wont pay them much respect either. At that, the enraged king deposes Vashti. Now, hes queen-less, so Xerxes follows his personal attendants advice to: Gather beautiful young women from throughout the empire into a harem and pick a new queen from among them. May I say this was a terrible idea taking women away from their homes? They can forget marrying the cute guy next door and having a normal life. They are property of the king. After their year of beauty treatments, theyll go to him. If he likes them, hell call them back. If not, theyll never hear from him again and I seriously doubt that gave them a free pass to go home. Into all this comes a beautiful, young Jewish woman named Hadassah, whos been raised by her cousin, Mordecai, ever since her parents deaths. Hadassah, known as Esther, is taken into the kings harem, where she wins everyones favor. She becomes the kings favorite and he makes her the queen. Mordecai, whos been keeping tabs on Esther, has told her not to reveal her nationality. So she doesnt. Meanwhile, the story takes an unexpected twist when Mordecai, who spends lots of time at the kings gate, learns that two guards plan to assassinate their ruler. Mordecai tells Esther. She reports it to the king, giving credit to Mordecai. When its discovered the plot is true, the guards are executed. Sometime later, the king elevates a man, named Haman, above the other nobles. Everybody except the king and Mordecai bows to Haman. Haman is furious with Mordecai (are you picking up an anger theme here?) and plans to kill him and every other Jewish person, young and old, in Persia. Its dirty politics at its worst when evil Haman tricks the king into letting him annihilate a certain unnamed group of people. Mordecai sends word to Esther, who assumes she cant help. After all, nobody can approach the king in the inner court without being summoned first. If they do, theyll be executed unless he extends his gold scepter, sparing their lives. The king hasnt called for Esther in 30 days. And its not like she has Twitter. Or a phone to send a text. That said, Mordecai doesnt need a text or a Tweet to get his stern message across. He tells Esther not to think shell be spared, just because shes in the kings house. If she stays silent, the Jewish people will be delivered in another way. But you and your fathers family will perish, Mordecai says, And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this? Esther tells Mordecai to have everyone fast. Shell do the same and then go to the king even though its against the law. And if I perish, I perish, she says. After three days, Esther dresses in her business suit (her royal robes) and heads out. The king is pleased when he sees Esther and holds out his gold scepter. When he asks what she wants, Esther invites the king and Haman to a banquet. Why didnt she immediately tell the king what was wrong? Well, I think if shed blurted out the whole mess to the clueless king, he probably would have looked stupid in front of all his nobles. And the hot-tempered king probably would have been infuriated. Instead, he accepts Esthers request and attends the banquet, where he again asks what she wants. Guess what? She wants a second banquet with the king and Haman. Hamans pretty puffed up about all these exclusive banquets, then he angrily spots a non-bowing Mordecai again. Haman plans a gruesome death for Mordecai. Funny thing, God has a way of working behind the scenes. Its no coincidence that the king cant sleep one night and has his book of records read to him. Aww. He wants a bedtime story. Anyway, he re-hears the account of how Mordecai foiled that assassination plot against him years earlier. To make a long story short, Haman must put Mordecai on a horse and lead him around the city to be honored. Haman then goes to the second banquet. This time, when the king asks what she wants, Esther asks him to spare her life and the lives of her people who are set for extermination. The king is enraged and wants to know who would try to do this. The moment of truth arrives. An adversary and enemy! This vile Haman! Esther says. Well, thats the end of Haman, who dies by the gruesome method hed planned for Mordecai. The king gives Hamans estate to Esther, who brings in Mordecai and explains how hes related to her. King Xerxes issues a new edict that the Jewish people can defend themselves against anybody whod attack them and the Jews destroy multiple enemies. Mordecai becomes second in command under the king and works for the good of the Jewish people. So all intrigue and story twists aside, what do we learn from Esther? My thoughts include: Face fear. Esther knew she could have died when she went to see the king, but she faced her worst fear and saved her people. Take a stand. Sometimes, we must take a stand even if were the only one doing so. Be brave. Its not easy, but we can be courageous, too, as we trust and depend on God. Enlist others. Esther asked Mordecai to have everyone fast. She fasted, too. And although the Bible doesnt say, Ill bet she prayed a lot. Timing is important. Its hard not to blurt out a problem, but it pays to wait for the right time. (Thats been a difficult one for me). Know that God works behind the scenes even when we dont think anything is happening. My former pastor, Mike Washburn, used to say: Gods always got something up his sleeve and hes got a really big sleeve! Trust God. God can bring good out of even bad situations. Esther didnt get to marry a nice Jewish man and raise a family with him. Surely, that was sad for Esther and Mordecai, but they did the best with what they had and did great things for others. Our God is full of surprises. He has good plans for those who love him and perhaps thats one of the most thrilling things of all. Tammy Real-McKeighan is news editor of the Fremont Tribune. She writes a weekly spiritual column. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 By Azernews By Sabina Mammadli US Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Karen Donfried has sounded her countrys readiness to be conducive to achieving peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia, Azernews reports. The remarks were made during a briefing on June 16 in Baku. The US does see this window of opportunities that is open for Azerbaijan, for Armenia to pursue a comprehensive peace settlement and we want to be helpful in that. We also see the EU playing an important helpful role in furthering the peace process. My visit is a symbol of increased engagement with Azerbaijan. It is an important moment for us to understand how we can support the process of peace here in the South Caucasus, she said. Talking about the post-war period, the US Assistant Secretary stressed that it is a moment to pursue peace in South Caucasus. Moreover, Donfried noted that although there is a tremendous opportunity to pursue peace here, she said "I also worry about windows of opportunity closing". So I also feel an urgency about this moment. Thats why the US is saying to both sides that we want to be helpful. We can help move the process forward, she added. According to her, one of the elements of achieving peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia is the opening of transit and communication links. She noted that this conversation came up during her visit to Azerbaijan and expressed that the US could be helpful in this regard. I think it is a key part of this peace process and we certainly are hopeful that both countries will be able to move forward, she said. Noting that the deepening of cooperation in the South Caucasus will unleash powerful regional integration, the official emphasized that the moment is here and help is present from the US, as well as the EU. Peace is hard. There has been conflict in this region for a long time. I went to the Alley of Martyrs this morning to pay tribute to Azerbaijanis, who died over this period of time. I think because peace is hard, it is good to have help, she noted. Further, Donfried pointed out that the US, the Joe Biden administration, is committed to working with Azerbaijan, Armenia, and also with Georgia to see how they can help encourage peace and regional integration. Noting that it is her first visit to Azerbaijan, she noted that in terms of the substance of the visit, this is the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the US and Azerbaijan. "I would say that there is no greater supporter of independence and democracy here in Azerbaijan than the US. We work together on the economy, energy, and security, and we focus on human rights. I do believe that there is a unique moment right now, there is positive momentum for peace in the South Caucasus, she said. Additionally, the assistant secretary noted that Azerbaijan is playing an even more critical role today in energy security. The cooperation between our two countries on the energy front is something we celebrate. The US has engaged very deeply with Azerbaijan and also helping you to develop remarkable resources. Azerbaijan is playing an even more critical role today on energy security, she said. Later, the official thanked Azerbaijan for partnership in Afghanistan I do want to give very sincere thanks to Azerbaijanis for their partnership with the US in Afghanistan. We withdrew from Afghanistan last August. It was a very painful one. Azerbaijan stayed with the US until the very end. That did not go unnoticed and it is very much appreciated, she said. Dear Reader, Welcome to Gandhara's weekly newsletter. This briefing brings you the best of our reporting from Afghanistan and Pakistan. If youre new to the newsletter or havent subscribed yet, you can do so here. This week's Gandhara Briefing brings you insights into the black market for Pakistani visas in Afghanistan, the Taliban imposing higher taxes on Afghans, and the Taliban ordering Afghan bodybuilders to cover up. Black Market For Pakistani Visas Radio Mashaal and Radio Azadi report on the thriving black market for Pakistani visas in Afghanistan, which can cost up to $1,000. The exorbitant prices line the pockets of corrupt Pakistani officials and their Afghan go-betweens. There is no shortage of Afghans willing to do whatever it takes to flee Taliban persecution and the economic meltdown in their homeland. "People can get a monthlong visa by paying $300, a five-month visa for $500, and $700 for a yearlong visa," said Farhad Salehi, a resident of Herat who has already spent $500 in bribes without success. Pakistani officials have clamped down on corruption and fired 12 embassy staff during the past three months. A senior embassy official told us that the employees were sacked after a "thorough investigation" that established that they were "minting money from Afghans." Islamabad has also unveiled a new visa policy, making it easier for Afghans seeking asylum in Western counties to transit through Pakistan. Rising Taliban Taxes Radio Azadi reports on how the Taliban is hiking taxes on Afghans to fund its $2.6 billion annual budget. That is despite many Afghans struggling to make ends meet amid an economic crisis that has disrupted basic services, left them with rising costs and dim employment prospects, and battered the health and financial sectors. Afghans can expect to pay more taxes on everything from moving goods on highways to hanging signs in storefronts. But the Taliban government's lack of transparency and the loss of essential services makes it difficult to see what citizens are getting in return. "We need to know better what the [Taliban-led] government plans to spend on," said William Byrd, an economist at the United States Institute of Peace. "The key thing about the whole budget is there needs to be transparency." Afghan Bodybuilders Told To Cover Up Radio Azadi reports on the Taliban ordering Afghan bodybuilders to cover up during training and competitions. The order by the Talibans Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice is the latest attempt by the militant group to police the appearance of Afghan men and women in public. The restriction on bodybuilders has been criticized by athletes. "The Taliban order has no religious justification, but it creates many problems for us," said Mohammad, an aspiring bodybuilder. While the Taliban has effectively banned all women's sports, bodybuilding is the first male sport the hard-line Islamists have sought to regulate. Rising Crime In Kabul Radio Azadi reports on rising crime in Kabul, where some residents say they remain at home after dark to avoid thieves. The claims have punctured the Talibans narrative that it has established security in Afghanistan since seizing power in August. "The criminals can get you anywhere after sunset. They will rob you of money and your mobile phone. They will also beat you," said Abdul Majid, a laborer in Kabul's Ahmad Shah Baba neighborhood, who was robbed last week. U.S. Watchdog Cautions Over UN Cash In an interview with Radio Azadi, John Sopko, the U.S. special inspector-general for Afghanistan reconstruction (SIGAR), expressed concerns that money sent by the United Nations to Afghanistan for humanitarian and economic aid will end up in the hands of the Taliban-led government. In late April, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told journalists that the UN had flown $500 million in cash into Afghanistan. "We have been talking to the UN officials about how they are safeguarding [those] funds," he said in the interview. "We have had discussions on best practices for protecting it.... We are hoping it's protected, but its more difficult to ensure that, since we at SIGAR have no presence in Afghanistan." The United States and other foreign donors have continued to withhold most of their financial assistance to Afghanistan, fearing that if the Taliban was to receive those funds, it would reward and legitimize a regime that took power by force and has committed gross human rights violations. I hope you found this weeks newsletter useful, and I encourage you to forward it to your colleagues. If you havent subscribed yet, you can do so here. I encourage you to visit our website and follow us on Twitter and Facebook. Yours, Abubakar Siddique Twitter: @sid_abu Wet your whistle and get a taste of the Old West at one of these five historic bars in Colorado. A bat recovered from a home in Fountain Valley has tested positive for rabies, according to a release from El Paso County Public Health. This is the first case of rabies reported in a bat in the county this year. Rabies tends to be more common in the spring and summer months, said Dr. Chris Urbina, medical director of El Paso County Public Health. Public health officials are encouraging residents to keep their pets up to date on rabies vaccinations and avoid wild animals. Recommendations also include keeping pets inside overnight and leashed or inside a fenced-in area during the day. Rabies is spread primarily through animal bites via infected saliva. It is a viral disease that impacts the brain and central nervous system, causing brain damage and ultimately death. Preventive medicine is available for people known or suspected to have come in contact with a rabid animal, the release said. Immediate medical attention is crucial, as rabies is fatal once symptoms develop. If you or your pet are exposed to rabies, seek medical care and contact El Paso County Public Health at 719-578-3220. Also contact EPCPH if you find a bat in your home. Your morning rundown of the latest news from Colorado Springs and around the country Sign Up View all of our newsletters. Vietnamese, Chinese airlines allowed to operate two flights per week The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) has agreed to allow airlines of Vietnam and China to operate two flights per week, instead of only one flight per week as before, the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) said on June 16. A plane of Vietnam Airlines (Photo: Vietnam Airlines) The move showed the effective COVID-19 prevention and control of the two countries, and the recovery of the Chinese aviation market - an important market of Vietnamese airlines, CAAV said. Statistics of CAAV showed that Vietnam has so far restored flights to more than 20 countries and territories such as Japan, the Republic of Korea, China, Taiwan (China), Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia, Hong Kong (China), the Philippines, Laos, Qatar, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), France, Germany, the UK, Russia, Australia, and the US. The number of domestic passengers is expected to reach close to the level of 2019 by the end of 2022, a representative of CAAV said. According to analysis by Airbus in collaboration with the International Air Transport Association (IATA) based on the statistical results of flight numbers from flightrada 24 and Airbus estimate, Vietnam's domestic aviation market recovered at the fastest pace in the world, with a growth rate of 123 percent over the same period in 2019. ACCV forecast that airports across the country will serve about 87.8 million passengers in 2022, including about 5 million foreign arrivals, up 190 percent and 844 percent respectively compared to 2021./. By Azernews By Sabina Mammadli French-based ethnic Armenians attacked the Cultural Centre of the Azerbaijani Embassy in Paris during the screening of a film about Karabakh prepared by the French ERE TV channel with the organizational support of the Azerbaijani Embassy in France as part of the 'Year of Shusha' on June 16, Azernews reports. According to the information, Aytan Muradova, vice-president of the Association Dialogue of France-Azerbaijan, was injured during the attack. The embassy reported that the film shooting took place in January 2022 during the French TV representatives' visit to the Azerbaijani liberated territories, organized by the embassy. "During the screening of the film, representatives of the Armenian diaspora in France, as well as a group of members of the Armenian FRA Nor Seround Youth Federation, known for its provocative activities, shouted provocative slogans, such as 'Shusha is not Azerbaijan', 'Karabakh is ours', in front of the building, and also tried to damage it, doing all of that trying to prevent the screening," said the embassy. To restore order the police had to be called. Despite the attempts to disturb the screening, the 'The Path leading to Karabakh' film was premiered. It will be streamed on the ERE TV channel at the end of June 2022. Federal Police officers carry a coffin containing human remains after a suspect confessed to killing British journalist Dom Phillips and Brazilian indigenous expert Bruno Pereira and led police to the location of remains, at the headquarters of the Federal Police, in Brasilia, Brazil, June 16, 2022. REUTERS/Ueslei Marcelino By Trend UK Defense Secretary Ben Wallace will visit visit Turkiye, Trend reports citing Euronews. According to the report, during the visit, the minister plans to discuss Syria, the applications of Sweden and Finland to join NATO, as well as grain exports from Ukraine. According to the minister, UK sees Turkiye as a possible guarantor of any deal for shipping channels to get grains out of Odesa. On Swedens and Finlands NATO application, Wallace said it was important to listen to Turkiyes concerns. By Trend The Biden administration is expected to announce on Wednesday an additional $1 billion in military aid to Ukraine, according to a US official, Trend reports citing CNN. The package is expected to include shipments of additional howitzers, ammunition and coastal defense systems. Speaking in Brussels, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said the US and Ukraine are "working in lockstep to meet Ukraine's requests for new capabilities, especially its need for long-range fires, armor and coastal defense." The latest weapons package comes as Ukraine's military is burning through its Soviet-era ammunition, while Ukrainian officials have pleaded with the West to send additional heavy weaponry. The package is expected to include weapons and supplies that can be quickly shipped from existing US stockpiles as well as issuing new contracts for long term supplies for Ukraine. The Stockman House will celebrate 30 years of being open to the public on Saturday. The Stockman House, designed by the well-known architect Frank Lloyd Wright, was moved to its current location 33 years ago. River City Society for Historic Preservation has worked by donation and grant money to restore the Stockman House to its original state by a series of photos taken of the home in 1911. "Saving the house created a domino effect of preservation (in Mason City)" said docent and Chair of the Education Committee Joanne Hardinger. Hardinger retired back in 2009, and found herself looking for ways to help the community. After a few years spent as a tour guide in the Historic Park Inn as it was being restored, Hardinger moved to the Stockman House and never looked back. "My background in art connected with me" Hardinger said about the Stockman House. She credits her background to falling in love with the property. As she learned about the home, Prairie-style architecture, Frank Lloyd Wright, Dr. McCoy and the history of Mason City, Hardinger became passionate about the space. The house, which averages 4,000 visitors each year, was designed to be an open, private home. The cube-shaped home replicates sacred geometry throughout with perfect lines throughout the space, large windows set to allow natural light in and keep nosy neighbors out, a back porch and flower boxes surrounding the home. "Wright firmly believed that one's health and wholeness depended on a connection with nature" said Hardinger. Wright designed this small family home with this in mind, from shapes matching the geometry of nature, to an open space matching the prairie that surrounded the house, Wright spared no detail in the Stockman House's creation. "It's classic, it's symmetrical, it's balanced, there's so much harmony in the structure," Hardinger said of the home, "the feeling inside is what I think has been preserved in its authenticity for these last 30 years." The Stockman House is celebrating its 30th anniversary from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. on Saturday with activities suitable for all ages. The new Gallery Exhibit, "Building the Prairie", will be open for public viewing, as well as new landscaping around the McCoy Architectural Interpretive Center, where tea and other refreshments will be served. A showing of the Moving of the Stockman House from 1989 will be shown throughout the day in the Interpretive Center, and house tours will be available. A rare collection of authentic Japanese woodblock prints have been hung in the Interpretive Center as well, so visitors can see Wright's inspiration for themselves. Wright's connection with Japanese culture can also be experienced through an origami station, where visitors can make cubes-- the same geometrical shape as the Stockman House. Children can also find connections to the Stockman House at Prairie Park. Prairie Park holds pieces of Prairie architecture throughout the park, and Hardinger hid 30 small red cubes throughout the playground for children to find and bring to the Stockman House to claim a prize. At 3 p.m. on Saturday there will be a 30 question Trivia Contest, with prizes for the winners. This special anniversary celebration The functionality and efficiency of the Stockman House is an aspect of homebuilding that is becoming increasingly important today, and the preservation of homes like this is important to learn from. "We have preserved the past but we have inspired the future." Hardinger smiled. Rae Burnette is a GA and Crime & Courts Reporter at the Globe Gazette. You can reach her by phone at 641.421.0523 or at Rae.Burnette@GlobeGazette.com Love 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. They took photo No. 9 on Wednesday, 40 years after they shot the first in 1982 at a prefabricated cabin at Copco Lake along the California-Oregon border. Their tradition went viral 10 years ago -- and again in 2017 -- when CNN.com published their story and photos. Some of the guys openly feared it could be a photo of four friends this year instead of the five first pictured as teenagers. "I was crushed," said John Dickson, who lives in Santa Barbara where the friends first met. "We worried there would be an empty spot on the bench where we take the picture." Dallas Burney, seated in the middle of the series of photos that replicate the poses of the very first shot, told CNN he had a large cancerous tumor removed from his left leg in 2019. "My cancer -- liposarcoma, I knew something was wrong for many months," said the elementary school teacher. "I was out of school for five months. I can't run anymore, but I sure can walk." Burney walked with ease around Copco Lake on Tuesday evening with Dickson, Mark Rumer-Cleary, Jon Molony and their host, John "Wedge" Wardlaw. They had not all been together since the last photo in 2017. Burney's cancer and the pandemic made reunions difficult. But first, food So they gathered the night before the photo was taken for their other five-year tradition -- feasting on "Wedge" tacos. Wardlaw stuffs meat into hard taco shells and pan fries them so hot, he wears a glove and safety glasses to protect against spatter. The jokes flew. "Salt is the main ingredient," laughed Wardlaw. "We'll all be drinking water at midnight," said Molony. "And #@$! the cardiologist," quipped Rumer-Cleary. Two of the friends with a window view rose out of their seats. "Bald eagle," they exclaimed. The majestic bird, with its trademark white head, looped above the cabin, as if to lend the scene pomp and circumstance. Other animal sightings on Tuesday included a bobcat, deer and cattle. The friends, often talking in quick bursts over each other, pointed out Oregon was across the lake. 40 years of tradition By midday Wednesday, it was time for the main event. They took the latest picture on a 79-degree day worthy of a travel brochure cover. The fivesome dickered over their posture and froze as the photos clicked off on a Nikon D800 camera. They were seated in the same order and in the same poses as they've been striking since 1982. A hat always rests on Rumer-Cleary's lap or knee. Molony holds up a jar in his right hand. Burney's right hand rests inside his right knee. "It's nice to get back here and know that the cancer was not going to eliminate what we're doing," said Burney. It's about friendship. The close bonds exhibited in the last photo, in 2017, once again brought a frenzy of interest to the laid-back quintet. The five guys told CNN they ended up in a German museum exhibit on friendship. Their photo was displayed in Costco's magazine. Once again, their images went viral, spinning around social media sites where their appearance was both mercilessly dissected and praised. "There are some dumb quotes you can never put in any articles," said Wardlaw. "There were responses to (three of us) going shirtless. Some said we looked pretty good, and it was brave after 50." Four of the friends are 59 years old. Rumer-Cleary is 58. Rumer-Cleary called the attention the photos have generated surreal and says at times, strangers will stop him. "It's happened to me for a couple reasons," said the software engineer who founded Occam Networks. "I'm 6-foot-6 and I have facial hair. They won't pick it out right off the bat. 'You look familiar, I can't tell why.'" Way back in the beginning The five friends, all graduates of Santa Barbara High School, took the first photo in the now-familiar pose in their late teens with an automatic camera timer in 1982. Their reunions take place at the Copco Lake cabin built by Wardlaw's grandfather in 1970. They've fished, hiked, barbecued, picked berries for homemade pies and pranked each other over the years. Molony described late night knocks on walls, firecrackers tossed into a bedroom in retaliation and relentless teasing. Dickson confessed he nicknamed Wardlaw "Wedge" because of his definition of the shape of his friend's head after a haircut. "I hated the nickname," Wardlaw said. "So, it stuck." Dickson is the only one who still lives in Santa Barbara, where he runs a tourism website SantaBarbara.com. Molony is a New Orleans-based photographer. Rumer-Cleary is retired and lives in Portland, Oregon. Wardlaw is a filmmaker and photographer who lives in Bend, Oregon. Burney, an Air Force veteran, enters his 23rd year of teaching in the fall in Northern California. The cancer survivor does not worry about the future of the photo and his health. "But I do have trepidation over sitting on that railing," Burney said. "As we age, so does the railing. We get a little older, heavier. That bench and railing sits about 30 feet up. I'm worried one day about hearing it crack." Such talk led to gallows humor and Burney showing a picture of the tumor pulled from his leg, "It looks like a tri-tip," Burney chuckled, referring to the triangular-shaped cut of meat popularized in Santa Barbara County. The friends all smiled and almost in a chorus said, "Well, it does." After four decades of jokes and friendship, it's only fitting that they made fun of the tumor that almost ruined their photo tradition. The-CNN-Wire & 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 DES MOINES Unemployed workers in Iowa will be eligible to receive state unemployment benefits for 10 fewer weeks under legislation signed into law Thursday by Gov. Kim Reynolds. The new law reduces the length of state unemployment benefits from 26 weeks to 16. Iowa becomes just the fourth state with 16 weeks or fewer of state unemployment benefits. It was one of three workforce-related bills that Reynolds signed into law Thursday. Reynolds in a news release said the new laws modernize Iowas unemployment system and will attract new workers to Iowa businesses. Its no secret that Iowa, like the rest of the country, is facing a critical workforce shortage. But we cannot stand idle and allow employable Iowans to sit on the sidelines and we must implement practical and efficient changes that cut through bureaucratic red tape and assist employers with filling their critical vacancies, Reynolds said in the news release. Im confident these changes will encourage more Iowans to join the workforce and find a rewarding career while contributing to our economy. The new law also changes the requirements for taking a job that pays less than the unemployed Iowans previous job. Previously, a person receiving unemployment benefits had six weeks before having to accept a lower-paying job. The new law shortens that time frame. After one week, a person on unemployment will have to accept a job offering 90 percent of that persons previous wages. That threshold would drop to 80 percent after three weeks, 75 percent after five weeks, and 60 percent after eight weeks. The legislation, House File 2355, passed the Iowa Legislature with only Republican support. The progressive advocacy group Progress Iowa issued a statement Thursday critical of the reduction in unemployment benefits, saying it will hurt laid-off workers, suppress wages and make Iowa an unwelcoming state. As Iowans, we value hard work and know good paying jobs help Iowa grow. But now, Iowa Republicans are doing all they can to force workers to take jobs that dont pay enough, Progress Iowa executive director Matt Sinovic said in a news release. We know that taking away our hard-earned benefits wont solve the Reynolds workforce crisis. We need our lawmakers to invest in working families and make corporations pay what they owe. Child care workers Reynolds on Thursday also signed into law legislation that allows 16- and 17-year-olds to work unsupervised at child care centers. The new law also allows child care centers to operate with one worker for every seven 2-year-olds and one worker for every 10 3-year-olds. Supporters of the new law have said it will help with shortages of staffing and available slots at child care centers. Critics have said it does not go far enough to properly address those issues, and note that it does not contain any provision that would help address child care workers low wages or funding designed to entice the creation of more child care centers. House File 2198 passed the Iowa Legislature largely along party lines, with Republicans supporting and Democrats opposing. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 By Trend US President Joe Biden will host a virtual summit with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Israel Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan during his visit to West Asia from July 13 to 16, Trend reports citing The Indian Express. A senior US administration official told reporters in a background call Tuesday that the new grouping will be called I2U2 - I for India and Israel and U for the US and UAE. In October 2021, a meeting of the foreign ministers of the four countries took place when External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar was visiting Israel. At that time, it was called the International Forum for Economic Cooperation. This time, the meeting will take place at the level of heads of government/state - an upgrade. The US official, while briefing on Bidens visit to Israel, Palestine and Saudi Arabia next month, said, The visit will also focus on Israels increasing integration into the region, both through the Abraham Accords with UAE, Morocco and Bahrain; through deepening ties between Israel, Jordan and Egypt; and also an entirely new grouping of partners including Israel, India, UAE and the United States - what we call I2U2. We consider these initiatives central to our strategy of empowering partners and encouraging them to work more closely together, which will lead to a more stable region and also to Israels security and prosperity over the longer term. Secretary Blinken, just last month in the Negev in southern Israel, met with counterparts from Abraham Accord partners UAE, Bahrain and Morocco, together with Jordan and Egypt, highlighting these deepening regional partnerships, the official said. Importantly, some of these new partnerships reach beyond the Middle East, and in this regard, the President will hold a virtual summit with the I2U2 heads of state for discussions of the food security crisis and other areas of cooperation across hemispheres where UAE and Israel serve as important innovation hubs, the official said. The President looks forward to this unique engagement with Prime Minister Bennett of Israel, Prime Minister Modi of India and President Mohammed bin Zayed of the UAE, the official said. 5:45 p.m. update: Powerful winds associated with a line of storms plowed across Southside Virginia on Friday afternoon, taking down trees and leading to widespread power outages. At 5:40 p.m., an online outage tracker reported about 10,000 customers with Danville Utilities were without electricity with 93 active outages. "We have many outages reported across the service territory due to this afternoons wind/rain storm," officials with Danville Utilities wrote in a Facebook post Friday evening." "There are reports of more trees down and broken poles." Crews with the utility were out looking over the damage. Officials did not immediately have an estimate on when power would be restored. In Pittsylvania County, a tree fell on a house on Old Richmond Road, an area near Blairs, the weather service reported. A severe thunderstorm warning was issued for Danville and Pittsylvania County mainly because of the threat of wind gusts of 60 mph from a line of storms. If you have photos of storm damage, email to cwilborn@registerbee.com. 4:45 p.m. update: Danville and Pittsylvania County are under a severe thunderstorm warning until 6 p.m. At about 4:30 p.m., storms were located along a line extending from near Rocky Mount to Wilkesboro, North Carolina, moving southeast at 50 mph, the National Weather Service in Blacksburg said in the warning. Also, more thunderstorms were developing ahead of this line near Wentworth and Yadkinville, North Carolina. Wind gusts of up to 60 mph and quarter-size hail are possible with the storms. "Hail damage to vehicles is expected," the warning stated. "Expect wind damage to roofs, siding, and trees." 3:45 p.m. update: The Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma, has placed Danville and Pittsylvania County along with most of Virginia and North Carolina under a severe thunderstorm watch until 8 p.m. The center also has increased the risk for severe weather from slight to enhanced, moving from a level two to level three in its threat scale. A mesoscale convective system basically a complex of storms on a large scale is ahead of a cold front that's set to move through the region later this evening. The largest threat will be damaging winds, forecasters wrote in an afternoon discussion. Original story: Ahead of a seasonable and dry weekend, another powerful punch by severe weather is possible Friday in the Dan River Region. On Thursday, storms brought down trees in Danville and Pittsylvania County triggering power outages. About 250 Danville Utilities customers were still without electricity Friday morning as crews contended with tree damage and broken poles. In Danville, a tree crashed into home at about 3:25 p.m. Thursday, the National Weather Service in Blacksburg reported. In another area of the city, a tree hit a vehicle. In the northern part of the county, hail up to the size of quarters pounded Hurt for up to 15 minutes. A cold front moving through will trigger Friday's chance for storms with winds, hail and localized flash flooding, the weather service reports. "Behind the front, high pressure will build across the area providing cooler and less humid weather for the weekend," forecasters wrote in a Friday morning discussion. "Warmer temperatures along with higher humidity levels will return once again early next week." After a quiet morning, storms will fire up by early afternoon. The weather service's Storm Prediction Center places Southside Virginia in a slight risk for severe storms. For the Danville area, the timing will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Rainfall rates of about 1 to 3 inches per hour could cause localized flash flooding, Blacksburg forecasters said. High temperatures are expected to top out in the 90s Friday. Saturday's high is expected to only reach 84 degrees. The Virginia Department of Health is redefining the length of time a COVID-19 infection can be considered recent, diverging from the definition used by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The length of time since infection is important because it factors into whether a person should quarantine after becoming exposed to another with the disease. Quarantining can impact the number of students appearing in school or a day cares ability to remain open. Under the new guidance, a person who contracted COVID-19 in the past six months has a recent infection, State Health Commissioner Colin Greene announced Thursday. The CDC defines a recent infection as one occurring within the past three months. A person vaccinated or having a recent infection doesnt need to quarantine following an exposure. It is time to revisit some of our practices for groups that are at low risk for severe COVID-19 disease, especially those whose side effect is a significant limitation of access to day care, school or work, Greene said. Infections and quarantining caused an increased number of school absences this past winter. In high-risk environments, such as hospitals, long-term care facilities, correctional facilities and homeless shelters, the state health department still advises people to follow the CDCs three-month guideline. Generally, the Virginia Department of Health has followed CDC guidelines for COVID-19. Greene, nominated by Gov. Glenn Youngkin, became the departments leader in January. After assuming office, Youngkin reversed multiple COVID-19 policies made by the previous governor, Ralph Northam, working to make masks optional in schools and making vaccines optional for state employees, college students and most businesses. Its unclear what triggered the change in policy Thursday and why the state is diverging from the CDC. Greene was traveling and unable to answer questions about the announcement, a department spokesperson said. As new variants emerge, experts understanding of reinfection has evolved. Before the omicron variant, reinfection was uncommon. But according to recent studies, reinfection from different omicron subvariants can occur in a few months or a few weeks. Generally, second infections are less severe than first infections. The level of immunity gained by a recent infection is hard to predict, the CDC has said. Patients who were hospitalized with COVID-19 had better immunity than patients with moderate symptoms. There isnt enough data to determine the level of response from mild or asymptomatic cases. The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines generally provide a better initial immune response than previous infection, but vaccine immunity wanes significantly over time, according to a University of Virginia study. Its unclear how much immunity is needed to ward off disease. A combination of vaccination and infection might provide the strongest immunity, experts say. More than 75% of children and 90% of adults have some protection from COVID-19 either from vaccination or previous infection, the CDC estimates. RALEIGH North Carolina education leaders are urging the states two Republican U.S. senators to back bipartisan federal legislation that will allow schools to continue providing free meals to all students. Federal COVID-19 waivers that have allowed U.S. public schools to offer free breakfast and lunch to all students regardless of family income will expire June 30. In joint letters to U.S. Senators Richard Burr and Thom Tillis, State Superintendent Catherine Truitt and State Board of Education chairman Eric Davis urged them to support legislation that would extend the waivers to September 2023. The loss of these waivers will devastate school meal programs and threaten their sustainability, Truitt and Davis wrote in a letter dated June 10. School meals will be jeopardized for thousands of North Carolina students who depend upon them as their primary source of food during the week. While we all want to put the pandemic behind us and resume normal operations, school nutrition programs are not able to return to business as usual for the 2022-23 school year. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has allowed schools to serve free meals to all children since the end of the 2019-20 school year. Senate Bill 3979 the Support Kids not Red Tape Act of 2022 has the support of 52 U.S. Senators to extend the waivers through the 2022-23 school year. But the legislation is stuck in committee. At this months state board meeting, state leaders heard about the challenges school districts are facing from higher costs. Among them: Food costs have risen 25% to 40% in the past 18 to 24 months. Many school districts are raising meal prices to cover costs in whats supposed to be a financially self-supporting program. For instance, the Wake County school system is raising meal prices by 25 cents for next school year. Many households, especially those with multiple children, will not be able to afford that increase in pricing, Lynn Harvey, director of the state Department of Public Instructions school nutrition division, told the state board. Yet theres really no other option for additional funding to keep the program sustainable. Unless the waivers are extended, families will need to apply again to their school to be eligible for free-and-reduced-price meals. Gov. Roy Cooper has proposed $3.9 million in his budget to cover the cost that reduced-price students pay for meals. State education leaders are hoping that the General Assembly, which funded it before, will do so next school year. But Harvey said there are many students from families who dont qualify for subsidized meals who are at risk of going hungry if the waivers arent continued. Shes worried that some families will fall through the cracks. Many households may have to choose between fueling their vehicles to go to work or providing meal money to students, Harvey said. We dont want families to face that hardship. COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) At least four Republican South Carolina House members lost their reelection bids in Tuesday's primaries with a few other facing runoffs or margins so slim they will need recounts. House Education and Public Works Committee Chairwoman Rita Allison lost her race in Spartanburg County. Allison had been in the House for 24 years over two stints, being elected for the second go around in 2008. She was defeated by registered nurse Robert Harris, who said the 2020 election spurred him to enter politics. Also losing his Republican primary Tuesday was former House Ways and Means Committee chairman Brian White. He had represented his Anderson County district since 2000. White was one of the chamber's most powerful members before then-House Speaker Jay Lucas removed him from the budget writing committee in 2019. White was defeated by April Cromer. a businesswoman who supports term limits and open carry of guns. Other House Republicans who lost primaries were Lin Bennett from Charleston, elected in 2016, and Vic Dabney from Camden, elected in 2020. Rep. West Cox from Piedmont also may lose. One of his opponents, Thomas Beach, appears to have received just over 50% of the vote, although the margin to make that threshold was quite thin. Rep. Micah Caskey from West Columbia looks to have defeated his Republican opponent by a very slim margin, while Rep. Neal Collins from Pickens appears to have avoided a runoff by his own slim margin. On the Democratic side, Reps. Cezar McKnight and Roger Kirby appear headed to a runoff after they were put together in the same Williamsburg County district. In Richland County, Rep. Jermaine Johnson appeared to have a small lead over Rep. Wendy Brawley after they were drawn into the same district. But it wasn't clear if Johnson had enough votes to avoid a runoff. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. In 1987, I was in my third year teaching high school history in Concord, Mass. I was not out as a gay man at that time. Back then, only one state (Wisconsin) banned employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. I had already been forced to leave a teaching job before by a homophobic principal. But, as I often tell LGBTQ+ teachers, its a glass closet at best: Kids are smart. They generally figure out who the LGBTQ+ teachers are, whether those teachers publicly acknowledge that fact or not. And, sure enough, one of my students did that fall. Jordan dropped by my office one day and came out to me as gay himself. He proceeded to tell me he was contemplating suicide. Panicked, I suggested we go see a counselor together. Then he spoke words I will never forget: Why shouldnt I kill myself? My life isnt worth saving anyway. All of a sudden, I was back in my own adolescence a decade before, growing up in Forsyth County. Like Jordan, I didnt think my life was worth saving either. I tried to take my own life at age 16. Jordans words cut me to the bone. I promised myself I would do whatever I could to make sure no LGBTQ+ youth felt their life was worthless ever again. I came out to my whole school shortly afterward, helped students create the nations first Gay-Straight Alliance student club, and went on to write the first textbook on LGBTQ+ history for high school students (Becoming Visible) and to serve on the founding organizing committee for LGBTQ+ History Month. Now, however, it looks like we are going backward. When I learned of the North Carolina Senates passage of a dont say gay or trans law, my heart sank. When I was attending public schools here, no one ever said gay or trans except as an epithet. It added to the sense of isolation and hopelessness that caused me to try to take my life in 1980. I know personally the price LGBTQ+ youth pay when schools refuse to even acknowledge their existence. It can cost them their lives. This is not just based on my personal experience: the data are clear. Schools in North Carolina remain highly unsafe for LGBTQ+ students. Nearly three-quarters of North Carolina LGBTQ+ students have experienced some form of harassment at school because of their sexual orientation, and more than half because of their gender expression. This kind of climate contributes to the fact that the CDC found that LGB students in N.C. are twice as likely as heterosexual students to get bullied at school and nearly 50% more likely to skip school because they are unsafe. Unsurprisingly, the CDC also found that LGB students in North Carolina were four times more likely to engage in a serious suicide attempt than heterosexual students. We know that interventions from out LGBTQ+ teachers, curricula that are inclusive of LGBTQ+ topics and supports like GSAs (now commonly known as Gender & Sexuality Alliances) can change school climates for the better. At a time when we should be implementing measures like these, North Carolinas General Assembly is dragging us backward. Lets be clear: This bill has nothing to do with protecting kids. If the General Assembly were truly interested in the well-being of North Carolinas LGBTQ+ students, theyd be supporting more discussion of LGBTQ+ issues in our schools. This is about politics. Its about pandering to peoples basest instincts and prejudices to score political points. The legislators who voted yes on the dont say gay or trans bill should be ashamed of themselves. They are putting the lives of young people at risk to advance their political careers. Its despicable. We should all expect better from our elected officials. Their job is to take care of all North Carolinians. This bill has still not reached Gov. Roy Coopers desk. Thats why its so important for North Carolinians who want our schools to serve all students to stand up and speak out to let our elected leaders know that this is unacceptable. We mustnt let them play politics with kids lives. Kevin Jennings is a Forsyth County native and CEO of Lambda Legal. Ice cream social planned at Senior Center The Senior Advisory of the Helena Senior Center will present an ice cream social on Saturday, June 25, at the Helena Senior Center, 200 S. Cruse Ave., from 1-4 p.m. Build your own ice cream and enjoy. The cost of the social is $5 per person. Ice cream flavors include vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry, with toppings of fudge, caramel, huckleberry, and sprinkles. To register for the social, contact Bill Pena, Senior Center Program Coordinator with the Helena Senior Center, at 406-447-1680, or visit www.rmdc.net. Water sustainability, conservation topic of meeting Water sustainability and conservation in the face of drought is the topic of the next meeting of the League of Women Voters of the Helena Area, noon, Tuesday, June 21, at the Lewis & Clark Library large meeting room, 120 S. Last Chance Gulch. Speakers are Sarah Meloy, Regional Water Planner at DNRC; Ben Rigby, Helena Water Production Superintendent; and Ryan Leland, Helena Public Works Director. The meeting is open to the public and all are welcome. For information, email LWV.Helena@gmail.com. Hawthorne to offer Learn-To-Ride Program Hawthorne Elementary School received a complete Learn-To-Ride Program, including Strider Learn-To-Ride Bikes, helmets, and curriculum from All Kids Bike. This program will help approximately 250 kindergarten students learn to ride over the next five years. The Strider Bikes were delivered to the kindergarten physical education class at Hawthorne Elementary School and will be incorporated into their curriculum during the 2022-2023 school year. All Kids Bike is a national movement on a mission to teach every child in America how to ride a bike in kindergarten PE class. This Kindergarten PE Program includes a proven, integrative curriculum, staff training and certification, the revolutionary, child-friendly Strider Learn-To-Ride Bikes, and helmets. The fleet of dual propulsion Strider Learn-To-Ride Bikes start as balance bikes and convert to pedal bikes. All Kids Bike also offers continued support for each school to ensure everyone involved is successful for five years. To learn more about All Kids Bike, visit www.allkidsbike.org. Red Cross seeks blood donations The American Red Cross urges eligible donors to help end the ongoing critical need for blood with a blood donation. The Red Cross needs donors of all blood types to give now and help ensure lifesaving transfusions are on the sidelines for those who rely on them. Appointments can be made by downloading the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or enabling the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device. Nar-Anon family group meeting The Helena Nar-Anon Family Group, a 12-step program for families and friends of addicts, meets Mondays and Thursdays, 5:30-6:30 p.m. in the Library of St. Pauls Methodist Church, 512 Logan. The library is located on the lower level of the main church building. Please enter using the Cruise Avenue entrance. The group observes COVID-19 protocols required by the church. Student news Jason Mell, of Helena, has been named to the president's honor roll with a 4.0 GPA for the spring 2022 semester at Bismarck State College. Students must maintain at least a 3.50 GPA on a 4.0 scale while enrolled in at least 12 semester hours of classes to qualify for the BSC president's honor roll. *** Brooklyn Fine, of Helena, has been named to the spring 2022 presidents list at Minnesota State College Southeast in Red Wing and Winona, Minnesota. To be eligible for the presidents list, students must complete a minimum of 12 credits at MSC Southeast during an academic term and achieve a GPA of 3.5 or above. *** Lauren Hanson and Ted Van Alstyne, both of Helena, have been named to the dean's list at Augustana University, in Sioux Falls, S.D., for spring semester 2021-22 academic year. The dean's list recognizes full-time students who have a minimum of 12 credit hours with grade-point averages at 3.5 or above (on a 4.0 scale). *** Haley Wright, of Helena, graduated May 22 from Colorado College in Colorado Springs, CO, with a Bachelor of Arts in film and media studies. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The number of Montanans reported as victims of elder abuse increased in 2021 by about 9% from the year before, state and local officials said at a recent news conference. The Department of Public Health and Human Services said that about 4,900 Montanans were victims of elder abuse in 2021, making it the second year in a row when the number of reported victims has increased. In 2020, 4,500 Montanans were victim of elder abuse, an increase at the time of nearly 30% since 2018, officials said. This statistic was highlighted Wednesday during a World Elder Awareness Day event at the Bank of Rockies that was attended by officials from the bank, Commissioner of Securities and Insurance, city of Helena, AARP, DPHHS, Montana Department of Justice, and the Montana Board of Crime Control. Insurance Commissioner Troy Downing announced Wednesday the formation of the Financial Abuse Specialist Team, or FAST, intended to provide a coordinated response to elder financial exploitation referrals with a time-sensitive, targeted evaluation by securities and insurance specialists, the press release states. The team will review referrals within 72 hours, consider feedback, investigate, present options and take appropriate action, the agency said. FAST will partner with industry stakeholders and other state agencies to provide resources to law enforcement, prosecutors, and vulnerable persons while formulating real-time remedial strategies, the press release states. According to the National Council on Aging, nearly 10% of Americans aged 60-plus have experienced some form of elder abuse. Some estimates range as high as 5 million elders abused each year. One study cited by the NCOA estimates that one in 24 cases of abuse are reported to authorities. Elder abuse refers to intentional or negligent acts by a caregiver or trusted individual that causes harm to an older person. It takes many forms, including neglect, physical, sexual or emotional abuse, and financial exploitation. Adult Protective Services (APS) is an investigation unit designed to protect vulnerable adults, and provide protective services through support by local, county and state programs. And the number of referrals APS received related to physical abuse or neglect has increased from 9,853 in 2021 to 11,557 in 2022, an 18% increase. Physical signs of abuse and neglect include isolation from friends and other family members, unexplained bruising, burns or scars, dirty appearance or changes due to medication. One significant sign is the way a caregiver/family member treats the elder in public, such as pressuring to pay for items or speaking to the elder in a demeaning manner. We need to educate and encourage the public to report such signs to APS or law enforcement, said Barb Smith, Administrator, DPHHS Senior and Long Term Care Division. Knowing the signs can protect someone from further abuse or even death. APS investigates cases involving adults aged 60 and older and adults with disabilities from ages 18-59. While neglect and self-neglect are both investigated and substantiated most often, financial exploitation is also on the rise nationally and in Montana. The average victim nationally loses $120,000 through financial exploitation. In many cases, the person abusing, neglecting or exploiting the elderly is a person in a trust relationship to the older person such as spouse, child or friend. Officials say the following measures can help prevent elder abuse: Review all legal documents, especially estate planning documents with a legal professional. Make sure to have a valid, and protective Health and Financial Durable Powers of Attorney. Creating specific, limited and well-drafted documents can help protect you against financial exploitation and make it easier to honor your wishes, when you are not able to speak for yourself. Draft a detailed plan and communicate it with friends and family members. This is a vital step to prevent future abuse, as well as ease strain on your family and caregivers. Estate planning documents should be reviewed periodically, but especially any time there is a death of a named person, a divorce, a new decade passes, a new diagnosis is received or there is any significant decline in physical or mental well-being. For assistance with legal documents, Montanans are encouraged to contact the Legal Services Developer Program. AARP has also made available a Montana specific tip sheet with valuable elder abuse prevention information. Every year, abuse and exploitation rob older Americans of $3 billion and this is only the amount reported, Tim Summers, AARP Montana state director, said in a news release. To report abuse, neglect or exploitation call Adult Protective Services intake at 1-844-277-9300 or go to www.aps.mt.gov. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 4 Angry 0 By Trend Iran's top nuclear chief Mohammad Eslami has called the IAEA mentioning the PMD file unhelpful to revive the 2015 nuclear deal, Trend reports citing IRNA. Irans possible military dimension (PMD) case was closed when the nuclear deal was signed in 2015 and reopening the case wouldnt help the talks to revive that deal, said the Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI). "The Western countries accepted to remove sanctions against Iran in return for the closed PMD cases and Iran agreed to limit its nuclear activities and undergo some inspections," Eslami noted, underlining that the agreement meant to stop the allegations forever. The official has stressed that Iran continues to operate under the IAEA regulations, while defending the removal of surveillance cameras functioning beyond the safeguards agreement, in reaction to the anti-Iran vote at the UN agencys board of governors. In January 2016, JCPOA was launched between Iran and the P5+1 group (US, Russia, China, UK, France, and Germany) in connection with Iran's nuclear program. In May 2018, the US announced its withdrawal from the deal and imposed sanctions on Iran in November of the same year. To preserve the agreements reached as part of the JCPOA, the European signatories of the deal started in January 2019 that a financial mechanism for maintaining trade with Iran called INSTEX was formed. On May 8, 2019, Iran announced that it had ceased fulfilling its commitments regarding the sale of over 300 kilograms of uranium, as stated in the deal, basing its decision on the other signatories that have not fulfilled their obligations. On July 7, Iran announced that it will not be fulfilling its commitments regarding the enrichment of uranium at 3.67 percent and the reconstruction of the Arak Heavy Water Reactor Facility as stated in the deal. Iran announced that it will enrich uranium using next-generation centrifuges and will not mix it with the enriched uranium residues as part of the third step of reducing commitments in JCPOA on Sept.5. On Nov. 5, 2019, Iran announced that it took the fourth step in connection with reducing its commitments to the nuclear agreement. So, uranium gas is being pumped to the centrifuges at the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant. On Jan.2020, Iran took the last fifth step in reducing the number of its commitments within JCPOA. As reported, in late 2020, the Iranian parliament has decided to implement a strategic plan to tackle the sanctions, citing the non-implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) signed between Iran and six countries and the imposition of sanctions on Iran. According to the decision of the Iranian parliament, as of February 23, Iran suspended the implementation of additional steps and an additional protocol provided for in the nuclear deal. The US imposed new sanctions on Iran in November 2018. Over the past period, the sanctions affected Iranian oil exports, more than 700 banks, companies, and individuals. Two former Montana governors on opposite sides of the political spectrum brought down the closing curtain of the 50th anniversary of the Montana Constitutional Convention, urging respectful dialogue in times intense discourse. Former GOP Gov. Marc Racicot and former Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock on Thursday discussed Hope and Vision for Future Generations under the Montana Constitution. Former Democratic Gov. Brian Schweitzer spoke at the event on Wednesday. The Racicot and Bullock discussion, held in the state House chambers, capped a two-day celebration of the crafting of a new Montana Constitution. Racicot served as governor from 1993 until 2001. Bullock was governor from 2013 to 2021. Racicot has recently spoken about a lack of decency in public debate and has said there are serious warning signs the country is at risk. He repeated many of those comments Thursday. Democracy is a voluntary association, Racicot said. And to quote a famous movie producer, if they dont want to come you cant stop them. He said democracy is a dynamic institution that is always changing and can deteriorate and rot as quickly as it can improve. Racicot said he was surprised that a recent poll found about 30% of the people who replied said that on occasion there is justification for violence against government. We chose to abide by the rule of law simply by living in the United States of America, he said, adding it requires everyone to limit personal ambition. And it calls out for and expects greater service to our country than to ourselves or to our party or to any other constituency. We need to take care of this document. We need to take care of the balance. We need to take of its spiritual metaphysical expectations, and if we dont proceed with the right state of mind as leaders and citizens it will vanish, Racicot said, adding that a bit of insight was provided by the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection. He said what happened in 1972 with the state constitution happened because people listened to each other. But there is turmoil and tumult in this country, Racicot said, adding there is concern by great middle of America with what is going on in the United States. Power is not in control, he said. Power is in ideas. He urged the crowd to get involved and require more from those who serve the public. Bullock said it must have been amazing to be among the delegates sitting in the committees. He also mentioned how the delegates sat alphabetically rather than by party. He said the delegates dwelled on the possibility of what the new constitution ought to be, taking the experiences but knowing you can build something that 50 years later will still be equally as relevant." Bullock described Montanans as libertarians who give a damn about each other. He said Montanans have a healthy and reasonable distrust of government, but we would do anything for our neighbors. Bullock said the constitution keeps government in check. He said it is a head scratcher to hear people now in government say the constitution has not stood the test of time. He said they are the same people who, when told that proposed legislation was not constitutional, still tried to get it passed. He agrees it is a perilous time for democracy. But he said democracy is not an outcome but a process. Bullock said people need to ask more of policymakers no matter what side of the political aisle they are on. The constitution was not a liberal thing. It was not a conservative thing. It was actually outlining what we dont want government to do to us, Bullock said. We still have to dwell in the possibility of our state and our country. There are risks and the risks are real, but that doesnt mean that if the better angels are also pushed by the electorate and others that we cant do a hell of lot better than we are today. You can watch the panel discussion on the Montana Public Affairs Network at https://bit.ly/3y2SKuF. The discussion is toward the end of the recording. Assistant editor Phil Drake can be reached at 406-231-9021. Love 13 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. A Montana Supreme Court justice told people attending a 50th anniversary celebration of the Montana Constitution that extreme polarization in society is tearing at the fabric of law. He also criticized 2021 legislative actions in which the judges and Republican lawmakers butted heads in a subpoena showdown. Justice Jim Rice, in a panel discussion Thursday on checks and balances among the legislative, executive and judicial branches of government, joked before giving his speech that he thought his forthcoming comments may require a warning label, like "parent discretion advised." Thursday was the last day of the two-day celebration. I am not a person who seeks out controversy, but sometimes controversy finds you where you are, he said. Rice, who served three terms in the Legislature as a Republican, is now running for reelection for a nonpartisan seat on the Montana Supreme Court. He has served on the court since being appointed by then-Gov. Judy Martz in 2001. Much of his speech Thursday was on extremism, saying that polarization in society and has given legs to extremism in our words and language and extremism in actions. This is beyond the right of protest, even robust protest," Rice said. Its beyond the exercise of free speech and beyond the right to petition for the redress of grievances. These are extreme actions that undermine our institutions and tear at the fabric of the rule of law. He said for the first time in our nations history, there was not a peaceful transition of power. The peaceful of transition of power is a hallmark of the American system, or at least it was, he said. Responses to police excesses have been violent and included the destruction of private and personal property and taking over a police station, he said. He said he has read articles expressing concerns about rising political violence nationwide and another Jan. 6 insurrection coming over a pending decision by the U.S. Supreme Court regarding Roe v. Wade. I wish I could say it is happening in faraway places. Now it has reached the shores of Montana and we have seen it here, Rice said. Rice then spoke about the 2021 legislative session in which GOP lawmakers raised concerns about internal polling of judges on pending legislation. The court contended that judges need to confer on pending bills so they can see how that legislation would impact the functions of the court. Rice said the legislators issued a subpoena to seize, without notice, massive amounts of judicial communications and judicial emails, "on a tight-trigger timeframe, less than two days." He said the lawmakers also wanted judicial and personal communications, including personal cellphones. He said the Supreme Court issued an order temporarily staying the subpoena until responses from the affected parties could be received. He said the Legislature and Department of Justice refused to abide by the court order and would proceed as they saw fit. A statewide public official said to the public the Supreme Court justices on the Montana Supreme Court are corrupt, Rice said. Corrupt? I dont feel corrupt. Rep. Bill Mercer, R-Billings, also sat on the panel, and responded to Rices comments and said the public policy question is where does the publics right to know begin and end in respect to all the branches? Rice said later in his discussion that he tells legislators they overrule more of the courts decisions than we overrule of yours. He said there are lots of legislative options, but officials cannot refuse to abide by court orders. Rice challenged lawmakers' subpoena for his records in District Court and won. The U.S. Supreme Court declined to get involved, letting the state Supreme Courts decision stand. As of today, the Legislature is enjoined from the Supreme Courts judicial and personal communications, Rice said. Rice said he was foolish and shortsighted to think that institutions would endure. Didnt you think they would go on forever? he asked the audience sitting in the House chamber. Rice said he wondered if these institutions would be lost. It was then that he said he was hit by a brilliant thought. And I knew it was brilliant because of the force and clarity in which it hit me. And the thought was this: Over my dead body, he said. Rice, who got a standing ovation at the end of his talk, said it is the provenance of the judiciary to declare what the law is. Mercer said there are questions as to how far does the right to know goes in respect to emails and other deliberations. The larger question for the future is, 'Does the right to know extend to the judicial branch and to what extent?' Mercer asked. He said that is an issue all sides will wrestle with in the future. Others on the panel included Greg Petesch, former director of the Montana Legislative Council, and Anita Milanovich, general counsel for Gov. Greg Gianforte. Chief Justice Mike McGrath spoke briefly to attendees earlier in the day. He said the delegates at the 1972 Constitutional Convention created a document that will serve Montana another 50-100 years. He said the people who put together the constitution over those two months made an incredible impact. "It changed the direction of this state," he said. McGrath said it is his contention that public support for the constitution has grown. "Not only has the constitution been accepted by the people of Montana, but I think it is admired by the people of Montana and it enjoys a great deal of public support," he said. You can watch the panel discussion on the Montana Public Affairs Network at https://bit.ly/3y2SKuF. The discussion is at the beginning of the recording. Assistant editor Phil Drake can be reached at 406-231-9021. Love 3 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Veterans suffering from exposure to toxic burn pits and Agent Orange stepped closer to health coverage Thursday as the U.S. Senate overwhelmingly approved granting free medical coverage to five decades of people who have served in the military. By an 84 to 14 vote, lawmakers passed the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring Our PACT Act of 2022. Robinson was an Ohio National Guard soldier who died from lung cancer in 2020, a decade after tours to Kosovo and Iraq. If signed into law, the bill would be the broadest expansion of military health benefits in decades. U.S. Sen Jon Tester, a Montana Democrat, carried the bill in the Senate. Sen. Steve Daines, a Montana Republican, departed Washington D.C. earlier in the week and wasnt voting Thursday. He attended a VFW convention in Billings and toured flood damage in Red Lodge the day of the vote. In a press release, Daines said of veterans "it is our duty to ensure they have the care and services they need when they return home." The Department of Defense estimates there are at least 3.5 million veterans potentially exposed, basically everyone who served after Sept. 11, 2001. There are at least 22 different health problems related to burn pit exposure, many not materializing until years later. The number of Montana veterans exposed to toxic substances is as high as 60,000, or roughly two-thirds of the veterans living in the state today. Montanas veterans make up 10.6% of the state population, third highest in the nation as a percentage. There's always a cost of war and that cost was never fully repaid. So, I've got one question. Are we willing to show these millions of veterans that we have their back, Tester asked lawmakers before the bills passage. Are we willing to admit that we didn't live up to the promise made to veterans like Will Thompson and Heath Robinson? Thompson is a retired Army sergeant who needed a lung transplant because of damage from breathing smoke from toxic burn pits. He testified earlier before the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee about the absences of VA coverage for toxic exposure. Tester also mentioned Robert Hunter of Bozeman, a Vietnam veteran who was diagnosed with monoclonal gammopathy of unknown significance, or MGUS, stemming from Agent Orange and dioxin exposure. A precursor to cancer and other medical complications, MGUS has been minimally covered by the Veterans Administration, despite being a recognized condition. The bill now returns to the House, where lawmakers had passed an earlier version with a larger spending package of $30 billion over 10 years. U.S. Rep. Matt Rosendale, a Montana Republican, voted against the earlier toxic exposure bill. The House is expected to take the Senate version up next week. Thursday, President Joe Biden indicated he would sign the bill if approved by the House and Senate. Bidens son, Beau, a veteran who died from brain cancer in 2016, was exposed to burn pits. Biden called for the passage of the toxic exposure bill during his State of the Union Address. He noted that the bill also allows residents of Camp Lejeune to seek reparations for exposure to toxic water during a 30-year period from 1950 to 1980. Several toxic exposure deaths are associated with the Marine Corps base in Jacksonville, North Carolina. Montana veterans exposed to toxic substances is as high as 60,000, or roughly two-thirds of the veterans living in the state today. 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. DECATUR One month after it was first suggested, the Decatur City Council will move forward with a proposal to christen a currently-nameless downtown green space "Preston Jackson Park" in honor of the renowned artist. The city-owned green space lays on the west side of Water Street between North and William streets in downtown Decatur. It is directly across the street from the ADM City Center building. Though there's been speculation that ADM or another entity would seek to build on the land, those plans have not come to pass. In the meantime, the space has inadvertently become a park and is now generally accepted as a permanent part of the downtown fabric. The suggestion to name it for Jackson, a Decatur native, came from Eyvonne Hawkins, a professor at Richland Community College, and Jim Taylor, an executive board member of the Decatur Trades and Labor Assembly, who spoke at a council meeting in early May. Beyond Jackson's Decatur roots, the pair noted that one of Jackson's sculptures, which honors African American Civil War soldiers, already sits in the green space in question. Council members at the time seemed enthusiastic to the suggestion. Jackson is a 1998 laureate of the Lincoln Academy of Illinois, the state's highest honor given to individuals. He lives in Peoria and is a founder of that city's Contemporary Art Center. He is also a professor emeritus of sculpture at the School of the Art Institute in Chicago. He works in metals, including both steel and foundry casts, and painting. Jackson told the Herald & Review in April that it would be "cool" to be recognized by his hometown, saying that "all of who I am stems from my Decatur connection." According to a memo from city manager Scot Wrighton, Jackson has agreed to attend a dedication ceremony sometime in the future once plaques and markers are manufactured. "Mayor Moore Wolfe thought it would be fitting that the formal decision to name the park in honor of Mr. Jackson occur close to the 2022 observance of Juneteenth even though formal park dedication will be later in the year," Wrighton wrote. Wrighton, however, clarified that the city retains the right to repurpose the property for economic development in the future if an opportunity arises. The council meets at 5:30 p.m. Monday in the City Council Chambers in the Decatur Civic Center. Here are some other items that will be discussed at Monday's meeting: The council will consider signing off on a $645,749 contract with Decatur-based Interior Specialty Construction for buildout of classrooms, offices and other interior improvements on the second floor of the Decatur Public Library building. The space is expected to be utilized by Workforce Investment Solutions, Thinkwell Makerspace, Project Read and the Community Investment Corporation of Decatur. The location of these organizations under one roof is part of a larger council initiative to improve small business assistance services and enhance workforce development. The council also will consider approving a $149,859 contract with Evanston-based consulting firm Teska Associates for a "Great Streets, Great Neighborhoods" initiative along the Jasper Street corridor. Teska will be tasked with helping the city draft a corridor plan for a three mile stretch of Jasper Street between Pershing Road and Lake Shore Drive. City officials stressed that community engagement would be a significant part of the process of putting together a plan. Teska was chosen from six firms that returned requests for proposals for the project. The Jasper Street initiative would entail property repurposing, beautification, infill development and non-motorized transportation options. Contact Brenden Moore at 217-421-7984. Follow him on Twitter at @brendenmoore13. 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. DECATUR Those who aspire to or wish to continue sitting in judgment over the citizens of Macon County must first themselves be judged by the voters. Which brings us to the unusual situation of the hotly-contested race to decide who will replace Macon County Circuit Court Judge Thomas E. Little, who is retiring. In the blue corner, Democratic candidate and Decatur-based attorney Andrew Weatherford is running unopposed in the June 28 primary election. But in the red corner the political brief reads very differently: currently serving Associate Judge Rodney Forbes is seeking the Republican nomination to become elected 6th Judicial Circuit Judge Forbes, and hes opposed by another seasoned and Decatur-based Republican attorney, Shane Mendenhall. Contested primary races for judges are rather rare in this neck of the legal woods: the last time anyone can remember one off hand was the race won by now retired Presiding Judge A.G. Webber more than 20 years ago. The issue shaping the Republican primary this time is whether its best to have experienced associate judges step into the role of fully-elected circuit court judges, or whether to instead bring in fresh legal bloodlines from outside the cozy and exclusive world of the judiciary. Associate judges start their careers by being chosen for the post for four year terms by elected judges in the 6th Judicial Circuit, which is how Forbes first made the cut before deciding to try his luck with the voters this year to be elected a circuit judge in his own right to serve a six-year term. But it doesn't have to be that way. Qualified lawyer candidates who wish to be elected judges do not have to have judicial experience to get the job if they can persuade enough voters they deserve to wear the black robes. Both candidates Forbes and Mendenhall have their distinct views on this issue, and it's a point they can at least openly argue over. Political races for judges are governed by strict rules of engagement laid down by the Illinois Supreme Court which pretty much outlaw judicial candidates from opining on matters that might come before them on the bench; and that tends to rule out pretty much everything. In the considered opinion of Forbes, the 56-year-old serving jurist, the question of who is best suited to doing the job must make him a first among equals. He points out he was unanimously elected to the post of associate judge five years ago by a vote of all of his elected colleagues in the 6th Judicial Circuit. And why my opponents have both applied to be judges, I think multiple times, I am the only candidate who has experience on the bench, he emphasizes. Forbes came to the law later in life. His early resume includes working as a mechanic and then a laborer for the former A.E. Staley Mfg. Co. before a union lockout work dispute of the 1990s sent him back to school in search of other ways to support his family and he discovered a love for the law. After life in the legal private sector, he was working as an Assistant Macon County Public Defender by 2008. By 2012 he had been appointed chief public defender before getting that coveted invite to the judges bench in 2017. A married man with two grown children, Forbes says he has found where he wants to be in life. I just love the practice of law and I think being a judge is the best job the practice of law has to offer, he said. Being appointed a judge was really one of the greatest honors of my life and, if I was elected by the voters to be a circuit judge, it would just be an unimaginable honor. His desire is being backed by some influential friends of the court. A recent poll among the membership of the Illinois State Bar Association gave Forbes a rating of recommended for the role of judge. And his election campaign is being chaired by A.G. Webber, who enjoyed a more than 19 year career as a jurist himself and comes from a line of judges in a family law firm tradition dating back an extraordinary 143 years. His verdict on Forbes is unambiguous: He stood head and shoulders above the other applicants and that is why all the circuit judges chose him as an associate judge in 2017, said Webber. And he has certainly done nothing to shake that confidence in the last five years. His record as a judge is exemplary and that just simply validates the confidence we all had in him. Those arguments fall far from putting the issue beyond a reasonable doubt for Mendenhall, however, who believes the case for Forbes is also the case against him. What has happened for a number of years is that a circuit judge retires and an associate judge is the one who decides to run and no one else runs against them, so they are essentially elected by default, explained the 42-year-old civil law attorney in practice since 2008. And then the circuit judges pick the next associate judge and the cycle repeats itself. So, for 20-plus years, there has been no real election by the people of one of our judges and I think that its time for a change. I think its time for people like me and others to step up. He doesnt see his lack of experience handling criminal cases as a disadvantage, either. Just the opposite, in fact. Mendenhall, a partner with Bolen, Robinson and Ells LLP, said he has handled large, expensive and complicated civil cases from business law to class action suits and personal injury. He said many of those cases are far more complicated than a typical criminal case and require a high standard of legal competency to do well. He also says its about time we had a judge who wasnt drawn from the ranks of criminal defense lawyers, whether they were working for the public defenders office or in private practice. Married and the father of four children aged 12 and under, he says he wants to do what he can to create a safer world for everyones children to grow up in. Ive spent my entire career serving and helping families and small businesses throughout Central Illinois and I think we need a very different perspective over on the judges bench, he added. I think we need a judge who is going to protect the law-abiding citizens and the victims in this community. Mendenhalls campaign has got its influential backers, too. One of them is Jerry Stocks, a trial lawyer for more than 30 years and the former chairman of the Macon County Republican Central Committee for 10 years. Dont get him started on the idea of judges effectively choosing who will join their elite ranks. It is extremely important that circuit judges are elected and we are not simply anointing judges from within the chambers of the existing judges, he explained. It is very important that the public and, in a sense in this primary, that the party gets to select who its judges are; otherwise we continue to recycle judicial officers from the same perspective in the shadows of the courthouse. He also wants to see our next judge chosen from outside the ranks of criminal defense lawyers and believes Mendenhall is more than the man for the job. I have high confidence in his ability to understand and apply complex legal principles, he added. He has got a great work ethic and a very honest, good conscience on him and I think he will make an excellent judge. Contact Tony Reid at (217) 421-7977. Follow him on Twitter: @TonyJReid 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. SPRINGFIELD Former President Donald Trump will headline a rally for Rep. Mary Miller, R-Oakland, on Saturday, June 25, just days ahead of the latter's contentious primary election against fellow incumbent Rep. Rodney Davis, R-Taylorville. Trump's political operation confirmed Thursday that the former president will appear with Miller at the Adams County Fairgrounds just outside of Quincy. Miller, in a press release, said she was "honored" that Trump would be coming to the district on her behalf, adding that she is "Illinois' conservative, America First voice in Congress." Davis, in a statement, said that he is "proud of my conservative record of working with Trump when he was in office, and I wont shy away from it." "Im focused on winning this campaign, firing Nancy Pelosi, and re-implementing the many policy successes we had when Trump was president, like building the wall, cutting taxes, and making America energy independent again," Davis said. The showdown between Davis and Miller was set up by Illinois Democrats who controlled the Congressional redistricting process last year. Davis lives in the new 15th Congressional District while Miller lives about one mile outside of it. The new 15th gave Trump a nearly 70% vote share in the 2020 presidential election, meaning whoever wins the primary is all but assured of winning the reelection in the deeply conservative district. The district is sprawling, stretching west to east across Central Illinois from the Iowa and Missouri state lines to the Indiana state line. To the north, it stops just south of the Quad Cities. To the south, it picks up outlying communities in the Metro East region along with towns in the Interstate 70 corridor. The site of the rally is just outside of Quincy, a portion of western Illinois that neither Davis or Miller has represented before nor has been in their media markets, meaning voters are less familiar with the two than other portions of the district. Davis, a traditional conservative with an occasional bipartisan streak, is viewed as having the better political organization and has a financial advantage, but many believe an in-district visit by Trump could give Miller, a far-right freshman, a boost. Though there have been some high-profile losses by Trump-backed candidates, most with the former president's stamp of approval win their elections. Responding to Trump's coming visit, Rep. Robin Kelly, D-Matteson, the chair of the Democratic Party of Illinois, said Thursday that "Illinoisans have repeatedly rejected Donald Trump and his hateful, failed agenda." "We wont let Trump, the Illinois Republican Party or its extremist candidates drag our state backward," she said. The announcement mentioned nothing about state Sen. Darren Bailey, the Republican frontrunner in the governor's race who has been openly seeking Trump's endorsement. Early voting has been underway since May 19 and primary Election Day is June 28. Contact Brenden Moore at 217-421-7984. Follow him on Twitter: @brendenmoore13 Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. SPRINGFIELD In a 4-3 decision with a blistering dissent from the Republican minority, the Illinois Supreme Court declined to rule on a question of whether the Illinois Firearm Owners Identification Act is unconstitutional. It was the second time the case of the People v. Vivian Brown came before the court and the second time the court declined to rule on the constitutionality of the state statute requiring Illinoisans to receive a permit to legally own a gun. The majority opinion released Thursday was written by Chief Justice Anne M. Burke and was procedural in nature. It contended that the White County Circuit Court failed to adhere to the Supreme Courts previous 2020 ruling in the case, so it once again vacated the lower courts ruling that the FOID Act was unconstitutional. Burke was joined in the majority by Democrats Mary Jane Theis, P. Scott Neville Jr. and Robert Carter. Justice Michael Burke who is not related to the chief justice wrote the dissent, making up 11 of the 21 pages in the Thursday order. He argued the majority decision was based on a misunderstanding of the record and a misreading of this courts precedents, and that it could keep the defendant in legal limbo for an untold period of years. The case involves a White County resident, Vivian Claudine Brown, who was charged in March 2017 with possession of a firearm without a FOID card after police responded to her estranged husbands call that she had fired a gun in her home. Police found the rifle but no evidence that she fired it. Nonetheless, she was charged with the crime. But a circuit judge in White County threw out the charge, ruling that the fees and forms required to receive a FOID imposed an unconstitutional burden on Browns Second Amendment right to keep a firearm in her own home. But it was an alternative ruling made by the same court without prompting from Browns legal team that allowed the states high court to decline to rule on the constitutional grounds. That alternative ruling contended that the Illinois General Assembly, when it passed the FOID Act, never meant for it to apply in the home, because if it did, it would mean anybody with knowledge of a firearm and exclusive control over the area where it was kept could be construed as possessing the gun. As a general rule, courts decline to rule on constitutional matters when a case can be decided on other grounds. Because the circuit court ruled on an aspect of the FOID Act pertaining to state law, the Supreme Courts 2020 decision vacated the order pertaining to constitutionality and sent the matter back to White County to permit the normal appellate process to run its course. The ruling was essentially a win for Brown, but her legal team contended it wouldnt stand up to an appeal. Thus, Browns attorneys filed a motion to reconsider, arguing that the inevitable loss on appeal would delay clarity in the case. The circuit court agreed and reinstated the charges. Browns attorneys then filed a new motion to dismiss on constitutional grounds, which the judge upheld, finding that any fee associated with exercising the core fundamental Constitutional right of armed self-defense within the confines of ones home violates the Second Amendment. Thus, the state appealed the ruling back to the Supreme Court, leading to the Thursday ruling in which the majority decided the lower court had no authority to reconsider the case after the Supreme Courts 2020 ruling. When a cause is remanded by the reviewing court with instructions to the circuit court to enter a specific order, the reviewing courts judgment is, with respect to the merits, the end of the case, and there is nothing which the circuit court [is] authorized to do but enter the decree, the court wrote, quoting other case law. If the lower court were allowed to make changes to the Supreme Courts ruling, the majority wrote, it would set a precedent upending our hierarchical judicial system. The dissent from Michael Burke, however, argued that the majority asserted finality of its ruling while also suggesting that the proper place for review is now an appellate court, which is itself a lower court. In reality, the judgment of the circuit court was not a judgment of this court that was final and conclusive on all the parties because this court declined to reach the merits of the statutory analysis and only vacated the circuit courts judgment on procedural grounds, Michael Burke wrote in the dissent. Accordingly, the trial court was free to reconsider the merits of that ruling, and nothing about it doing so upends our hierarchical judicial system. Michael Burke argued that the majoritys supposition that Brown received complete relief when the circuit court vacated her charges was faulty, because the legal reasoning backing that decision is unlikely to hold up upon appeal. Thus, he predicted, the case will ultimately end up back at the Supreme Court on the constitutional basis, only after a significant delay to Browns detriment as the case moves through the appellate court. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 Hitting the road this summer? A great playlist is essential to any road trip, and theres no shortage of songs about Illinois, from the lights of Chicago to the endless cornfields to the muddy riverbanks. Pull these Illinois-inspired songs up on your favorite music app or take it back a few decades with a homemade mixtape or CD and youll be all set with a welcome home playlist. 1. Rock Island Line, written by Clarence Wilson (1929) The Rock Island Line is a mighty good road / The Rock Island Line is the road to ride. 2. Illinois Blues by Skip James (1931) I been in Texas and I been in Arkansas / But I never had a good time till I got to Illinois. 3. My Kind of Town (Chicago) by Frank Sinatra (1963) Each time I roam / Chicago is calling me home / Chicago is why I just grin like a clown / It's my kind of town. 4. Illinois by The Everly Brothers (1968) Clean prairie winds blow from Rockford to Cairo / Over the cornfields that gleam in the sun / And off in the east glow the lights of Chicago / When daylight is ended and night has begun / In Illinois, Illinois. 5. Lookin Out My Back Door by Credence Clearwater Revival (1970) Just got home from Illinois, lock the front door, oh boy! / Got to sit down, take a rest on the porch / Imagination sets in, pretty soon I'm singin' / Doo, doo, doo, lookin' out my back door. 6. Illinois by Dan Fogelberg (1974) Flat on the prairies, soil and stone / Stretching forever taking me home / 'Cause I've got a woman who waits for me there / And I need a breath of that sweet country air /And it looks like you're gonna have to see me again, Illinois...oh, Illinois. 7. Take Me Back to Chicago by Chicago (1977) Take me back to Chicago / And lay my soul to rest / Where my life was free and easy / Remember me at my best. 8. Sweet Home Chicago by The Blues Brothers (1980) Hida-hey, baby, don't you wanna go? / Back to that same old place / Sweet home Chicago. 9. Ballad of the Illinois Opry, REO Speedwagon (1996) Now I don't want you people to think that all there is around Springfield, Illinois / Are landmarks telling 'bout the good old Lincoln years / 'Cause just north of town, I saw a sign said the Illinois Opry is open tonight / And the sweet sound of country music filled my ears. 10. Weekends in Western Illinois by The Mountain Goats (1997) It is written in the smiles on their faces / And it rings in their high young voices / We are burning up all of our choices up here / Where the tall grass grows, up here in Galesburg. 11. Woke Up in a Car by Something Corporate (2002) She wrote me a letter as we passed through Rockford / She said she won't forget / Maybe I do, maybe I don't / But I know I haven't yet. 12. "Springfield, IL" by Slobberbone (2002) "Springfield, Illinois / I left you standing by the statehouse stairs / A little bit annoyed, but completely unaware." 13. Chicago Is So Two Years Ago by Fall Out Boy (2003) But there's a light on in Chicago / And I know I should be home / All the colors of the street signs / They remind me of the pickup truck out in front of your neighbor's house. 14. "Cahokian" by Jay Farrar (2003) "Ceremonial mounds in the backyards and towns / That's the way it turned out / A city built up on the other great mound torn down / That's the way it happened." 15. Decatur by Sufjan Stevens (2005) Denominator, go Decatur, go Decatur / It's the great I am. 16. Homecoming by Kanye West and Chris Martin (2007) Every interview I'm representing you, making you proud / Reach for the stars so if you fall, you land on a cloud / Jump in the crowd, spark your lighters, wave 'em around / If you don't know by now, I'm talking 'bout Chi-Town! 17. Effington by Ben Folds (2008) I could change my name, grow a beard, start a family / Or I could just keep on moving on, moving on, moving on, moving on / And not stop till I get to Normal. 18. Cairo, Illinois, by Pokey LaFarge (2008) Take me to the bridge where the rivers collide / Down in Cairo, Illinois, on a Saturday night / I might jump in. 19. Long, Hot Summer Day by Turnpike Troubadours (2010) And for every day I'm workin' on the Illinois River / Get a half a day off with pay / Old tow boat pickin' up barges / On a long hot summer day. 20. Meet Me in Chicago by Buddy Guy (2013) I got down a little bit of that down old music, Lord it's been overdue / Got to get back to the Windy City, with them funky ol sweet home blues / Meet me in Chicago, baby, I'll show you around. 21. Moline by Pearl Jam (2014) Moline, Moline / How have you been? / I probably been here before / But it must've been a dream. 22. Illinois by Brett Eldredge (2015) It's water through my blood / It's the place I got my roots / It's the fire that's in my soul / It's the mud that's on my boots / Oh, Illinois. 23. Cairo, Illinois by Natalie Hemby (2017) Where the longing for the leaving and the welcome home receiving join / Still I'll keep driving past the ghost of Cairo, Illinois. 24. Blue Collar Boys by Luke Combs (2019) Bust our backs, barely getting by / Carolina to California up to Illinois / Yeah, there's guys like us / Blue collar boys. Contact Robyn Skaggs at robyn.skaggs@lee.net or 309-820-3244. 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. We're not the party of Trump, Senate Republican Leader Dan McConchie told an interviewer a couple of months ago. I'm in the Republican Party and the party of Lincoln. And at the end of the day, the important thing is that we're standing up for ideas and ideals and not a personality. And that is what the Republican Party has been about for decades and what I believe we're going to be going forward. At least as far as the Illinois governors race goes, that now seems less likely. As you undoubtedly know by now, Sen. Darren Bailey, R-Xenia, did not appear to be gaining traction until the GOP primary battlefield was reshaped as a referendum on the former President Trump by big money pumped in from billionaire Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Republican billionaire Dick Uihlein. The question now is whether that Trump referendum will move down the ballot. Two polls showed a very tight Republican attorney general primary with huge numbers of people who cant decide between Ken Griffin-backed Steve Kim and outlandish, far-right COVID attorney Tom DeVore, who has been endorsed by Bailey. And Trump and Bailey have both endorsed U.S. Rep. Mary Miller over fellow Republican U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis. And what about the state legislature? While the House Republican Organization is formally staying out of the race in the open 87th District primary, House GOP Leader Jim Durkin has contributed $5,000 to candidate Mary Burress. And a committee controlled by Durkin ally Rep. Avery Bourne, R-Morrisonville, has maxed out to Burress with a $59,900 contribution. Burress, the Tazewell County treasurer, is running against Tazewell County Board member and physician William Hauter. The reason I mention this is that Burress is one of the only House Republican candidates I can find who is openly touting her support for former President Trump. Mary Burress is the pro-Trump Republican working to make Illinois great again, declares a headline on one mailer, which also features a photo of her next to the former POTUS. With Bailey surging and a recent Sun-Times poll showing Trump still very popular with party members, it would seem to be a no-brainer for conservative Republican candidates to publicly attach themselves to one or the other or both in their advertising and social media posts. Bailey has decided to take the initiative. And there are some unifying threads here: House Republican Leader Jim Durkin and the 2019 gas tax hike that Durkin eventually supported. "We've got a whole list of anti-establishment reformers who we're going to be endorsing in the next 24 hours," a top Bailey official told me late last week. Included on the list is Sen. Win Stoller, R-East Peoria. Stoller is up against Brett Nicklaus, who is backed by House GOP Leader Jim Durkin and others close to him. There's no love at all between Bailey and Durkin. The two clashed often when Bailey was in the House and Durkin fully backed Irvin. Both Durkin and Irvins running mate Rep. Avery Bourne voted to double the motor fuel tax in 2019, something Bailey often pounds home on the campaign trail as the price of gas has skyrocketed. Bailey doesnt seem to have any ideas about how to repair and upgrade our woefully dilapidated infrastructure without that money, but nobody seems to care. Bailey also endorsed Republican Don Debolt over Sen. Steve McClure, R-Springfield, who voted for the gas tax increase as well. And Baileys backing former GOP Rep. John Cabello in his race against a candidate backed by a trade union which pushed hard to raise the gas tax. Cabello voted No. Kent Gray is running against Rep. Tim Butler, R-Springfield, who voted with his party leadership on the gas tax. Gray has not raised a lot of money, has a thick opposition research file and Butler hasnt taken any chances by spending big and campaigning hard. If Baileys coattails can drag Gray across the line whew. Baileys also supporting Travis Weaver against Rep. Mark Luft, R-Pekin, who wasnt around for the gas tax vote, but is backed heavily by Durkin and some unions. And hes supporting Rep. Dave Welters opponent Jed Davis. Welter,R-Morris, is in House Republican leadership, so you already know where he was in 2019. That was one tough vote in 2019. It took guts to take it and I still think, despite the prices, it was the right thing to do for the states future. Well see if Bailey tries to connect those tax dots in voters minds or whether, as time expires, hell just try to win these races with his personality alone. Rich Miller publishes Capitol Fax, a daily political newsletter, and CapitolFax.com. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 I recently read a letter ("Rodney Forbes qualified for post," submitted by his supporter Rita Zindars.) Having never met Mendenhall, Im uncertain how Zindars can state Mendenhall has very little courtroom experience. I personally know Mendenhall has litigated cases all over the state of Illinois and in federal courts across the country during his legal career. Zindars has been passing out letters stating she is concerned that if an inexperienced judge misses a procedural item, or makes an error on a ruling, cases may be dismissed and criminals may not be appropriately held accountable. She goes on to state Forbes rulings behind the bench speak for themselves. Yes, his record does speak for itself. He was recently reversed on appeal where the appellate court stated his ruling had the substantive effect of suppressing evidence of a defendants three prior convictions for domestic battery and that Forbes findings were based on a misapprehension of the law. We also recently read in the news where a suspected murderer was out on a bond previously set by Forbes. Forbes record speaks for itself and it isnt good. The voters of this community will decide this election, not the attorneys concerned with making waves with a sitting associate judge. Do you really want the local attorneys deciding who will hear your case if you ever come to court? Mendenhall is running to be elected by the people, because he will fight for the people; rather than being anointed by a few attorneys like Forbes who is simply seeking a promotion. Mendenhall will lead the courtroom with integrity and serve the people of Macon County well. Join me in voting for Mendenhall June 28. Andrew Ford, Mount Zion Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 By Trend Head of Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) Payman Jebelli in a meeting with his Turkmen counterpart Arslan Ashirov on Thursday called for broadening of cooperation between the two sides in producing joint programs, films and series, Trend reports citing IRNA. Jebelli met and held talks with Ashirov here on Thursday. Calling Turkmenistan one of the closest neighboring states to Iran in the field of cultural, historical commonalities, customs, and family relationships, Jebelli said that not only Iran-Turkmenistan media cooperation based on bilateral frameworks should be further expanded, but also they should cooperate with each other in the Asian Broadcasting Union Organization. Ashirov, for his part, expressed his satisfaction to begin a new phase of media relations between the two countries by signing a new media memorandum with IRIB. He added that the recent visit of the newly appointed President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedow to Iran, which is his first official foreign trip, shows Irans importance in Turkmenistans foreign and international policies. While serving the citizens of Macon County and the 6th Judicial Circuit as Circuit Judge and Chief Judge for over 28 years I was fortunate to have many highly qualified and respected attorneys appear before me. It was always gratifying to witness the growth of young attorneys. There are no shortcuts to developing the wisdom and character any attorney seeking to join the judiciary must possess. I have had the good fortune to witness Shane Mendenhall develop into an attorney justly deserving of the support of voters in the June 28 election. I had the pleasure of Shanes appearances in my courtroom and the opportunity to work with him during my five years as Sullivans city administrator following my retirement from the bench. Shane possesses a breadth of experience essential to success in serving the public as a circuit judge. Macon Countys newest circuit judge will preside over a multitude of case times over many years. Shanes breadth of experience across many areas of the law would make him an asset to our local judiciary. Lastly, it has been my great fortune over the past few months to witness Shane in action as his partner at BRE Law. Shane Mendenhall is a highly successful and accomplished attorney and the work ethic that nurtured that success will serve him well on the bench. But serving as a circuit judge requires more. First and foremost, Shane Mendenhall is a good man, a good husband and a loving father for his family. He will bring those most important of traits with him to the circuit court of Macon County. So, it is without hesitation that I wholeheartedly recommend Shane Mendenhall to the voters of Macon County as your next circuit judge. Dan Flannell, Sullivan Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 New Braunfels, TX (78130) Today Thunderstorms during the evening will give way to mostly cloudy skies after midnight. Low 73F. Winds NNE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%.. Tonight Thunderstorms during the evening will give way to mostly cloudy skies after midnight. Low 73F. Winds NNE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%. " " Soviet guardsmen are seen here firing on the German army from windows of bombed out buildings in Stalingrad in 1942. Sovfoto/Universal Images Group via Getty There's a towering statue on a hilltop in Volgograd, a southern Russian city hugging the Volga River formerly known as Stalingrad. The statue, named The Motherland Calls, depicts a woman with sword aloft looking back over her shoulder to rally her people. The 279-foot (85-meter) sculpture stands as a memorial to the 1.1 million Soviet soldiers and 40,000 Soviet civilians who were killed, injured or captured during the heroic defense of Stalingrad against Nazi German forces during World War II. More Soviet troops died at Stalingrad than American soldiers in all of World War II. Stalingrad was never meant to be the site of one of the most decisive and deadliest battles of the war, but it was there, in 1942, where the iron wills of two ruthless dictators Adolf Hitler and Josef Stalin clashed in a monthslong, blood-soaked battle of attrition. Germany never fully recovered from its crushing defeat at Stalingrad, turning a triumphant war of conquest into a fight for survival. Advertisement Hitler's Plot to Crush and Colonize the Soviet Union In December 1940, Hitler announced Operation Barbarossa, a massive German invasion of the Soviet Union. Hitler was dismissive of the Soviets, famously proclaiming, "We have only to kick in the door and the whole rotten structure will come crashing down." In Hitler's mind, the communist nation was populated by "subhuman" racial and ethnic groups like Jews and Slavs. Those racially "inferior" groups would either be killed on the battlefield or imprisoned as slave labor for the Aryan German conquerors, who would colonize the vast and fertile Soviet lands for Lebensraum or "living space." "For Hitler, Operation Barbarossa wasn't just about defeating Communist Russia, but completely exterminating Communist Russia wiping it off the face of the Earth," says Jonathan Trigg, a historian and author of "The Battle of Stalingrad Through German Eyes: The Death of the Sixth Army." As it happened, the Nazis vastly underestimated their enemy. Hitler and his commanders based their low opinion of the Red Army on Russia's poor performance in World War I, but a lot had changed in 20 years. Under a brutal, totalitarian system, Stalin and the communists had transformed a weak and inefficient Tsarist Russia into a "military and economic behemoth," Trigg says. " " Hitler's goal for Operation Barbarossa was to completely exterminate Communist Russia. Here Nazis are seen rolling into Minsk, Russia, which was largely captured and destroyed by German troops. picture alliance/via Getty Image Advertisement Hitler Sets His Sites on Soviet Oil Operation Barbarossa was launched in June 1941 with the largest German troop mobilization to date, more than 3.5 million Nazi and Axis troops, 3,400 Panzer tanks and 2,700 aircraft. Hitler's plan was to attack along three fronts simultaneously: Leningrad in the north, Ukraine in the south and the capital Moscow in the center. He predicted that all three would be captured in 10 weeks. And at first, things went according to plan for the Germans. The Nazis executed ruthless bombing campaigns against Soviet airfields and cities, and the Panzer divisions captured hundreds of thousands of Soviet troops. But despite these early victories, the Germans were unable to secure their targets. Stalin commanded a Red Army of 5 million men, and he fed a steady stream of soldiers to defend these cities or die trying. Retreating Soviet soldiers were routinely shot by their own commanders. By the fall of 1941, torrential rains turned Russia's dirt roads into impassable quagmires, and then freezing winter temperatures set in, forcing the Germans to halt their invasion until the next summer. Stung by his failure to take Moscow, Hitler came up with a different strategy for 1942. He believed that Germany's Achilles' heel was its lack of domestic oil reserves, which meant the German military was constantly short on fuel. Instead of re-invading Moscow, as everyone expected, Hitler launched Operation Blue, a long march south into the Caucuses to capture the Soviet region's rich oil fields. Stalingrad was directly in the path of the Nazi advance south, but the German high command didn't see its capture as strategically critical. "In all of Hitler's meetings at the time with senior commanders, all he kept talking about was 'Oil. Oil. Oil.' That's what was key," says Trigg. "Stalingrad was never mentioned." " " A squadron of German Stukas flies towards Stalingrad to continue the massive aerial bombardment of the city. Mondadori via Getty Images Advertisement Bombed to Rubble, Stalingrad Gives an Advantage to the Soviets In August 1942, the powerful German 6th Army arrived at Stalingrad under the command of Friedrich Paulus. "Paulus did what the Germans usually did, bombed the city massively in the hopes that the Soviets would run away," Trigg says. Paulus ordered a massive aerial bombardment of Stalingrad, a narrow city that ran north and south along the Volga River. The relentless bombings were followed by heavy artillery strikes that reduced large swaths of the city to rubble. Then it was time for the German infantry to move in, led by Panzer tank divisions. "What Paulus found out was that in an urban environment, where the streets were pitted with craters and covered in rubble, the Panzers were worse than useless," says Trigg. The Battle for Stalingrad became a street-by-street, house-by-house fight, and the Soviets were able to force the German tanks down impassable streets and trap the infantry behind them. Exposed, the Nazis were easy targets for Soviet snipers and even makeshift Molotov cocktails dropped from rooftops. Paulus, who wasn't a terribly innovative commander, believed the best response was more firepower, says Trigg. More airstrikes and more artillery fire. "Yes, it caused terrible casualties to the Soviet defenses at Stalingrad, but it made the terrain all the more difficult for the tanks to negotiate," Trigg says. Meanwhile, the German supply lines were stretched thin and were unable to refuel and rearm the 6th Army for a continuous attack. As the weeks turned into months, Stalin saw an opportunity to make a statement at Stalingrad, the city bearing his name. In October 1942, Stalin issued Order No. 227: "Ni Shagu Nazad!" ("Not One Step Backward!"). There would be no Soviet retreat or surrender at Stalingrad, even if it cost tens of thousands of Soviet lives, both soldiers and civilians. Those who surrendered faced military tribunal and possible execution. "'We will drown the Germans in our blood' that was the Soviet way of making war," Trigg says. " " After Stalingrad was finally liberated from the German occupation, the city was left in ruins. At far left are the remains of a large L-shaped apartment building; at right is the destroyed Railwaymen's House. Wikimedia Commons/(CC-BY-SA 3.0) Advertisement A Daring Soviet Strategy Cuts Off the German Army Stalin sent Gen. Vasily Chuikov to command the surviving Soviet forces in Stalingrad, pinned between the advancing German Army and the Volga River. Instead of digging in and sacrificing more and more Soviet soldiers to the German killing machine, Chuikov decided to go big and try something the Soviets had never done before: a pincer movement. The flanks of the German 6th Army were defended by Axis allies from Romania, Hungary and Italy, who were poorly trained and exhausted. "In terms of morale, they didn't really want to be there," Trigg says. Chuikov organized his men into two divisions and launched a surprise pincer attack Nov. 19, 1942. The Romanian, Hungarian and Italian troops put up a valiant fight, but were quickly overpowered. And before Paulus could react, nearly a quarter million German troops were fully surrounded and choked off from their supply lines. Instead of trying to break out immediately, Paulus and the German high command decided to hold their ground and resupply by airlifts. But the airlifts were a disaster and couldn't get nearly enough food, fuel and ammunition to the encircled German troops. As the forbidding Russian winter set in, German soldiers began dying from hunger and exposure. Meanwhile, the Soviets continued their relentless campaign, no matter the cost. "Throughout December, the Germans were ground into dust," Trigg says. "Their ammunition was getting critical, fuel was absolutely dreadful, hunger was really starting to kick in, and the Soviets were just throttling the life out of them." Advertisement A Turning Point in World War II The propaganda machines in both Germany and the Soviet Union turned Stalingrad into a "must-win" for both sides, and Hitler refused to give in even as his men starved by the thousands or were carted off to Soviet prisoner of war camps. The last remnants of the once-vaulted German 6th Army finally surrendered in February 1943. In all, an estimated 500,000 German troops were lost at Stalingrad, including 91,000 prisoners of war. Of those, only 6,000 German prisoners ever made it back home. Stalingrad is often cited as the military turning point of World War II, after which Germany could never regain its tactical advantage. But Trigg says that the stunning German defeat at Stalingrad was important for another reason. "It was a turning point in terms of the German people and their mindset," says Trigg. "Every single newspaper in Germany published death lists of the soldiers killed in Stalingrad and they were endless. Hardly a family in Germany wasn't personally touched by the defeat the loss of a son, brother or close friend." No amount of Nazi propaganda could deflect from the fact that Hitler's glorious invasion of the Soviet Union was an all-out failure. " " The Motherland Calls statue now stands in Volgograd, Russia, in memory of those who died during the Battle of Stalingrad. Oleg Dimitrov/Shutterstock Now That's Interesting Standing at 279 feet (85 meters) The Motherland Calls, Rodina-Mat' Zovyot, is the tallest statue in Europe and the tallest statue of a woman in the world (see image above). Construction began in 1959 and took more than eight years to complete. There are 200 steps that lead up from the base of the memorial complex; the 200 steps represent the 200 days of the Battle of Stalingrad. " " This street scene shows the notorious Five Points intersection, in New York City in 1829. A couple street fights are depicted in the image. Stock Montage/Getty Images In Martin Scorcese's 2002 movie "Gangs of New York," Leonardo DiCaprio's character Amsterdam Vallon is given a tour of the infamous Five Points slum of 1860s New York City and schooled on the neighborhood's colorfully named gangs of Irish thugs: the Plug Uglies, the Slaughter Houses, the Swamp Angels and the Dead Rabbits. Seated on a back alley staircase is a woman introduced as Hell-Cat Maggie, shown filing her feline teeth to sharp points. Later, in one of the film's many blood-soaked fight scenes, she pounces on a rival gangster with her razor-sharp brass claws and bites his ear off, preserving it with the rest of her battle souvenirs in a bar-top pickle jar. (Her name later inspired a brand of Irish whiskey.) Advertisement Scorcese, who made his name with violent mobster films like "Mean Streets" and "Goodfellas," took his inspiration for "Gangs of New York" from a 1928 book by journalist and novelist Herbert Asbury also called "The Gangs of New York." Scorcese knew Asbury's reputation as a man who never let facts get in the way of entertaining copy, but then again Scorcese didn't set out to make a documentary. Tyler Anbinder, a historian with George Washington University who specializes in 19th-century immigration and American life, was called in as a consultant on "Gangs of New York" and sat with Scorcese for three hours one day going through every page of the script for inaccuracies. "He knew all the mistakes in his movie," says Anbinder. "There was only thing I pointed out to him that he didn't seem to know." (That was to do with voting methods in the 1860s.) Although no shred of evidence exists for a real person called Hell-Cat Maggie, it's hard to resist Asbury's juicy descriptions of her and other mythical Irish "Amazons" in his highly fictionalized account of the meanest 19th-century New York streets. "The Dead Rabbits, during the early forties, commanded the allegiance of the most noted of the female battlers, an angular vixen known as Hell-Cat Maggie, who fought alongside the gang chieftains in many of the great battles with the Bowery gangs," wrote Asbury. "She is said to have filed her front teeth to points, while on her fingers she wore long artificial nails constructed of brass. When Hell-Cat Maggie screeched her battle cry and rushed biting and clawing the midst of a mass of opposing gangsters, even the most stout-hearted blanched and fled." If Hell-Cat Maggie never existed, then where did Asbury get the idea for this sadistic Irish catwoman? Anbinder thinks that Asbury either made up the character whole cloth or borrowed it from earlier accounts that were loosely "based on true stories." Asbury would have known that such tales were written to titillate 19th-century readers, not report the news. "If you're Herbert Asbury and you want to write something sensational about the Irish that hasn't been written before, not only do you have a guy biting somebody's ear off, but you make it a woman," says Anbinder. "That's [to show] how debauched the Irish were." Gallus Mag and Sadie the Goat The ear-chomping version of Hell-Cat Maggie featured in Scorcese's movie was actually an amalgamation of three different female criminals described by Asbury in "The Gangs of New York." One was Gallus Mag, a ruthless bouncer from a Bowery dive bar called the Hole-in-the-Wall who stood over 6 feet tall and was "an extraordinary virtuoso in the art of mayhem." "It was her custom, after she had felled an obstreperous customer with her club, to clutch his ear between her teeth and so drag him to the door, amid the frenzied cheers of the onlookers," wrote Asbury. "If her victim protested or struggled, she bit his ear off... and carefully deposited the detached member in a jar of alcohol behind the bar, in which she kept her trophies in pickle." The third dangerous dame tossed into the mix was Sadie the Goat, a Bowery pirate whose claim to fame was head-butting unwitting sailors in the stomach so that her male accomplices could beat and rob them. Asbury claims that Sadie once got in a scrum with Gallus Mag who added one of Sadie's ears to the pickle jar. Later, the two made a truce and Mag magnanimously returned the ear. Sadie enclosed it in a locket. Anbinder points out that Asbury was writing "The Gangs of New York" in the 1920s when real mobsters in Chicago and New York were making headlines with high-profile murders and vast criminal enterprises. That likely inspired Asbury to fill his account of the 19th-century Five Points slum with well-organized Irish gangs that supposedly robbed and killed for sport. The truth, explains Anbinder, is that these "gangs" in immigrant strongholds like Five Points were just loose collections of guys from the neighborhood tenements, not professional gangsters. Most had day jobs as laborers or shopworkers and might get called in on election day to provide muscle for the local "ward heeler," a street-level boss for 19th-century political machines like Tammany Hall. " " It was a pastime for middle class people to go 'slumming' in Five Points - visiting the area accompanied by police to see the poverty and lurid 'happenings' they had read or heard about. CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images The biggest gang clashes were politically motivated, when gangs employed by rival candidates would battle for control over the same street of voters. And even then, the gangs didn't take to the streets armed with hatchets and swords to slaughter their foes, like Daniel Day Lewis' barbarous character Bill the Butcher does in the movie. If monsters like Hell-Cat Maggie really existed, the 19th-century newspapers would have been all over it. "It would have been sensational," says Arbinder. "But I read [30 years' worth of] newspapers and there's nothing like this [in there]." Now That's Cool One theory is that the Dead Rabbits gang got their name from the Irish word raibead for "a big, hulking person." In Five Points slang, "rabbit" became "a rowdy" and "dead" meant "very." Anbinder thinks no real gang even went by that name. CHARLESTON Contractor Ed Carter spent much of the last two weeks at the Coles County Courthouse numbering every window from the basement up through the fourth-floor attic on the inside and using a power lift to measure them outside. That work was in preparation for Coles County's plans this fall to start replacing nearly all of the courthouse's windows, approximately 385, through $3.1 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding in an effort to address long running maintenance issues. Last month, the county board voted unanimously to use this pandemic relief funding for the window project, a decision that did raise concerns from some community members at the meeting. County Treasurer George Edwards said the uses of this funding by counties and municipalities has been broadened from direct COVID-19 purposes to include needs such as infrastructure improvements. "There would never be another time we could replace all the windows in the courthouse. We would never be able to bond enough money to replace all the windows at one time. We felt like it was a once in a lifetime opportunity to do that," Edwards said. "(Window replacement) has been needed for a long time." However, some Coles County citizens have spoken up about their concerns for the project and if the project would be the proper use of the funds. County Regional Planning & Development Commission Executive Director Kelly Lockhart and Maintenance Supervisor Steve Simpson said the county has been looking into window replacement options since 2013. Simpson said most of the windows in the courthouse, built 1898-1900, were installed in the late 1960s and a large number are in poor condition, cracked in many instances. He said some windows can barely be locked and others leak rainwater. He said a few courthouse employees have needed to stuff towels inside their office windows to prevent cold air from flowing in during the winter. Lockhart said Centrica Business Solutions, which will produce the energy efficient windows, has estimated that this project will yield $1,336 in utility cost savings during the first year. He said the savings will likely be more once courthouse employees are able to reduce their use of fans and space heaters in their better insulated offices. Under the federal funding guidelines, Lockhart said the project must follow state Historic Preservation Agency requirements because the courthouse is on the National Register of Historic Places. He said they will install windows that match 1900 style. He said they also plan to uncover some boarded up windows on the upper floors and retain some vintage windows, including two remaining from 1900. Through the federal funding and $200,000 from the Charleston Area Charitable Foundation, the window replacement project is scheduled to start this fall. Treasurer Edwards noted that while this project will utilize much of the county's $4.8 million first half its relief funding, the county is still awaiting the second half. Carter said each window will need to be specially built because the stonework that frames them is not uniform in size. He added that the normal build time for the windows has doubled to 10-12 weeks due to supply chain issues in the building industry. He said the work will likely carry over from the fall into next year as the project contends with these issues and with Central Illinois weather. "We will need every bit of six months to change them," Carter said. Kevin Gaither, who frequently attends County Board meetings, said during the boards May 10 meeting that he was concerned when ten members of the board quickly approved the $3.1 million project. Two board members were absent for the vote. Gaither said he felt there were better ways to spend the money. They could have done something to help provide some relief. I know the hospitality industry in this county is suffering pretty hard. We're about to lose a whole bunch of our restaurants, we're gonna go through a recession shortly if we're not already at the beginning of it, Gaither said. This stagflation is pretty rough, I think they could have done something to help people that have been struggling through that. James DiNaso, a local business owner, told the board the contract did not make any sense to him. Though Carter has been subcontracted to do much of the work on the windows, the contract the board approved is with Centrica Business Solutions, the New York-based subsidiary of United Kingdom-based Centrica. DiNaso said he did not like the idea of the money leaving the county and that he did not believe the estimated annual savings were accurate. According to the contract, the county is expected to save over $3.1 million dollars between avoided capital, electricity and natural gas costs over the next 20 years. DiNaso called the savings a sham. With the current state of the economy, DiNaso said he could not fathom why the windows would be replaced at this time. No capital improvements would be made by any sane businessman during this time because of the cost, DiNaso said. Robb Perry, another local business owner, shared he was also concerned about how fiscally sound the project is. Do you guys know anything about return on investment? That is plumb ridiculous. And no offense towards anybody, but if that's what you're doing over here with the money, if that's how you operate, weve got to change some faces, Perry said. Because thats not right. If you worked for me, Id fire you for it. Aside from the logistics of the contract, Perry said he wanted to see the money fully stay in the county. Every time we leave money in the county, we do better by it, Perry said. If anybody doesn't feel that way, I suggest you walk out of here. Contact Rob Stroud at (217) 238-6861. Follow him on Twitter: @TheRobStroud 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. The owners of Triad pizzeria chain El Cugino Forno Pizzeria were ordered to pay 63 employees a combined $276,048 in back wages as part of a U.S. Labor Department wage and hour investigation disclosed Wednesday. Affected are Cugino Forno Clemmons LLC, Cugino Forno LLC in Greensboro and Cugino Forno WS LLC in Winston-Salem. One of the chains owners, Joseph Ozbey, said in a Friday interview with the Winston-Salem Journal that the issue involved a miscalculation of wages that was corrected months ago after they were notified by U.S. Labor officials. We recognized the miscalculation when they (U.S. Labor) came to us and asked us for documentation, Ozbey said. They trained us and told us this is how it is supposed to be, and it is how we have been doing it from that day. Its been taken care of. We went to all employees, including past employees, and paid them. The wood-fired Neapolitan pizzeria restaurant locations are at 6315 Clemmons Point Drive, 486 N. Patterson Ave. in Winston-Salem and 1160 Revolution Mill Drive in Greensboro. Investigators determined the chain paid as little as $1.19 per hour as a cash wage to workers. The minimum cash wage for tipped employees in North Carolina is $2.13 an hour the same as required under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act. North Carolinas minimum wage of $7.25 has been the same as the national minimum wage since 2009. U.S. Labor investigators said that by the chain paying below the minimum wage for tipped employees, it forced them to rely almost entirely on tips for their income. The investigation determined the restaurants collected customer tips left for some workers and used them to pay other employees wages, leading to additional violations of the Fair Labor Standards Acts minimum wage provisions. Investigators also found the employer failed to pay the required overtime rate when applicable. Ozbey said that when U.S. Labor officials presented the owners with the amount of back wages that was owed, we accepted it, we didnt fight back because we knew the money was going to our employees. Ozbey said providing the back wages put us in a real difficult situation financially. Ozbey said the assessment that the chain was paying as low as $1.19 an hour in cash did not represent a full picture of the issue. Instead of telling (employees) they were going to be paid $2.13 per hour and tips, we promised them $10 an hour, Ozbey said. We used the tips that were collected and paid them, and on top of that we paid from the company if tips werent enough to reach $10 an hour. Thats where the miscalculation came. Ozbey said part of the wage dispute comes from how the restaurants operate, with counter service rather than table service. No one, no matter their level of experience, has received less than $10 an hour, Ozbey said. Most of these employees are still working for us. If they felt they had been mistreated, they would have left, especially since everywhere you go, every restaurant is hiring. We did not lay off a single person due to the (COVID-19) pandemic. Ozbey and cousins Yilmaz Guver and Adam Adksoy opened the Greensboro location in 2017, Winston-Salem in March 2019 and Clemmons in October. The chain recently opened a Durham restaurant that wasnt listed in the departments news release. Restaurant employees work hard, often for low wages, and many depend on the tips they receive from customers for good service to makes ends meet, Richard Blaylock, Raleigh district director for the U.S. Labor Wage and Hour Division, said in a statement. Employers are obligated to pay their workers all their legally earned wages. Those who do not respect their workers rights will likely struggle to retain and recruit the people they need to remain competitive, as workers look for opportunities with employers that do. In fiscal year 2021, the Wage and Hour Division recovered more than $34.7 million for more than 29,000 workers in the food service industry. The business news you need Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. A Winston-Salem firefighter was injured Friday at an apartment fire off New Walkertown Road, authorities said. Two people who live in the apartment were displaced by the fire. The injured firefighter was among 26 who responded to the fire at Apt. O in the Eastgate Village Apartments complex, said Battalion Chief Patrick Grubbs of the Winston-Salem Fire Department. Correction This article has been edited to correct information about the apartment building's location. The fire was reported at 11:28 a.m., and firefighters had put out the fire about noon, Grubbs said. The fire severely damaged the apartment. Grubbs declined to identify the injured firefighter who was taken to a local medical clinic for treatment. Hes doing OK, Grubbs said. Hes being treated for very minor injuries. Grubbs also declined to say how the firefighter was injured. The American Red Cross is assisting the two residents, a man and a woman, who were displaced by the fire, Grubbs said. The fire was caused by an electrical short in a toaster oven in the apartments kitchen, said Battalion Chief Jeffrey Shaw of the city fire department. An estimate of the damage to the apartment wasnt immediately available Friday, Grubbs said. By Azernews By Vugar Khalilov Ruhin Valiyev (31), an employee of the Azerbaijan National Agency for Mine Action (ANAMA), was injured as a result of an anti-personnel mine explosion in liberated Jabrayil, Azernews reports. The incident occurred at around 0900 hours, on June 17, when the employee was carrying out demining activities, the report added. The victim was hospitalized in a regional hospital with a traumatic amputation of his left leg from the ankle. Currently, his condition is stable. The public will be kept updated on the occurrence, the agencys press service said. The prosecutor's office visited the scene of the event, scheduled a forensic medical examination, and took other procedural steps. The Jabrayil district prosecutor's office is looking into the cause of the mine explosion. Although about 18 months have passed since the 44-day war between Azerbaijan and Armenia, mines of different types planted by Armenia in the formerly occupied territories continue to endanger human lives in the liberated lands. Almost every day, there is news of civilians or military personnel being injured or killed as a result of mine explosions in Azerbaijan's liberated lands. This once again proves that Armenia continues its mine warfare against Azerbaijan's both civilian and military personnel. Reports coming from official sources indicate that nearly 80 percent of the minefield maps submitted by Armenia to Azerbaijan are wide of the mark. Armenia appears to be committing war crimes by concealing the locations of landmines, allowing more innocent people to be killed. Azerbaijani presidential aide Hikmat Hajiyev earlier described as accurate only 25 percent of minefield maps provided by Armenia. The Azerbaijani regions liberated from Armenian occupation in the second Karabakh war in 2020 are the most mine-littered region in the world. Armenia deliberately and constantly planted mines on Azerbaijani territories, in violation of the 1949 Geneva Convention, thereby being a major threat to regional peace, security, and cooperation. In an address to the 6th Eastern Partnership Summit of the European Union in Brussels on December 15, 2021, President Ilham Aliyev said that about 200 people had been killed or injured in mine explosions to that date. In this regard, he stressed the importance of the European Union and member states providing technical and financial assistance to Azerbaijan in eliminating the mine problem. Former Rural Hall Town Manager Megan Garner is suing a town council member, accusing her of making false statements that Garner had stolen money and was having an affair with a married Forsyth County Sheriffs deputy. In the lawsuit, filed last week in Alamance County, Garner says that Susan Gordon, who is the towns mayor pro tem, made false statements at a meeting of the Rural Hall Historical Society in June 2021 that spread throughout the small town and helped ruin Garners professional reputation. This is the latest in a complex web of legal litigation that started late last year after an Oct. 21, 2021, meeting where Garner, three council members and the towns attorney all abruptly resigned. Those resignations came after the three council members John McDermon, Ricky Plunkett and Jesse Stigall approved a nearly $150,000 settlement agreement for Garner, who accepted a job as city manager in Graham the next day. Garner never got the money, however, because the amount exceeded the towns transactional limits. Still, town officials filed a lawsuit against Garner in November 2021, accusing her and the three council members of violating state law and town protocols in negotiating and approving the settlement agreement, also known as a severance package. Then, in December, Randy James, the towns interim attorney, filed an amended lawsuit that added allegations that Garner violated town ethical rules by having an affair with now-former fire chief Andy Marshall, who reported directly to Garner. Garner has denied those allegations, but Marshalls ex-wife, Stacy Marshall, has since filed an alienation of affection lawsuit against Garner. Garner has previously alleged in a counter-claim that town officials, including Gordon, current town manager Misty Meadows and Jason Hill, the towns public works director, had engaged in a sexist smear campaign against her that ultimately forced her to get an attorney, negotiate a settlement agreement and leave the job. But in the latest lawsuit, filed June 10 in Alamance Superior Court, Garners attorneys, Valerie Bateman and Julie K. Allison, name only Gordon as a defendant. The new lawsuit filed in Alamance County alleges that Gordon, who voted against the settlement agreement in October, made false statements that Garner misappropriated $1.5 million from town coffers and that legal service was done in connection with a purported affair Garner was having with a married Forsyth County sheriffs deputy. The lawsuit said Gordon made these statements to a group gathered on June 13, 2021, for a meeting of the Rural Hall Historical Society. Defendant knew these statements to be false at the time the statements were made, the complaint said. Bateman and Allison allege that Gordon further told the group that Garner, as town manager, had provided crappy spreadsheets to the town council which was a fabulous way to hide money. Gordon further stated orally at the meeting on June 13, 2021, that Plaintiff had been served with a legal process in connection with an affair with a married Forsyth County Sheriffs deputy. Gordon, Bateman and Allison allege, knew that that statement was also false. Garner said that these slanderous allegations made by Defendant were spread all over Rural Hall, according to the complaint. Bateman and Allison said that Gordon should have known that revenue and expenditure reports that were provided to the Rural Hall Town Council were pulled each month directly from the towns accounting software. And the towns independent auditor certified to the Town Council on November 8, 2021, that there were no missing funds. The complaint that news media contacted Garner about missing $1.5 million dollars, which resulted in Garners embarrassment and humiliation. The news media also published articles about the alleged missing money that also embarrassed and humiliated Garner, the complaint alleges. State Treasurer Dale Folwell announced last year that he had asked State Auditor Beth Wood to look into the rumors about missing money. Woods office would neither confirm nor deny whether there was going to be an investigation, and Wood has not made any further announcement. When reached Tuesday morning, Gordon said she didnt have much to say and referred questions to her attorney. I greatly appreciate your call but I will have to have my attorney answer all of this for me because I dont understand any of what she is saying, Gordon said. When asked, Gordon didnt immediately know the name of her attorney or the law firm for which her attorney worked. She called back later and said all questions should be referred to James. James said Tuesday afternoon that the lawsuit is simply a rehash of claims she made in her initial counter complaint. The only difference now, he said, is that she is suing Gordon. Garners attorneys voluntarily dismissed without prejudice most of those claims in her counter complaint. Garners attorneys filed an amended counter complaint and motion to dismiss that was focused on the legality of the settlement agreement. James also said that Garners attorneys should have filed the lawsuit in Forsyth County, not Alamance. James said many of the statements Garner claims Gordon made were in the context of asking why she had not received certain financial information from Garner. Gordon has the right to ask those questions, James said. James said he has seen no evidence that Gordon made any reference to an alleged affair with a married Forsyth County deputy. He said he had subpoenaed people who had allegedly recorded Gordons statements and he has received one recording in which Gordon makes no statement about an affair. Until I have corroborated evidence, which I have not seen, the allegations are denied, James said. Garner is seeking at least $25,000 in compensatory damages and an unknown amount of punitive damages, the lawsuit said. Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. A Winston-Salem man who claimed he was wrongfully convicted in two murders from the 1980s saw one of those murder convictions overturned Thursday afternoon based on a consent motion from his attorney and the Forsyth County District Attorneys Office. Merritt Drayton Williams, 64, has served more than 30 years in prison for the two murder convictions one from 1985 stemming from a home invasion that led to the death of 65-year-old Blanche Bryson and the other from 1983, where prosecutors allege that 57-year-old Arthur Wilson was beaten to death outside an illegal drink house. But over the years, questions have been raised about the police investigation in both cases. In June 2019, the N.C. Innocence Inquiry Commission held a hearing in both of the cases and found sufficient evidence that Williams was likely innocent in Brysons murder. The commission found new DNA evidence that pointed to a new suspect, Darren Leak Johnson, who confessed to commission investigators and Winston-Salem police that he alone killed Bryson. He is now facing a charge of first-degree murder and is in the Forsyth County Jail, awaiting trial. During a hearing in December 2021, Johnson said he would not plead guilty, saying it was wrong for Forsyth County prosecutors to keep another man, Williams, in prison for a crime he did not commit. The commission found insufficient evidence of innocence in the Wilson case. Wilsons case was the subject of a series of stories in the Winston-Salem Journal that raised questions about the police investigation, including whether Wilson was actually beaten. A panel of three superior court judges was scheduled to hold a hearing the week of June 27 to determine if Williams should be exonerated in Brysons murder. But that hearing has been canceled after Judge Richard Gottlieb of Forsyth Superior Court vacated Williams first-degree murder conviction Thursday in the Bryson case. In return, Williams entered what is known as an Alford plea to felony breaking and entering. An Alford plea meant Williams didnt admit guilt but was still treated as if he had been convicted. Gottlieb sentenced Williams to three years in prison and gave Williams time served. Williams had been serving two sentences of life in prison but with the possibility of parole, plus 10 years for another conviction of involuntary manslaughter in a third case. The upshot is that now Williams will only be serving one life sentence for Wilsons death. He is currently up for parole for that conviction and a decision could come in the next two months. Williams case is unusual. He voluntarily made statements to Winston-Salem police detectives, implicating himself in the two murders, but the statements he made were inconsistent. He had a history of mental illness, and a psychologist who interviewed him said Williams had a personality style that made him more likely to volunteer false confessions, including impulsivity, insecurity and exaggerated claims about his abilities. Michael McCoy, a former assistant police chief, told commission investigators that when he was sergeant over the police departments homicide division in the 1980s, he told his detectives to be careful about Williams statement. Mr. McCoy said he cautioned all of his detectives about talking to Mr. Williams and he believed Mr. Williams to be a compulsive liar, Catherine Matoian, a staff attorney for the N.C. Innocence Inquiry Commission, testified in June 2019, according to a transcript. Williams told commission investigators that he made up much of what he told police based on what he read in newspaper articles and neighborhood gossip. He also said police pressured him to implicate two men Sammy Mitchell, who was eventually convicted in Wilsons death, and Darryl Hunt, who was exonerated in the murder of copy editor Deborah Sykes. Hunt was also convicted of murdering Wilson but was acquitted in a second trial. Additionally, he said police took him to the crime scene before he made any statements. Winston-Salem police didnt make any arrests in the Wilson case or the Bryson case until Williams started talking to police. In court Thursday, Julie Boyer, Williams attorney, said that a few weeks ago, Assistant District Attorney Ben White came to her about a possible resolution. They eventually agreed to file a joint motion for appropriate relief asking a judge to vacate Williams first-degree murder conviction in the Bryson case. But Williams still maintains his innocence. We would contend that he did not kill Blanche Bryson, and we would also contend that he was not involved, she said. White said that on Dec. 10, 1985, Bryson, a 65-year-old woman who had retired as a cafeteria manager at Anderson High School, was killed after she surprised two men robbing her house on Gilmer Avenue, where she lived alone. According to court documents, she had just arrived home after attending a Christmas party at the Twilight Social Club. She was planning to go home before she went to a wake at Forsyth Funeral Home. Two friends were going to pick her up, but when they got to her place, they saw someone driving Brysons orange-and-white Buick Skylark. They could not see who was driving, and the car sped away. One of the friends said he saw someone get into the car on 27th Street. Jeffrey Bryson, her son, would later find his mother sprawled on the living room floor, a lamp chord wrapped around her neck. The house was ransacked, and police found her car less than a mile away on 21sth and Ivy streets. Williams started talking to police about the Bryson case on April 18, 1986, after he was already in jail on a charge that he pushed a woman named Mary Smith down the stairs, resulting in her death a few weeks later (Williams would later plead guilty to involuntary manslaughter in that case and has not claimed innocence in Smiths death). Williams initially told police that he and other men broke into Brysons house and that he was wearing two toboggans, one of which he gave to a man named Sammy Mitchell, a friend of the late Darryl Hunt, who was exonerated in 2004 in the death of Deborah Sykes. Sykes was a copy editor at the afternoon newspaper, The Sentinel. New DNA evidence led to a different man, who confessed to raping and killing Sykes. Williams told police he also took two lampshades in the house. But within a week, Williams story changed, with him saying he lied about the lampshades and that the men, including Mitchell, were not involved. Police had compared the mens fingerprints with those lifted at the crime scene, and there had been no match. He then told police that a man he called Lou or Lieutenant was the one who killed Bryson. After a jury convicted him of first-degree murder and he was sentenced, Williams changed his story again, saying that another man he called Gregory Thompson was an accomplice. Warren Sparrow, the district attorney, told reporters that he didnt know if Thompson even existed. Winston-Salem police never arrested any of the men Williams named as accomplices. A year after Williams conviction in 1987 in the Bryson case, Robbin Carmichael came forward after he was arrested on unrelated charges. He confessed to his role in Brysons murder and turned over three pouches of costume jewelry that were stolen from Brysons house. His fingerprints were found on Brysons car. It was through Carmichael that Johnsons name first came up as a suspect in Brysons murder. But when Ken Bishop, a Winston-Salem police detective, interviewed him, Johnson denied he was involved. Carmichael pleaded guilty to second-degree murder. He got out of prison in 2008 and his parole ended in 2013. He told commission investigators that at the time of Brysons murder, he did not know Williams. Williams filed claims with the N.C. Innocence Inquiry Commission, and as the commission investigators looked into the case, they found Johnsons name in the police reports. They tracked down Johnson in South Carolina, where they went to get a DNA sample. During that meeting, Johnson indicated that he needed to get right with God and told Attorney (Catherine) Matoian (the staff attorney with the commission) that he was responsible for the murder of Blanche Bryson. Johnson told investigators that Williams was not there when he killed Bryson. DNA taken from Johnson was compared to DNA from Brysons nail clippings. They matched, and in June 2019, Johnson was arrested and charged with Brysons murder. However, Forsyth County prosecutors still insisted that in both the Wilson case and the Bryson case, Williams statements were corroborated by physical evidence found at the crime scene. They also argued that Williams made many of those statements in court while under oath. Specifically, in Brysons case, they argued that Johnson and Williams could have acted in concert to break into Brysons house and that Bryson had admitted he was high on LSD at the time of the crime, meaning it is possible that Williams was there and that Johnson couldnt remember. The only physical evidence that police said corroborated Williams statements were two strands of hair from one of the toboggans that a hair analyst said could have come from Williams. But hair structure isnt enough to definitively say that it was Williams hair. Forsyth County District Attorney Jim ONeill has also criticized the innocence commissions work. He said he hoped that this case and this defendant, who qualifies under the FBI definition of a serial killer, will serve as perhaps the most egregious example as to why the legislature must act now and review the state-funded Innocence Commission and their free-wheeling expenditure of taxpayer dollars. The innocence commission, which started operating in 2007, has reviewed more than 3,200 cases. There have been 15 exonerations, either through a three-judge panel hearing or some other method, according to the commissions website. 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 prominent businessman, educator, and pastor has been convicted in Davidson County of engaging in sexual activity with a student. On Wednesday, Jason Wesley Keller, 42, was convicted in Davidson County of six counts of felonious sexual offense with a student and two counts of taking indecent liberties with a student, according to Assistant District Attorney Marissa Parker. Keller was sentenced to four to five years for five of the counts of felonious sexual offense with a student. He will spend 30 months on supervised probation after he is released from prison for the other three counts. He was originally charged with 10 counts of sexual activity with a female student while he worked at Union Grove Christian School in Lexington. Union Grove Christian School in Lexington did not respond to a voicemail request for comment. Keller was charged with engaging in sexual acts with a student and taking indecent liberties with a student, according to his indictment. Warrants listed his address in 2019 in Pfafftown. The investigation began in 2009, but charges were not brought against him until 2019 when the student, now an adult, reached out to law enforcement to re-report the alleged sexual misconduct and press charges, arrest warrants said. Keller was the acting elementary school principal and assistant principal of Union Grove Christian School where the victim also attended, the warrants said. He engaged in sexual activity with her between August 2008 and May 2009, according to the warrants. Keller continued to be active in civic and church groups after being charged. Keller also served as a pastor at Freedom Family Church in Liberty. The church did not respond to a request for comment. It was unclear Thursday if Keller still worked at the church. According to a 2019 article in Forsyth Family Magazine, Keller said he was on an advisory committee that worked with high school students in Forsyth County. Spokesman for the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools Brent Campbell said it would be difficult to confirm Kellers role with students in the district. Keller is listed as the lead ambassador for the Lewisville-Clemmons Chamber of Commerce Chamber Ambassadors. Interim director of the Lewisville-Clemmons Chamber of Commerce Denise Heidel did not respond to a voicemail request for comment about Kellers status there. Kellers attorney Richard McCain did not respond to a request for comment either. 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. Atrium Health and Novant Health Inc. are among 33 major healthcare systems nationwide where certain patient information was tracked and made available to Facebook, according to a report released Thursday by The Markup. The Markup is a nonprofit investigative media outlet that specializes in mining technology data for its reports. The Markup began its report by saying that a tracking tool installed on many hospitals websites has been collecting patients sensitive health information including details about their medical conditions, prescriptions and doctors appointments and sending it to Facebook. The group said the tracking tool, known as Meta Pixel, was found on the websites of 33 of the nations 100 largest healthcare systems. The data sharing likely affects many more patients and institutions than (the 100) we identified, the group said. The tracker sends Facebook a packet of data whenever a person clicked a button to schedule a doctors appointment. The data is connected to an IP address, creating an intimate receipt of the appointment request for Facebook, the group said. The report didnt go into detail about Atriums use of the tracker, but it did provide an example of the use at Novant: Novant was among seven systems using Pixel in their patients password-protected portals, the report said. Simon Fondrie-Teitler, one of The Markup's authors on the report, said that "the scope of health data potentially being sent to Facebook is generally wider inside an electronic health record (EHR) than on a scheduling page. "EHRs can have a fairly comprehensive record of a patients care. Fondrie-Teitler said The Markup "was unable to determine if the hospitals were aware of the trackers, or how they felt about them beyond what was provided to us in statements." "To clarify, Novant wasnt on the list of Newsweeks top 100 hospitals; it checked the scheduling pages of only the list of seven hospitals where (The Markup) found the pixel inside the EHR." Ashton Miller, Novants director of media relations, said Thursday that the entire Novant system was affected by the tracking tool. Miller said Novant removed the tracker after being contacted by The Markup, which the group confirmed in its report. The only mention of Atrium in the report is confirmation of its use of the tracker, which still was active when the report was published. Although Atrium owns and operates Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, only its Charlotte flagship Carolinas Medical Center was mentioned. Atrium said in a statement Thursday that because privacy is critically important to us, we have stringent, effective safeguards in place in our digital environment. We will continue to monitor and validate the tools we use to best serve our communities. The Charlotte Observer reported that Atriums scheduling page was sending data to Facebook as of Thursday morning. It asked patients to input the condition theyre seeking care for, their age and their location. Other N.C. healthcare systems listed by the group as providing information to Facebook were Duke University Hospital and WakeMed. The group said WakeMed removed the tracker after being contacted and before the report was released. Duke University told the group Thursday it has removed the tracker since the publication of the report. The Charlotte Observer reported that Atrium, Duke University, Novant and WakeMed recorded more than 4 million admissions and outpatient appointments in 2020, according to data from the American Hospital Association. Researchers determined that UNC Rex and UNC Hospitals did not participate, while Cone Health was not included in the review of the top-100 U.S. hospitals. Cone said in a statement that "like a lot of companies, we use Facebook Pixel to determine the effectiveness of our digital efforts." "However, Cone Health does not have any advertising pixels Facebook Pixel included our MyChart patient portal." Novant involvement Novant was featured in a section of the groups report. The Markup said it created a MyChart account to determine the breadth of the tracker. We found the Meta Pixel collecting a variety of other sensitive (patient) information. Clicking on one button prompted the pixel to tell Facebook the name and dosage of a medication in our health record, as well as any notes we had entered about the prescription. The pixel also told Facebook which button we clicked in response to a question about sexual orientation. Miller said the tracker was implemented by a third-party vendor in 2020. Miller sent The Markup a statement that included we appreciate you reaching out to us and sharing this information. Our Meta pixel placement is guided by a third-party vendor, and it has been removed while we continue to look into this matter. In Millers statement Thursday, she said the vendor was hired to help us develop and implement a campaign designed to encourage individuals to sign up for MyChart. The goal of this endeavor was to get more people to take advantage of virtual care opportunities, especially since COVID was having a significant impact on how people preferred to receive care, as well as on our resources to provide in-person care. We used tracking pixels to determine how many people signed up for MyChart, not what they did after they signed in. Miller said that Novant takes privacy and the care of patient information very seriously ... and we value the trust our patients place in us to keep their medical information private. How it works The Markup said Meta Pixel is a snippet of code that tracks users as they navigate through a website, logging which pages they visit, which buttons they click, and certain information they enter into forms. In exchange for installing its pixel, Meta provides website owners analytics about the ads theyve placed on Facebook and Instagram and tools to target people whove visited their website. The group said it is one of the most prolific tracking tools on the internet, present on more than 30% of the most popular sites. Facebooks parent company, Meta, did not respond to questions from the group. Spokesman Dale Hogan sent a brief email to The Markup paraphrasing the companys sensitive health data policy. If Metas signals filtering systems detect that a business is sending potentially sensitive health data from their app or website through their use of Meta Business Tools, which in some cases can happen in error, that potentially sensitive data will be removed before it can be stored in our ads systems, Hogan wrote. According to the group, the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act lists IP addresses as one of the 18 identifiers that, when linked to information about a persons health conditions, care, or payment, can qualify the data as protected health information. Unlike anonymized or aggregate health data, hospitals cant share protected health information with third parties except under the strict terms of business associate agreements that restrict how the data can be used, according to the report. The group said that former regulators, health data security experts and privacy advocates who reviewed The Markups findings said the hospitals in question may have violated HIPAA. The law prohibits covered entities like hospitals from sharing personally identifiable health information with third parties like Facebook, except when an individual has expressly consented in advance or under certain contracts, according to the report. Neither the hospitals nor Meta said they had such contracts in place, and The Markup found no evidence that the hospitals or Meta were otherwise obtaining patients express consent. The group said Facebook itself is not subject to HIPAA, but the experts interviewed for the report expressed concerns about how the advertising giant might use the personal health data its collecting for its own profit. The Markup was unable to determine whether Facebook used the data to target advertisements, train its recommendation algorithms, or profit in other ways. Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. UPDATE: Police said Monday, June 20 they have located Ahmia Deijonei Thomas and that she is in good condition. ** Winston-Salem police are looking for a missing, endangered teenager, authorities said Thursday night. Ahmia Deijonei Thomas, 16, was last seen Tuesday in the 1600 block of Burton Street, police said. The N.C. Center for Missing Person has issued a Silver Alert for Thomas, who is believed to be suffering from dementia or some other cognitive impairment, the center said in a news release. Thomas stands 5 feet 4 inches in height and weighs 186 pounds, police said. Thomas has black hair with white or blonde braids and brown eyes. Anyone with information about Thomas's whereabouts can call Winston-Salem police at 336-773-7700, 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. 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 plan for statewide foster-care services, preferred by state health regulators, easily cleared the N.C. Senate by a 41-0 vote Thursday. Because Senate bill sponsors, led by Sen. Joyce Krawiec, R-Forsyth, used the gut-and-replace strategy for House Bill 144, the House is required to either agree with the changes or reject them. A rejection would send HB144, titled Medicaid Children and Families Specialty Plan, to a concurrence committee in an attempt to reach a compromise between the two chambers. Its unclear whether such a compromise could be reached since House speaker Tim Moore, R-Cleveland, has said he is focused foremost on completing negotiations over the 2022-23 state budget before a projected end to the 2022 session in late June or early July. Rep. Donny Lambeth, R-Forsyth, and the leading healthcare expert in the House, said after Thursdays vote that we have two weeks before we adjourn. Thus, I do not believe there is time to take up these more complex bills that the Senate has worked on for months. Budget will be released next week and voting the last week of June and that will occupy most of our time. While House leaders have been wary of tackling major new issues during this short legislative session, this bill might prove to be a relatively easy lift, said Mitch Kokai, senior policy analyst for conservative think tank John Locke Foundation. It seems unlikely to generate the type of partisan battles that the House would like to avoid. If leading members of the House are aware of the legislation and support it, its likely to pass. The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services has proposed handling foster-care services through a statewide plan set to debut by Dec. 1, 2023. However, bill opponents still dont like that counties such as Forsyth cannot opt out of the plan if it becomes law. 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. Under the bill approved by the Senate, a child cannot be taken out of the statewide plan unless DHHS requests it, and federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services approves it. Changes made this week to HB144 remove a limitation on prepaid health plans that will open the bids up for any qualified vendor. Any of the states six behavioral health managed-care organizations are eligible to bid, Krawiec said. Another change removes a limitation to allow entities with a common ownership to submit more than one bid. HB144 details Proposals for the statewide plan 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 MCOs 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. The primary purpose of the states six behavioral health MCOs 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. Krawiec said that right now, we have a very fragmented system involving the six behavioral health MCOs Some are doing a good jobs and some are not, Krawiec said Thursday. They dont tend to talk with each other well. The genesis of HB144s revamped language came from complaints expressed by county officials, including in Forsyth, about how Cardinal Innovations once the states largest MCO at 20 counties, but now disbanded was overseeing foster care services. These children go from one area to another and their insurance does not go with them, Krawiec said. With a statewide plan, they will have one (insurance) card, just like you and I, and they will be covered wherever they go in North Carolina. Opposition HB144 and the plan is opposed by the states six behavioral health MCOs and at least 30 counties, including Forsyth, all of which say they want to keep foster care services as close to local as possible. Among Partners counties are Davie, Forsyth, Surry and Yadkin as members. Forsyth is by far the largest member by population. The current CFSP 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, David Plyler, chairman of the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners, wrote to Richard in April. Forsyth commissioners and DSS staff have expressed satisfaction with Partners handling of foster-care service. The proposed single statewide plan design of the CFSP will jeopardize, rather than support, the progress we are making and targeted infrastructure we are building with Partners, Plyler said. The six MCOs and the counties say they were told in April by Richard that counties can opt out of the plan contained in HB144. I believe there was a misunderstanding of what Dave said, but we have discussed at length, Krawiec said last week. Counties could never opt out as a whole, but it can only be done on an individual basis. Partners has said that establishing a new, redundant statewide plan would cost North Carolina taxpayers millions of unnecessary dollars, and it would significantly limit choice and control for all North Carolina counties who care for many of our most vulnerable children. MCO alternative On May 1, the six MCOs unveiled the N.C. Child and Family Improvement Initiative, which represents their collective first step toward providing an alternative to the proposed statewide foster-care services plan. The MCOs said a primary goal of the initiative is to demonstrate that their ability to implement a statewide model to ensure seamless access to quality care for these children and families regardless of where they live in North Carolina. On Tuesday, the MCOs provided new details on the initiative that included: * Creating a statewide provider network to ensure access to residential treatment and other services; * Ensuring a standardized, seamless process for children moving from one MCO region to another or changing custody to a new Department of Social Services; * Establishing rapid access to care by reducing authorization barriers for residential treatment; and * Increasing capacity for crisis care across the state. The MCOs 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. 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. Nearly 4,000 people attended last years Juneteenth Festival in Winston-Salems Bailey Park in the Innovation Quarter. And that was while we were still reeling in the height of the pandemic. Fortunately, the festival was livestreamed as well. It was also the first year that Juneteenth was celebrated as a federal holiday declared so only two days before the official holiday date June 19 by Congress and signed into law by President Biden. The next day, in a written proclamation, he said: On June 19, 1865 nearly nine decades after our Nations founding, and more than 2 years after President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation enslaved Americans in Galveston, Texas, finally received word that they were free from bondage. As those who were formerly enslaved were recognized for the first time as citizens, Black Americans came to commemorate Juneteenth with celebrations across the country, building new lives and a new tradition that we honor today. In its celebration of freedom, Juneteenth is a day that should be recognized by all Americans. Juneteenth is a day of profound weight and power. A day in which we remember the moral stain and terrible toll of slavery on our country what Ive long called Americas original sin. A long legacy of systemic racism, inequality, and inhumanity. But it is a day that also reminds us of our incredible capacity to heal, hope, and emerge from our darkest moments with purpose and resolve. And its celebrated in June rather than April, when the Civil War ended, because it took that long after Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lees surrender before enslaved people were even told that they had been freed. Those themes darkness and hope are likely to resonate with millions of Americans for a variety of reasons. Wed like to see everyone concentrate on the second hope as they venture forth this weekend. Its hope we need to get us through the tough times and hope fulfilled that provides relief. This years Juneteenth celebration is officially on Sunday. We mark it a couple of days ahead of time because the celebration has already begun in Winston-Salem and will continue all weekend long. A reception was held last night for an art exhibition, The Wellness Keepers, at the Milton Rhodes Center for the Arts, a partnership between Triad Cultural Arts and Arts Council of Winston-Salem/Forsyth County. It celebrates Black health care professionals of past and present through art, photography and their narratives. The exhibition will continue to be on display through July. A Queen Juneteenth Scholarship Pageant will be held this evening at Paisley IB Magnet School. The Juneteenth Festival celebrating freedom and the will to be free will return to Bailey Park from 1 to 8 p.m. Saturday, featuring music, dance, food, panel discussions, arts and crafts. Displays and exhibits will be featured inside nearby Biotech Place between 1 and 5 p.m. A Juneteenth Celebration featuring gospel music will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. Sunday at Tanglewood Park, co-sponsored by Forsyth County and the Arts Council of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County. The Pride Winston-Salem Festival and parade returns to downtown this weekend also, after a two-year absence, the Journals Fran Daniel reported in Thursdays Relish. It begins with a kick-off party this evening at Willows Bistro and continues with the Food Truck Rodeo at 10 a.m. Saturday and the Pride Parade at 11 a.m. Its appropriate that these events be held on the same weekend they both represent communities that have historically been oppressed, persecuted and isolated from the Constitutions promise of liberty and justice for all. Theres still a great deal of work to be done before our society fulfills that promise and some seem bound and determined today to prove that promise null but the fact that people can celebrate their lives more openly reveals that progress has been made, also. The rest of us, allies in the fight for equality, have opportunities to express our support this weekend, also. Dont forget the heat and the continued threat of COVID. Take precautions. But do celebrate. Bargoers gathered under the glow of Fat Fergs food truck last Friday to get their late night barbecue fix. Savory pork slathered in specialty sauce was available until midnight, long after many restaurants had shut their doors to a bustling night scene. Thanks to Tavern on the Square, after-dark meals like Fat Fergs will continue all summer long. Drinkers and socializers in downtown Lincoln will now be able to sample food from different trucks each week the businesses will rotate to provide a diverse dining experience. Mobile restaurants like Taco Loco, Kleins Funnel Cakes, Porkccentric and Estilo Tijuana Mexican Food will serve delicacies on-the-go behind the bars courtyard area. The food will be available every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night through August. The food truck experience is the brainchild of Matt Taylor, owner of Tavern on the Square. Taylor said he wanted to give Lincolnites a chance to try exciting local cuisine from businesses they might have never experienced if not for the food truck schedule. I think there's a necessity for late night food, especially in the Haymarket on the weekends, Taylor said. We want to keep people sober and create a hub for food trucks hopefully grow the Lincoln food scene. The event also aims to elevate new restaurant start-ups. Taylor said he wants his event to be an incubator for future restaurants. I think food trucks usually start because maybe they don't have the finances to start with a brick and mortar or they're just testing a concept, Taylor said. One new food option in particular, Shuckin Lincoln, played a key role in inspiring Taylors idea. The business serves fresh oysters that go from river to plate in fewer than 48 hours. When the owner, Gregory Ducheck, collaborated with Taylor to cater his seafood, he had an atypical request. Ducheck asked if Taylor would let him sell his oysters from 9 p.m. to midnight, knowing the food options in the area around that time are slim. Taylor said the night went over so well they decided to make it a regular event. The first one just crushed, Taylor said. They sold out really quickly. So, Taylor reached out to several food trucks to see who would be able to feed Lincoln's bar crawlers. He doesnt charge them anything to park behind his space; hes simply passionate about giving his city quality late-night dining opportunities. Shuckin Lincoln will appear at Tavern on the Square every Thursday during the summer. Duchecks seafood products are available at Leons regularly and the Zoo Bar every Tuesday night. His Facebook page advertises more events, which he hopes to grow. His business offers a unique dining experience that he guarantees will satisfy. They are the freshest, Ducheck said. They have incredible flavor profiles that are all different because they're from different parts of the Gulf. It's really easy to convert somebody to loving oysters when that's the product you're starting with. Ducheck said the food truck event satisfies a gaping hole in the Lincoln market. Not only is Shuckin Lincoln the only oyster caterer in town, but there are few places to get food late at night. Surprising, Ducheck said, for a college town. We don't have an all-night diner, Ducheck said. Every place I've been in that has some big university has a place where you see kids with their books open and coffee at three o'clock in the morning studying and cramming, but they don't have that here. Ducheck encouraged Lincolnites to stop by the event anytime this summer to support after-hours dining and up-and-coming businesses. Its really a way to kind of help somebody while they're working their way up the mountain, Ducheck said. Reach the writer at 402-473-7241 or jthompson@journalstar.com Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Stay up-to-date on what's happening Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. A former employee of a Lincoln tattoo shop is in jail after he threw a handful of used needles at his boss's face and later threatened his boss with a hatchet upon his firing, police said in court records. Nicholas Yager, 42, was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of terroristic threats and misdemeanor criminal mischief for his alleged role in the incident, which played out at a central Lincoln tattoo parlor June 4, according to the affidavit for his arrest. Yager's former boss, a 25-year-old man, told police he terminated the 42-year-old after about three months of employment due to Yager "constantly causing issues and threatening him and other employees," Lincoln Police said in the affidavit. When the 25-year-old did fire Yager, he became irate, according to the affidavit, throwing needles at his boss' face and spilling tattoo ink throughout the business before moving outside. Once there, the 25-year-old man told police Yager chugged a glass bottle of Mike's Hard Lemonade before swinging the bottle at his boss, according to the affidavit. Yager eventually retrieved a hatchet from his backpack and threatened to harm his boss, the police said. A witness who had been at the tattoo parlor, near 27th and S streets, corroborated the 25-year-old's account of events. Lancaster County Sheriff's deputies arrested Yager in Hickman around 10 p.m. Wednesday. He is being held at the Lancaster County jail on a $10,000 percentage bond. He must by $1,000 to be released. Reach the writer at 402-473-7223 or awegley@journalstar.com. On Twitter @andrewwegley Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Two groups avid drag racers and residents tired of noisy, speeding cars and motorcycles that regularly cruise O Street until the wee hours of the morning shared their frustrations at a lively town hall meeting at the Joyo Theatre in Havelock Monday. The town hall, a regular event held by Lincoln City Councilman James Michael Bowers, who represents northeast Lincoln, was moved from its usual spot at the Anderson Library to the old theater on Havelock Avenue in anticipation of the interest. The theater was well over half full, and Police Chief Teresa Ewins quickly abandoned a Powerpoint presentation on the number of tickets theyd issued and grant-funded enforcement efforts theyd conducted. Her point, that theyre issuing tickets but changing the behavior will also take education, got lost when one woman asked whether offenses could carry a bigger penalty, maybe impounding a drivers car. Ewins response Id like that drew an angry response from a group of avid drag racers. Give us somewhere to do this stuff, said one audience member, who along with others, said theyve sought a drag-racing course for years with no luck. The drag racers said people who love the sport are responsible and safe and are being unfairly blamed for the problems on O Street. One woman said she lived in Arizona and the city blocked off streets and provided security for drag-racing events, something she thinks could be done here. Ewins said such events are typically sponsored by businesses, not the city. The police chief said during her presentation that police werent trying to stop people from showing off their classic cars, but if cars are breaking the law, theyll get a ticket, and the desire to drive fast cant be at the expense of peoples lives. I know what our responsibility is, she said. If you violate the law, you get a ticket. I cant solve your problem of I want to go fast. A crash at 52nd and O streets on Memorial Day weekend this year killed two women and injured others during an unsanctioned event to watch cars cruise O Street in what has become an annual tradition. And it brought attention to the dangers of that weekend and what many at the meeting said has become a nightly problem, especially on the weekends. One of the biggest problems, said several in the audience, is cars with loud mufflers, drivers who speed down O Street, burn rubber and play their stereos so loud it rattles windows of their homes. And its not just happening on O Street, they said. Its a quality of life issue, said one woman. Its gotten worse and worse in the last five years. Another woman wondered if tickets were being issued for the "god-awful noise" a question that drew applause. Several people who live west of Kohls at 84th and O streets talked about the noise caused by motorists who gather in the parking lot and use the entrance off of O Street near a fast-food restaurant to turn around and race back and forth along the nearby stretch of O Street. Ewins told the group police are looking at a number of possibilities: how they could reengineer the streets to slow people down, using cameras to record license plates and speeds, and working with businesses to keep people out of their parking lots. Since January, she said, the department has adjusted schedules so they can monitor traffic on O Street more often. They hadnt been ticketing people for noise violations, but have begun doing so since January, said Capt. Mayde McGuire. Ewins encouraged people to work with the police captains in their parts of town, reporting offenses so police know where to target their efforts. But Barb Bulow, who lives near Kohls, said they have reported the problem and theyve never seen police out there. Barb Ramsey said the meeting was a good first step, that needs to be followed by others involving police, judges, city officials and young people to find a solution. This is a good meeting, but its important to get more people at the table. Reach the writer at 402-473-7226 or mreist@journalstar.com. On Twitter @LJSreist Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange has signed an agreement with Al Maryah Community Bank (MBank), the first digital bank in UAE, to facilitate initial public offering (IPO) subscriptions and streamline the process for obtaining a National Investor Number (NIN). As part of the agreement, MBank customers will be able to digitally create a NIN and self-subscribe to IPOs on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) through the mobile app and online channels of MBank. The partnership follows recent ADX initiatives to encourage market participation, including an initiative to provide the exchange access to investors registered on other UAE financial markets and updates to the exchanges SAHMI application. Saeed Hamad Al Dhaheri, the Managing Director and CEO of ADX, said: "Our strategic partnership with MBank will support our efforts to enhance our focus on customer centricity and bolster market liquidity." "The exchange has a strong pipeline of IPOs and the new service that ADX is providing to MBank will facilitate the creation of an investor number and subscription to listings. We look forward to exploring more opportunities with entities in the UAE that will help offer easier access to investors looking to participate in offerings on the ADX," stated Al Dhaheri. Al Maryah Community Bank CEO Mohammed Wassim Khayata, commending the efforts of ADX, said: "We are honoured that together with the exchange, we have enabled customers to obtain investor numbers for adult investors and their minor children, which in turn facilitated their participation in distinguished investment opportunities through the bank's mobile application (Mbank UAE) directly without the hassle of submitting any paperwork or physically visiting the branch or ADX." "We are eager to strengthen this cooperation and provide more innovative, pioneering services through digital banking transformation to provide seamless services and boost economic growth," noted Khayata. ADX has expanded its product offerings over the past year to include exchange-traded funds (ETFs), derivatives and the approved framework for special purpose acquisition companies (SPACs). Driven by a series of IPOs and listings and increased demand from international investors, the exchange achieved a milestone with total market capitalization exceeding AED2 trillion ($544.2 million).-TradeArabia News Service MEAD Most of the residents of Mead and the surrounding area have heard about AltEn and the environmental crisis created there. Of the few hundred people who responded to a survey from the University of Nebraska Medical Center, 80% said they had heard about the plant being the source of a cocktail of pesticides that has spilled into the surrounding countryside. But to Jesse Bell, the director of the Water, Climate and Health Program at UNMC, the next data point even at a preliminary stage is even more alarming. Three-quarters of the survey respondents (38% of the 977 people sent a survey returned it) said they are worried about how AltEn might impact their lives. You can tell people are very concerned about cleanup of the site, Bell said. They are concerned about the potential exposures they are facing because of that, the smells and all that other stuff. The ethanol plant in the Saunders County village of nearly 600 people generated national and international headlines for its unusual biofuel production method, which was noticed by the nauseous odor it emitted. Instead of field corn the feedstock used by nearly every other ethanol plant AltEn used seeds treated with pesticides. While the smell was what most noticed, it was the toxic solid and liquid byproducts that leached into the environment that has drawn the most concern. AltEn was forced to shut down in February 2021 after accruing a series of violations from the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy. A study of the effects of widespread pesticide contamination started shortly after, led by researchers at UNL, UNMC and Creighton University. On Thursday, in front of a few dozen area residents and the media at the Mead Firehall, the team presented the preliminary results of its 2021 campaign sampling air, soil, surface and groundwater, as well as wildlife and pollinators. Those efforts are going to continue for the next year after the Legislature appropriated $1 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds to help keep the army of researchers scouring the countryside around Mead for evidence of lingering pesticides. Liz VanWormer, the director of the One Health initiative at UNL, said students are continuing to collect bullfrogs and other amphibian species, as well as return to the nests of redwing blackbirds plotted on a grid last summer. Samples from 83 tadpoles collected from bodies of water downstream from AltEn, as well as 145 eggs captured from nests along waterways and other areas near the plant, are being analyzed by the U.S. Geological Survey for pesticide residues. Students are also spending the summer looking at freshwater mussels and have plans to study nematodes in the soil, VanWormer said. The results will be examined alongside the human health sampling as part of a holistic approach to investigating the long-term impacts created by AltEn. A lot of times people and animals and plants have been treated separately, VanWormer said. I think one of the really unique characteristics of the response here is were trying to make it more integrated. Were trying to talk across the environmental and animal and human sampling to learn from pulling the data together. Eleanor Rogan of UNMC, who is leading the team of researchers, said pesticides found in high concentrations at the plant have been measured in air samples taken at Mead, including inside a home was studied. The concentrations found were 10 to 100 times lower than the levels deemed dangerous by the Environmental Protection Agency, Rogan warned, but merit further study to determine if they are the result of living in an agricultural community or spread from AltEn. The team assured those in attendance they intend to keep investigating the site and its surroundings, and to share those results with Mead and the residents of Saunders County. Dr. Ali Khan, the dean of UNMCs College of Public Health, said many on the research team donated their time and efforts to get the study off the ground, but plan to continue in the long term. This is about our communities and how we are responsible to our communities and you, Khan said. Reach the writer at 402-473-7120 or cdunker@journalstar.com. On Twitter @ChrisDunkerLJS 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. The blue shirts led lines of visitors through pallets stacked with cans of Chicken of the Sea tuna, boxes of Frosted Flakes and ready-to-go bags of assorted groceries. Overhead, industrial ceiling fans with helicopter-like blades whirled while bright skylights illuminated the expansive warehouse at the Food Bank of Lincoln's new headquarters in northwest Lincoln, where tours led by Food Bank staff were underway. "It's amazing," Laura Bell, the owner of Commercial Realty, remarked in front of one of the nine docks through which millions of pounds of food will arrive in the years to come. "It's unbelievable," said former Food Bank CEO Scott Young on another tour through some offices. "We marvel about it, and we should." Indeed, there was much marveling to be had on a day the community celebrated the completion of the Food Bank's new 60,000-square-foot office building and warehouse at 1221 Kingbird Road in a ribbon-cutting attended by Food Bank staff, city officials and those who donated to the more than $10.3 million project. The two-story, tan-colored building featuring a large glass entrance commands 7 acres of land adjacent to the busy streets that border the Lincoln Airport, a far cry from the Food Bank's isolated location near 48th and Superior streets. The facility serves primarily as a distribution center where food purchased nationally and donated locally is briefly stored and shipped to sites in Lincoln and 16 counties in Southeast Nebraska. "From this big, beautiful new building 60,000 square feet of meaningful, purposeful space we will be able to serve more food, get meals to those who need it, connect neighbors to resources and shorten the lines," said Steph Ledbetter, president of the Food Bank board of directors. Last year, the Food Bank handed out more than 13 million meals (equaling 14 million pounds in food), up from 11 million the year before. During the pandemic, the organization's distribution sites like a popular one at a former Perkins and at schools over the summer became saving graces for those suddenly facing food insecurity. In Southeast Nebraska alone, there are 57,000 people who face food insecurity. To them, Food Bank President and CEO Michaella Kumke said, food has turned into a combination of questions: Is there any? Is there enough? "This facility and every thoughtful element involved in making it a reality brings us one step closer to helping answer some of those questions," Kumke said. The spiffy new warehouse named the Scott Young Hunger Solutions Center features nearly three times more freezer and cooler space. There are nine docks, including three dedicated for semis, that will alleviate traffic jams that plagued the old spot, where there were only four docks total. "We used to have semis waiting to unload," said John Mabry, vice president of fundraising and engagement. The skylight system in the warehouse provides energy-efficient, natural lighting, while south-facing office windows let in plenty of sunlight. All 30 of the Food Bank's employees who moved in in early May have their own designated workstation, while volunteers have dedicated spaces to sort through donations and package food. There are also spacious break rooms and conference spaces with inviting green-and-white walls. A capital campaign that kicked off in the fall of 2019 raised more than $10 million from 1,660 donors to fund the land purchase and design and construction, led by Sinclair Hille Architects and BIC Construction. Marilyn Moore, a former longtime associate superintendent at Lincoln Public Schools, spearheaded the fundraising charge as committee chair for the Raising our Response to Hunger campaign. To raise millions of dollars from more than 1,600 donors is extraordinary at any time, Moore said, but it was especially so in a pandemic framed by economic uncertainty. "And yet, it's sadly those forces that illustrate the need for this building and this organization," she said. The Food Bank touches many families through its Backpack Program, which sends food home with students in Lincoln and surrounding towns. Board of Education member Kathy Danek saw firsthand the need for space just by the demand. "They needed this space so badly," Danek said during a tour. "This is truly the greatest gift we could give our community." The grand opening drew many from the community: city council members, Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird, Chamber of Commerce President Jason Ball. While it was a moment to celebrate, the ribbon-cutting was also a time to look forward. "This building represents more than what the Food Bank of Lincoln has done in the last 40 years," said Ledbetter. "It truly represents what the Food Bank of Lincoln will do in the decades to come." Contact the writer at zhammack@journalstar.com or 402-473-7225. On Twitter @HammackLJS 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. Residents can celebrate the LGBTQ+ community this weekend at Lincoln's Star City Pride. The event, founded in 2008, stands as Nebraska's second-largest Pride festival. We want to talk to you The Journal Star is looking for people who are part of the LGBTQ+ community to talk to us about what its like to live in Lincoln. Please email reporter Margaret Reist at mreist@journalstar.com if youre interested. The festival, which began Friday, features a vendor marketplace and performers at Matt Lot 8 under the Haymarket pedestrian bridge, along with a parade on Saturday. Morgan McMichaels, Melanin Magic and Star City Chorus will headline Friday night. McMichaels, a Scottish-American drag performer, is best known as a contestant on the second season of the reality television competition RuPaul's Drag Race, as well as the third season of the show's All-Stars spinoff. Melanin Magic, starting at 10 p.m., was founded in 2019 and highlights Nebraska's most talented Black drag performers. The second annual Pride parade begins Saturday at 9:30 a.m. at the Capitol. Cynthia Lee Fontaine, Mean Gworlz a drag parody and Queer Choir will headline Saturday's festival, which starts at 12 p.m. at the Matt Lot, 605 N. Eighth. Fontaine, a Puerto Rican drag performer, is best known for competing on the eighth and ninth seasons of RuPaul's Drag Race. Anyone interested in attending the festival can purchase a one-day festival pass for $10. Children 10 and under are free. Star City Pride is also offering virtual tickets for the weekend starting at $10, find out more here. A post-Pride drag brunch is scheduled for noon Sunday at Longwells. If interested, RSVP here. Star City Pride hosted a pre-Pride celebration Thursday at the Graduate Hotel's Scarlet Room. Love 0 Funny 2 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 1 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. DOVER, Del. (AP) Bills outlawing several types of semiautomatic firearms and magazines capable of holding more than 17 rounds have won final approval in Delawares Democrat-controlled General Assembly with no Republican support. The magazine bill passed the House on a 23-18 vote Thursday, with three central Delaware Democrats joining GOP lawmakers in dissent. It was then returned to the state Senate, which quickly signed off on a House amendment. No GOP senators voted for the bill. The Senate also voted along party lines Thursday, with a lone dissenting Democrat, to approve a House bill that bans a wide variety of semiautomatic firearms. The bills, which now go to Democratic Gov. John Carney, are part of a package of gun control measures that he and fellow Democrats want to push through the legislature this month after recent mass shootings in other states. Senators also voted unanimously to give final approval to a bipartisan measure returning control of background checks for gun purchases from the federal government to the state. A proposal limiting immunity of gun manufacturers and dealers from lawsuits cleared the Senate on Thursday with no support from Republicans, who argued that it will put small gun dealers out of business and lead to frivolous lawsuits. It now goes to the House. The magazine restriction bill was approved after being amended to reduce the first-offense penalty for possessing a prohibited magazine, changing it from a felony carrying up to five years in prison to a civil violation carrying a $100 fee. A second violation involving only possession would be a misdemeanor instead of a felony. The amendment also clarified that the presence of a removable floor plate in a magazine that is not capable of accepting more than 17 rounds of ammunition is not in itself sufficient evidence that the magazine can readily be converted to hold more than 17 rounds. It also changed the compensation for each high-capacity magazine that is surrendered to the state under a buyback program from $10 to market rate. The changes were not enough to placate opponents. The problem is not with responsible gun owners. It never has been and never will be, said Minority Whip Tim Dukes, of Laurel. The bill is the latest iteration of proposed magazine restrictions dating to at least 2013, when Democrats introduced a bill prohibiting magazines capable of holding more than 10 rounds. A bill calling for a 17-round limit passed the Senate last year but stalled after the House amended it to allow up 20 rounds for handguns and 30 rounds for long guns. In the wake of recent mass shootings, chief sponsor David Sokola, the Senate president pro tem, introduced a substitute measure last week reverting to the 17-round limit and eliminating an exemption approved in the House for a Georgetown business that manufactures firearm magazines. Opponents have argued that the bill which prohibits the manufacture, sale and possession of any magazine capable of accepting, or that can readily be converted to hold, more than 17 rounds of ammunition" will outlaw every magazine sold with modern semiautomatic weapons. Republicans also have said the measure may not withstand a court challenge under Delawares state constitution, which includes more explicit gun ownership protections than does the U.S. Constitution. The bill exempts current and retired police officers, government and military personnel acting within the scope of their duties, and holders of concealed carry permits. It also exempts firearms dealers who sell to those exempt people or to other licensed gun dealers. Exemptions also are included in the bill that bans future sales of, and restricts possession of, assault weapons." The legislation specifically targets more than 60 models of semiautomatic rifles, pistols and shotguns, as well as copycat weapons. The definition of a copycat weapon include a semiautomatic rifle that can accept a detachable magazine and has one additional feature, such as a folding stock, flash suppressor or a pistol grip that protrudes conspicuously beneath the action of the weapon. Violating the bills prohibitions would be a felony punishable up to eight years behind bars. The legislation is similar to other bills that Democrats have tried unsuccessfully to pass in recent years. It would not prohibit the possession, 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 gunowners property, other private property with that property owners consent, and to shooting ranges. It does include 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 retired police officers, armored car guards and military personnel. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) State senators are staying silent on how they will vote in South Dakota's first-ever impeachment trial next week, as they weigh whether to remove Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg for his conduct surrounding a 2020 fatal car crash. The Associated Press asked each of the 35 members of the Republican-controlled Senate whether they had made a decision on the two impeachment charges that will be argued starting Tuesday. None of the 20 who responded said they had reached a decision. Most likened themselves to jurors or judges who must give a fair hearing in an ordeal that has fractured the states Republican Party and galvanized public opinion. Everybodys keeping an objective mind and going into it with their eyes wide open, said Republican Sen. Erin Tobin. It will take 24 senators, or two-thirds, to convict Ravnsborg, a first-term Republican who isn't seeking reelection, on either of two articles of impeachment: committing crimes that caused the death of pedestrian Joseph Boever and malfeasance afterward. The circumstances surrounding the two-day trial may have already tipped some senators as they review crash investigation files and material from the House impeachment investigation. Ravnsborg's defense hasn't submitted any documents, so everything they have looked at likely works in the prosecution's favor. It would be hard for anyone to look at that information and not come to a conclusion, said Republican Sen. Michael Rohl. We havent seen a defense. Rohl said he hasn't made up his mind. Most of his questions are for Ravnsborg, who has not said whether he will testify. Other senators have had less time to do their homework on the crash investigation. Republican Sen. Ryan Maher said he is already agitated because he will have to take a two-day break from running a new business to spend long hours in a Senate chamber likely baking in the summer heat. Lawmakers usually meet during the winter months, making air conditioning or cooling ventilation unnecessary. Its going to be hot and were just going to sit there and sweat, Maher said. He said he did not know how he would vote, but said if Ravnsborg is convicted, he would probably vote to bar him from holding any future state office just because hes wasting my time now when he should have resigned. Other senators said they were looking forward to a trial as a public reckoning over crash details that have emerged in fits and starts in the 21 months since Ravnsborg struck Boever as he drove home from a Republican gathering. Ravnsborg has said he did not know he killed a man until he returned to the crash site the next day and discovered Boevers body. He initially told a 911 dispatcher he was in the middle of the road and hit something. He later said he thought he hit a deer or other animal and has insisted that neither he nor a sheriff who came to the scene could find what was hit in the dark. Investigators said they doubted some of Ravnsborg's statements. I am going to try and understand what really happened, Republican Sen. Arthur Rusch said in an email. How did he get on the shoulder how did he not see Mr. Boever how did he not see his face in his windshield. How did neither the AG or the sheriff see the body when they walked right by it. During the House impeachment investigation, Ravnsborg's defense centered on the constitutional grounds for impeachment and whether the two traffic misdemeanors, to which he pleaded no contest last year, were any reason to impeach him. He has also charged that Gov. Kristi Noem politically weaponized the crash to drive him from office. Noem pressed the impeachment process along. After her administration argued for his removal, impeachment squeaked out of the House by a single vote. In the Senate, where it would require a two-thirds majority to convict Ravnsborg, lawmakers have usually been on the same page with the governor. The political realities will certainly bear on senators' minds, said Jon Schaff, a political science professor at Northern State University. One would have to be naive to conclude that theres not at least some political element going on, he said. What do constituents think and what does the governor think? Republican Sen. V.J. Smith said he has been careful not to comment on the trial out of fairness, even as dozens of people in his community have asked him about it. But he said he's reminded of Boever's death every time he passes the spot where he died on U.S. Highway 14. It never really leaves you, he said. Were all looking for closure of a tragic situation. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 A Nebraska man who helped his wife kidnap her grandchildren in order to teach their mother a lesson was sentenced Wednesday on a weapons charge to eight years in federal prison. Tanner J. Leichleiter, 32, of Tekamah was sentenced in the U.S. District Court for Nebraska for being a drug user in possession of 10 firearms, including an assault rifle. Leichleiter was found not guilty of kidnapping at trial, but he pleaded guilty to being a prohibited person in possession of firearms. On April 20, 2020, Leichleiters co-defendant, Nora Gilda Guevara Triana, requested that Leichleiter take her two grandsons, ages 4 and 7, without car seats or shoes from Tekamah to Kansas "to teach their mother a lesson," according to information provided by prosecutors. Leichleiter loaded the children into the vehicle, along with marijuana, a pit bull, and 10 firearms that were scattered throughout the vehicle. Drugs and guns were within reach of the children throughout the interstate trip, prosecutors said. An Amber Alert was issued, and Leichleiter, who is the children's stepgrandfather, was located with the children after a farmer in the area recognized Leichleiter and his vehicle from the alert. At his sentencing hearing, Leichleiter disputed that the circumstances of his firearm possession amounted to child abuse for a sentence enhancement. U.S. District Judge Brian C. Buescher disagreed and found that Leichleiter had no regard for the childrens safety and that his case was an extreme example of illegal firearms possession. Guevara Triana, 44, was previously found guilty by a jury of the kidnapping and received a sentence of eight years, four months in federal prison. The boys' mother, Karen de la Garza, testified Guevara Triana told her that Tanner was going to take the boys because I didn't love them, because I didn't deserve to be their mother. She said that I wasn't going to be able to see them ever again ... The case was investigated by the FBI, the Tekamah Police Department, Sedgwick (Kansas) County Sheriff's Office, and the police department in Wichita, Kansas. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Nebraska's first lady has given her endorsement and a campaign contribution to the Democratic nominee in the 1st District congressional race. Susanne Shore is backing Lincoln Sen. Patty Pansing Brooks for the vacant seat representing much of eastern Nebraska, including Lincoln. "Lucky me!" Pansing Brooks tweeted Thursday afternoon. "I (am) happy and grateful to say I am endorsed and generously supported by my friend, Nebraska First Lady Susanne Shore!" A registered Democrat from Omaha, Shore is married to Republican Gov. Pete Ricketts, who has backed Pansing Brooks' opponent, Sen. Mike Flood of Norfolk. Ricketts appeared alongside former Gov. Dave Heineman in the Capitol Rotunda in January when Flood launched his campaign, and has appeared in at least one television commercial. Shore and Pansing Brooks have been friends during their time in state politics and have a "shared passion" for kids and children's issues, a member of the state senator's campaign told the Journal Star. Shore has also contributed $4,100 to Pansing Brooks' campaign as of June 2, according to her campaign. Shore and Ricketts have previously backed opposing candidates in races, most noteworthy being the 2016 presidential election pitting Hillary Clinton against Donald Trump. Pansing Brooks and Flood are running to replace Jeff Fortenberry, who resigned from Congress after he was found guilty of lying to the FBI amid an investigation related to campaign contributions from foreign nationals. Pansing Brooks and Flood will square off in a special election on June 28, before facing one another again in the November general election. Reach the writer at 402-473-7120 or cdunker@journalstar.com. On Twitter @ChrisDunkerLJS Love 3 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. When she was able to hold a tomahawk that once belonged to Standing Bear, Stacy Laravie said, it felt like a moment of generational healing. Laravie, a descendant of the famed Ponca chief and civil rights icon, was one of the Nebraska tribes representatives who traveled to the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology at Harvard University for the tomahawks repatriation ceremony June 3. Being able to hold the tomahawk, I was like, Wow, my great-great-great-grandfather touched this, Laravie said. It felt like a relative was coming home. Standing Bear had gifted the pipe-tomahawk to his attorney, John Lee Webster, following Websters work in the 1879 Standing Bear v. Crook case that helped cement human rights for Native Americans. After Websters death, the item was purchased by a private collector. It changed hands a few times before being acquired by the Peabody Museum in 1982, according to a press release from the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska. Once it was brought to the tribes attention that the item was in the museum, efforts began to return the artifact to the Ponca people. The Nebraska Legislature passed a resolution in May 2021 encouraging the Peabody Museum to fulfill commitments to repatriate native artifacts. The Peabody Museum officially removed the tomahawk from its collection in 2021, but tribal leaders werent able to make the trip to Massachusetts until earlier this month because of pandemic-related travel restrictions. On June 3, representatives of the Nebraska tribe joined museum staff and representatives of the Ponca Tribe of Oklahoma for what Laravie described as an emotional ceremony. Laravie said she is glad that the historical item is now back on Ponca land and in the hands of those who know and appreciate its history. Even though the tomahawk was gifted out it was always meant to remain in a family, not a museum, she said. The museums director, Jane Pickering, apologized for the museums past acquisition policies during the ceremony, according to a press release from the Ponca Tribe. The Peabody directly benefited from collecting practices that we acknowledge today ignored the wishes and values of families and communities, Pickering said. The return of Standing Bears tomahawk is representative of a larger movement to return historical and ceremonial objects to their respective tribes. It also comes amid a new federal push to understand the scope of boarding schools that once existed across the country with the goal of assimilating Native American children. Those efforts include attempts to document and locate the remains of indigenous children who died at facilities like the Genoa Indian Industrial School in Nebraska. These are all things that need to be brought home, Laravie said. The Ponca Tribe of Nebraska will announce plans to display the tomahawk at a later date, according to the release. Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Leroy Johnson had been coveting the rare 1970 Boss 429 Mustang since he heard it was headed to auction. He got an early look two months ago, when he drove 120 miles from his home in Nelson to Sumner, where it had been stored in a dusty shed for decades. And he drove up to Kearney this week, where the car had been cleaned up and put on display for the final few days of the three-week, online auction of Butch Siebenalers muscle car collection. We showed up with an empty trailer, hoping to bring it home. And were going to. But not without a cost. Johnson waged a last-minute bidding war Thursday with a would-be buyer from Iowa, driving the cars price from $276,000 to $442,000 nearly $150,000 more than he and others expected. The Boss 429, one of fewer than 500 sold in 1970 and considered one of the rarest Mustangs, will join Johnsons other three Mustangs, his stable of old Ford Broncos and his Volkswagen Karmann Ghia in Nuckolls County. The blue Boss was one of 17 cars auctioned Thursday, the best of the best of Butch Siebenalers 300-plus collection of old American cars he collected for decades at his repair shop and salvage yard in northeast Dawson County. The 67-year-old died suddenly in August while looking at Dodge and Plymouth parts at a garage sale in Kearney. And that left his brother to handle the estate. Steve Siebenaler sold about 100 on his own, but hired BigIron Auctions to sell the classic and rare muscle cars, the collection Butch Siebenaler had stored inside. Most were Chevys Bel Airs, Camaros, Impalas and El Caminos from 1955 to 1970. None of the other cars topped six figures, but a 70 Chevelle SS LS6 went for $98,000, and several others sold for more than $90,000. Mat Cope of BigIron didnt yet have a total take, but said the auction generated more than $1 million. I think everyone is very, very pleased with how things turned out, he said. I think its a home run. Reach the writer at 402-473-7254 or psalter@journalstar.com. On Twitter @LJSPeterSalter Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 1 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. OMAHA -- Somewhere in the 100- to 200-square-mile swirling mass of atmosphere that forms a supercell storm are cantankerous streams of air that scientists believe could be the reason a storm spins out a tornado. Scientists believe what they are seeking could be as "small" as a milelong stream of air in the lowest half-mile of the storm's 10- to 15-mile height the proverbial needle in a haystack. Those regions of the storm may be sharply colder or barely colder than the air around it, or may be where the wind shifts abruptly. (Keep in mind that storm systems are chaotic, with winds spinning vertically and horizontally, and temperature and moisture content varying widely.) Scientists aren't certain why one storm generates a tornado and another doesn't. The only way to find out is to blanket a given storm with as much weather-sensing equipment as possible a costly, time-consuming effort that involves no small degree of luck. That has been the catalyst for a $3.2 million federally funded field study led by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Dubbed TORUS, for Targeted Observation by Radars and UAS (drones) of Supercells, the study includes about 50 researchers from the federal government and academia. Their nomadic work takes them wherever the storms are breaking across 367,000 square miles of the Great Plains, from North Dakota to Texas and from Iowa to Wyoming and Colorado. Recently, weather researchers chased super cell storms across Nebraska. "The main objective of TORUS is to better understand super cell thunderstorms, the ones that produce the biggest hail, the strongest tornadoes," said Adam Houston, the lead investigator and a professor of atmospheric sciences at UNL. "To better predict tornadoes, we need to understand them. Hopefully, this will lead to forecasts with enough lead time and accuracy that we can protect lives and to some extent property." The effort utilizes an array of equipment, including eight trucks equipped with weather-sensing equipment, with some deploying radar and others, LIDAR (pulses of light), drones, a NOAA hurricane airplane and weather balloons. In spring 2019, the field study deployed drones and it was the most ambitious drone-based study of storms undertaken to date, according to UNL. Teams traveled 9,000 miles across five states this summer during that field study, according to UNL. This year, in place of drones, it is using party-sized helium balloons that send aloft Styrofoam cups containing small weather sensors. Funding comes from the National Science Foundation and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Mike Coniglio, research meteorologist with the NOAA's National Severe Storms Laboratory, said these types of sophisticated field studies are essential to dissecting storms because traditional weather sensors, such as stationary National Weather Service radars, are limited in how often they can take measurements and what they can see. "The features we are looking for are difficult to observe," he said. Once scientists learn what triggers a tornado, they will hunt for proxies in the larger environment of the storm that will enable them to make forecasts. Proxies are needed, he said, because meteorologists can't chase and monitor every single storm in such fine detail. The Great Plains are an ideal place to study tornadoes because the open horizon allows scientists to see at greater distances, which means they are safer while storm chasing. Data gathered from these studies is run through supercomputers for analysis. Findings from the 2019 field surveys are expected soon, while results from this year's research will be released in a couple of years. Coniglio said the overall science of understanding storms has moved beyond its infancy, "but we certainly have a lot more detail to learn about what is happening inside these storms." Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 US-based Structural Group has announced a reorganization of its Middle East operations aimed at strengthening its position as the region's leading provider of civil infrastructure technical services, repair products, and construction services. Bill Hutton has been appointed General Manager and Branch Director of Structural Middle East, based in Dubai, UAE. A graduate of Loughborough University in the UK, Hutton has been with Structural Group since 2016. He brings over 14 years of industry experience in the GCC to his new role. Bill's expertise in corrosion control and concrete structures, along with his knowledge of the region's existing infrastructure challenges, made him the ideal candidate for the leadership role. Lauidng the appointment, Structural Group CEO Peter Emmons said: "With Hutton's energy and dedication to our strategic plan, I'm confident we are well positioned for the continued growth of our business in the region." Structural Middle East has also been realigned with its US-based construction operations, a move that will drive sharing of best practices and increased resources for major projects. Jeff Venanzi, President of Structural Preservation Systems, pointed out that the group's commitment to supporting owners and engineers in repairing and upgrading concrete infrastructure in the Middle East was stronger than ever. "We anticipate increased collaboration between our US and UAE-based construction operations will contribute to meeting our strategic objectives in the region," he added. Structural Group, including its product, engineering, and construction subsidiaries, recently celebrated 15 years of ongoing operations in the UAE supporting the Middle East region. From investigating the condition of concrete infrastructure to specialty product systems and turnkey construction, the firm has a robust offering it delivers to the commercial, public, and industrial sectors.-TradeArabia News Service BURLINGTON The federal infrastructure program championed by President Joe Biden is providing at least $1 million for improvements to Milwaukee Avenue in the Browns Lake area. Gov. Tony Evers has announced that the Burlington road project is getting between $1 million and $2 million through the Biden administrations initiative known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The federal funds allocated through the state will pay for resurfacing one and a half miles of Milwaukee Avenue north of Downtown Burlington between Teut Road and Browns Lake Drive, also known as County Road W. It is one of 40 projects throughout the state sharing a combined $35 million in the first of several road improvements grants provided through the federal infrastructure plan. In announcing the grants for Burlington and other communities, Evers called the Biden administrations initiative an historic, once-in-a-generation opportunity. This investment in our states infrastructure will provide much-needed support for communities across Wisconsin to ensure we have a safe, reliable transportation system for years to come, the governor said. No schedule has been announced for the Milwaukee Avenue project, although officials expect to seek contractor bids later this year. State officials did not announce a specific dollar amount for the federally funded grant, because they did not want to influence potential future contractor bids. The grants announced June 7 are intended to help rural and urban areas with populations of fewer than 50,000 people. The state received 306 applications, of which 40 were selected in 28 different counties. Burlingtons application for Milwaukee Avenue was chosen to share in funds totaling $2,821,496 with two other projects in the City of Watertown and the City of Jefferson. More grants are expected during the next four years in the $1.2 trillion infrastructure initiative part of the so-called Build Back Better Agenda which was proposed by President Biden and approved by Congress as a way of stimulating the U.S. economy and rebuilding important roads, bridges and railroads. Applicants not selected in the initial round can reapply for funding in future years. State Transportation Secretary Craig Thompson, a Racine native, expressed thanks to Evers for committing to improve Wisconsins infrastructure and for making the most of this opportunity with the federal program. We have been working very closely with local partners throughout the state, Thompson said, and will continue to help applicants so that the roads maintained by counties, towns and municipalities get the attention they need. 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. RACINE An alleged Latin King gang member has been accused of drugging and repeatedly sexually assaulting a minor. Romero J. Ramirez, 1600 block of Grange Avenue, Racine, was charged with five felony counts of second-degree sexual assault of a child under 16 years of age, four felony counts of child enticement and misdemeanor counts of obstructing an officer and bail jumping. According to criminal complaints: Reported assault In January 2021, an officer was sent to speak with a woman who said her daughter had disclosed a sexual assault to her. The assailant was identified as Ramirez. An investigator spoke to the minor who said that Ramirez sexually assaulted her on four different occasions. She said that for the first incident Ramirez gave her a pill that made her vision blurry and her heart pound before sexually assaulting her. After the second sexual assault, he told her youre not going to tell anyone, are you? before handing her $70. In the third incident he gave her marijuana and alcohol before sexually assaulting her. Arrest On Wednesday, members of the Violent Crimes Task Force and U.S. Marshals Fugitive apprehension team were executing arrest warrants on several fugitives. In one of them, Ramirezs residence on the 1600 block of Grange Avenue. Prior to making entrance, officers were informed that Ramirez was a Latin King gang member who had a violent history. At 9:12 a.m., U.S. Marshals and the Violent Crimes Task Force made entry into the upper unit of the residence. Ramirez had barricaded himself in the basement. Later, Ramirez attempted to exit the front door and officers gave him commands to walk off of the porch and away from the house. He then walked backwards toward the house and said nah (expletive) that. He was eventually tased and taken into custody. Ramirez was given $55,000 in cash bonds in Racine County Circuit Court on Thursday. A status conference is on Friday and a preliminary hearing is on June 23, both at the Racine County Law Enforcement Center, 717 Wisconsin Ave., online court records show. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0 ELMWOOD PARK The Village of Elmwood Park promotes a park-like atmosphere. However, the small village with a population of about 480 has never actually had a park. That is now set to change. The Village Board at its meeting April 14 unanimously approved Resolution 2022-1, authorizing the purchase of vacant property at 3406 S. Elmwood Drive for the purpose of creating a village park. The closing date was Tuesday. The new park is yet to be named but is to potentially consist of a playground, swing set, benches and picnic tables. The property is 0.269 acres. Village Administrator, Clerk and Treasurer Christophe Jenkins said the village is striving to keep the park design simple and consistent with that of a standard neighborhood park. The village may now have their own property thats a playground for everybody to use, and that we have control over, Jenkins said. It adds a lot of value to the village. Im very proud as administrator with this new park, were highlighting that park atmosphere value that we stay true to. From residential to public institutional The property was owned by residents Kevin and Laurie Johnson for 16 years. They originally bought the property with the intent of building a home there and selling it. The parcel to be developed is listed as 3406 S. Elmwood Drive but is actually along Standish Lane, northeast of the intersection at S. Elmwood Drive and Standish Lane. Currently, the property only has a weather vane structure on it. The City of Racine Water Utility didnt allow utility hookups on the property because the Village of Elmwood Park is not a part of the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission, and it has no intentions of joining the group. This was a way to make light of a bad situation and turn it into a municipal use, Jenkins said. The village has been making huge strides the last few years in getting things in order to convert the property into a park, he said. At the end of the village budgeting process last year, Jenkins approached the board, telling members the village was finally in a position financially to make an offer on the property. An offer was made, accepted and now the village has started the park design process. Designs will go before the Plan Commission at its next meeting and citizens will have a chance to voice their opinions during a public hearing. Final approval by the Village Board is expected in July. Construction may begin as early as this fall, but if the village cannot get the proper materials and labor, construction may not begin until next spring, Jenkins said. Mothers input Village Trustees Ali Gasser and Lynda Studey formed a group of four mothers from the neighborhood, themselves included, who have been brainstorming ideas for the park. Decisions should come from people whose children will be utilizing it the most, Gasser said. One of the values in Elmwood Park is that its a park-like setting. We dont have a park. This takes care of that value and gives kids a safe place to play thats not in the street. The group is considering structures like slides and climbing walls as well as considering age ranges of which children would be best for using the playground. The consensus has been ages 5-12. We wanted to come up with one that would suit everyones needs and lasts for a while, Gasser said. Gasser said the future park may be named by a contest or some sort of a vote. Gasser, who works as an English teacher at The Prairie School in Wind Point, said she hopes a Little Free Library can be installed on the property as well. Gasser has lived in Elmwood Park for 11 years and has three children, ages 8, 12 and 15. There are other children of various ages in the neighborhood as well as infants, which highlights the need for a park, she said. Overall, she said the group of four mothers are very excited about the new park. The park has the potential to get kids outside, away from digital handheld devices and TV and computer screens. With the pandemic and not being together, this is really helping us get kids back out there and being with friends, Gasser said. We want a place for people to come and visit with friends or neighbors and enjoy the green space over there. This is really in the heart of a big part of the village. 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. RACINE The community is invited to celebrate Juneteenth with a parade honoring the success and achievements of the black community. The parade starts at 10:45 a.m. Saturday, June 18, on the citys south side. The parade will begin near the intersection of Wisconsin Street and DeKoven Avenue, will travel west on DeKoven to Grand Avenue to Caron Butler Drive, to the Dr. John Bryant Community Center, 601 Caron Butler Drive. Juneteenth is held in remembrance of the day, June 19, 1865, when enslaved Africans in Galveston, Texas, learned of their emancipation more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation. That is something everybody should celebrate, Corey Prince said. Online For more information, search for "1st Annual Racine Juneteenth Day Unity Parade" on Facebook or go bit.ly/3OnQqUl That should be a reason to celebrate for people who celebrate America, its ideals and complexities, and everything we strive to be as a perfect nation, he continued. We want to celebrate that with the entire community, and its not restrictive of color, culture or ethnicity. Prince is the owner of Community Consulting, LLC, and is a well-known community organizer. He led the organizing effort of the parade along with other members of the community. The community gathers together for Saint Patricks Day, Greek Fest, Cinco de Mayo and other celebrations, and Prince is hoping for the same spirit for Juneteenth. It was something we decided the community needed, he said of this years inaugural Racine Juneteenth Day Unity Parade. Prince said parade attendees can expect to see a celebration of African-American success from community organizations to community leaders. There will also be representations from history such as the Buffalo Soldiers, the nickname for the first-ever all-black peacetime U.S. Army regiment and a living memorial. Prince assured the public that protocols have been put into place to ensure the parade route would be a safe space. I know theres a concern right now with the increased violence, he said. Were taking increased measures to make sure people are safe. 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. SALEM LAKES The 22-year-old swimmer who went missing on Silver Lake on Thursday afternoon has been identified by Kenosha County authorities. The Kenosha County Sheriffs Department indicated it was Philip Shwaiko, a resident of Kenosha. His body was recovered from the water at 7:10 p.m. Thursday at a depth of 25 feet by area dive teams. The Kenosha County Sheriffs Department was called to the lake at 12:37 p.m., along with Salem Lakes Fire and Rescue, for a report of a missing swimmer in the water. Initial reports indicated that a 5-year-old female child and a 22-year-old male were swimming after jumping into the water from a boat on the lake, according to Kenosha County Sheriffs Department media release. The male, who was not wearing a flotation device, went underwater and did not resurface. The child was wearing a personal flotation device and was picked up by another boat that was also on the lake. Dive teams from southeast Wisconsin and northern Illinois were called in to assist in an attempt to locate the missing male. At about 2:40 p.m. Salem Lakes Fire Chief James Lejcar no longer considered the incident a rescue, and at that time turned into a recovery mission. Anyone with information regarding the incident should contact the Kenosha County Sheriffs Department at 262-605-5100. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 MOUNT PLEASANT The problems facing workers locally are the same workers across the country and around the world are experiencing: the greed of corporations. That was the message Senator Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont, delivered to UAW Local 180 workers, who have been on strike from their CNH Industrial jobs since May 2, at a town hall meeting held Friday at the UAW Meeting Hall, 3323 Kearney Ave. Yasin Mahdi, president of UAW (United Auto Workers) Local 180, said the senator reached out to the union and expressed his interest in coming to Racine County and supporting the striking workers. The fact that he reached out and wanted to show support during this time that were dealing with CNH was fantastic, he said. Sanders said he was delighted and proud to support those on strike; though, he also understood the stress it was putting on families, who are trying to live on strike wages in an economy amid a sharp increase in the cost of living. What you are doing is sending a message to working families all over this country that you are sick and tired of corporate greed and you want to be treated with dignity and respect, Sanders said. Situation great for billionaires Sanders told UAW Local 180 many of the issues facing workers stemmed from unprecedented greed. He called the economic situation, great for those of you who are billionaires. For the hundreds of millions of workers in this country, Sanders continued. Its not so great. To illustrate the issue, he pointed out that the top two wealthiest people in the country have more wealth than the least wealthy 130 million people, and the top 1% combined have more wealth than the bottom 92% of American people. Sanders, 80, said that when he was growing up, CEOs made 20 or 30 times what the employees made. Now, he continued, it is 350 times what the employees make. These guys sitting at the top, theyre not worried about workers. Theyre not worried about your kids. Theyre not worried about your parents. Theyre not worried about your community, Sanders continued. Referencing the high price of fuel, Sanders accused Big Oil and major players in food production/delivery of taking advantage of the situation for profits. He noted the oil companies had a first-quarter profit of $88 billion and gave another $10 billion in dividends and stock options. History The union has held the line in negotiating for months, even as CNH hired strike replacements and the last union contract expired. We started these negotiations with CNH in March and it is now June, Mahdi said. We have not gotten anywhere. The company has made record profits, he continued. In the first quarter, CNH, based in Europe, reported profits of $336 million. A letter to CNHs CEO earlier this month, signed by Sanders, U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin and two other senators, said If CNH can afford to provide you with a $9.2 million signing bonus and nearly $22 million in total compensation for one year of work nearly 8,000 times the raise you are offering some workers it can afford to pay all of your workers better wages and better benefits. At issue in the strike: wages and benefits, which the union demands to be better. Neither side has stated explicitly what the last offer from CNH was. In a statement to The Journal Times last month, CNH said CNH Industrial and the UAW resumed negotiations. After meeting multiples times on Tuesday (May 17) and Wednesday (May 18), the Company presented the Union with an all-encompassing, comprehensive document, which addressed all open and outstanding issues. Unfortunately, the Union declined to meet or allow the Company to present and explain its position and proposal and indicated that they would not allow their members to see the proposal. The Union then left and discontinued bargaining. While the Union indicated that they were ready to resume the negotiations at the beginning of the week, we were very disappointed in their decision to walk away. They (CNH) dont want to pay 2022 wages, Mahdi said. They always talk about protecting the customer and the shareholder, but what about the people who put this product together? Mahdi added. We just want a fair agreement, and I dont think thats too much to ask for. Love 0 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. The attorney at the center of former President Donald Trumps scheme to overturn the 2020 election discussed bringing a Wisconsin lawsuit before the U.S. Supreme Court as part of the plan, recently disclosed emails show. Regarding the likelihood of the U.S. Supreme Court hearing 2020 election challenges, attorney John Eastman reportedly told Wisconsin-affiliated attorney Kenneth Chesebro on Dec. 24, 2020, the odds are not based on the legal merits but an assessment of the justices spines, and I understand that there is a heated fight underway, according to emails shared with The New York Times. For those willing to do their duty, we should help them by giving them a Wisconsin cert petition to add into the mix, Eastman added, referencing making a request for the nations highest court to hear a Wisconsin case as the two sought to pave Trumps way to serving a second term. Chesebro a pro-Trump lawyer whos a defendant in a lawsuit for advising Republicans who posed in several states including Wisconsin as fake Trump electors reportedly responded saying the odds of action before Jan. 6 will become more favorable if the justices start to fear that there will be wild chaos on Jan. 6 unless they rule by then, either way. Chesebro did not respond to a request for comment. Five days after Eastmans email, Chesebro and two other Wisconsin attorneys asked the nations highest court to allow the states Republican-controlled Legislature to decide the election because, they argued, Wisconsin officials wrongfully counted at least 50,125 absentee ballots in heavily Democrat areas ... more than enough to have affected the outcome of the presidential election in Wisconsin. That was after the Wisconsin Supreme Court turned down their election challenge, Trump v. Biden, just over a week before Eastmans email was sent. But that last-ditch request Chesebro made along with Trump attorneys James Troupis and R. George Burnett failed when the U.S. Supreme Court denied the request on Feb. 22, 2021. That was over a month after then-Vice President Mike Pence certified the results of the 2020 election despite pressure from Trump to do otherwise. On Dec. 30, 2020, six days after Eastmans first email, Trump lawyers based in Indiana asked for the U.S. Supreme Court to hear a separate case, Trump v. Wisconsin Elections Commission, also alleging the counting of tens of thousands of invalid absentee ballots in Wisconsin. That petition was denied March 8, 2021. They knew from the beginning that this was all about state law, and it was all about state courts, and they only start talking about the U.S. Supreme Court after its clear that they lost in the state courts, said Jeffrey Mandell, an attorney with the liberal law firm Law Forward, about the viability of the U.S. Supreme Court petitions. This really was not a good-faith belief that they have strong legal claims, but that this was about creating confusion about trying to subvert the outcome of an election, because this was really political, Mandell said. But by the time Trump attorneys were hoping for the U.S. Supreme Court to hear their cases, Mandell said, the Trump team was at the, lets throw anything we can at the wall and see if anything sticks kind of phase. And so, while my guess is that their primary thinking was about the Trump v. Biden case, Im sure that they were more than happy to use the other case as well. Eastman asked then-Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani to be put on the pardon list after the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection, a member of the U.S. House Select Committee investigating the efforts to overturn the election revealed Thursday. Chesebro is now a defendant in a Wisconsin lawsuit for advising 10 people who signed paperwork attempting to hand Wisconsins Electoral College votes to Trump. Ryan called for orderly transition In addition, testimony provided by Marc Short, who served as Pences chief of staff, unveiled on Thursday by the U.S. House Select Committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol, reveals former House Speaker Paul Ryan, a Janesville Republican, told Short and Pence that Pence did not have the authority to block Joe Bidens certification. Speaking in a closed-door meeting with the committee, Short said he received a call from Ryan notifying him that Pence did not have the power to halt Bidens certification. Speaker Ryan wanted to call and say you know, you dont have any greater authority and I said to him, Mr. Speaker, you know, Mike you know he recognizes that, Short said in a closed-door testimony that aired Thursday. And we sort of laughed about it and he said, I get it. And he later spoke to the vice president to, I think, have the same conversation, Short said. Wisconsin lawsuit A handful of Democrats, including two official presidential electors, filed a lawsuit last month against the 10 Republicans who signed paperwork attempting to hand Wisconsins Electoral College votes to Trump, alleging that, by doing so, the individuals played a role in the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection. The lawsuit, filed by attorneys with liberal law firm Law Forward in Dane County Circuit Court, alleges that the 10 Republicans and the two attorneys who advised them broke several criminal and civil laws when they met at the state Capitol on Dec. 14, 2020, to sign official-looking documents asserting that Trump won the state. The lawsuit seeks more than $2.4 million in damages, including $2,000 fines for the Republicans and their attorneys, and up to $200,000 in punitive damages for each plaintiff. Plaintiffs in the case include lawfully elected Wisconsin electors Khary Penebaker and Mary Arnold, as well as Bonnie Joseph, who is listed in court documents as someone who objects to Defendants unlawful interference in Wisconsins participation in the Electoral College. The lawsuit follows a March decision by the bipartisan Wisconsin Elections Commission to unanimously deny a complaint filed by Mandell that sought sanctions against the 10 Republicans, including Republican commissioner Robert Spindell, who signed the official-looking documents. The lawsuit also lists Chesebro and Troupis, a former Republican-appointed Dane County judge. The meeting of Republicans occurred following advice from attorneys with close ties to Trump. Documents have underscored efforts by those in Trumps inner circle to circumvent the Electoral College process in several states, including Wisconsin, following the 2020 election, despite recounts and court decisions affirming that Biden defeated Trump in the battleground state by almost 21,000 votes. The Republicans have said the meeting was to preserve their legal options amid litigation surrounding the election. Chesebro sent a memo to Troupis on Nov. 18, 2020, detailing the Republicans eventual plan to pose as electors. The meeting took place on the same day that the Democratic slate of Wisconsin electors convened in the Capitol to deliver the states 10 electoral votes to Biden. It also occurred after the Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled that Biden had won the election and a month after Wisconsin county clerks canvassed the presidential election results. Other complaints Law Forward also filed a complaint with the Milwaukee County District Attorneys Office and another with the Office of Lawyer Regulation the agency that handles complaints against lawyers in Wisconsin against former state GOP chair Andrew Hitt, who also signed the paperwork. The U.S. Department of Justice is also looking into the matter. Hitt and fellow signer and 8th Congressional District GOP chair Kelly Ruh were subpoenaed earlier this year by the U.S. House committee. The committee subpoenaed individuals in six other states where similar documents were signed. The committee is examining whether Republicans were trying to present Pence with conflicting slates of electors so that he could have thrown the election to a House vote that would have handed the election to Trump, something Pence refused to do. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Killeen, TX (76540) Today Variable clouds with thunderstorms, especially during the afternoon hours. High 97F. Winds NE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 50%.. Tonight Scattered thunderstorms during the evening, with mostly cloudy skies after midnight. Low 74F. Winds NNE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%. 1. Yes. Roe was bad law and never should have been enacted. Last weeks ruling was just. 2. Yes. The court ruling correctly leaves the question of reproductive rights to the states. 3. No. Roe v. Wade was established law. The ruling will cause a womens health crisis. 4. No. The decision to overturn Roe v. Wade was more about politics than the law. 5. Unsure. Its hard to say whether it was the right ruling; it depends on your perspective. Vote View Results Copperas Cove, TX (76522) Today A few clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 73F. Winds NE at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight A few clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 73F. Winds NE at 10 to 20 mph. Soon after razing his house, police claimed that Afreen Fatimas father, Javed Mohammad, was the mastermind of the protest in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh in the wake of row over Prophet Muhammad remarks. TCN Staff Support TwoCircles PRAYAGRAJ (UTTAR PRADESH) Accused of being the key conspirator behind violence at Atala area of Prayagraj that started after Friday prayers on June 10 over remarks made by former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma, state general secretary of Welfare Party of India Javed Mohammads double storey house was razed to the ground by Prayagraj Development Authority team on June 12. The drive was carried out amidst heavy police presence headed by senior police officials. As the drive was ending, police officials suddenly made claims of recovering two firearms (a .312 and 315 bore pistol) and some ammunition from Javeds home. SSP Prayagraj Ajay Kumar Pandey said that besides the weapons, police teams have also came across some objectionable literature, books, and documents along with pamphlets and posters that contained remarks against the court. Javed Mohammad was arrested on June 13 and continues to be in prison. Although police officials did not provided full details of the books and literature, they said that such material indicates 57 years old Javeds keen interest in Islam. Some of the books were printed at Lahore and one of them titled Is Islam a violent Religion is written by a professor of a university at Mecca. Another book was titled Rise and Fall of Muslim Ummah written by Islamic Scholar Dr Israr Ahmad. Posters with messages Muslim Lives Matter and When Injustice becomes law rebellion becomes duty were found from the house during demolition drive, police sources told TwoCircles.net. Wasting no time, local and national media portrayed the recovery of literature as some big achievement of police which would establish Javed as an Islamic hardliner who was involved violence. Reports by local newspapers even claimed that Javed has special interest in Pakistan and he has rebellious attitude. While some media reports trying to project the alleged documents and books as Jihadist literature, police on Wednesday issued a press release with claims that a torn printed pamphlet was found at Javeds home. As per SSP Prayagraj, Ajay Kumar, the contents in the pamphlet sayWe all have to reach Atala on June 10 on Friday. We have to assemble there and attack all those who may try to stop us. We cannot rely on the court. SSP told TwoCircles.net and added that this was crucial evidence and was included in the investigations against Javed. Javeds son Mohd Imam told TwoCircles.net. that there were some books on Islamic history and religion and no objectionable literature. Media was present when the house was being vacated and nothing objectionable was found. The claims made by police are false, he said. Nothing was found when our house was being vacated in full view of public and media. However, later police claimed to find firearms and objectionable literature from the debris of our home which is ridiculous. Nothing objectionable except some books of Islamic scholars were kept at my home. These are all attempts to implicate my father in false cases Javeds daughter Sumaiya told TwoCircles.net. Javed Mohds friend and lawyer KK Roy told TwoCircles.net that police did not followed the rules while conducting search of the house and showing recoveries of firearms and objectionable literature. The claims made by police are fabricated and will be challenged before the court, Roy added. In fact Javed was himself close to the administration and acted as a bridge between officials and members of Muslim community on many occasions. He was also present at the peace committee meeting a day before the violence at Atala. He made appeals to people for maintaining peace from his Facebook account Roy said. Killeen, TX (76540) Today Partly to mostly cloudy skies with scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Low 74F. Winds NE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 70%.. Tonight Partly to mostly cloudy skies with scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Low 74F. Winds NE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 70%. Danish Film Weeks 2022 returns to Vietnam The Danish Film Weeks will return to Hanoi, Hue, Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City between July 1-14, with a collection of six interesting and thought-provoking films from prominent Danish filmmakers. According to Ambassador of Denmark to Vietnam, Kim Hjlund Christensen, the Danish Film Weeks is part of their celebration of the 51st anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. "This year, we are not only celebrating our history together, but also looking ahead into the future as we wish to further strengthen our partnership with Vietnam in various areas, including trade, green growth, renewable energy, food safety, education and culture, he said. For the past five years, the Danish Film Weeks has become a popular cultural brand among cinema-lovers in various cities in Vietnam and helped build a bridge between Vietnamese people and Denmark. The Good Traitor, The Purity of Vengeance, That Time of Year, A Perfectly Normal Family, Daniel and Land of Mine represent the high quality of Danish film production within recent years. They have all won several awards and nominations at Danish and international prestigious film festivals. All films are with Vietnamese and English subtitles. Some are with age limits. Tickets are free and can be collected from 22th June 2022 for Hue and Da Nang and from 24th June for Hanoi and HCM city at the following venues: CineStar Hue, 25 Hai Ba Trung, Vinh Ninh, Hue city. Galaxy Da Nang, Floor 3 CoopMart, 478 Dien Bien Phu, Da Nang city. CineStar Ho Chi Minh, 135 Hai Ba Trung, District 1, HCM city. Danish Embassy in Hanoi, level 7th, BIDV Tower, no. 194 Tran Quang Khai, Hanoi. Environmental testing near the site of a massive chemical fire in Omaha found some contaminants at concerning levels in standing water but not in soil, ash or debris or on surfaces. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said it found heavy metals and volatile organic compounds above a level of concern in water pooled at and near the Nox-Crete plant. The agency did not specify what chemicals or in what amounts. Residents have been worried about soil pollution and other contamination from the fire. Though the test results may begin to address some of those concerns, they dont answer one of the biggest questions for people whose health may have been affected by the fire: What was in the smoke they breathed? No air sampling was done during the fire. The three-alarm fire at Nox-Crete on May 30 led to a voluntary evacuation of the neighborhood. The local response has been highly criticized by neighbors who said they had difficulty getting information and that the evacuation was poorly handled. The company is near 20th Street and Woolworth Avenue. The only notable contaminant found in soil samples was lead, according to the EPA. The lead likely comes from Omahas 100-plus years as a center for lead smelting and refining, according to the EPA. The lead test results are consistent with previous testing at Nox-Crete, and the results have been forwarded to the EPA division overseeing Omahas lead cleanup. Representatives of the EPA could not be immediately reached for comment. The EPA said in its press release that it has forwarded the test results to the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy, which is leading the investigation into any contamination at the site. A representative of the NDEE could not be reached for comment. The fire occurred May 30. The EPA took the samples June 1-3. The EPA selected the sample locations through air modeling and its own on-site observations and by talking with residents and state and local responders. The agency said the analysis was based on a list of chemicals potentially stored at the facility and through discussions with local and state responders. The La Crosse County Board will wait another month before it makes a decision on whether to fund a child care program with the School District of La Crosse. The board narrowly approved to refer the decision for 30 more days on Thursday, as concerns of the impact the program might have on child care businesses around the community remain. The program, which was presented to the board back in April, would help fund a child care center within the district that would serve impoverished families in targeted La Crosse neighborhoods and district staff. La Crosse County is looking at spending $696,000 from its American Rescue Plan Act funding on the La Crosse project, which would run over a three-year trial period. County officials said the school district would pay a little over $1 million. On Thursday, the board looked at a resolution for a second time that would allocate a total of $3 million to that project and similar projects proposed by other districts in the county. There was a lot of debate on the issue, and almost every county board supervisor spoke during the discussion. Those wanting to spend more time on the particular proposal were concerned that funding a school district child care program would hurt other providers already in the community. I dont know if I could support sending money to the school district, knowing that its going to hurt our private daycare providers now, supervisor Jack Pogreba said. The original referral was in-part intended so that county officials could meet with daycare providers in the area, but officials said they were still waiting to meet, though some supervisors said they had met on an individual basis with business owners. Some urged that providers be ready to present their own proposal at next months planning meeting. An additional 30 days, supervisors hoped, would provide more answers to the impact the project might have. Others thought the La Crosse Schools proposal was an action the county board could take immediately to help address the child care crisis. Many supported breaking the money up more giving La Crosse Schools the roughly $700,000 it needed and dividing the rest up between proposals from other school districts or private daycare providers, such as grants to support higher wages. After more than about an hour of discussion, the referral passed on a 16-12 vote. The pause in approving funding is likely to impact the timeline of the school districts project, which was hoped to open by the beginning of the next school year. In a Q&A with county and school district officials shared with the Tribune, it was stated that, It will be very difficult to open by September 1 right now. A delay of a month will make it impossible. The letter stated the district would need between four and six months to complete the renovations needed and hire staff. While it was stated private daycare centers are currently drafting a proposal for their own type of support, county officials said no other school districts in the La Crosse County have expressed interest in developing a similar child care program. The resolution will head back before the board in July to be considered for a third time. 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. National Weather Service crews were in the La Farge and Hillsboro areas in Vernon County on Thursday afternoon evaluating whether damage sustained was the result of a tornado. Late in the afternoon they confirmed a tornado in La Farge, the third tornado confirmed in western Wisconsin from Wednesdays strong storm front. The tornadoes left in their path a substantial amount of damage but no deaths or major injuries. The NWS said the La Farge tornado occurred from 4:07 to 4:14 p.m. on Wednesday, with 100 mph peak winds and traveling 6.2 miles. Called an EF-1, it was 200 yards in maximum width. The tornado primarily produced EF-1 tree damage with some EFO damage to a few structures, the NWS said. Other tornadoes were confirmed in Monroe County and Mauston from the system that started to move across the state mid-afternoon bringing rain, strong winds and some hail. One EF-2 tornado touched down just after 4 p.m. outside of Tomah in Monroe County, according to the NWS, which described it at the time as large and extremely dangerous. Officials said it traveled for about 15 miles before leaving the county. The storm stopped traffic nearby on Interstate 90-94 for more than three hours because multiple semis had been blown over by the winds. Another tornado, which was rated as an EF-1 by the NWS on Thursday, touched down in the Mauston area and downed trees and power lines and damaged roofs throughout the community. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Hmong Congressional Gold Medal Act introduced Rep. Ron Kind joined the entire Wisconsin Congressional delegation in introducing the Hmong Congressional Gold Medal Act to honor the distinguished service of Hmong individuals who fought alongside American troops throughout the Vietnam War. The Hmong people were vital partners to American troops during the Vietnam War. We owe so much to these brave individuals, and to our Hmong neighbors who call Wisconsin home today, said Kind. Im proud to join the entire Wisconsin delegation in introducing the Hmong Congressional Gold Medal Act to honor their service and contributions. Kind joined Rep. Glenn Grothman (R-WI) and Reps. Tom Tiffany (R-WI), Scott Fitzgerald (R-WI), Mark Pocan (D-WI), Gwen Moore (D-WI), Mike Gallagher (R-WI), and Bryan Steil (R-WI) in introducing this bipartisan legislation. Throughout the course of the Vietnam War, over 30,000 Hmong aided American combat efforts by fighting on the ground, flying combat missions, and gathering intelligence. Of the estimated 327,000 Hmong living in the United States, nearly 60,000 call Wisconsin home, making up the third largest Hmong population in the nation. The Hmong Congressional Gold Medal Act will recognize the Hmong people for their vital contributions and service. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 WASHINGTON (AP) The Securities and Exchange Commission moved closer Friday to a final rule that would dramatically change what public companies tell shareholders about climate change both the risks it poses to their operations and their own contributions to the problem. Public comment on the proposal has now closed, with more than 10,000 comments submitted since March by companies, auditors, trade groups, lawmakers, individuals and others. Comments ranged from concerns about the costs involved for companies getting up to speed, the SECs authority to regulate such data and praise that the nations top financial regulator was moving to make mandatory the reporting of climate-risks data. If enacted, public companies in their annual reports and stock registration statements would have to report their greenhouse-gas emissions. The largest companies would also have to disclose emissions data related to their suppliers and reveal whether their climate-related risks are material to investors. For example, the SEC's rule would force companies to disclose in annual statements whether climate change is expected to affect more than 1% of a line item and explain how. That's incredibly granular, said Margaret Peloso, a partner at Vinson & Elkins focused on climate change risk management and environmental litigation. Its a lot more detailed than many other financial reporting requirements. Companies would also have to report on the physical impact of storms, drought and higher temperatures brought on by global warming. They would have to explain how extreme weather events affect their finances, lay out plans for reducing climate risks and outline any progress made in meeting climate-related goals. Its correcting a market problem... which is that investors dont currently have all the information they need about climate risk in order to make their investment decisions, said Alex Thornton, senior director of tax policy at the Center for American Progress. But Republicans who oppose the SECs measure insist climate disclosures should remain voluntary. In May, a group of Republican governors including Texas Governor Greg Abbott and Arizonas Doug Ducey wrote that the rule forces investors to view companies through the eyes of a vocal set of stakeholders, and added that it would unduly penalize oil and gas companies. In a March statement, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce called the proposal overly prescriptive, saying that as written, the rule would limit companies ability to provide information that shareholders and stakeholders find meaningful. Auditing firms, trade groups and some lawmakers have repeatedly pointed to the proposal's inclusion of companies' indirect effects on the climate known as Scope 3 emissions as a thorny area to report on. Attorneys and auditors say the information could be difficult to obtain for companies with international suppliers or suppliers that are private companies. One of the biggest concerns about requiring Scope 3 emissions is the fact that the data is not controlled or possessed by the disclosing company, the Bipartisan Policy Center said. It added that the SEC gave scant reasons for how the benefits of requiring its disclosure outweigh what will likely be an extraordinarily costly process. But proponents say having detailed information on indirect emissions is critical to understanding how companies affect the climate. Many public companies already release data on their emissions, as investor interest for such information has risen in recent years. The SEC issued voluntary guidance in 2010 for how companies can report information about climate change. In 2020, more than 90% of S&P 500 companies published sustainability reports, according to the Governance and Accountability Institute. The SECs climate disclosure rule would standardize what public companies report. It would also require them to seek independent certification for some reporting, which would provide investors with much more reliable information than what's currently disclosed, environmental attorneys, auditors and climate-data software companies say. Theres a mega trend of demand for this information, said Tim Mohin, chief sustainability officer of Persefoni, a startup that uses artificial intelligence for carbon accounting. Yet current emissions data that companies report through a patchwork of disclosures is not uniform in quality or timeliness, he said. The SEC rule is a major cleanup action, Mohin said. He previously worked in the Environmental Protection Agency and Senate on environmental policy. Climate activists, sustainable finance proponents and investors have long advocated for mandatory emissions reporting required of all companies. Once finalized, the U.S. would join a growing number of countries including the U.K. and Japan that are requiring large companies to disclose such information. The European Union is finalizing its reporting standards. But the SECs proposed rule is far from certain. Opponents, including conservative trade groups, Republican lawmakers and others have questioned whether regulating emissions-related data falls under the SECs purview. As a result, attorneys say any finalized rule would almost certainly be challenged in court on the question of the commission's jurisdiction. The SEC estimates staying compliant with the new rule will cost an additional $420,000 a year on average for small public companies and $530,000 a year for larger ones. But costs will vary based on how much companies are already disclosing and factors like how much of the accounting can be done in-house, experts say. Supporters of the rule hope mandated emissions disclosures will force companies to reduce their climate impacts and guide investors away from companies that do not take steps to reduce their emissions. But some commenters have questioned whether investors would be able to make sense of the volume of information being asked. The accounting firm Deloitte said the level of detail asked in financial disclosures "may risk confusion among investors. But it praised the commission for having based the proposal on the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures, a group established by G20 countries to standardize climate-related financial reporting. Its going to be a learning curve for a lot of companies that are going to have to bring new people on board and are going to have to purchase new systems and processes. So thats significant, said Mohin, of climate-accounting startup Persefoni. If enacted, the SECs measure would be a victory for President Joe Bidens largely stalled climate agenda, a point agreed upon by critics and supporters alike. After the commission responds to the comments submitted, it will draft a final rule which will need approval from a majority of the 4-person commission. It is a really important piece in how the Biden administration is thinking about climate policy, said Peloso of Vinson & Elkins. She said that would likely motivate the commission to finalize it by the end of the 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 ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, who is running for election to the post after assuming it following Andrew Cuomos resignation, faced off Thursday in a final debate with two of her fellow Democrats, U.S. Rep. Tom Suozzi and New York Citys elected public advocate, Jumaane Williams, who are challenging her in the race. The evening grew tense at times, with a restrained Hochul repeatedly asking Suozzi to stop interrupting her. Suozzi and Williams criticized Hochul's strategy toward gun violence, with Suozzi questioning Hochul on her support and donations from the National Rifle Association when she served in Congress from 2011 to 2013. After a racist shooting May 14 that left 10 people dead at a Buffalo supermarket, Hochul has signed new gun laws, including raising the age for buying and possessing semiautomatic firearms to 21 and requiring licenses. Williams said Hochul and other lawmakers have focused on mass shootings while having yet to effectively address the complicated, daily reality of handguns and out-of-state firearm trafficking. And Suozzi pressed Hochul on her vote in Congress to defeat a Democrats federal amendment to make it harder to bring concealed weapons across state lines. Weve been waiting months for you to answer this question, Suozzi said. Please stop interrupting me, the people want to hear my answer, Hochul responded. Hochul, who hails from Buffalo, said that she has evolved and that voters are more interested in her agenda as governor now, rather than her political stances a decade ago. But Suozzi charged that Hochul has shifted her policy stances to suit whatever office she's held. Suozzi also criticized Hochuls vow as Erie County clerk in 2007 to arrange for the arrest of immigrants living in the country illegally if they applied for a drivers license. The only thing that's changed are the governor's political ambitions," Suozzi said. When asked about his previous personal opposition to abortion and same-sex marriage, Williams argued his past stances didnt directly harm people. Early voting starts Saturday in New York, where Democrats will weigh in on their partys future in a race that has pitted the states moderate, first female governor against a centrist Long Island congressman and a progressive New York City official. Hochul came into the debate touting a new endorsement from New York City Mayor Eric Adams, a fellow Democrat; newly signed laws protecting abortion providers and patients; and a spot atop the latest of a string of polls suggesting she has outsize support ahead of the June 28 primary. She has also sent out property tax rebate checks earlier than usual to New Yorkers ahead of the primary alongside letters that say the checks were provided by Gov. Hochul and the New York State Legislature. Suozzi, who had hoped Adams would decline to endorse anyone in the primary, has said hell again make the case that hell succeed where he says Hochul has failed on tackling crime and affordability in New York state. The accountant and attorney wants to reduce Medicaid costs, create a public bank to help underserved communities access loans, and push for high-speed rail across the Northeast. Suozzi also wants to roll back a liberal criminal justice reform law aimed at jailing fewer people before trial; he proposes giving judges more leeway to detain people who threaten public safety. Hochul unsuccessfully proposed a similar rollback this year. Williams, in contrast, has promised to end cash bail and for-profit commercial bail bonds for misdemeanor offenses. Williams has said Hochul, like her predecessor Cuomo, has failed to take enough bold steps to help New Yorkers. He has vowed to create or preserve a million new affordable housing units, increase clean energy investments, pass a constitutional amendment protecting abortion rights, guarantee health care for all New Yorkers, and make it harder to evict tenants. Williams last faced Hochul in the Democratic lieutenant governor primary. She won by 6.6 percentage points, or nearly 100,000 votes. Hochul has a steep fundraising advantage as of late May, when she reported an $18.6 million campaign war chest. That dwarfed Suozzis $5.25 million and Williams $130,000. Williams and Suozzi slammed Hochul for continued controversies in Albany, including the $850 million in taxpayer funding she announced for the new Buffalo Bills stadium and the resignation of her former lieutenant governor, Brian Benjamin, following corruption charges he denies. Hochul has defended the Bills funding as a way to boost jobs in western New York. Were disappointed in a lack of judgment you used, said Suozzi, who criticized Hochul for picking Benjamin last fall despite questions at the time over ethics issues. Hochul acknowledged she should have done a better job of vetting Benjamin. But she pointed out that Suozzi himself has been under investigation. The House Ethics Committee has probed Suozzi over allegations that he failed to properly disclose various stock transactions. Both Williams and Hochul said they wouldn't accept an endorsement from Cuomo, who resigned to avoid a likely impeachment trial after a report finding he sexually harassed women. Suozzi said he would accept Cuomo's backing because of his record as governor. Suozzi said Cuomo's still very popular despite his baggage. 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 BUENOS AIRES (AP) Israel praised Argentina on Thursday for holding a Venezuelan plane that included Iranian crew, saying the flight shows Tehran is trying to expand its influence in South America. Washington also made clear it is keeping close tabs on the investigation into the Boeing 747, which was loaded with automotive parts and raised questions because its 19 crewmembers is an unusually large number for a cargo plane. In a statement, the Israeli Embassy commended the fast action by Argentine authorities who identified in real time the potential threat posed by the aircraft, which has been grounded at Argentina's main airport outside Buenos Aires since June 8. Israel is particularly worried about Iranian airlines that are dedicated to arms trafficking and the transfer of people and equipment for the Quds Force, which are under sanctions by the United States for being involved in terrorist activities, the embassy said. The recent events provide evidence of the repeated attempts by the Islamic Republic of Iran, through the Revolutionary Guard and the Quds Force, to continue consolidating its influence throughout the world, including South America, as a base for terrorist acctions in the continent, the embassy added. The top U.S. diplomat in Argentina also commented on the case. We are following with great interest the judicial and law enforcement investigations into the crew and the plane and thank the investigative efforts of Argentine authorities to clear up the situation, U.S Ambassador Marc Stanley said in a statement shared with local media. Argentine authorities have seized the passports of the five Iranians and 14 Venezuelan crewmembers on the plane, which is operated by Venezuelas state-owned Emtrasur line, a subsidiary of Conviasa, which is under U.S. sanctions. Expanding the international reverberations in the case, Venezuela on Thursday evening harshly criticized Uruguay for failing to allow the plane to land in Montevideo to refuel. The plane's crew sought to fly to Montevideo on June 8 but had to return to Buenos Aires after Uruguayan authorities refused entry into its airspace, according to a report by Argentina's Transportation Ministry. It was then that the plane was grounded by Argentine authorities. Uruguay's regretable action could have caused a tragedy, human lives and damage to both nations, Venezuela said in a statement, adding that it demands explanations about this terrible event from the Uruguayan government. Before it was sold to Emtrasur a year ago, the plane was owned by Mahan Air of Iran, which the U.S. government has sanctioned for allegedly aiding the Quds Force and terrorist activities. Law enforcement offices on Tuesday searched the hotel where the crewmembers were staying under orders of Federal Judge Federico Villena, who is investigating the crew. Argentine authorities say they have not found any irregularities in the crew. The plane reportedly loaded automotive parts in Mexico and stopped in Venezuela before arriving in Argentina. The large crew had earlier raised suspicions in Paraguay, where the plane landed last month in Ciudad del Este, close to the Argentina and Brazil borders, Paraguays interior minister, Federico Gonzalez, told a local radio station Tuesday. He said the plane was there May 13-16, Gonzalez said Paraguay alerted intelligence agencies in the region about the plane and its crew. Argentina suffered two terrorist attacks in its capital that judicial investigators have blamed on Iran a 1992 explosion at the Israeli Embassy and a deadly bombing at a Jewish organization in 1994. Iran has denied any involvement. This story has been corrected to show that the plane was grounded on June 8, rather than June 6. 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 FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) Fire crews battling a pair of wildfires in northern Arizona were expecting some growth Thursday because of warm, dry and breezy conditions, but rain that could help quell the blazes is on its way. Both blazes were moving through grass, brush and pine trees on the northern outskirts of Flagstaff, a mountainous city that's home to Northern Arizona University and the observatory where Pluto was discovered. It's also a popular respite from the sweltering heat in the low deserts, including Phoenix. The larger fire has burned more than 38 square miles (100 square kilometers), destroying one home and another structure. It was 27% contained Thursday, down slightly from a day earlier because of burnout operations, fire information officer Mike Reichling said. The blaze has overlapped some of the footprint of a wildfire that started on Easter Sunday and destroyed 30 homes and other structures while consuming about 30 square miles (78 square kilometers) of forest, chaparral and grassland. A smaller fire in northern Arizona has burned more than 8 square miles (21 square kilometers) and was 11% contained. Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey on Thursday declared a state of emergency because of the fires and allocated $200,000 to the state emergency management department to help respond and recover from the blazes. This allows the state forester and other agencies to provide other assistance as needed and provide disaster relief. For a community still recovering from the path of the Tunnel Fire in April, this new blaze is a reminder for all Arizonans to be vigilant and safe this wildfire season, Ducey said. The forecast in the Flagstaff area calls for a chance of showers and thunderstorms starting Friday and throughout the weekend, which could help suppress the wildfires. Flooding and dry lightning that could spark new blazes also are concerns. Some evacuation orders were still in place because of the wildfires, including for the Arizona Snowbowl ski resort. Parts of the Coconino and Kaibab national forests will be closed starting Friday, including popular trails and camping areas, because of the wildfire danger. Forest officials said more extensive or even full forest closures could come if conditions worsen. Campfires aren't allowed anywhere in the forests under current restrictions. Authorities have reopened U.S. Route 89, the primary route between northern Arizona and the Navajo Nation up into Utah. Drivers also use it to get to the east rim of the Grand Canyon. Tall, blackened trees lined the highway, some of which fell over from the fierce winds that fueled the wildfire in the first couple of days, Reichling said. It wasn't scorched earth, but it was burnt, Reichling said. It cleaned up the forest on the understory, so hopefully a lot of those trees will bounce back. Nationwide, three dozen active large wildfires have burned 2,186 square miles (5,616 square kilometers) much of it in the U.S. Southwest. New Mexicos two largest fires have now charred more than 1,027 square miles (2,659 square kilometers) of tinder-dry forests in northern and southern parts of the state. Nearly 7,200 wildland firefighters and support personnel and working the blazes. Multiple states had early starts to the wildfire season this spring. Climate change and an enduring drought have fanned the frequency and intensity of forest and grassland fires. Associated Press writer Bob Christie in Phoenix and Susan Montoya Bryan in Albuquerque, New Mexico, contributed to this story. 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 Hi. Vern here. So, not that its a competition or anything, but do you know someone who really knew how to Get Lost? Ill tell you! This human was out of this world alright. Born and raised in Viroqua, Wisconsin, his name is Astronaut Mark Lee. Not only did he get lost in space but he got lost in outer space! Its a little different than inner spacewhich is another important place to explore, just saying. Anyways, Astronaut Lees childhood home, on the far western part of Viroqua off of Hwy. 56, still stands today. If you are going west out of Viroqua and see one of the most magnificent rock bluffs off to the right, you have gone too far. Turn around, look to your right and youll see the sign by the pumpkin stand indicating where his home was. Although Lees childhood home is on private property (dont ask how this picture got taken of me) its still neat to imagine Astronaut Lee as a little human looking wistfully up into the Driftless night sky, dreaming about someday being closer to the moon and stars. When little Mark Lee got old enough, our Viroqua hero set out to do just that. Astronaut Lee has an impressive space record too! He circled the planet Earth 517 times, 200 miles up, traveling at 300 miles a minute! After four separate space missions he has logged in 13 million miles in space! Cool, huh? Do you want to know what else is cool? The word astronaut. It derives from the Ancient Greek astron, meaning star and nautes, meaning sailor. So pretty much an astronaut is a star sailor! Boy, isnt that fun to think about? Sailing around the stars? Awesome. It gets even more interesting! Did you know only in America they are called Astronauts? In Russia they are typically known instead as Cosmonauts and in China they are known as Taikonaut which means heaven navigators. Isnt this stuff neat to know? They are perfect conversation nuggets to throw out, especially when you are at some family reunion and theres the awkward silence that you need to fill. You can thank me later. Did you know Astronaut Lee also got to ride a jetpack in space? Ive always wanted to do that! He also learned a little something while he was orbiting the earth. From his out of this world view, he could see the human impact of logging on the worldthe brown of barren land and areas covered by smoke as great stands of timber are felled and burned for farmland. And just as he was a little boy wistfully looking up at the stars, he wistfully looked back at Earth and came up with a plan to do something. When he got back home, he planted over 140,000 trees on his Wisconsin farm. Oak, black walnut, different types of pines, two types of bushes, some maples, too. Astronaut Lee knew that he couldnt help the whole Earth, but he knew he could contribute a little to making the Earth better by doing what he could at home. We all need to do our part and every little bit helps. Sometimes you have to go out of this world to make a difference right back home. Christina Dollhausen, Vernon Countys economic development coordinator, will be sharing with Vernon County View readers the adventures of Vernon S. Quatch. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The European Union , or EU, gave its support Friday to Ukraine and its neighbor Moldova to become candidates to join the group. Ursula von der Leyen is the European Commission President. Wearing Ukrainian colors, she told reporters, "Ukrainians are ready to die for the European perspective. We want them to live with us the European dream." "It's the first step on the EU membership path that'll certainly bring our victory closer," Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote on Twitter. The move was only the start of a process that could take many years. But it puts Ukraine on a path to meeting a goal that did not seem possible just a few months ago. Ukraine applied to join the EU just four days after Russian troops invaded in February. Four days later, so did Moldova and Georgia, two other small states from the old Soviet Union. The EU was born after World War II to avoid another conflict between Germany and France. The group has since expanded to become a 27-nation economic and political union. When Russian President Vladimir Putin began the invasion of Ukraine, one of his main goals was to stop the expansion of Western organizations, like the EU and the NATO military alliance. But the war has had the opposite effect. Finland and Sweden have asked to join NATO. The EU has now considered opening its doors to Ukraine and Moldova, but not Georgia. Von der Leyen said Georgia had a strong application but still must meet certain political requirements. The EU usually takes a slow approach to expansion. But the urgency of the war and Ukraines request for a quick consideration could change that. Leaders of EU countries are expected to officially support the decision at a meeting next week. The leaders of the three biggest countries - Germany, France and Italy - had signaled their support on Thursday by visiting Kyiv. A group of EU countries including Poland wants full support for Ukraine. But others, like the Netherlands, want the group to be more careful. EU leaders want to support Ukraines membership but do not want to show favoritism to the country. Joining the EU requires years of reform, in areas ranging from the judicial system and financial services to food safety. Ukraines request to be considered quickly for membership represents a change in how the EU usually operates. Turkey, for example, applied for membership in 1987. It became a candidate in 1999 and had to wait until 2005 to start talks on its membership application. Talks between Turkey and the EU are now completely stopped because of disagreements between the two sides. Six nations in the Western Balkans also have faced long waits for their EU membership. Membership talks require approval from all 27 EU nations. If admitted, Ukraine would be the EU's largest country by size and its fifth most populous. Im Dan Novak. Dan Novak adapted this story for VOA Learning English based on reporting from Reuters and The Associated Press. _________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story perspective n. a way of thinking about and understanding something application n. a formal and usually written request for something Severe flooding in Americas Yellowstone National Park has caused widespread damage and may have resulted in permanent changes. The recent floodwaters changed the path of a river popular for fishing. It also destroyed homes, bridges and roadways. Yellowstone became Americas first national park in 1872. It is known for its natural beauty that includes mountains, rivers and lakes. The forces of fire and ice shaped the park over thousands of years. It is a place where visitors can get close to different kinds of wildlife. Most of the 9,000 square-kilometer park is in the state of Wyoming. But parts of it also stretch into Montana and Idaho. Flooding caused by heavy rains and melting mountain snow resulted in widespread destruction. It drove more than 10,000 visitors out of the park. The rain also damaged hundreds of homes in nearby communities. No one has been reported hurt. Yellowstone officials have said the park could remain closed for up to one week. Some entrances may not open all summer. The chief administrator of Yellowstone is Superintendent Cameron Sholly. He told The Associated Press, Ive heard this is a 1,000-year event, whatever that means these days. He added that these kinds of weather events seem to be happening more and more frequently. The water washed away camp structures, flooded small towns and cut power to parts of southern Montana and northern Wyoming. The event happened as the park was beginning its busy summer season. Yellowstone receives millions of summer visitors. This year, the park is celebrating its 150th anniversary. Some of the worst damage happened in the northern part of the park and nearby communities in southern Montana. The Yellowstone River was running at a historically high level of 4.9 meters as it flowed past Billings, Montanas largest city. The city gets its water from the river and was forced to close its treatment plant because it cannot operate effectively with water levels that high. Billings officials said the city only had a 24- to 36-hour supply of water. They were asking citizens to conserve water until the river could drop and the plant could restart operations. None of us planned a 500-year flood event on the Yellowstone when we designed these facilities, said Debi Meling, the citys public works director. The sudden, severe flooding pushed a popular fishing river off its natural path, possibly permanently. It may also force park officials to rebuild destroyed roadways a safer distance away. Yellowstone officials say the northern half of the park is likely to remain closed over the summer. This will greatly affect local economies that depend on summer tourists. Bill Berg is a local government official in Park County, Montana. He told the AP that businesses in the town of Gardiner had just started to recover from the drop in visitors during the COVID-19 pandemic. Its a Yellowstone town, and it lives and dies by tourism, and this is going to be a pretty big hit, he said. Theyre looking to try to figure out how to hold things together. As the floodwaters ease, parks officials are turning their attention to the effort of rebuilding many kilometers of ruined roads and hundreds of washed-out bridges. Yellowstone officials say workers will not be able to fully investigate the damage until next week. Kelly Goonan is a professor at Southern Utah University and an expert in running national parks and recreation areas. She said the rebuilding operation will take a very long time. This is something were definitely going to feel the impacts of for the next several years, Goonan said. Im Bryan Lynn. The Associated Press reported this story. Bryan Lynn adapted the report for VOA Learning English. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story frequent adj. happening often conserve v. to use something in a way that does not waste it facility n. part of a system or machine that makes it possible to do something tourist n. someone who visits a place for pleasure and does not live there figure out v. to finally understand something or someone after giving it a lot of thought impact n. the effect that a person, event or situation has on someone or something Our story today is called The Open Boat. It was written by Stephen Crane and is based on what really happened to him in eighteen ninety-six. Crane was traveling from the United States to Cuba as a newspaper reporter. One night, his ship hit a sandbar. It sank in the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of Florida. Most of the people on board got into lifeboats. Crane was among the last to leave. There were three others with him: the ships captain, the cook, and a sailor. These four men climbed into the only remaining lifeboat. The boat was so small that no one believed it could stay afloat for very long. None of the four men thought he would ever reach the shore. But the men fought the seas bravely, with all their strength. Would they finally reach land? Here is Shep ONeal with the first part of the story. The small lifeboat bounced from wave to wave in the rough seas of the Atlantic. The four men in the boat could not see the sky. The waves rose too high. The waves with their white tops pushed at the open boat with angry violence. Every man thought each wave would be his last. Surely, the boat would sink and he would drown. The men thought that most adults would need a bathtub larger than the boat they were sailing. The waves were huge, and each created a problem in guiding the direction of the boat. For two days, since the ship sank, the four men had been struggling to reach land. But there was no land to be seen. All the men saw were violent waves which rose and came fiercely down on them. The men sat in the boat, wondering if there was any hope for them. The ships cook sat in the bottom of the boat. He kept looking at the fifteen centimeters which separated him from the ocean. The boat had only two wooden oars. They were so thin it seemed as if they would break against the waves. The sailor, named Billie, directed the boats movement with one of the oars. The newspaper reporter pulled the second oar. He wondered why he was there in the boat. The fourth man was the captain of the ship that had sunk. He lay in the front of the small boat. His arm and leg were hurt when the ship sank. The captains face was sad. He had lost his ship and many of his sailors. But he looked carefully ahead, and he told Billie when to turn the boat. Keep her a little more south, Billie, he said. A little more south, sir, the sailor repeated. Sitting in the boat was like sitting on a wild horse. As each wave came, the boat rose and fell, like a horse starting toward a fence too high to jump. The problem was that after successfully floating over one wave you find that there is another one behind it just as strong and ready to flood your boat. As each wall of water came in, it hid everything else that the men could see. The waves came in silence; only their white tops made threatening noises. In the weak light, the faces of the men must have looked gray. Their eyes must have shone in strange ways as they looked out at the sea. The sun rose slowly into the sky. The men knew it was the middle of the day because the color of the sea changed from slate gray to emerald green, with gold lights. And the white foam on the waves looked like falling snow. As the lifeboat bounced from the top of each wave, the wind tore through the hair of the men. As the boat dropped down again the water fell just past them. The top of each wave was a hill, from which the men could see, for a brief period, a wide area of shining sea. The cook said the men were lucky because the wind was blowing toward the shore. If it started blowing the other way, they would never reach land. The reporter and the sailor agreed. But the captain laughed in a way that expressed humor and tragedy all in one. He asked: Do you think weve got much of a chance now, boys? This made the others stop talking. To express any hope at this time they felt to be childish and stupid. But they also did not want to suggest there was no hope. So they were silent. Oh, well, said the captain, Well get ashore all right. But there was something in his voice that made them think, as the sailor said: Yes, if this wind holds! Seagulls flew near and far. Sometimes the birds sat down on the sea in groups, near brown seaweed that rolled on the waves. The anger of the sea was no more to them than it was to a group of chickens a thousand miles away on land. Often the seagulls came very close and stared at the men with black bead-like eyes. The men shouted angrily at them, telling them to be gone. The sailor and the reporter kept rowing with the thin wooden oars. Sometimes they sat together, each using an oar. Sometimes one would pull on both oars while the other rested. Brown pieces of seaweed appeared from time to time. They were like islands, bits of earth that did not move. They showed the men in the boat that it was slowly making progress toward land. Hours passed. Then, as the boat was carried to the top of a great wave, the captain looked across the water. He said that he saw the lighthouse at Mosquito Inlet. The cook also said he saw it. The reporter searched the western sky. See it? said the captain. No, said the reporter slowly, I dont see anything. Look again, said the captain. He pointed. Its exactly in that direction. This time the reporter saw a small thing on the edge of the moving horizon. It was exactly like the point of a pin. Think well make it, captain? he asked. If this wind holds and the boat doesnt flood, we cant do much else, said the captain. It would be difficult to describe the brotherhood of men that was here established on the sea. Each man felt it warmed him. They were a captain, a sailor, a cook and a reporter. And they were friends. The reporter knew even at the time that this friendship was the best experience of his life. All obeyed the captain. He was a good leader. He always spoke in a low voice and calmly. I wish we had a sail, he said, to give you two boys a chance to rest. So they used his coat and one of the oars to make a sail and the boat moved much more quickly. The lighthouse had been slowly growing larger. At last, from the top of each wave the men in the boat could see land. Slowly, the land seemed to rise from the sea. Soon, the men could see two lines, one black and one white. They knew that the black line was formed by trees, and the white line was the sand. At last, the captain saw a house on the shore. And the lighthouse became even larger. The keeper of the lighthouse should be able to see us now, said the captain. Hell notify the life-saving people. Slowly and beautifully, the land rose from the sea. The wind came again. Finally, the men heard a new sound the sound of waves breaking and crashing on the shore. Well never be able to make the lighthouse now, said the captain. Swing her head a little more north, Billie. A little more north, sir, said the sailor. The men watched the shore grow larger. They became hopeful. In an hour, perhaps, they would be on land. The men struggled to keep the boat from turning over. They were used to balancing in the boat. Now they rode this wild horse of a boat like circus men. The water poured over them. The reporter thought he was now wet to the skin. But he felt in the top pocket of his coat and found eight cigars. Four were wet, but four were still dry. One of the men found some dry matches. Each man lit a cigar. The four men sailed in their boat with the belief of a rescue shining in their eyes. They smoked their big cigars and took a drink of water. Please come back next week for the second and final part of this story. How well do you understand this story? Quiz - The Open Boat by Stephen Crane, Part One Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz For Teachers This lesson plan, based on the CALLA Approach, teaches the strategy, selective attention, to help students understand Stephen Crane's story, The Open Boat. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story lifeboat - n. a small boat that is carried on a ship and that is used for saving the lives of the passengers and crew if the ship sinks seaweed - n. a type of plant that grows in the sea oar - n. a long pole that is flat and wide at one end and that is used for rowing and steering a boat ashore - adv. on or to the shore of an ocean, sea, lake, or river brotherhood - n. feelings of friendship, support, and understanding between people Now it's your turn. Write a comment on this story, using some of the words above. About 10 middle school students gleefully launch film canisters into the air using water and Alka-Seltzer tablets to simulate rocket propulsion. They do so in several rounds, and troubleshoot if their canister doesnt catapult to the desired height. Maybe more water is needed, or less Alka-Seltzer. Its one of many summer camp activities and hands-on experiments offered by newly launched company and program Stellar Tech Girls. The students, some girls and others who identify as nonbinary, then head inside the Stellar Tech Girls space on Frank Lloyd Wright Avenue in Middleton to both discuss the days activity and design rockets of their own. They later test them out using eggs or eggstronauts. During the camps inaugural week, the students also built mini-cars, constructed circuits to drive a fan, erected towers and bridges and made ice cream and oobleck, a kind of slime. Its all meant to get the students excited about a potential career in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, in a way that allows for failure and imagination, said founding director, aerospace engineer and former SpaceX employee Marina Bloomer. The experience is especially critical as women remain an underrepresented demographic in each respective field. And girls experience what Bloomer called a drop-off point as they go through school they may express interest in a STEM career, but societal expectations and other factors might discourage that pursuit. That conclusion is based on a report published by the Afterschool Alliance, a nonprofit seeking to increase access to after-school programs, about STEM after-school activities and engagement. The report found 72% of girls in the U.S. participated in programs in 2020, compared with 75% of boys. Meanwhile, women are disproportionately represented in the fields of computing and engineering, according to figures from the Pew Research Center. Women make up 25% and 15% of the workforce in those industries, respectively. State honors Stellar Tech Girls, which this month won first place in the Business Services category of the Wisconsin Technology Council-hosted Governors Business Plan Contest, is Bloomers way to close the gap. The combination of Marinas written plan and her concise, passionate presentation on stage in Milwaukee was compelling to the judges, said Technology Council president Tom Still. At first glance, someone might be tempted to ask, Stellar Tech Girls fills a void, but does it have potential to make money and be a sustainable, scalable business? I think the answer is yes because the challenge of interesting more girls in engineering isnt confined to Wisconsin. Its national. Not only does the company offer summer camps for students ages 9-14, the startup will eventually have year-round after-school programming, and host STEM-themed events and parties. Attendees of the camps pay about $250 to participate in programming, but scholarship opportunities are available, according to the Stellar Tech Girls website. Bloomer, who used her own money to get Stellar Tech Girls off the ground via bootstrapping, plans to work with school districts and other organizations in the area for now with the vision of expanding across Dane County within the next five years. The founder is the sole employee besides some high school students she has hired to help out this summer with the camps that are to last until August. Just opening Stellar Tech Girls has been Bloomers dream for some time, she said. The only woman in the room Bloomer, a Chicago native, wanted to enter the engineering industry as early as high school, when she took advanced math and science classes. She moved to Madison in 2018. In 2011, she received her mechanical engineering degree at Tufts University in Boston. Bloomer also has a masters degree in aerospace engineering, a degree she obtained while at the Georgia Institute of Technology, and a masters of business administration from UW-Madison. She has previously worked as an engineer for Ohio-based GE Aviation and Elon Musk-owned SpaceX in California, as well as a propulsion program manager for the Nevada-based aerospace and national security contractor Sierra Nevada Corp. Sierra Space is a division of the company in the Madison area. But as Bloomer progressed through her career, gaining more advanced positions at the companies she worked at, she noticed fewer women around her. I ended up being the only woman in the room a lot of the time, Bloomer said, which further fueled her desire to help more women gain representation in STEM fields. The idea for Stellar Tech Girls spawned as Bloomer went through schooling at UW-Madison. She is one of those entrepreneurs who is focused on solving an important problem the low number of women in engineering and does a great job of building a team and making things happen, said Dan Olszewski, Goldberg Family director of the Weinert Center for Entrepreneurship at the Wisconsin School of Business and mentor to Bloomer. She and her team worked on this startup in our graduate capstone entrepreneurship class. It was a real pleasure to see the continued progress they made each week to develop such a strong program. While the COVID-19 pandemic put that idea on the back-burner for a while, Bloomer said she buckled down on her business plan as soon as vaccines became available and signed the lease for her space last winter. Stellar Tech Girls will be a household name in Madison for all parents, Bloomer said of how she envisions the future of her business. Other honorees Stellar Tech Girls isnt the only business that took home honors from the Governors Business Plan contest. Milwaukee-based Rapid Radicals Technology was the grand prize winner. The company can treat water at a municipal scale. Rapid Radicals was born of a flood in Milwaukee that frustrated homeowners, businesses and city officials alike, Still said. At a time when the resiliency of municipal water systems is vital, our judges saw the value of Rapid Radicals ability to dramatically speed up the cleaning of effluent. Another Dane County-area company won first in the Life Sciences category Veronas Cold Water Technologies. The business has created an over-the-counter pet product for itch relief called Dermigan. Packets are sprinkled on top of the pets food daily. And taking the Information Technology category was HeyGov in Sturgeon Bay. The company provides online government management software in a mobile suite. 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. One person was killed and another was critically injured in a rollover crash on Interstate 39 near Portage on Friday morning, the Wisconsin State Patrol reported. Shortly before 6 a.m. Friday, a 2000 Ford F250 pickup truck rolled from the southbound lanes into the northbound lanes of I-39 at mile marker 91, with the two occupants pinned inside, Sgt. Craig Morehouse said in a statement. The driver, a 49-year-old woman from Ashland, Ohio, was killed in the crash, Morehouse said. The passenger, a 55-year-old man from Oxford, was taken by ambulance to University Hospital with life-threatening injuries, Morehouse said. No names were released and the crash remains under investigation. One northbound lane was blocked for about two hours. 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 owner of an Illinois marketing firm who was part of a multimillion-dollar kickback scheme with the director of marketing for Janesville-based Mercyhealth was sentenced Friday to a year and a day in prison for his role in the scheme, and for tax evasion. U.S. District Judge William Conley acknowledged that Ryan Weckerly, 48, of Sycamore, Illinois, was put into a difficult spot by Barbara Bortner, who was vice president of marketing at Mercyhealth, when she asked him to take part in the scheme, because if he had declined he risked losing the business of Mercyhealth, the largest client of his firm, Morningstar Media Group. But Conley said Weckerly should have found a way to get out of the arrangement, perhaps by bringing it to the attention of someone at Mercyhealth, but he did not. Conley said Bortner, an executive at large and growing Mercyhealth, had tremendous leverage over Weckerlys small company, but Weckerly was able to rationalize the arrangement and got deeper and deeper into a very serious crime. The loss to Mercyhealth was $3.1 million. Weckerly and Bortner were ordered to pay $2.4 million in restitution, to be divided proportionally. In addition to the year in prison, Conley ordered Weckerly to spend three years on supervised release, the first six months of which will be spent on home detention, with very limited exceptions, to help care for his special-needs children. Bortner, 57, of Milton, was sentenced in May to 3 years in prison after pleading guilty to wire fraud and tax evasion. Inflated invoices The arrangement between Bortner and Weckerly ran from 2015 to 2020. Weckerly submitted inflated invoices to Mercyhealth for services provided by his marketing firm, then kicked back the excess money he received from Mercyhealth to Bortner, who would continue using Weckerlys firm as Mercyhealths primary marketing agency. Weckerly, in a statement in court, agreed that what he did was wrong, adding, I wish I was brave enough to say no to (Bortner). He said hes in the process of shuttering his business. Spirited exchange Conley interrupted Weckerly as Weckerly described the consequences of the case for his family, in particular, his special-needs children. Conley said he has no doubt about the effects on Weckerlys family, which were presented in detail in writing, but needed to hear more about why Weckerly committed the crimes. Sentencing arguments were presented almost entirely in writing, in documents that were filed under seal. But arguments that were presented live in court were spirited, with Conley cutting off arguments he said were already made in writing, or flat-out telling Weckerly, his attorney and even Mercyhealths chief financial officer, who provided an in-court victim impact statement, where he disagreed with them. Todd Anderson, Mercyhealths CFO, asked that Weckerly be punished to the greatest extent the law allowed. He said the matter hurt the company not only financially but reputationally. Conley responded that Mercyhealth cannot diminish the role that its own employee played in Weckerlys crime, or that Mercyhealth appeared to lack oversight that allowed a single person to sign off on contracts. I hope the lesson is learned, Conley said, that theres a need for better control. 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. Authorities have said a pair of alleged attacks against Asian UW-Madison students on campus and Downtown do not appear to be racially motivated, despite a continuing outcry from Asian student groups who marched down State Street Friday afternoon to protest racist violence. At least four people of various backgrounds have been attacked by the same group of men in the past two weeks, Madison and UW police have said. Most recently, the group attacked a man Tuesday night on the 400 block of West Gilman Street, with the assailants punching and kicking him while he was on the ground, Madison police spokesperson Stephanie Fryer said Friday. Pictures circulating on social media of the student, who is Asian, show him with wounds on his face, chin and ears. Earlier that night, the same group threw a banana at an Asian student on Library Mall, said UW-Madison Police spokesperson Marc Lovicott. Lovicott said the incident didnt appear to be racially motivated because the suspects didnt say anything to the victim explicitly racist. Fryer said the attacks appear to be random and that detectives have no information that leads them to believe this attack is racially motivated at this time. Fryer did not identify the race of the victim either, nor have authorities identified the races of the suspects. Brian Li, a student organizer of Fridays demonstration, criticized authorities reluctance to say the victims were attacked because of their race. I have a question: How many more Asians do you want to see bleeding before you say its a hate crime? Li said. Another student who spoke Friday, Manola Inthavong, recounted a racist comment a white person said to her recently while she was working as a campus tour guide. To be Asian American is to deal with the fact that you must laugh it off when an oppressor makes jokes about you, Inthavong told the crowd. UW-Madison, hear us today, Inthavong continued. We are not your model minority and we will not stay silent. Madison police released photos of the four suspects who are allegedly behind the attacks, though did not provide information about the other two attacks in the Downtown area. In the images, two of the men appear to be holding bananas. In a statement, UW-Madison said students were not victims in the separate attacks Downtown. The victims involved in these attacks are from varying backgrounds and appear to be random in nature, Fryer said of the four incidents in an email Friday afternoon. That being said, detectives are still reviewing all digital evidence and are still in talks with victims, she added. Brad Postle, who chairs the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion program for UW-Madisons neuroscience training, said an Asian female graduate student dropped out of school last year after being attacked and remains under medical supervision. Under threat Demonstrators at Friday afternoons protest displayed a photo of the graduate student in a hospital bed and another photo of Tuesday nights victim beaten and bleeding. The broader thing is this community feels under threat, Postle said. Regardless of the facts about any one incident, that doesnt minimize the fact that theres a perceived sense of not being safe. On Thursday, UW-Madison released a statement saying it was aware of recent acts of violence and aggression against students that took place near the campus. Initial reports came from members of our Asian, Pacific Islander and Desi American communities, the university said. We are aware that in recent years these communities have faced increased threats to their safety, well-being and sense of belonging. Call to respond An online petition has called on the university to respond publicly to Tuesday nights attack and to discipline the attackers if they are students. The petition also calls on UW-Madison Police to send WiscAlerts to students when such attacks occur. Lovicott said university police did not send out alerts after the Downtown attacks because they did not happen on campus. Police ask that anyone with information on the incidents contact them at 608-255-2345. Tipsters may remain anonymous by contacting Madison Area Crime Stoppers at 608-266-6014 or P3Tips.com. Individuals contacting Crime Stoppers can receive a reward of up to $1,000 for tips that lead to an arrest. 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. Jeff Richgels | Wisconsin State Journal Online Reporter/Producer for Wisconsin State Journal Follow Jeff Richgels | Wisconsin State Journal Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today The Dane County Medical Examiners Office has identified the man who suffered a fatal chest wound on Sunday and ruled his death a homicide. Trevon M. Davis-Williams, 23, of Dodgeville, died from homicidal sharp-force-related trauma, the Medical Examiners Office said. Officers were called to an apartment complex in the 5600 block of Black Onyx Drive on the Far East Side just before 5:30 a.m. Sunday for a reported disturbance and arrived to find a neighbor providing lifesaving measures to Davis-Williams, who was pronounced dead at a local hospital, Madison police said. Police said Davis-Williams was in a relationship with a woman they took into custody in connection with his death. Police have not released the name of the woman, who is being held on a probation violation. Jail records show a woman whose case number matches that of the homicide was booked into the jail Sunday night. The Wisconsin State Journal is not naming the woman because she has not been arrested or charged in connection with the homicide. The woman was not at the scene when officers arrived Sunday morning. Police said the couples child was at the residence unharmed at the time of Sundays incident and has been referred to Dane County Child Protective Services. The death remains under investigation by the Madison Police Department and the Medical Examiners Office. 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 Wisconsin Department of Justice has identified the Oconto County Sheriffs Office sergeant and the armed woman he shot to death during a traffic stop off Interstate 41 on June 8. The incident began around 2:40 p.m. June 8 when Sgt. Jordan Longsine responded to multiple 911 calls about a reckless driver on I-41. About 10 minutes later, Longsine saw a vehicle matching the description of the reckless drivers vehicle and it pulled over and the driver waved Longsine over, requesting assistance on the side of I-41 in the area of Frog Pond Road in the town of Oconto, DOJ said. Longsine, who has 17 years in law enforcement, saw that the driver was already out of the car and appeared to be injured. While he was tending to the driver, passenger Dakota Coleman, 27, got out of the vehicle and approached the deputy with a knife, DOJ reported. Coleman refused to comply with Longsines commands and he shot Coleman, who died at the scene, according to DOJ. The driver was taken to a hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries. DOJs Division of Criminal Investigation asks anyone who witnessed the shooting, which happened at 2:52 p.m., to call 800-394-6215 and leave a message with what was witnessed and how to contact you. Longsine was not injured. He remains on leave, per Oconto County Sheriffs Office policy. DCI is leading the investigation and is assisted by the State Patrol, Oconto Police Department, Brown County Medical Examiners Office and DOJs Office of Crime Victim Services. Once its investigation is done, DCI will turn over the investigative reports to the Oconto County district attorney, who will make a decision on any charges in the death. [Correction: An earlier version of this story misidentified Dakota Coleman.] 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. Bathroom facilities in Dane County buildings will now have gender-inclusive signage under a resolution approved by the County Board on Thursday night. All unisex bathrooms in county buildings will have their signage replaced to cater to LGBT people who feel more comfortable using those facilities. Passed unanimously with one abstention Thursday, the resolution commits to including bathrooms with signage for transgender people in any future county facilities. County-owned buildings will continue to have bathrooms for cisgender men and women as well. The signs will be created in-house, making the immediate cost to the county negligible. Our county has been making gains in having inclusive policies, and giving visitors and employees a safe space to go the bathroom is another way for us to show that we are committed to being inclusive, said Sup. Melissa Ratcliff, 36th District, who sponsored the resolution. Sup. Tim Kiefer, 25th District, abstained from the vote, citing lack of information over how much it would cost to build extra bathroom facilities in future county buildings. Currently, older county buildings might not have single-stall bathrooms, but the ones that do are typically only designated for people with disabilities. Madison started working to replace its bathroom signs last year, with gender-neutral facilities already a part of the Madison Municipal Building and the Downtown Central Library. Supervisors spent a sizeable chunk of Thursday nights meeting discussing the measure. Before debate on the resolution, a small number of residents spoke in opposition, citing common anti-LGBT talking points, a perceived creep of liberal social causes in county government and opposition by some conservative and religious residents. When people talk about theres so many people who dont like it, and you have to represent the people that dont like I dont believe that questions of human and civil rights should be subjected to that manner of analysis, said Sup. Anthony Gray, 14th District. I think it completely misses the point. In other board business, supervisors referred back to a committee a resolution that would have allowed the Dane County District Attorneys Office to extend the number of hours limited-term employees can work on victim assistance. District Attorney Ismael Ozanne said his office needed the change because of the backlog of criminal cases caused by the shutdown of courts during the COVID-19 pandemic and a local increase in violent crime. Supervisors voted 19-15 to send the measure back to a committee, however, saying they didnt have enough information before making an exception to a county ordinance that limits the amount of time limited-term employees can work. Im just a little uncomfortable moving forward tonight with not knowing clearly what our authority is to grant these exceptions, said Sup. Heidi Wegleitner, 2nd District. Some supervisors used the debate on the measure to criticize Ozanne for not yet making a charging decision against two Department of Justice agents who shot Quadren Wilson, an unarmed Black man, while trying to arrest him in February. I think this is an injustice and this needs to come to an end, and the DA needs to make a decision, Kiefer said Thursday night. Four and a half months of waiting for a decision on this is too long, and I call on the DA to bring this to an end. Ozanne said he has not made a decision whether to charge the DOJ agents, Nathan Peskie and Mark Wagner, who are white, because he has not received final follow-up information from the Dane County Sheriffs Office and another outside agency he did not name. 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. Five Democrats are competing for the top spot in a Democratic-leaning Assembly district in western Dane County where the winner would likely spend their term preventing Republicans from overriding vetoes rather than implementing liberal legislation. Covering much of western Dane County as well as some of Iowa and Green counties, the 80th Assembly District has been held by retiring longtime Rep. Sondy Pope, D-Mount Horeb. Candidates vying for the seat are Verona City Council president Chad Kemp; Dane County Sup. Mike Bare, also of Verona; Mount Horeb gun safety activist Anna Halverson; Belleville Village Board president Dale Yurs; and former corrections officer Doug Steinberg, of Oregon. The winner of the Aug. 9 Democratic primary will face the winner of a Republican primary, but is all but certain to win the seat in November. The 80th District has a 35-point Democratic lean, according to an analysis by Marquette Law School research fellow John Johnson. The candidates bring with them different qualifications and different levels of public service experience. Kemp said he would work with Republicans in the Legislature to get more young people involved in the trades. As proof of his bipartisanship, Kemp said he worked with the Verona City Council and city staff across party lines to maintain city services amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Not every member of the council got everything that we wanted, but we had to find a way to compromise to pass a budget that was fair and served the community best, he said in a statement. But Kemp said hes unwilling to compromise with Republicans on abortion. A woman should be able to make the health care decisions, including reproductive health care, that are best for her and her family, he said. Bare, who was an aide to former Democratic U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold, said he learned the value of bipartisanship when Feingold worked with Republicans on climate change and creating an AIDS relief program for Africa. He said hes since worked on bipartisan justice and health reform efforts in his role working for social service organization Community Advocates. I will not budge on keeping schools safe and properly funded, ensuring our democracy is healthy and functional, and guaranteeing access to our basic rights, including voting, reproductive freedom, internet access, housing, health care, and more, he said, adding theres bipartisan agreement to some degree on each of those issues. Bare touted having worked, in some capacity, in local, state and federal government. He also said he is unique in being a small-business owner, which gives him perspective on wages and benefits, supply chains, vendor relations, budgeting and accounting, our states unemployment system, business taxes, and how businesses interact with government. Halverson, an organizer with the gun safety advocacy group Moms Demand Action, said there are some issues access to broadband and affordable housing for example where there has been some bipartisanship. I am enough of a realist to recognize the challenges of serving in a Legislature controlled by extremists, she said. She slammed the Republican majority as out of step with the majority of Wisconsinites who support Roe v. Wade, who support universal background checks, and who want fair maps and responsive government. Halverson highlighted her endorsement from gun safety advocacy group Everytown for Gun Safety. She also said her experience in working with people with disabilities helped her understand the challenges in providing community-based services. Yurs said he wants to work across party lines to end the epidemic of gun violence, to create opportunities for access to quality healthcare, especially mental healthcare, and to ensure that all of Wisconsins kids get equitable access to an excellent public education. He said he would be immovable in the Legislature on fighting for workers rights, protecting a womans right to abortion, protecting LGBTQ+ communities, combatting climate change, bolstering equity in public education, upholding health care as a human right and fighting for fair maps and easy ballot access. As for what makes him unique, Yurs said, in part, As a teacher, dad, and former volunteer firefighter, I bring the fierce compassion and sincere care for others that our system of government needs right now. Steinberg, a quality control technician at Franklin Electric who formerly worked for the state Department of Corrections, said he wouldnt budge on his abortion rights stance but said he would work with Republicans on Election Integrity if that is their true agenda. He also said he would work with them on gun control laws. I would make it my job to help them understand the need to go a little further, positioning the law to cover a larger number of situations protecting more innocent people, he said. Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. After a St. Louis company that provided rides for Wisconsin patients on Medicaid generated complaints, the state tried twice to shift to a different vendor. The first time, the company, MTM, won an appeal and extended its contract. The second time, MTM failed to block the move, and the state in November began a new contract with San Diego-based Veyo. Now, MTM is purchasing Veyo, bringing uncertainty to Wisconsins non-emergency medical transportation system, or NEMT. The program serves about 22,000 people, many of them with disabilities, and costs $124 million a year. The Department of Health Services says Veyo will need to continue service improvements specified in its three-year, $370 million contract, regardless of ownership. MTM announced the acquisition June 8, pending regulatory approvals. DHS is working with MTM and Veyo to understand specifics of the transition, as we did not initiate it, spokesperson Elizabeth Goodsitt said. There is no change in the contractual obligations Veyo currently has to provide NEMT services to members. NEMT services will not be interrupted leading up to or during this transition, Goodsitt said. The phone number to schedule rides will remain the same: 866-907-1493. How much the move will affect consumers is unclear. People on Medicaid who dont have family or friends to take them to medical services covered by Medicaid must go through the states vendor for transportation. A state audit in 2015, prompted by complaints against MTM and its predecessor, LogistiCare, found more than 4,000 no-shows and more than 55,000 late rides in less than a year. Last year, MTM provided about 266,000 trips a month and had an average of 365 substantiated complaints a month, according to DHS. Between 2015 and 2021, DHS assessed $200,000 in damages against MTM, similar to fines. People have also had problems with Veyo, said Kit Kerschensteiner, director of legal and advocacy services for Disability Rights Wisconsin. I dont know that weve heard anything all that different from Veyo, Kerschensteiner said. From what we can tell, its six of one and half a dozen of the other. Many complaints involve canceled rides, difficulty scheduling rides and frustration with the appeal process over denied rides, Kershensteiner said. DHS hasnt made performance data about Veyo available, with Goodsitt saying it will be posted online soon. In a presentation in May to Wisconsins Transportation Advisory Council, Veyo said it provided 690,000 rides from January to March and had 2,142 substantiated complaints during that period. MTM spokesperson Michele Lucas said, Our goal is zero disruption in service, and we are committed to delivering a seamless integration for DHS, Medicaid members and all stakeholders. Veyo spokesperson Jessica Williams declined to comment Friday. In 2011, the state replaced county-based medical transportation programs for people on Medicaid with a statewide system, saying the move would centralize ride management and save money. The operator runs a call center and subcontracts with paratransit services, cab companies, bus systems, independent drivers and others to provide rides. LogistiCare, which ran the program beginning in 2011, ended its three-year contract early, saying the company was providing more rides than expected, especially in the Milwaukee area where volume was double what was projected. MTM started a five-year contract in 2013. In 2018, the state said it planned to award a five-year contract to LogistiCare. MTM, which ranked third among four bids, appealed, saying two members of a six-person state evaluation committee didnt attend the companys oral presentation. In 2019, the state Department of Administration agreed that the committee members absence was a state code violation. It ordered the health department to rescind its intent to contract with LogistiCare, and the MTM contract was extended. In February 2020, DHS issued an intent to contract with Veyo, Goodsitt said. An MTM protest was unsuccessful, she said, leading to the switch to Veyo last November. Goodsitt said the new Veyo contract requires changes, including a dedicated unit to handle rides related to critical appointments such as dialysis and cancer treatments; updated online scheduling, including a mobile-friendly portal, and complaint submission; better call center service; and timely trip assignments to transportation providers. DHS does not plan to amend the contract or remove these required improvements, Goodsitt said. Our top priority at that time, as it is now, was to make sure that members were able to access safe and reliable transportation to medical appointments. 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. SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) After just seven months in office, and now reduced to heading a minority government, Bulgarias liberal Prime Minister Kiril Petkov finds himself between a rock and a hard place over European Union enlargement amid the war in Ukraine. Russias invasion spurred the EU to speed up its expansion drive in the Western Balkans, where Moscow still wields considerable influence. But EU and NATO member Bulgaria is blocking part of the process in the case of neighboring North Macedonia one of the six EU hopefuls in the region due to a dispute over history and cultural identity. Prime Minister Petkov, 42, has pledged to seek a solution to the decade-long gridlock, which, indirectly, would also unsnarl Albanias accession bid. But Bulgaria says its neighbor has not made enough concessions, and chances of a breakthrough seem slim. Bulgarian President Rumen Radev on Friday urged the cabinet to disperse any suspicion that the country might take the deeply unpopular step of abandoning its veto on North Macedonias EU accession. Speaking to reporters in Sofia, Radev called on Petkov to defend the national interest at next weeks European Council. He warned Petkov whos already under fire over the economy and faces a no-confidence vote in parliament next week that any chicanery or attempt to replace (the Bulgarian veto) will have severe consequences. The 27-nation bloc has invited the heads of government of six Western Balkan countries, including North Macedonia, to the EU leaders meeting in Brussels on June 23. In preparation, the six leaders gathered Friday at the lakeside resort of Ohrid, in North Macedonia, most arguing that the war in Ukraine had added greater urgency to their accession bids. Once the war in Ukraine is over, Russia will return to its old ways, fighting democracies in the West with fake news and propaganda, and pressing us not to seek EU and NATO membership, North Macedonias President Stevo Pendarovski said. We have been a candidate for (EU) membership for 17 years. This unfinished project has taken a toll on us. Also seeking EU membership for his country, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged the EU hopefuls to halt trade with Russia. You should not give money to those who seek your destruction, Zelenskyy said, speaking by video link. Back in Bulgaria, Prime Minister Petkov said his government had decided to submit all issues linked to the neighboring countrys EU membership to Parliament. The North Macedonia topic is used as a decoy, Petkov said. his From here on now, no politician can say that the government is capable of taking unilateral actions. The decision is parliaments. Sofia insists that if it is to soften its stance the EU must guarantee that North Macedonia implements three key Bulgarian demands: changes its constitution to recognize the existence of an ethnic Bulgarian minority, drops hate speech against Bulgaria and moves to settling disputes over the history of the two countries. Bulgaria has seen a spike in pro-Russian and anti-Western propaganda, and analysts say a move by Petkov to lift the veto on North Macedonia could elevate pro-Moscow parties to power and change the countrys orientation. On the other hand, maintaining the veto could also strengthen Russias grip on the Balkans by keeping North Macedonia away from the EU. Parvan Simeonov, from the Gallup International Balkan agency, said some 70% of Bulgarians oppose lifting the veto and warned that such a move would bring brutal Putinism in Bulgaria. Last week, one of the four parties in Petkovs governing coalition walked out, citing disagreements over fiscal policy and North Macedonia. That left Petkov in charge of a minority government, which next week faces a vote of no-confidence in parliament over the economy, brought by the countrys main opposition party. ___ Testorides reported from Skopje, North Macedonia. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. BRUSSELS (AP) The European Union's executive arm on Friday recommended making Ukraine a candidate for EU membership, a morale booster and a first step on what is expected to be a long road for the war-torn country to join the 27-nation bloc. If Ukrainians were under any illusion that the European Commission's positive assessment would mean fast-track EU membership, their hopes of quickly joining the club were dashed. Starting accession negotiations is further down the line," said Oliver Varhelyi, the EU Commissioner for the bloc's enlargement. Once conditions are met, then we will have to come back and reflect on it ... This is not for today." The European Commission delivered its proposal to award Ukraine candidate status after an analysis of answers to a detailed questionnaire. The Ukrainian government applied for EU membership days after Russia invaded the country on Feb. 24. Ukrainians are ready to die for the European perspective, commission President Ursula von der Leyen said wearing clothes in the yellow and blue of the Ukrainian flag. We want them to live, with us, the European dream. The leaders of the bloc's existing members are scheduled to discuss the recommendation during a summit next week in Brussels. The European Commissions endorsement, while a strong sign of solidarity with Ukraine, is likely to take years or even decades to materialize into EU membership. Its even possible that the candidate status will eventually be revoked if the reforms requested by the bloc to align with EU standards are not put in place. Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, who had been skeptical about Ukraines membership bid, embraced the proposal. I think the commission has found a good compromise. There is a lot more homework in the field of the economy, but also in the field of the rule of law, in the field of tackling corruption. Rutte said. So this is the first step of many. But the Netherlands has decided with full conviction to follow the commissions advice. Along with Ukraine, the European Commission also recommended giving neighboring Moldova EU candidate status. The commission also reviewed Georgias application but said the Caucasus nation first needs to fulfill a number of conditions. Adding new members requires unanimous approval from all EU member nations. They have expressed differing views on how quickly to add Ukraine to their ranks. Ukraines bid received a boost when the leaders of France, Germany, Italy and Romania visited the country Thursday and vowed to back its candidacy. To be admitted, potential newcomers need to demonstrate that they meet standards on democratic principles and they must absorb about 80,000 pages of rules covering everything from trade and immigration to fertilizers and the rule of law. Before Russias invasion, the Commission repeatedly expressed concern in recent years about corruption in Ukraine and the need for deep political and economic reforms. Yes, Ukraine deserves a European perspective. It should be welcomed as a candidate country, on the understanding that important work remains to be done, von der Leyen said Friday. The entire process is merits-based. It goes by the book and therefore, progress depends entirely on Ukraine. Ukraine currently has an association agreement with the EU, aimed at opening Ukraines markets and bringing it closer to Europe. It includes a far-reaching free trade pact. Von der Leyen said that due to the 2016 agreement, "Ukraine has already implemented roughly 70% of the EU rules, norms and standards. It is taking part in many important EU programs," she continued. "Ukraine is a robust parliamentary democracy. It has a well-functioning public administration that has kept the country running even during this war. Von der Leyen said Kyiv should continue to make progress in the fields of rule of law and fighting corruption. She also cited the need to speed up the selection of high court judges. Expediting Ukraines application by declaring it an official candidate would challenge the EUs normal playbook for adding members. The degree to which Ukraines request for a fast-track accession represents a change in the EUs standard operating procedure is evident from the experiences of other aspiring members. Turkey, for example, applied for membership in 1987, received candidate status in 1999, and had to wait until 2005 to start talks for actual entry. Six Western Balkan countries Serbia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Albania, Bosnia and Kosovo have been in the EU waiting line for years. At their June 23-24 summit, EU heads of state and government therefore face a delicate balancing act: signaling to Ukraine that the door is ajar while reassuring other aspiring members and some of the blocs own citizens that they arent showing favoritism to Kyiv. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Friday he was grateful to the Commission's recommendation to put his country and Moldova on the membership path. He called it "the first step on the EU membership path thatll certainly bring our victory closer. Zelenskyy added that he expected a positive result from the EU summit in Brussels. Dusan Stojanovic contributed from Belgrade. Follow AP's coverage of the Ukraine war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) A Nebraska man pleaded guilty Thursday to posting several threats on an Instagram page associated with an election official in Colorado. Travis Ford, 42, of Lincoln, posted the threats in August 2021. The official was not identified but U.S. Attorney Cole Finegan for the District of Colorado said in a news release the official was from that state. The threats included one that said "Your security detail is far too thin and incompetent to protect you. This world is unpredictable these days anything can happen to anyone. Threats of violence against election officials are dangerous for peoples safety and dangerous for our democracy, and we will use every resource at our disposal to disrupt and investigate those threats and hold perpetrators accountable, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said in a news release. Prosecutors said Ford posted similar messages on Instagram pages associated with President Joe Biden and another public figure, who was not identified. Ford is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 6. He faces up to two years in prison. FBI Denver is investigating the case, with the assistance of FBI Omaha. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Vandals painted graffiti at the site of a planned Monroe campaign event for a Republican candidate for Wisconsins 2nd Congressional District on Tuesday night, according to a statement from the candidate, Charity Barry. The graffiti, sprayed on Vinces Pizzeria and a neighboring business, included phrases that expressed disapproval of Barry, the restaurant and the police, according to photos provided with the statement. Authorities received a call about the graffiti Wednesday morning, according to a report from the Monroe Police Department. The owner of Vinces, Fabio G. Grado, said he was shocked he had accepted the reservation but had nothing to do with the gathering, according to the report. The pizzeria has security cameras on the outside, Grado reportedly told the police. I strongly condemn the intimidation and vandalism that took place in Monroe, Barry said in her statement. Because of the cowardly acts of a few radical Democrats, the owners and workers of this small business must bear the cost and consequences of this selfish and craven attempt to bully a political rival. Running in a primary to face U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Black Earth, Barry discusses indoctrination in schools, the Second Amendment and election integrity on her website, among other issues. 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 handful of countries, most notably Australia, impose mandatory voting, with citizens facing fines and punishments if they dont appear at the polls. And every few years, somebody proposes bringing this practice to the United States as a good-government reform that would allegedly improve the health of our democracy. Luckily, Americans remain unimpressed by the idea. A report advocating mandatory voting by the Brookings Institution and Harvard Kennedy Schools Ash Center acknowledged as much. When polled, they found only 26% of Americans favored the idea, with 64% opposed. The claimed benefits of mandatory voting are highly dubious. The evidence shows it would have little effect on election outcomes because non-voters tend to break down about the same as for voters in their partisan preferences. The main effect visible in Australia is the frequency of the so-called donkey ballot, where voters randomly pick a candidate or party without giving it any thought, often simply choosing the option listed first on the ballot. Others return a blank ballot, clearly going through the motions only to avoid punishment. QUOTE During World War II, the court faced another attempt at coercing civic affirmation: mandatory recital of the Pledge of Allegiance in public schools. Beyond the lack of clear, practical benefit, mandatory voting sits uneasily with American principles. The First Amendment protects not only freedom of speech but also freedom from compelled speech. And even if a coerced voter shows up and casts a spoiled ballot, participating in an election is a speech act. It implies affirmation of the legitimacy and desirability of the electoral system and our current constitutional order. That might be a correct opinion, in my view, but it is not one Americans should be forced to affirm. The United States has a long history of principled abstention from voting, including groups such as the Quakers and Jehovahs Witnesses, who are motivated by a thoroughgoing religious faith in strict pacifism. Others, such as anarchists ranging from libertarians to socialists, reject the moral legitimacy of all governments and do not want to lend their endorsement to the state. Faced with the need to accommodate such groups or at least some of them, compulsory voting faces two bad options. Either any person can invoke a religious or philosophical exemption, rendering the whole exercise pointless, or must put the government in the untenable position of judging which reasons are good enough. Even if the First Amendment argument doesnt convince you, the last thing our bloated criminal justice system needs is yet another reason to impose fines and enforcement actions on Americans, especially when such burdens will fall disproportionately on minorities and the poor. Every law must be enforced, and the police in our country already have more than enough laws to enforce. Even if the political will could be mustered to pass a compulsory voting law, the courts are unlikely to permit it under longstanding First Amendment principles. During World War II, the court faced another attempt at coercing civic affirmation: mandatory recital of the Pledge of Allegiance in public schools. Again, Jehovahs Witnesses refused, believing this was an act of flag-worship akin to idolatry. Justice Robert H. Jackson, writing for a 6-3 court, offered one of the most stirring articulations of Americas radical free speech jurisprudence: If there is any fixed star in our constitutional firmament, it is that no official, high or petty, can prescribe what shall be orthodox in politics, nationalism, religion or other matters of opinion. Showing up to vote may well be a laudable act, one to be encouraged, an admirable exercise of civic duty and participation in our system of government. But as a matter of opinion, it is not the governments role to impose that view as compulsory orthodoxy. If you dont want to vote, its your right not to vote. Craig is associate editor of the Cato Institute's bimonthly magazine Cato Policy Report and quarterly Catos Letter. He wrote this for InsideSources.com. In our book 100% Democracy: The Case for Universal Voting, E.J. Dionne and I make a case for universal voting that casting ballots should be a required civic duty for every American citizen. Universal voting could be enacted federally or more likely by states or municipalities. If adopted, it would: Dramatically increase voting participation. Make the voting electorate a complete reflection of our population. Make government more responsive to everyone. Improve the nature of our political campaigns. Lessen our toxic polarization, at least to a degree. Universal voting has not been seriously discussed in this country, but it is hardly a new or radical idea. The system is used in 26 democratic countries including Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Greece, Luxembourg, Peru and Uruguay. The processes and practices vary. Australia is probably the best example for us. Mandatory participation has been in place since 1924, nearly 100 years. It is a widely accepted part of the countrys democratic process, and no serious attempts have been made to repeal it. So how does it work? QUOTE Persuasion, and not hyper-turnout efforts, will be the norm. The Australian Electoral Commission a nonpartisan, well-funded and professional agency makes every effort to register voters, and it conducts energetic public education about coming elections, as do the political parties and civil society organizations. Citizens are well aware of the elections as they get closer and of their responsibility to vote. As of last December, 96% of Australians were registered, and in the election of 2019, 92% of those registered voted. It is important to note that Australians are not required to vote for any candidate. Blank ballots and ballots with comments or cartoons, called donkey ballots, are acceptable. In our recommendations for the United States, we recommend that a none of the above option be placed on all ballots. After the election, the rolls are examined, and people who do not vote receive a notice asking for the reason. Almost all reasons are accepted, but if no response is received from the non-voter after two attempts, a fine of $20 in Aussie currency ($15 in the U.S.) is assessed. Less than 1% of potential voters were fined. The requirement is a recognized part of the civic culture. Elections are held on Saturday and have a celebratory nature, complete with ubiquitous democracy sausage stands at almost all polling places. For another reason, closer to home, that voting as a civic duty is not a radical idea, think of jury service. Everyone is required to serve on juries as a matter of civic responsibility. This has been the case for more than 100 years. We accept it as entirely reasonable, even if we may wince when the summons arrives. The reason for doing this is clear. We want the pool of jurors to be fully reflective of our society as the surest means of a fair outcome. We think the same reasoning applies to voting: We want, or should want, the public policies that affect our lives, and the choices of who will be in office to make them, to be made by all of us, fully represented. And universal voting will bring that to us. Another benefit is that the nature of campaigns would change for the better. The conventional wisdom in campaigns now is to turn out your base and, in worse-case scenarios, depress the turnout of your opposition. Some call this enrage to engage. But if everyone is going to vote, then everyone is listening all the time, and parties and campaigns will have to speak to everyone and will have to persuade a true majority that their ideas are the best. Persuasion, and not hyper-turnout efforts, will be the norm. That will help to lessen our toxic and increasing polarization. Evidence also shows that in countries with universal voting, policies that help lessen inequality get stronger governmental support. That would be a significant benefit. We have been gratified that the initial response to our book and the idea has had far more expressions of interest in universal voting as a potentially game-changing idea and far less of the skepticism that naturally greets any big new proposal. Universal voting is an idea that can move American democracy a long way to our stated ideals of a fully inclusive democracy. We are putting the idea of 100% Democracy forward as a North Star goal, and we are eager for the conversation to begin. Rapoport is coauthor with E.J. Dionne of 100% Democracy: The Case for Universal Voting. He is the senior practice fellow in American democracy at the Ash Center of the Harvard Kennedy School. He wrote this for InsideSources.com. Madison Gas and Electric said Thursday night that all customers who lost power due to powerful storms Monday and Wednesday should have power restored by Friday morning. Monday's storm initially left about 25,000 without power, the company said, and more storms moved through the Madison area Wednesday night, knocking out power to more customers and temporarily halting MGEs restoration efforts, but work resumed after the storms moved out, MGE spokesperson Kaya Freiman said in a statement. There were about 100 incidents remaining, down from more than 280 on Monday, Freiman said Thursday. More mutual assistance crews from Wisconsin and Minnesota arrived Thursday to help address the remaining outages, Freiman said. MGE customers can check the companys outage map and outage information page for updates. On Wednesday, Freiman said MGE has not seen damage this significant for more than 30 years and the number of separate incidents is extremely rare for the company. The biggest challenges continue to be the high volume of downed lines, the large number of separate outage incidents and additional new outages that are the result of weakened trees and branches falling on power lines, she said. 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. We six were predecessors of Lawrence Wasden as Idaho Attorney General from 1971 to 2003. We have had the opportunity to observe his handling of that important legal office during the 20 years of his tenure. It is our collective judgment that Lawrence has faithfully complied with his solemn oath to support the Constitutions of Idaho and the United States. He has served the people with honesty and courage. Lawrence is Idahos longest-serving Attorney General with five elected terms. He is unique in having worked his way through the office ranks, starting as a deputy in 1989, through chief of staff, to the beginning of his 20-year tenure as AG in 2003. Throughout his career, he has shown himself to be incorruptible and scrupulously honest in providing legal advice to the State. While some would be tempted to shade their counsel for political advantage, Lawrence would have none of that. He characterized his role as honestly calling the balls and strikes, even when his umpire-like stance evoked howls of outrage from some legislative spectators and their supporters. Lawrence has been the consummate upholder of the rule of law. He brought the same dedication to the law in performing his fiduciary duty as a State Land Board member. He insisted on following the constitutional mandate to obtain the maximum long-term return from endowment lands, despite entreaties or threats from land users. He successfully sued the Land Board to require compliance with the law. He understood that he was ultimately answerable to the people and dedicated himself to serving their legal interests without great fanfare. As he prepares to leave the office he obviously reveres, it is in excellent condition and up to the task of advancing Idahos important legal interests. With our collective 32 years of service in the position, we can recognize an Attorney General who excels. Lawrence Wasden has courageously represented the State of Idaho and its people and will be remembered as one of our very best Attorneys General. Our sincere thanks and congratulations to Lawrence and his wife and partner Tracey for their dedicated service to the Gem State and best wishes for the future. Tony Park, 1971-1975 Wayne Kidwell, 1975-1979 Dave Leroy, 1979-1983 Jim Jones, 1983-1991 Larry Echo Hawk, 1991-1995 Al Lance, 1995-2003 Jim Jones is a Vietnam combat veteran who served eight years as Idaho attorney general (1983-1991) and 12 years as justice of the Idaho Supreme Court (2005-2017). He is currently a regular contributor to The Hill online news. He blogs at JJCommonTater. Love 6 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Ridgeway Ruritan Lauren Luther and Hailey Chitwood received scholarships from the Ridgeway Ruritan Club. Luther, daughter of David and Alice Luther, is a graduate of Magna Vista High School and will attend Radford University-Carilion. She received the Ridgeway Ruritan Club Adkins Scholarship in the amount of $500. Chitwood, daughter of John and Kim Chitwood, is also a graduate of Magna Vista High School and will attend Ferrum College. She received the Build Your Dollar Ruritan Scholarship in the amount of $750. Survey Drug-Free MHC is conducting a young adult survey for ages 18-25. The survey, which should take no more than 10 to 15 minutes to complete, is to hear about experiences and opinions regarding substance use and mental health in the community. It is intended to help the coalition develop health and wellness programing to better meet local needs. This statewide survey of young adults was developed in partnership with Virginias Office of Behavioral Health and Wellness (OBHW) at the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS) and their partner, OMNI Institute, a nonprofit organization working with Community Service Boards (CSBs) and coalitions across Virginia, a release said. To take the survey, text Virginia to 855-632-2201. Anyone who meets the age requirements and completes the survey will receive a $10 gift card. 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. Three people were rushed to hospitals after a plane crashed near a summer camp in the remote North Carolina mountains, officials said. The single-engine aircraft went down in the woods at the edge of Camp Kahdalea on Thursday, June 16, according to the Transylvania County Sheriffs Office. It was far away, but one person walked away from it and told us they needed help, camp director David Trufant told The Transylvania Times. Camp Kahdalea on its website said it welcomes girls ages 8 to 17 to its facilities in Brevard, roughly 35 miles southwest of Asheville. About 120 campers and 50 workers were at the Christian camp at the time of the crash, The Transylvania Times reported. None of the camp's staff or attendees were in the area where the plane went down as it crashed in a remote wooded area on the edge of the camp boundaries, the sheriffs office wrote in a news release. Deputies said three people who have ties to the camp were on a Cessna 172 when it crashed at about 6:20 p.m. These were camp parents doing a fly-over of the camps and reportedly taking pictures, directors David and Anne Trufant wrote in a news release. Upon arrival by camp personnel to help, the first thing they said was, The plane became unresponsive and they went down in a wooded area. All three people in the crash were taken to hospitals with injuries that appear to be non-life-threatening, according to officials. We want to take a moment to recognize the speed, professionalism, and great work of the paramedics and rescue personnel from Transylvania County, the camp directors said. They were very quick and very good. We thank God that the three involved were rescued quickly and were conscious and talkative. The FAA in a preliminary statement said it would investigate the crash along with the National Transportation Safety Board. Sultan Haitham bin Tariq Thursday replaced long-serving Oil minister Mohammed bin Hamad Al-Rumhi in the latest cabinet shake-up. Rumhi had been Oil minister for over two decades and was replaced by Salem al-Aufi. The new oil minister of the Gulf country prior to his appointment, was undersecretary at the energy and minerals ministry. The ruler also appointed Dr. Mohammed Al-Maamari as minister of endowments and religious affairs and Dr. Hilal Al-Sabti as minister of health. The Sultan also established a higher justice council. The Gulf country is not in the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries but is a member of the OPEC+ alliance of OPEC and non-OPEC nations. Gabon will host from 29 August to 1 September the African Climate Week, a conference organized on each continent by the UN to prepare for COP 27 in order to solve the urgent challenges of climate change, the United Nations announced on Thursday. The objective of this meeting, which will be held in the capital Libreville, is to tackle social inequalities and invest in development that is good for humanity and nature, according to a statement from the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) or UN Climate. The 2021 edition of Africa Climate Week in Uganda had brought together 4,500 participants, including government representatives, business leaders and members of civil society. This is a recognition of the decisive role our country plays in the fight against climate change. There is no fatality. Its time for action, tweeted Gabonese President Ali Bongo Ondimba. According to UN Climate, this meeting is a key step before the COP 27 in November in Egypt. The continent is facing extreme weather events. The Horn of Africa is notably hit by a drought threatening tens of millions of inhabitants with famine. The effects of climate change have caused the most exposed countries to lose 20% of their growth since 2000, according to a study for the Climate Vulnerability Forum (CVF), a group of 55 countries in Africa, Asia-Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean, published on 8 June. The Togolese army repelled a new attack in the far northwest of Togo on the border with Burkina Faso on Wednesday night, a senior military official said. In recent months, two terrorist attacks have hit the far north of the country, according to the government. The army has been deployed there for several years to deal with the threat of violence from jihadist groups in neighbouring Burkina. The new attack by armed men occurred in the locality of Goulingoushi and did not result in any deaths or injuries on the Togo side, a senior military official said, without giving further details. It was one of our ambushes that allowed us to surprise them outside the post of Goulingoushi, in the far north-west, he added, confirming a report by local media. The assailants have retreated and the Burkinabe army is on their heels. The sweeps are continuing on our side, he said. On Monday, the authorities declared a security state of emergency in the Savanes region, in the far north of the country. In early May, eight Togolese soldiers were killed and 13 wounded in the first official deadly jihadist attack in Togo. Some 15 attackers were killed by the Togolese military, the government said. In Nigeria, the presidential candidate of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has nominated a southern governor, Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa, as his running mate. I am delighted to announce Governor @IAOkowa as my vice presidential candidate. I look forward to travelling to our great country with him, to interact with all Nigerians together and build a future of peace, unity and prosperity for all. United we stand, Atiku Abubakar tweeted. It is in these terms that the candidate of the main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), 75 years old, announced the name of the one who will be his vice-president if he is elected president of Nigeria on 25 February 2023. Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa was born on 8 July 1959. He obtained his MD from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. Married, he was elected as a senator in 2011 under the PDP banner to represent Delta North in the south. Prior to that, Dr Okowa served as the Secretary General to the Delta State Government and Commissioner for Health. In 2015, he was elected governor of Delta State in southern Nigeria, a position he holds to this day. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, a Muslim from Adamawa in northern Nigeria, had to choose a running mate from the predominantly Christian south of the country to conform to the geopolitical balance of Africas most populous country. His choice is therefore not a surprise. Geneva hosted this Friday a ceremony that paid a moving tribute to two late human rights activists who have constantly supported the Kingdom of Morocco in Geneva and Banjul and defended its national causes. Late Martin Maluza, president of the International Committee for the Respect and Application of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights (CIRAC) and late Maurice Katala, head of the International Action for Peace and Development in the Great Lakes Region (AIPD-GL) were remembered for their tireless efforts to defend human rights and promote the protection of human rights in Africa and elsewhere. Scores of associative actors and representatives of NGOs based in Geneva made testimonies in honor of the late human rights defenders and recollected their efforts in the promotion and protection of human rights. The two activists were also remembered as fervent defenders of Moroccos national cause at the UN in Geneva and New York as well as at the level of the African Union, and the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights. They actually spared no effort to defend Moroccos territorial integrity and highlight the Kingdoms efforts to promote the development of the Southern Provinces. Maurice Katala and Martin Maluza, who had both made several field visits to Laayoune and Dakhla, addressed several correspondences and made several oral presentations to the High Commissioner for Human Rights as well as to the UN Security Council to highlight the efforts made by the Kingdom in the Sahara in terms of development and the promotion and protection of human rights. During the event, the new leaders of the two NGOs vowed to continue their predecessors work and to remain committed to the defense of Moroccos cause. Credit: CC0 Public Domain A study by RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences has identified barriers and motivators to blood donation for people from ethnic minority groups in Ireland. The findings of the survey will assist in addressing the recent blood shortages in Ireland and will also enhance the diversity of the blood supply. Current shortages have potentially serious consequences for patients who require blood transfusions, particularly patients with sickle cell disease, an inherited blood disorder that affects red blood cells. Sickle cell disease is particularly common among people with an African or Caribbean family background. The findings are published this week in the journal Blood Transfusion, in advance of World Sickle Cell Day on Sunday, 19 June. The study entitled "Motivators and barriers to blood donation among potential donors of African and Caucasian ethnicity" is the first of its kind to explore the issue of ethnic differences in blood donations across different ethnic groups in Ireland. The findings will help with future campaigns to recruit donors of diverse ethnic backgrounds in Ireland, increasing provision of blood for transfusion and improving patient care. Lead Researcher, Dr. Helen Fogarty, School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, RCSI said: "The timing of this research is crucial. Ireland has experienced major blood shortages recently with the result that for the first time in over 30 years, blood has been imported from the U.K. There is an urgent need now to increase blood donations, including from people from minority ethnic groups. The results of this study help us to understand why these groups are under-represented and will help us to include people from different ethnic backgrounds in blood donation in future, making a huge difference for all patients who need blood transfusions." The study was developed as part of the RCSI Student Innovation Challenge during the RCSI Research Summer School 2021 which gives students the opportunity to develop solutions to pressing medical needs. Over 380 people took part in the survey that aimed to identify motivators and barriers to blood donation. RCSI students and RCSI Student Innovation Challenge winners Muskan Sardana, Luke Sheridan, Phoebe Chieng and Sarah Kelly are co-authors on the paper. The results revealed that barriers to blood donations among non-Caucasian respondents included lack of information and a history of living in a malaria-endemic region. Factors that were found to motivate people from minority ethnic backgrounds to give blood included religious reasons and a desire to help others in their own communities. The findings provide researchers with a focus for interventions, including recruitment campaigns to enhance ethnic diversity and inclusivity among blood donors in Ireland. More information: Helen Fogarty et al, Motivators and barriers to blood donation among potential donors of African and Caucasian ethnicity, Blood Transfusion (2022). www.bloodtransfusion.it/artico osing.aspx?id=001218 Helen Fogarty et al, Motivators and barriers to blood donation among potential donors of African and Caucasian ethnicity,(2022). DOI: 10.2450/2022.0014-22 Provided by RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences The OHDRC applies the NIMHDs Research Framework to inform the centers work and research. It shows how the multilevel domains of influence affect individual, interpersonal, community, and societal levels of influence. National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities. Credit: NIMHD Research Framework. Retrieved from nimhd.nih.gov/researchFramework. Accessed on Wednesday, May 18, 2022 Obesity increases the risk of health conditions such as hypertension, coronary heart disease, and diabetes. Recent findings have also revealed that obesity is a risk factor for hospitalization and death due to COVID-19. In a new supplement to the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, published by Elsevier, researchers identify the complex contributors to obesity and obesity-related health disparities and propose strategies for improving the well-being of populations impacted by these disparities. This supplement, "Obesity-Related Health Disparities: Addressing the Complex Contributors," highlights research findings from investigators and projects supported by the Obesity Health Disparities Research Center (OHDRC). The OHDRC is a National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) funded Center of Excellence that supports transdisciplinary, multilevel, and multidomain research to understand the complex contributors to obesity and obesity-related health disparities. The OHDRC uses the State of Alabama and the Deep South region as a model to study and investigate the biological, behavioral, and social factors related to obesity. The OHDRC applies the NIMHD's Research Framework to inform the center's work and research. The common theme running throughout this supplement is that obesity is not simply a medical or biological condition. "These articles identify strategies to better measure and identify modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors for obesity and help us understand the influence and interaction of these factors on obesity and related conditions," explain Guest Editors Mona N. Fouad, MD, MPH, Senior Associate Dean for Diversity and Inclusion, Heersink School of Medicine, and Professor and Director, Division of Preventive Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, U.S., and Gareth Dutton, Ph.D., Endowed Professor of Diabetes Prevention and Control, Division of Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, U.S.. "Researchers, clinicians, policymakers, and other stakeholders can utilize these articles to inform healthcare and public policy approaches in a way that improves the overall health and well-being of populations impacted by obesity and obesity-related health disparities," Dr. Fouad and Dr. Dutton add. The supplement demonstrates that rigorous and comprehensive methods are needed to account for the multiple and interrelated contributors to obesity, including fundamental social, behavioral, and biological factors. Similarly, these research reports show that a complex problem like obesity requires multilevel and multidomain solutions to better address it. Rather, a variety of social determinants and other factors contribute to obesity risk and impact the prevention and treatment of this and related conditions. Of particular note, contributions to the supplement highlight theoretical approaches to explain social determinants of obesity; protective factors that may mitigate the negative associations between neighborhood disadvantage and health; links among financial well-being, stress, and weight gain; and the impact of COVID-19 for individuals with obesity and weight-related comorbidities. William C. Cockerham, Ph.D., Department of Sociology and Division of Preventive Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, reviews selected theoretical approaches to explain the social determinants of obesity. Increasing evidence highlights the importance of the social environment in relation to the risk of obesity. He analyzes empirical evidence linking theory to data in obesity studies. Broadly, those with lower socioeconomic status are more likely to have higher rates of obesity and related health conditions. "The social determinants of obesity are not the entire story of excessive weight gain, but are key variables in the process, sometimes acting independently of biological causes and sometimes acting together to cause people to become obese," Dr. Cockerham notes. "Consequently, biomarkers are increasingly being utilized in sociological studies of weight gain, as is the use of social variables in gene-environment studies, to provide more thorough assessments of the causes of obesity. Future developments in theories of obesity in the social sciences will likely incorporate both biological and genetic views of the causal factors of obesity into their models where feasible." Sylvie Mrug, Ph.D., Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, and colleagues present a novel investigation of whether children's perceptions of parenting moderate the prospective relationship between childhood neighborhood adversity and adult health indicators. Contrary to some prior research, this study did not find links between neighborhood disadvantage and adult weight status. The authors highlight how parenting styles play a role in the long-term effects of neighborhood disadvantage of health. Specifically, inconsistent discipline and low parental nurturance were found to exacerbate the adverse relationship between neighborhood characteristics and adult health. They conclude that future interventions that enhance consistent and nurturing parenting may help reduce the long-term associations of neighborhood disadvantage with health. There are established links between financial well-being, stress, and weight gain. In an article on the financial correlates of midlife obesity, Joseph D. Wolfe, Ph.D., Department of Sociology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, extends this research by identifying that property debt, unsecured debt, and bankruptcy have significant and relatively large associations with midlife obesity. He highlights the importance of future obesity prevention interventions to target populations experiencing financial difficulties related to debt and bankruptcy. "As obesity inequalities persist and grow in the coming years, it is imperative that researchers should also explore the legal and political systems that help or hinder individuals resolving financial problems," he concludes. Drew J. Gunnells, MD, Department of Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, and colleagues explore whether patients with obesity and a history of COVID-19 should delay surgery, and if so, for how long. They report that postoperative mortality is almost six times higher for those previously infected with COVID-19 within two weeks prior to surgery. They suggest that increasing the time from COVID-19 diagnosis to surgery may reduce the risk of complications. Dr. Fouad observes, "The impact of this supplement extends beyond continuing research. Ultimately, it allows our teams to share their innovative findings that can improve the overall health and well-being of populations impacted by obesity and obesity-related health disparities." "In my research through the OHDRC, I work directly with women in the community who are impacted by obesity," Dr. Dutton adds. "To change this, I ask myself how we can use new trends and technology to motivate people and build healthy, sustainable habits. So far, our interventions have seen positive numbersbut we're not done. This supplement allows us to add to the growing body of evidence identifying solutions that address obesity and related conditions." Explore further Wealth matters when it comes to obesity Syringes and colorful bandages are prepared as children from local schools prepare to get COVID-19 vaccines in Pittsfield, Mass., on Monday Dec. 13, 2021. Credit: Ben Garver/The Berkshire Eagle via AP, File U.S. regulators on Friday authorized the first COVID-19 shots for infants and preschoolers, paving the way for vaccinations to begin next week. The Food and Drug Administration's action follows its advisory panel's unanimous recommendation for the shots from Moderna and Pfizer. That means U.S. kids under 5roughly 18 million youngstersare eligible for the shots. The nation's vaccination campaign began about 1 1/2 years ago with older adults, the hardest hit during the coronavirus pandemic. There's one step left: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends how to use vaccines. Its independent advisers began debating the two-dose Moderna and the three-dose Pfizer vaccines on Friday and will make its recommendation Saturday. A final signoff is expected soon after from CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky. At a Senate hearing Thursday, Walensky said her staff was working over the Juneteenth federal holiday weekend "because we understand the urgency of this for American parents." She said pediatric deaths from COVID-19 have been higher than what is generally seen from the flu each year. "So I actually think we need to protect young children, as well as protect everyone with the vaccine and especially protect elders," she said. The FDA also authorized Moderna's vaccines for school-aged children and teens; CDC's review is next week. Pfizer's shots had been the only option for those age groups. For weeks, the Biden administration has been preparing to roll out the vaccines for little kids, with states, tribes, community health centers and pharmacies preordering millions of doses. With FDA's emergency use authorization, manufacturers can begin shipping vaccine across the country. The shots are expected to start early next week but it's not clear how popular they will be. Without protection for their tots, some families had put off birthday parties, vacations and visits with grandparents. "Today is a day of huge relief for parents and families across America," President Joe Biden said in a statement. This photo provided by Pfizer shows the production of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine for children under 5 on May 2022 in Puurs, Belgium. U.S. regulators on Friday, June 17, authorized the first COVID-19 shots for infants and preschoolers, paving the way for vaccinations to begin next week.Credit: Pfizer via AP While young children generally don't get as sick from COVID-19 as older kids and adults, their hospitalizations surged during the omicron wave and FDA's advisers determined that benefits from vaccination outweighed the minimal risks. Studies from Moderna and Pfizer showed side effects, including fever and fatigue, were mostly minor. White House COVID-19 coordinator Dr. Ashish Jha predicted the pace of vaccinations for kids under 5 to be far slower than it was for older populations and said the administration doesn't have any internal targets for the pace of vaccinations. "At the end of the day, our goal is very clear: We want to get as many kids vaccinated as possible," Jha told The Associated Press. In testing, the littlest children developed high levels of virus-fighting antibodies, comparable to what is seen in young adults, the FDA said. Moderna's vaccine was about 40% to 50% effective at preventing infections but there were too few cases during Pfizer's study to give a reliable, exact estimate of effectiveness, the agency said. "Both of these vaccines have been authorized with science and safety at the forefront of our minds,'' Dr. Peter Marks, FDA's vaccine chief, said at a news briefing. Marks said parents should feel comfortable with either vaccine, and should get their kids vaccinated as soon as possible, rather than waiting until fall, when a different virus variant might be circulating. He said adjustments in the vaccines would be made to account for that. "Whatever vaccine your health care provider, pediatrician has, that's what I would give my child,'' Marks said. The two brands use the same technology but there are differences. Pfizer's vaccine for kids younger than 5 is one-tenth of the adult dose. Three shots are needed: the first two given three weeks apart and the last at least two months later. Moderna's is two shots, each a quarter of its adult dose, given about four weeks apart for kids under 6. The FDA also authorized a third dose, at least a month after the second shot, for children who have immune conditions that make them more vulnerable to serious illness. This photo provided by Pfizer shows the production of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine for children under 5 on May 2022 in Puurs, Belgium. U.S. regulators on Friday, June 17, authorized the first COVID-19 shots for infants and preschoolers, paving the way for vaccinations to begin next week.Credit: Pfizer via AP Both vaccines are for children as young as 6 months. Moderna next plans to study its shots for babies as young as 3 months. Pfizer has not finalized plans for shots in younger infants. A dozen countries, including China, already vaccinate kids under 5, with other brands. Immediately upon hearing of the FDA's decision, Dr. Toma Omofoye, a Houston radiologist, made appointments for her 4-year-old daughter and 3-year-old son. Without the shots, her family has missed out on family gatherings, indoor concerts, even trips to the grocery store, she said. During a recent pharmacy stop, Omofoye said her daughter stared and walked around like it was Disneyland, and thanked her. "My heart broke in that moment, which is why my heart is so elated now," Omofoye said. But will other parents be as eager to get their youngest vaccinated? By some estimates, three-quarters of all U.S. children have already been infected. And only about 30% of children aged 5 to 11 have gotten vaccinated since Pfizer's shots opened to them last November. The FDA officials acknowledged those low rates and said the government is committed to getting more older kids vaccinated and having better success with younger kids. "It's a real tragedy, when you have something free with so few side effects that prevents deaths and hospitalization,'' said FDA Commissioner Robert Califf. Roughly 440 children under age 5 have died from COVID-19, federal data show. Dr. Beth Ebel of the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle, said the tot-sized vaccines would be especially welcomed by parents with children in day care where outbreaks can sideline parents from jobs, adding to financial strain. "A lot of people are going to be happy and a lot of grandparents are going to be happy, too, because we've missed those babies who grew up when you weren't able to see them," Ebel said. 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Credit: Hudson Institute of Medical Research Infertility concerns have eased among men conceived by the most common form of IVF, with new research showing little or no difference in their reproductive health compared to men conceived naturally. Until now it was believed that these men were likely to inherit their fathers' infertility issues. However, the world's largest study on the health of adult men conceived using intracytoplasmic sperm injection or ICSIthe most common type of assisted reproductive technology (ART)found similar sperm output between men conceived with ICSI and other men. The study was published in Fertility and Sterility. Reproductive health of ICSI-conceived men The work, led jointly by the Hudson Institute of Medical Research and Murdoch Children's Research Institute with contributions from The Raine Study (Perth), is the first to categorize fathers by their underlying cause of infertility and look at whether these causes affected the reproductive health of their sons. The Hudson team was headed by male fertility expert Professor Robert McLachlan AM and Ph.D. student Dr. Sarah Catford, who found very limited research in the area, and ongoing concern that men conceived with ICSI may have impaired reproductive function. The MCRI team brought a wealth of experience to the conduct of such studies in ART offspring conceived using conventional IVF. "We invited men conceived using ICSI and their parents to take part in a study about the overall health and reproductive and metabolic health of men conceived with ICSI, due to a very limited pool of knowledge on this subject. Results from the reproductive study have recently been published, with our metabolic data soon to follow," Dr. Catford said. Professor Roger Hart from the University of Western Australia provided the comparison data from a group of young men conceived without reproductive assistance, who were born into the Raine Study between 1989 and 1992. The men completed questionnaires, underwent physical examination, and provided biological samples at 20 years old. Additional data was sourced from antenatal questionnaires completed by their mothers at 16, 18 and 34 weeks of gestation. The Raine Study is the world's first and longest-running prospective pregnancy cohort study. It has followed a group of 2,868 children who were born into the study between 1989 and 1991. Research based on data from the Raine Study has previously confirmed that there is no genetic difference and or longer-term health implications for children born IVF compared with those conceived naturally. The Raine Study is recognized internationally as a highly unique resource. Male infertility not inherited "The good news is that poor semen quality or infertility is not necessarily inherited or transferred from father to son, unlike hair or eye color," she said. "This study provides reassurance to parents of young men who were conceived with ICSI, prospective parents, and the young men themselves, that men conceived with ICSI are likely to have comparable reproductive health to their peers conceived naturally." "The data also provides reassurance to clinicians about the safety of ICSI and paves the way for ongoing research on the health of adults conceived with ICSI," Dr. Catford said. Explore further Males conceived via fertility treatment may have weakened sperm: study More information: Sarah R. Catford et al, Reproductive function in men conceived with in vitro fertilization and intracytoplasmic sperm injection, Fertility and Sterility (2022). Journal information: Fertility and Sterility Sarah R. Catford et al, Reproductive function in men conceived with in vitro fertilization and intracytoplasmic sperm injection,(2022). DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2021.12.026 Credit: Pexels An app designed to treat insomnia without the use of medication, only available in Australia via a Flinders University clinical trial, has received an official recommendation from the U.K.'s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). The NICE guidelines provide national guidance and advice to improve health and social care in England. The recent NICE report states the app, Sleepio, is a safe and effective treatment for people suffering from insomnia and could reduce the number of prescriptions for medications such as zolpidem and zopiclone, which can become addictive. Following the news, Dr. Alexander Sweetman from Flinders University's Adelaide Institute for Sleep Health, is calling on Australian GPs and people with insomnia to get in touch to learn how the app can be accessed in Australia. "At present, Sleepio is only available in Australia through a clinical trial so it's important doctors are aware it's an option and patients can be referred to the program and assisted," says Dr. Sweetman. "Our previous research has shown that cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (or 'CBTi') is the most effective treatment for insomnia and Sleepio is a self-administered version of that." Cognitive behavioral therapy works by targeting the underlying psychological, physiological and behavioral causes of insomnia, in contrast to medications, which simply treats the symptoms. Through the trial, Dr. Sweetman is aiming to develop the pathway within the doctors' central software program, to help GPs identify and refer patients to the specialized digital cognitive behavioral therapy program for insomnia. Researcher Dr. Alexander Sweetman in the sleep lab at the Adelaide Institute for Sleep Health at Flinders University. "Currently the most common treatment for insomnia in Australia is sedative-hypnotic medications, or sleeping pills, which are potentially addictive and not effective over the long-term," says Dr. Sweetman. "Instead, we have a treatment with cognitive behavioral therapy, proven effective in multiple clinical trials worldwide, we just need to provide GPs with more information, accessible guidelines and tools, as well as referral and treatment options to help them to help their patients manage insomnia." Insomnia is a common and debilitating disorder that can impact a person's physical and mental health and well-being. Symptoms include taking a long time to fall asleep, or frequently waking up throughout the night and not feeling rested the following day. 45 GPs are currently participating in the Australian Sleepio trial and have referred 200 patients to Sleepio. The trial will continue offering the app to GPs and patients throughout 2022. "So far, patients have reported improved insomnia symptoms and around a 40% reduction in sleeping pill use," says Dr. Sweetman. Explore further New insomnia treatment shows high efficacy compared to medications Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Women with preterm births may be more likely to have gum disease compared to those with full-term births, according to research presented at EuroPerio10, the world's leading congress in periodontology and implant dentistry organized by the European Federation of Periodontology (EFP). The study also found a higher prevalence of unhealthy oral microbes in the preterm mothers. "We observed that women with premature births more often had inflamed gums, with pockets and loss of the supporting tissue around their teeth compared to their peers with full-term pregnancies," said study author Dr. Valentin Bartha of Heidelberg University Hospital, Germany. "If confirmed, these results could have implications for preventing preterm delivery, which occurs in 10% of births and accounts for up to 75% of perinatal deaths and more than 50% of developmental disorders in children." Periodontitis, also called gum disease, is triggered by a microbial infection. It begins with red, bleeding and inflamed (sometimes swollen) gums, called gingivitis, which is the body's response to an unhealthy build-up of bacteria on the teeth. Chronic inflammation can cause pockets and gaps around the teeth, destruction of the tissues and bone supporting the teeth, and eventually tooth loss. This study compared oral inflammation and microbes in women who delivered preterm (before 37 weeks of gestation) and those with full-term births. A total of 77 women were enrolled during the first six days following childbirth. Of those, 33 had preterm deliveries and 44 had full-term births. Information was collected on age, smoking habits, medical conditions, and medications, gestational age at delivery, and birth weight. Gum bleeding was assessed at four sites around each tooth to evaluate gingival inflammation. In addition, the researchers examined pocket depth and loss of attachment at six sites around each tooth. Dr. Bartha explained: "Inflammation around the teeth causes the supporting tissues to become permanently detached from the tooth surface. When a probe can be inserted more than 3 mm along a tooth this is called a pathological pocket." Plaque samples were collected from the surface of teeth and in patients with probing depths more than 3 mm they were also obtained from under the gums at different locations of the mouth. The researchers then used 16S rRNA gene sequencing to identify bacterial species based on their genetic information. Compared to those with full-term deliveries, women with preterm births had significantly greater attachment loss, a higher percentage of pocket depths measuring 4 mm or greater, and different populations of bacteria on and under the teeth. Dr. Bartha said: "We found that preterm mothers were more likely to have lost supporting tissues around the teeth, have a higher proportion of sites with deep pockets, and have unhealthy oral bacteria compared with full-term mothers. Birth weight was significantly lower for mothers with periodontitis compared to mothers with good oral health or just bleeding gums but without pathological pockets (gingivitis). Larger studies are needed to verify these findings." Explore further Tongue and lip piercings may damage teeth and gums Provided by European Federation of Periodontology (EFP) Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain If cancerous cells started wreaking havoc in your body, like terrorists in a building, your immune system would act like a SWAT team to combat the enemy. But what if the building entrance were blocked by a mysterious conspirator? The terrorists would surely be able to continue their evil deeds inside the building. Now, researchers at Kyoto University have identified the mechanism by which active inflammation occurs in parallel with immunosuppressionthe conspirator that blocks the entrancein the tumor microenvironment (TME). Single-cell RNA sequencing was used to analyze the action mechanism of the inhibitors of prostaglandin E2 receptor in mouse models. Results showed reduced gene expression of regulatory T cell or Treg, a strong immunosuppressive cell, involved in immunosuppression. "We discovered that EP2/EP4 inhibitors suppressed tumor growth in mouse models by allowing Treg to infiltrate the tumor and activate there," explains lead author Dean Thumkeo of the Department of Drug Discovery Medicine. To put the results into human perspective, publicly accessible data indicate that some patients with either lung, ovarian, breast, or liver cancers have high EP2/EP4 expression levels. "What is important is that EP2/EP4 expression was positively correlated with the expression of genes related to Treg recruitment and activation in these cancer patients," adds Thumkeo. This correlation suggests to the researchers that patients with high EP2/EP4 expression suffer from a TME that highly suppresses the immune system, suggesting that cancer treatment employing EP2/EP4 inhibitors might benefit some patients with these cancers. Currently, immune checkpoint inhibitors, or ICIs, which target the immune system rather than the cancer cells, appear to be the new go-to cancer treatment. Typically, about a quarter of cancer patients show a significant response to ICIs. For the remaining portion of patients, EP2/EP4 inhibitors may be a potential alternative. "For now, the discovery of the anti-immunosuppressants gives us a new way forward in exploring cancer therapeutics beyond ICIs," concludes Thumkeo. The research was published in Cell Reports. Explore further Immune checkpoint inhibitors convey survival benefit in elderly patients with stage IV non-small cell lung cancer More information: Dean Thumkeo et al, PGE2-EP2/EP4 signaling elicits immunosuppression by driving the mregDC-Treg axis in inflammatory tumor microenvironment, Cell Reports (2022). Dean Thumkeo et al, PGE2-EP2/EP4 signaling elicits immunosuppression by driving the mregDC-Treg axis in inflammatory tumor microenvironment,(2022). DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.110914 Co-first author and Anatomy & Neurobiology graduate student, Alexa Tierno, holds a mouse brain made transparent to visualize connections between nerve cells in the entire brain. An image of neurons in medial entorhinal cortex projecting to transplanted interneurons in damaged hippocampus is shown in the background. Credit: UCI School of Medicine Scientists from the University of California, Irvine have discovered that an injury to one part of the brain changes the connections between nerve cells across the entire brain. The new research was published this week in Nature Communications. Every year in the United States, nearly two million Americans sustain a traumatic brain injury (TBI). Survivors can live with lifelong physical, cognitive and emotional disabilities. Currently, there are no treatments. One of the biggest challenges for neuroscientists has been to fully understand how a TBI alters the cross-talk between different cells and brain regions. In the new study, researchers improved upon a process called iDISCO, which uses solvents to make biological samples transparent. The process leaves behind a fully intact brain that can be illuminated with lasers and imaged in 3D with specialized microscopes. With the enhanced brain clearing processes, the UCI team mapped neural connections throughout the entire brain. The researchers focused on connections to inhibitory neurons, because these neurons are extremely vulnerable to dying after a brain injury. The team first looked at the hippocampus, a brain region responsible for learning and memory. Then, they investigated the prefrontal cortex, a brain region that works together with hippocampus. In both cases, the imaging showed that inhibitory neurons gain many more connections from neighboring nerve cells after TBI, but they become disconnected from the rest of the brain. "We've known for a long time that the communication between different brain cells can change very dramatically after an injury," said Robert Hunt, Ph.D., associate professor of anatomy and neurobiology and director of the Epilepsy Research Center at UCI School of Medicine whose lab conducted the study, "But, we haven't been able to see what happens in the whole brain until now." To get a closer look at the damaged brain connections, Hunt and his team devised a technique for reversing the clearing procedure and probing the brain with traditional anatomical approaches. The findings surprisingly showed that the long projections of distant nerve cells were still present in the damaged brain, but they no longer formed connections with inhibitory neurons. "It looks like the entire brain is being carefully rewired to accommodate for the damage, regardless of whether there was direct injury to the region or not," explained Alexa Tierno, a graduate student and co-first author of the study. "But different parts of the brain probably aren't working together quite as well as they did before the injury." The researchers then wanted to determine if it was possible for inhibitory neurons to be reconnected with distant brain regions. To find out, Hunt and his team transplanted new interneurons into the damaged hippocampus and mapped their connections, based on the team's earlier research demonstrating interneuron transplantation can improve memory and stop seizures in mice with TBI. The new neurons received appropriate connections from all over the brain. While this may mean it could be possible to entice the injured brain to repair these lost connections on its own, Hunt said learning how transplanted interneurons integrate into damaged brain circuits is essential for any future attempt to use these cells for brain repair. "Our study is a very important addition to our understanding of how inhibitory progenitors can one day be used therapeutically for the treatment of TBI, epilepsy or other brain disorders," said Hunt. "Some people have proposed interneuron transplantation might rejuvenate the brain by releasing unknown substances to boost innate regenerative capacity, but we're finding the new neurons are really being hard wired into the brain." Hunt hopes to eventually develop cell therapy for people with TBI and epilepsy. The UCI team is now repeating the experiments using inhibitory neurons produced from human stem cells. "This work takes us one step closer to a future cell-based therapy for people," Hunt said, "Understanding the kinds of plasticity that exists after an injury will help us rebuild the injured brain with a very high degree of precision. However, it is very important that we proceed step wise toward this goal, and that takes time." Jan C. Frankowski, Ph.D.; Shreya Pavani; Quincy Cao and David C. Lyon, Ph.D. also contributed to this study. Explore further Researchers develop cell therapy to improve memory and stop seizures in mice following traumatic brain injury More information: Jan C. Frankowski et al, Brain-wide reconstruction of inhibitory circuits after traumatic brain injury, Nature Communications (2022). Journal information: Nature Communications Jan C. Frankowski et al, Brain-wide reconstruction of inhibitory circuits after traumatic brain injury,(2022). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-31072-2 Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Before new treatments can reach the clinic, they must be tested in clinical trials to see if they are safe and effective. Trials that do not enroll enough participants present roadblocks for advancing care to the clinic because they offer no scientific insight, waste money and time and inflate the costs of new treatments. Improving clinical trial efficiencyensuring robust patient enrollment while minimizing costs and wasteis a high priority for the Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSA) consortium, which serves as a laboratory for testing new ways to speed the translation of care into the clinic. In a recent article in the Journal of Clinical and Translational Science (JCTS), a team at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), which is the academic home of the South Carolina Clinical & Translational Research (SCTR) Institute, describes an integrated tool that is helping them to track clinical trial enrollment and cost effectiveness across the MUSC Health System. The tool integrates a commercial clinical trial management system (CTMS), with the MUSC-created Research Integrated Network of Systems (RINS), which tracks study-level data across otherwise siloed systems. The integration enables study teams, administrators and evaluators to ensure that the trials are the best fit for the enterprise and to track the progress of their studies. "We needed a platform where we could track all of our studies that were recruiting patients, all the patients who were enrolled in research and whether they were also clinical patients at MUSC. Additionally, bringing a clinical trials management system into RINS will allow us to really look at financials, particularly for industry trials," said Royce Sampson, lead author of the JCTS article. Sampson is the director of the Office of Clinical Research (OCR) and chief operations officer and associate director of SCTR. RINS was created by SCTR and the Biomedical Informatics Center (BMIC) team to capture protocol-level data across systems. None of the existing systems were capturing patient associations, so a CTMS was identified to fill that gap. Integrating a CTMS provided the missing piece of the puzzle, according to Jillian Harvey, Ph.D., senior author of the JCTS article. Harvey is the evaluation director for SCTR and an associate professor in the College of Health Professions. "In the past, we've had challenges accessing the data needed to track clinical trial metrics," said Harvey. "CTMS/RINS allows us to get our hands around tracking and reporting our outcomes and being efficient with our data and evaluation." Previously, tracking clinical trial metrics too often meant manually pulling and calculating data. Teams would pass on whatever data sets they had. Leila Forney, DNP, an associate director in the OCR, recalls the arduous job of pulling together data for a CTSA grant renewal, which took nine months. Now, the process is much easier. "Having an electronic platform for clinical trial data really helps you think about the metrics you're seeing and determine where you can make improvements," said Forney. "It also helps us ensure that the data is accurate." The implementation of the CTMS was led by Steve Shapiro. The newly integrated tool also aids MUSC researchers in choosing the appropriate trials and right-sizing themsetting a realistic enrollment goalfor the institution. "CTMS/RINS is helping us take an even more informed approach to the trials that we're selecting, where we're placing them, where the greatest needs are and where the gaps are," said Signe Denmark, an associate director in the OCR. "We're becoming better overall at knowing what our clinical trial portfolio looks like and how we manage it." With the enterprise's recent expansion into more South Carolina counties as part of MUSC Health's Regional Health Network (RHN), financial and patient accrual data available through CTMS/RINS can help clinical research leaders to select not just the right trials but the right location for those trials. "We're exploring how we can offer more research opportunities to these rural communities," said Sampson. "People in Florence, Marion, Lancaster and Chester counties live hundreds of miles from the nearest academic medical center or cancer treatment center, where clinical trials are typically offered. The CTMS/RINS integration could help us to select the appropriate trials to bring to them. That's going to be the innovation." The integration also standardizes data collection across study teams and primes them to continue updating their data. "With a system like a clinical trials management system, when study teams start using this as a main source to track their study, they are responsible for keeping their information updated. So, it's more transparent, too," said Wenjun He, Ph.D., research assistant professor at BMIC. MUSC can report these performance metrics to the trial sponsors, giving the institution's study teams a competitive edge. Early adopters of CTMS/RINS were the OCR, which used it to launch and track COVID-19 clinical trials, and the Hollings Cancer Center (HCC) Clinical Trials Office. "Hollings Cancer Center began using the new clinical trials management system in the Fall of 2020 to maintain all study- and patient-level data," said Tricia Bentz, administrative director for the Clinical Trials Office at HCC. "The CTMS/RINS integration has improved the data quality of study details within institutional systems and generated new efficiencies and work tools for management and staff. The integrated data structure is a promising foundation for real-time reporting and support of data-driven strategic planning." Since March, all new study teams have been required to enroll their studies into the new CTMS. This process will be ongoing and supported by OCR staff. Continuous improvements will be made to MUSC's CTMS/RINS integration. Plans are already underway to take it to the next level and create dashboards to provide transparent, easily accessible data to support study teams, explained Sampson. The CTMS/RINS integration will not only benefit MUSC's clinical trials but could also provide a model for CTSAs nationwide, albeit one that would need to be tailored to each institution's particular data ecosystem. "It's in the core of our mission to make the process from discovery to population impact faster and more efficient, with better outcomes," said Harvey. "This just rolls into the mission of the CTSA as an area we need to look at." Explore further Inspired by data warehousing: A new platform integrates disparate information systems More information: Royce Sampson et al, An integrated approach to improve clinical trial efficiency: Linking a clinical trial management system into the Research Integrated Network of Systems, Journal of Clinical and Translational Science (2022). Royce Sampson et al, An integrated approach to improve clinical trial efficiency: Linking a clinical trial management system into the Research Integrated Network of Systems,(2022). DOI: 10.1017/cts.2022.382 Patient safety incidents are the third leading cause of death in Canada. Credit: Shutterstock The COVID-19 crisis has both divided and galvanized Canadians on health care. While the last three years have presented new challenges to health-care systems across the country, the pandemic has also exacerbated existing challenges, most notably the high levels of errors and mistreatment documented in Canadian health care. According to a 2019 report from the Canadian Patient Safety Institute, Canada was already facing a public health crisis prior to the pandemic: a crisis of patient safety. As the report details, patient safety incidents are the third leading cause of death in Canada, following cancer and heart disease. Few studies calculate national data on this topic, but a 2013 report found that patient safety events resulted in just under 28,000 deaths. Many Canadians who have experienced these errors have shared their experiences with media in an effort to raise awareness and demand change. Converging crises The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has created a moment of dual crises. First, the pre-existing crisis of patient safety, and second, health care overall is now at a breaking point after three years of COVID-19, according to health-care workers. Edmonton physician Dr. Darren Markland, for example, recently closed his kidney specialist practice after making a few "profound mistakes." In an interview with Global News, he explains he could no longer work at the current pace. He is not alone in this decision. Across the country, there have been waves of resignations in health care, leaving some areas struggling with a system that is "degrading, increasingly unsafe, and often without dignity." While COVID-19's sudden disruption to health care delivery has been a shock to many health practitioners and the public, its impact falls especially heavily on what was an already overburdened and under-resourced health-care system. COVID-19 continues to drain practitioner stamina and erode patient well-being, contributing to the under-recognized, but growing undercurrent of care failures. Further, as made clear in British Columbia's 2020 In Plain Sight Report, Indigenous patients, particularly Indigenous women, are often at the forefront of this crisis because system failures intersect with racism and discrimination. As the high profile case of Joyce Echaquan's death in a Quebec hospital has revealed, the intersection of health-care errors and racism is a reality across the country. Pou hihiri, Pou o te aroha (Healing and learning from harm) is a restorative justice project in New Zealand. Opportunity for change With crisis comes opportunity for change. The challenges identified above have two elements in common: a lack of transparency and the erosion of trust. Deconstructing the culture of secrecy that prevents Canadians from knowing the realities of their health-care system must be a central part of meaningful change to rebuild and maintain trust. Why is there so much secrecy in health care? Across Canada, current legislation, such as Section 51 of B.C."s Evidence Act (1996), extends legal privilege to quality and safety reviews, leading to further harm for many patients, families and health-care providers. The intentional isolation, silencing and exclusion after incidents of harm undermines trust, prevents learning and impedes opportunities to heal and recover for all those involved. While the issues of accountability regarding the COVID-19 crisis are somewhat different, the impact in terms of trust is similar. Leaders in Canada and around the world politicized the pandemic in various ways, often while flouting the rules themselves. Transparency and accountability The lack of transparency and accountability must be resolved. Patients, families, communities and health care providers at all levels must have a reliable way of knowing the extent of the challenges we are facingwhether that be with respect to the recent pandemic crisis, the decades-old patient safety crisis or the ongoing impact of racism and discrimination in health care across the country. Simple, direct accounting of both numbers and stories must be widely available if there is a possibility of building momentum to effect change and rebuild trust in the health care system as a whole. Increasing transparency is one vital step forward. However, there are also other ways we can further rebuild relations and trust in health care through processes that promote healing for all of those affected. For example, New Zealand has had significant success in implementing restorative justice processes following health care harm. This kind of process requires a shift in thinking away from, "What happened and who is to blame?" to "Who has been harmed and what are their needs?" We can move forward from this moment of crisis in a way that promotes just relations of care, concern and dignity. We can move forward in a way that cultivates trust in our beloved, but beleaguered, public health-care system. Restorative justice practices provide an avenue to do so, which we hope can offer a foundation for action. Explore further Anesthesia patient safety foundation calls on health care systems to make systemic changes to stop medical errors This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Credit: Shutterstock It's a tale as old as time. Around half of adolescents going through puberty will get their period. In high-income countries, an adolescent's first period (known as "menarche") happens on average between ten and 14 years of age, with most occurring between 12 and 13 years. Why then does this extremely common event still sometimes create shock, awkwardness or distress to parents and young people alike? In a world where gender equality and gender diversity are increasingly acknowledged and understood, it's time to end period stigmaand where better to start than at home. Questions, so many questions In an analysis of 1,000 questions emailed to me when I was writing Dolly magazine's Dolly Doctor column in 2004, questions about periods made up over 13% of all possible questions and topics. Typical questions included: I'm 15 and havn't gotten my periods yet. My sister who is two years younger then me has got hers Is there something wrong with me? Every time i get my period it comes at different times (dates) and they are so confusing one day its heavy then its gone for two days and comes back for another 4 it is realy annoying and its sumtimes heavy and sumtimes light and it alwayz leaks onto my bed but im too scared to use tampons what can i use to stop it leaking? Is having really bad Period Pains "Normal'? but these are not Normal period pains these are one's that i can not get out of bed and i go through 4 pads a day is this BAD OR IS IT NORMAL????" im confused, where do u put the tampon in?? and when u have sex is that the same hole? please help. The questions continue today. A 2021 survey of more than 4,200 Australian 13- to 25-year-old girls and women found only around one third asked their mothers for advice about menstruation and menstrual pain. Less than a third consulted a doctor. Only around one in five learned from school about whether their experiences of menstruation were normal and about half turned to the internet for information and advice. The real dangers of not talking about periods Menstrual stigma plays a large part in menstrual illiteracy and can have very real and harmful consequences for adolescents. These include exclusion from school, child marriage (because periods are considered a sign of sexual maturity) or loss of dignity for displaced people. This problem is not confined to low- and middle-income countries. Attitudes to menstruation remain problematic in high-income countries too, where researchers have found menstrual pain is widely normalized and self-managed. This can thwart early detection of conditions including endometriosis. The cultural meanings of menstruation and menarche can also contribute to distress and dysphoria among trans boys and non-binary adolescents. Five tips for first period support 1. Focus on what to expect The first period can be light and fleetinga few painless brown-black streaks, rather than an obvious flow of blood lasting days. Focus on what your child might expect that FIRST time, and for a short time afterwards. The menstrual cycle does not fully mature after menarche for one to two years, and periods can be irregular throughout that time. This doesn't need to be a concern. Tell them a period might feel a bit like wetting their pants, it might be painless or there might be cramps or low back pain. 2. Check out all the period products on offer together Sit down and show your child period products that might be in the home already. If there are none, there is no harm in buying a packet of disposable pads, a pair of period undies, and perhaps a box of mini tampons to look at, along with website images other options like reusable pads and menstrual cups (which can be a bigger investment). Disposable pads are still the most popular period products in Australia. Young people are also taking up more sustainable options. Explain how to dispose of non-reusable used products and how to wash reusable products. Reassure them that tampons (and cups) are safe to use. Adolescents who swim, play sport, dance, do gymnastics or other activities may want to learn to use tampons or cups as soon as they get their first period. 3. Talk through how to manage tricky period situations Even though the first (or first few) periods can be painless, they aren't always. Explain most period pain can be managed effectively. Over-the-counter period pain tablets work best if taken at the first hint of a period. Other tricky situations might involve leaks, being caught without period supplies when at school, out and about, or at sleepovers. If your child moves between homes, ask about how they manage periods at the other home and whether they want your help talking with the other parent. 4. Let them know about private and confidential help available If your child does have any menstrual problems, there are effective ways to manage them that might involve medical assessment or intervention. The era of "normalizing" period pain, heavy bleeding and premenstrual syndrome should be long gone. Each young person has the right to health, no matter what! If your child experiences unease or distress related to gender and periods, help them source support. 5. Make a period toolkit together A period toolkit ideally consists of information and practical stuff. Books include Welcome to Your Period (which I co-authored) and there are relevant chapters in books by Kaz Cooke and The Girl Guide by Marawa Ibrahim. It's also good to prepare a handy little case or pouch containing: period pads or undies (or their preferred product) spare undies a couple of period pain tablets. The awkwardness of adolescence will likely resonate with most of us. But wouldn't it be wonderful if something as commonplace as getting one's first period was not so tainted with stigma, shame or embarrassment? Setting up good communication early will help ease young people into this stage of life and also create a dynamic where they can raise concerns with you along the way. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. The Vietnam War is also known as the Living Room War, for people can witness the bloody battlefield through videos and photos in their living rooms, and feel the intensity, chaos, and cruelty of the war in person. When it comes to the most famous photo of the Vietnam War, it's no doubt for people to think of the one featuring Phan Thi Kim Phuc, a Vietnamese girl informally referred to as the Napalm girl in the photo ever since, which is believed to have changed the course of the war. In 1972, Phan Thi Kim Phuc, who lived in Trang Bom County, Vietnam, was a 9-year-old girl. What happened on June 8 changed her life forever. In order to escape the attack by the US military and South Vietnamese troops, Kim Phuc together with many villagers took shelter in a temple near the village, where many civilians were subsequently killed by the explosion or burning of multiple napalm bombs thrown. Kim Phuc and some other villagers were burned. According to Kim Phuc, when finding she found that her left arm and back were on fire, she beat slapped them desperately, in an attempt to wipe out the flames. However, it only spread the fire. While running and screaming, she tore off her burning clothes withand part of her skin. Thats the evilness of napalms. The word "Napalm" literally refers to the viscous ingredient in the bomb, which can stick to objects and burn for a long time, causing lasting and incurable damage or injury. Its thereby also known as "Satan's Saliva" given its inhumanity. Naked Kim Phuc kept running and screaming all the way. The scene happened to be snapped by a photojournalist and went public to become one of the most famous anti-war pictures in history. The picture soon hit the headlines of major media around the world, arousing indignation from people of various countries over the war launched by the US, and also triggering an unprecedented wave of anti-war momentum within the US. People are more accustomed to referring to the picture as "Napalm Girl", instead of its official name "The Terror of War". 17 surgeries Right after taking the picture, the photojournalist applied first aid measures to Kim Phuc and other injured children and sent them to a nearby hospital for further treatment. Little Kim Phuc, who suffered 1/3 burns of her entire body, was treated in the hospital for 14 months and underwent 17 surgeries including skin grafting. Luckily, she survived. The burns left a large area of scars on Kim Phuc's body, which has made her suffer both physically and mentally for many years. When she was a child, she had to face discrimination and repulsion from other children; and as much as she loves wearing dress, long sleeves and pants were her only choice. Decades later, she still felt that her skin was like buffalo skin, with no hair, no perspiration, and no feeling when being touched... In an interview by famous photographer Joe McNally in Canada in 1995, Kim Phuc agreed to take a picture of her body covered with scars: Kim Phuc, who has become a mother at that time, turned to another side while holding her son in arms, to let the photographer take a photo of her profile full of scars. Thus, another classic picture was born. Voice from the victim Kim Phuc was designated a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador in 1997, and she also established the International Kim Foundation aimed to provide medical and psychological assistance to children who are victims of war. She often travels around the world to deliver speeches, denouncing the evils of war and calling for world peace. On June 8, 2022, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the famous picture, Kim Phuc wrote: "That picture will always serve as a reminder of the unspeakable evil of which humanity is capable. Still, I believe that peace, love, hope and forgiveness will always be more powerful than any kind of weapon." Editor's Note: This article is originally published on wordl.huanqiu.com, and is translated from Chinese into English and edited by the China Military Online. The information, ideas or opinions appearing in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of eng.chinamil.com.cn. Issued by the Government Press Office 17 June 2022 Taoiseach Micheal Martin welcomes recommendation by the European Commission that Ukraine be granted Candidate Status "Todays recommendation from the European Commission that Ukraine be granted candidate status is historic. If endorsed by the European Council, as I expect that it will, it will place Ukraine on a firm path towards EU membership, where it belongs. "Every sovereign country has a right to determine its own future, free from external pressure and duress. The people of Ukraine have chosen a future in the European Union and they deserve our full support. "I have long advocated for this outcome and I will be arguing strongly that it be endorsed by the European Council when it meets next week. "It will provide a great boost to the people and Government of Ukraine who have stood firm in defence of our shared European values in the face of the most appalling Russian war. I hope that it will give them heart and courage in the weeks and months ahead. "It is a message that Europe stands with them now, that we will continue to stand with them whatever lies ahead, and that we will be with them as they work to rebuild their country. "The road to EU membership is complex and challenging. It requires considerable work on the part of the country looking to join. Ireland is ready to walk every step of that journey with Ukraine, providing whatever support and encouragement we can along the way. "I also welcome the recommendation that Moldova also be offered candidate status, and that Georgia be offered a European perspective and candidate status once a number of priorities have been met. "I hope that we will also be able to make early progress in the journey of Western Balkan countries towards the EU. "As I have said before, as we know from our own experience, membership of the EU is transformative. As we mark 50 years of our own membership, we hope that others will be able to benefit from the same peace, prosperity and opportunity." ENDS FRIDAY, June 17, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Friday approved the emergency use of both the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines for the country's youngest children. The approvals come not a moment too soon: More than two years into the pandemic, children younger than 5 still have no vaccine available to them. "Many parents, caregivers and clinicians have been waiting for a vaccine for younger children and this action will help protect those down to 6 months of age. As we have seen with older age groups, we expect that the vaccines for younger children will provide protection from the most severe outcomes of COVID-19, such as hospitalization and death," FDA Commissioner Dr. Robert Califf said in an agency news release. "Those trusted with the care of children can have confidence in the safety and effectiveness of these COVID-19 vaccines and can be assured that the agency was thorough in its evaluation of the data." One expert heralded the news. "Children under the age of 5 are the last group to become eligible for the COVID vaccine. Today's news should offer reassurance to millions of parents who have been waiting to protect their children against this harmful virus," Dr. Diego Hijano, a top infectious disease specialist at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, said in a statement. "Today's message for parents is do not wait to get your child vaccinated and protected against the COVID virus. Model projections forecast a potentially difficult fall infection season and while children are on summer break, now is the time to schedule their vaccine appointment. The COVID vaccine will provide children with the highest levels of antibody protection and overwhelmingly reduce the potential for hospitalizations and severe illness," Hijano added. Following the FDA approval, an advisory panel to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will vote on Saturday on whether to endorse the shots. The final step in the approval process will come when CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky green lights the shots. Challenges remain: Perhaps most critical is that neither vaccine has been tested against the subvariants that are now circulating in the United States. The clinical trials were largely conducted when the Omicron variant was dominant last winter. Since then, the BA.2 subvariant has claimed that title. And two newer subvariants, BA.4 and BA.5, could soon fuel most cases in this country. As of June 11, BA.5 accounted for 13.3% of all COVID-19 cases, while BA.4 fueled 8.3% of cases. Both vaccines appear significantly less effective against symptomatic infection than the adult vaccines were when they were first introduced, mostly because Omicron and its subvariants have been far more able to dodge the vaccines' defenses against infection than the original virus was. But making these vaccines available to young children is still critical because they are vulnerable to a rare complication of COVID called multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), which causes severe inflammation throughout the body. Given the waning of protection observed among adult recipients and the virus's rapid evolution, regulators have said children who would get the vaccines would likely require a booster shot. That would mean Pfizer's vaccine could wind up as four doses, while Moderna's could be three. After two doses, Pfizer's vaccine was only about 28% effective at preventing symptomatic infection in children aged 6 months through 4 years old. Pfizer has suggested the vaccine was 80% effective after a third dose, but the finding was based on only 10 cases out of a subset of the 1,678 trial participants, according to The New York Times. Meanwhile, Moderna found its vaccine to be 51% effective in preventing symptomatic infection in children 6 months to 2 years old, and 37% effective in children ages 2 through 5. Those results appear consistent with those reported in adult studies conducted during the Omicron era, the FDA said. Still, immunization continues to offer strong protection against severe disease that leads to hospitalization and death. If the CDC endorses the shots by the weekend, health officials have said the federal government will be ready to ship doses out next week. During a media briefing earlier this month, White House COVID-19 coordinator Ashish Jha said the federal government has an initial supply of 10 million doses of pediatric vaccines and states could start placing orders. "Our expectation is that within weeks every parent who wants their child to get vaccinated will be able to get an appointment," Jha said. The White House wants states to prioritize the doses for young children to high-traffic locations such as children's hospitals, and to offer appointments outside regular work hours so it's easier for parents to get their children vaccinated, the Associated Press reported. Pharmacies and states have already ordered millions of doses of the Pfizer and Moderna COVID vaccines for children younger than 5, the Biden administration said last week. But there's still uncertainty about uptake. Only one in five parents of young children said they would get their kids vaccinated immediately, a recent survey found. More information Visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for more on COVID vaccines for kids. SOURCES: The New York Times; Associated Press; St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, news release, June 17, 2022; U.S. Food and Drug Administration, news release, June 17, 2022 You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Originally published on consumer.healthday.com, part of the TownNews Content Exchange. FRIDAY, June 17, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Heartache and heartbreak are apt terms for the intense grief caused by losing a spouse. A new study says such a loss can lead to major health problems and even death, and the paper may help explain why that happens. When faced with stressful situations, grieving spouses have significant increases in body inflammation. Inflammation is associated with a range of health issues, including serious heart troubles and premature death, the Rice University researchers said. "I was extremely motivated to publish this work because it gives us insight into how severe grief can encourage inflammation to accumulate in the body and put widow(er)s at risk for cardiovascular disease," study co-author Ryan Linn Brown said in a university news release. "Because we face many stressful events each day as humans, this type of response to stress in the lab means that this same process is likely happening repeatedly throughout each day or week for widows or widowers experiencing more severe grief symptoms," said Brown, a recent Ph.D. graduate in the department of psychological sciences. For the study, the research team analyzed how stress affected levels of inflammatory biomarkers in the blood of 111 adults, aged 35 to 84, who had lost a spouse in the past year. Blood samples were collected at the start of the study and again 45 minutes and two hours after a stressful event that was part of the research. Examples include a simulated job interview with rapid-fire questioning and an assessment of complicated math tasks. On average, participants who reported intense grief after the loss of their spouse including deep sorrow, numbness, yearning and loss of focus had a 19% greater increase in inflammatory biomarkers after the stressful situations compared to those who reported less severe grief, the investigators found. The study was published recently in the journal Psychological Science. The findings add to understanding of the processes that underlie the "widowhood effect," and provide more evidence that grief directly affects the inflammatory stress response, according to study co-author Chris Fagundes, an associate professor in the department of psychological sciences. More information There's more on bereavement and grief at Mental Health America. SOURCE: Rice University, news release, June 13, 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. A man will serve a 100-year term in state prison for the shooting death of William "Bill" Conko-Camel in Dixon in 2018, giving Conko-Camel's family a sense of closure after a nearly four-year-long criminal justice process. A jury convicted Cavey Rossbach, 47, of one count of deliberate homicide in April. On Thursday, Missoula County District Judge Leslie Halligan sentenced him to 90 years for the deliberate homicide charge and an additional 10 years for a weapons enhancement. None of Rossbach's sentence includes suspended time, and no parole restriction was imposed. The sentencing took place in Sanders County District Court. "Today was a heavy day for our family as the healing begins," Liz Camel, the victim's sister, said on behalf of Conko-Camel's family after the sentence was delivered. "The 100-year sentence will not bring Bill back, but it will bring some resemblance of justice and peace for our family. Now that Cavey Rossbach was held accountable for his action and our families' pain, we can finally let Bill rest in peace." On Oct. 5, 2018, Sanders County Dispatch received a call reporting shots fired in the Dixon area, and that there was a person lying dead on Frank McClure Street. Conko-Camel had been shot five times. The victim's girlfriend told law enforcement she and her boyfriend were at a house visiting a friend that evening when Rossbach burst through the door and attacked Conko-Camel. Rossbach, the girlfriend told law enforcement, was yelling something about Conko-Camel being responsible for the death of Rossbach's wife. As Rossbach and Conko-Camel fought, two others Rossbach's son, Preston Rossbach, and Ty Butler entered the house and joined Cavey Rossbach in the assault, according to charging documents. The fight broke up and the three men left the house, the girlfriend told police. Conko-Camel followed them, and one of the three men said they were going to get a gun, according to court documents. After Conko-Camel was shot, the Rossbachs left the area. They were seen holding a rifle by witnesses. According to charging documents in Cavey Rossbach's case, tribal police spoke with him a few weeks after he was charged in the Conko-Camel case. During an interview in 2020, according to prosecutors, Cavey admitted to the shooting. The investigation appeared to be at a dead end, but the Flathead Tribal Police Department broke the case and was able to solve the homicide two years after it took place. Rossbach was initially charged in October 2020. Loved ones of Conko-Camel's shared their grief in the courtroom on Thursday along with their fond memories of Conko-Camel's vibrant and loving personality. At the sentencing, Halligan said she took several aspects of the case into consideration, including the fact that the criminal justice system routinely hands down long sentences, which Native American individuals are disproportionately affected by. Rossbach is Native. "Native Americans have suffered many traumas in the course of their lives and their culture," Halligan said. "And certainly that is reflected perhaps in their over-representation." However, Rossbach's actions four years ago caused Conko-Camel's family ongoing suffering, Halligan said. She also noted Conko-Camel's death appears to have been more of an execution-style case rather than one of self-defense. "Mr. Rossbach's actions were devastating and irreparable," the judge said. Cavey's son, Preston, was sentenced to 60 years in state prison for a separate murder case that also happened in October 2018. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 3 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 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. Although Missoula County has so far been spared the catastrophic flooding thats plagued other parts of Montana this week, Missoula emergency crews are nonetheless rising to the occasion to help out with disaster relief efforts. Missoula first responders deployed to Carbon County where Red Lodge has been inundated with floods earlier this week at the request of the states Department of Emergency Services. We are incredibly grateful that weve been able to build this capability within Missoula County and also humbled when we can offer that assistance to other communities, said Adriane Beck, director of the countys office of emergency management. Beck said her staff deployed to Carbon County this week along with members of the Missoula City Fire Department, the Missoula Rural Fire District, the Frenchtown Rural Fire Department, city GIS staff and county Public Works staff. Beck said Missoula first responders have only deployed outside the county a handful of times, including to the Northern Cheyenne Reservation during the COVID-19 pandemic and to Florida for hurricane recovery efforts. Beck said those deployed to Carbon County are working to bring order to chaos. Its a bad situation that those communities are facing, she said. Beck added the countys commitment to emergency preparedness over the past seven years allowed them to respond efficiently to the crisis in the south-central part of the state. The (Missoula County) commission should be proud as well because over that last seven years youve given us the direction, the guidance and the support to continue building this capability which is not without significant effort, said Beck. Its great to have that support and I hope you see the dividends that it pays, not only to our community but to the state. Beck said recovery efforts have not been hindered by Gov. Greg Gianfortes absence from the state. Gianforte visited Gardiner Friday after his trip to Italy was cut short by the flooding. Beck wasnt worried, either, about Missoulas preparedness for its own potentially dangerous weather this weekend. Its important to recognize we didnt deplete what we have, she stressed. She told the Missoulian only a few first responders deployed to Carbon County, so Missoula County remains primed to respond to a crisis if one develops closer to home. Beck said the first responders sent to Carbon County could be called back if something truly horrendous were to take place in Missoula this weekend. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 5 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. The search for a new dean for the University of Montanas Alexander Blewett III School of Law returned to square one after offers to some of the finalists were rejected. Dave Kuntz, the universitys director of strategic communications, confirmed that the university did make offers to finalists that visited campus, but did not specify how many offers were made or other details. While I cant speak to the specifics of any offers, I can tell you that the rapidly increasing cost of living in Missoula has impacted nearly every job search at UM for the past year, Kuntz said. This isnt a dynamic that is specific to senior-level positions." We were not successful in identifying the right leader for the School of Law at this moment, despite the search committees excellent efforts over the course of the past several months, wrote UM Provost and Executive Vice President Pardis Mahdavi in an email to the law school community on Thursday afternoon. Beginning July 1, the law school will be led by Elaine Gagliardi as interim dean. Gagliardi has served as a faculty member at the university since 2001, including a wide range of administrative capacities such as Associate Dean of Academic Affairs from 2007-2010 and Associate Dean of Students from 2015-2017. Most recently, Gagliardi was a professor at the law school and served on the dean search committee. Former law school Dean Paul Kirgis resigned from the position in early October following a student-led walkout after women from the law school said that he and Associate Dean Sally Weaver discouraged them from reporting allegations of sexual harassment and assault to the universitys Office of Equal Opportunity and Title IX, initially reported by the Daily Montanan. After resigning from the deanship, Kirgis returned to a faculty position at the law school. Weaver also resigned from her leadership position and her contract with the university concluded at the end of the school year. Kirgis had served as dean of the law school since July 2015. His annual salary in the position was $201,630. Following the shake-up in leadership last year, a trio of law professors, Monte Mills, Sara Rinfret and Cathay Y.N. Smith, served as acting deans. According to the email from Mahdavi, Mills and Rinfret are pursuing exciting opportunities beyond UM next year, and Smith will be on sabbatical next school year. Throughout the rest of the school year, a committee narrowed a few dozen applicants to four finalists including Emily Hughes of the University of Iowa College of Law, Rosa Brooks of the Georgetown University Law Center, Johanna Bond of Washington and Lee University and Norman Bay, a partner with Willkie, Farr & Gallagher in Washington D.C. Brooks, Bay and Bond visited campus this spring and were interviewed by students. Kuntz noted that while this first attempt to find a permanent dean came up short, the search as a whole was fruitful and yielded such a deep pool of applicants. The university is confident that we will soon bring more exciting candidates to campus who have the experience and leadership skills to serve as the dean of Montanas only law school, Kuntz said. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 2 Wow 0 Sad 5 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. Since the massacres in Uvalde and Buffalo in May, 14 more mass shootings have followed just in the first week of June, stretching from Philadelphia to Phoenix and from Chattanooga to Omaha and Saginaw. Remember Columbine, Virginia Tech, Sandy Hook, Orlando, Las Vegas, Pittsburgh, Parkland and El Paso! And dont forget: More than 311,000 American school children have been exposed to the lasting trauma of gun violence since 1999. Wheres the outrage? Are we Americans supposed to just forget about all this carnage and move on? Hell, no! At least not the two of us: Our grief and anger only grow. Tammi Fisher, a former mayor of Kalispell, proclaimed on this page on Tuesday (June 7) that looking to the government to address societal failures such as the crisis of mass shootings is an exercise in futility. We couldnt disagree more, Tammi. But we gotta admit that folks who take pride in being pro-gun anytime, anywhere, for anyone, concealed or otherwise, have quite an imagination: To them, mental illness is the cause of most of these mass shootings. (But, hey, what are they doing about mental illness?) They say good guys with guns will save the day. (Hows that been workin out lately?) All we really need to protect a school, they tell us, is to make sure the building has only one door, thats kept locked nearly all the time and thats kept safe by a single armed guard. (Wouldnt local fire marshals love that one!) They say training little kids to do CPR and training their teachers to be commandos would solve the mass-shootings problem. (Who are they kidding?) And they argue that no law or regulation would have prevented any of these particular gun massacres since 1999. (Well, Duh! Thats why we need multiple approaches to the gun crisis!) But heres the thing: Among all the circumstances connected with all these specific massacres since 1999, the common denominator is easy access to guns. There must be hundreds of thousands of responsible gun owners out here in Montana (including us) who dont buy into the NRAs philosophy or its notion that gun regulation equals gun confiscation. We believe GOA (Gun Owners of America) would benefit from some attitude adjustment. Meanwhile, how about starting a new group called Responsible American Gun Owners (RAGO)? Reasonable regulations for firearms would protect the rights of gun owners, not weaken them. In the name of reasonableness, we urge prompt adoption of these six measures: Bans on military-style assault weapons Bans on large-capacity ammunition clips Universal background checks Red flag laws Significant waiting time to buy guns Raising to 21 the minimum age to buy guns We believe our country should invest in substantial research about the health and safety aspects of gun ownership. And we recommend that America undertake a massive, billboard-style campaign to educate more people about the responsibilities of gun ownership. These billboards could have specific messages, such as: Keep guns secured. Use trigger locks. Store ammunition separately. Keep guns away from susceptible young people. Remove guns from elderly relatives who have diminished capacities. (We had to do this twice, and it aint fun.) Most important of all: Grit your teeth or hold your nose if you must, but dont vote for any candidate for public office (especially lawmakers), whether incumbent or newcomer, who refuses to act responsibly in regulating guns. Throughout this gun-violence crisis, we submit, doing nothing is unacceptable. Doing nothing is abdicating. Doing nothing, we dare to add, even constitutes complicity in the killings. Frank and Maggie Allen live in Missoula. They are founders of the Institute for Journalism & Natural Resources. Maggie served as a CASA Court Appointed Special Advocate for Abused and Neglected Children. Frank is a former editor and bureau chief for The Wall Street Journal. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 13 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 3 Waterlogged and muddy (but still tasty) huckleberries to all the folks who pulled together during last weeks Yellowstone River flooding, enduring two days of catastrophic destruction with no loss of life or significant injury. Tales of sacrifice and generosity are filtering out from (un)Paradise Valley where thousands of tourists had to be sheltered and fed amid shattered highways and inundated water systems. The incident displayed for all to see how transitory our homes and roads and ambitions are in the face of natural forces. It also illuminated the only thing we humans have to survive: Our faith in one another. Chokecherries disguised as huckleberries (or maybe the other way around?) for Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks bear manager Jamie Jonkels advice to Missoulas oblivious wild animal trainers. Having tried the direct approach telling people to break their bird-feeder habits and clean up their trash, Jonkel has flipped his script. Tongue firmly in cheek, hes now giving pointers for the proper placement of feeders to lure bears into your yard, the right amount of space to leave a garage door cracked (enough for a cat to slip through or a bear to force open) and the thrill of having bears hang out on your deck while dismantling your greasy barbecue. To all that, he adds the pro-level kicker: Get your black bears trained up for backyard frolics, and pretty soon youll graduate to grizzly bears! Or maybe heed Jonkels original message and learn to live responsibly around wildlife. Find lots of advice and help at bebearaware.org Respectful heaps of huckleberries to family, friends, students and colleagues of Tony Incashola, whose passing last week was a sad day for the Selis-Qlispe Culture Committee and all who knew him. Incashola oversaw decades of work preserving, compiling and sharing the encyclopedia of knowledge embedded in the Selis-Qlispe language and history. He was the first Native American to open a session of Congress with a prayer, a Vietnam War veteran, and seemingly ever-present force in Flathead Indian Reservation life and activity. Rest in peace, Tony. Stout-hearted huckleberries to the civic and religious leaders ready to recall the horrors of Nazi history in moments when some cowards think reviving that blood-soaked failure is a good idea. Why would anyone dishonor the United States of America and its respect for rule of law, freedom of belief and responsibility for the common good by threatening others in a swastika shirt? We have fought this war before. We know how it ends. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 3 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Catch the latest in Opinion Get opinion pieces, letters and editorials sent directly to your inbox weekly! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Image via Getty/Raymond Boyd/Michael Ochs Archives An Indiana museum has apologized for selling a watermelon menu item in honor of Juneteenth. As pointed out by TMZ, the Childrens Museum of Indianapolis faced widespread criticism this week after someone posted a photo of its Juneteenth Watermelon Salad offered in its cafeteria. Social media users slammed the museum for the labeling, saying it perpetuated a stereotype about Black people and Black culture. Some argued that the ill-conceived move further highlighted how some dont take the federal holiday seriously or understand its significance. This is ridiculous and a mockery of Juneteenth Ive never had a watermelon salad or even heard of it.. smh pic.twitter.com/J6BV7F9hx8 calm down miss brown (@WishYaHadAlexis) June 4, 2022 Indianapolis Childrens Museum really? A watermelon salad in celebration of Juneteenth? I want to know who sat in on that meeting & thought that was a good idea (@SitBack_WatchMe) June 4, 2022 Im really starting to get tired of F6 folks and their mocking Juneteenth Day, watermelon is not a black people thing yall are making my ass itch with this shimata! https://t.co/VvC9JbaChR Twisted Tea no Jutsu (@chelliguevara) June 4, 2022 Celebrated on June 19, the holiday commemorates the end of United States slaveryspecifically, the day when a group of enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, learned theyd been granted freedom more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation. The Childrens Museum of Indianapolis responded to some of the criticism on its Facebook page, insisting its team conducts thorough research when curating a menu for special events. They said red foods, such as watermelon, are a staple of Juneteenth Celebrations, including our food court managers family Juneteenth celebrations. The museum has since pulled the item from its cafeteria and issue a public apology. As a museum, we apologize and acknowledge the negative impact that stereotypes have on communities of color, it wrote in a statement provided to the IndyStar. The salad has been removed from the menu. We are currently reviewing how we may best convey these stories and traditions during this years Juneteenth celebration as well as making changes around how future food selections are made by our food service provider. All over the world, Michelin stars give locals and visitors recommendations of where and what they should be eating. And this month, a new city will join the ranks of the best-rated food locales on the planet: Dubai. Sometime this June, the Michelin Guide will reveal which Dubai-based restaurants and chefs its decided to bestow its coveted honors on. The city in the United Arab Emirates is already well known as a business and travel destination, and now its likely to rocket to the top of the must-visit list for gourmands as well. More from Robb Report We will be showcasing the best of Dubais gastronomy, to reflect not just the sophistication that the city is famed for, but also the wide diversity of cuisines that the citys location and history provide, Gwendal Poullennec, the international director of the Michelin Guides, said in a statement. Dubais restaurants pull inspiration from a wide variety of global cuisines while also highlighting the areas own Arabic, Emirati and Middle Eastern specialties. The city is home to more than 200 nationalities, Issam Kazim, the CEO of the Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing, told Pakistans Business Recorder last year, so its no surprise that the local dining scene combines many disparate influences. And along with homegrown spots, Dubai has also attracted outposts ofihigh-end international chains such as Nobu. While its not yet clear which restaurants will make the cut, the Michelin Guide has exacting standards for the establishments it honors. The company uses a common set of five criteria in every city where it releases a list: the quality of the ingredients, the mastery of cooking, the harmony of flavors, the expression of the chefs personality through the cuisine and the consistency of the menu across dishes and time. Story continues With Dubai home to thousands of restaurants serving a variety of cuisines from fine dining to street food, and talented chefs, the Michelin Guide Dubai will provide a fresh perspective and new insights into the diversity, creativity and multi-cultural nature of Dubais culinary offering, Kazim said in a statement. Along with the world-famous Michelin stars, the company will also be naming Bib Gourmand restaurants in Dubai. These spots are typically lower-priced restaurants that provide a three-course meal at great value for the cost. Michelin Guides exist for 36 other culinary destinations around the world, so itll definitely be exciting to see how Dubai stacks up when the citys honorees are announced soon. Best of Robb Report Sign up for Robb Report's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. By Zhang Jieyu The 9th Summit of the Americas, the first major home court diplomatic event hosted by the Biden administration, wrapped up in doom and gloom recently. Americas bullying behaviors both before and after the summit were widely criticized and rejected by Latin American countries, and the summit ended up having the least state leaders ever. That more and more Latin American countries are saying no to the US tolls the knell for its Neo-Monroe Doctrine. Before the summit began, the US arbitrarily excluded the leaders of Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela on the excuse that they were non-democratic leaders, prompting widespread doubts and objection from the Latin American and Caribbean countries. Presidents of Mexico, Bolivia, Honduras and Guatemala refused to attend, and members of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) issued a joint statement to boycott this "imperialist event". Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said in public that he refused to attend the summit because this is to continue the old interventionist policies. He asked the US to immediately stop sanctions, blockade, discrimination and other interventionist actions, and called on all American countries to stand together against exclusion. During the summit, leaders including Argentine President Fernandez and Prime Minister of Belize Briceno condemned Americas discriminatory practices on the issue when giving their speeches. The theme for this summit is Building a Sustainable, Resilient, and Equitable Future, but the host country that practices Monroe Doctrine seemed only interested in achieving its own diplomatic goals, and didnt present any substantial plan to address what people in the Latin American region are most urgently concerned about, such as COVID-19 vaccines and economic development. The Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity that Washington announced at the summit vowed to strengthen our supply chainsfoster innovation in both the public and private sectorstackle the climate crisisand give rise to high-quality jobs. This glittery proposal, however, is neither backed by any data nor contains any details or commitments, and the part on the so-called immigrant protection is generally regarded as an attempt to pass the buck to Latin American countries. On the other hand, the US has spared no effort in smearing and blocking whats really good for Latin Americas development and prosperity, such as the regional integration plan and the Belt and Road Initiative. The Biden administration claimed to take the western hemisphere as vital in its national interests, stressing the Americas as the US core interest, whereas in his eyes, there is only the United States of America, instead of the states of America. A brief look back at history would show that the US, in the nearly 200 years after it put forth the Monroe Doctrine, made military interference in Latin American countries more than 30 times, forced its American-style democracy upon them, went about economic plundering without scruple, and even planned to overthrow their regimes. The piles of US-Latin American cooperation agreements are really just intended to turn the region into Washingtons strategic backyard, source of raw materials, destination of exports, and cultural colony. During the summit, Biden announced a US$ 645 million package to help Latin American countries ensure food security in the region and better enable them to cope with natural disasters and waves of immigrants and refugees. The figure posed a sharp contrast to the US$ 40 billion aid to Ukraine that quickly got through the US Congress. Such a huge gap between the strategic position and the promise of aid reflects the hypocrisy of US policy toward Latin America. The structural conflict between the US and Latin America the former trying to control the latter and the latters rejection of it dates back a long time. Latin America entered a new election cycle in 2021. If leftist leaders win in the upcoming elections in Columbia and Brazil, the seven most populous Latin American countries will all be led by leftist governments, and that may forecast a period of major adjustments in the US-Latin American relations judging from Washingtons habit of drawing ideological lines. In the meantime, the mid-terms are also coming up in the US, and whether Biden administration is willing to up the ante to maintain its relations with Latin America is a big question mark. The global situation is going through profound changes. The USs attempt to take the summit as an opportunity to manipulate Latin America and reshape its hegemony in the western hemisphere met head-on blows. There are growing signs of the declining leadership and credibility of the US in the Latin American region, where its self-centrism and flagrant bullying just dont work anymore. (The author is from the Department for Latin American and Caribbean Studies, China Institute of International Studies) Burke County school administrators are implementing plans to help mitigate the impacts of a national and state teacher morale and retention crisis. On June 9, The News Herald reported the results of the statewide North Carolina Teacher Working Conditions Survey released by NCDPI on June 1. The survey pointed to a statewide crisis in teacher morale and retention with nearly double the number of teachers reporting their immediate plans included leaving the profession when compared with the 2020 results. While Burke Countys results appeared to be significantly better than state averages, local administrators are still working to ease the impacts of interrupted learning, increased pressure from the state and exacerbated challenges with students and families on teacher morale. Cheryl Shuffler, public relations officer for Burke County Public Schools, pointed to a new strategic plan being developed by the district with a people-first focus. We did not get to present it to the board, so it has not been approved, but that has been our focus going throughout this strategic planning process, she said. Sara Lecroy, BCPS director of student and family services, said efforts to promote self-care and improve staff morale and well-being are already underway in the district. We just recently did a training where we trained the counselors and social workers on a wellness professional development for them to each take back to the schools to do with the staff, she said. LeCroy said the training included instruction in practices such as mindfulness, yoga and meditation. She also pointed to a health fair in 2020 and the districts participation in the Employee Assistance program (EAP) starting in 2019. EAP offers up to five free anonymous counseling sessions as well as referrals to local mental health professionals or further assistance via telehealth. According to BCPS Superintendent Mike Swan, a strong sense of loyalty and community has also served the district well over the last two years. Many of our teachers have deep roots in Burke County; they have families here, they have kids in our system and they are invested in Burke County as their community, he said. Swan believes the challenges of the past two years have made those bonds even stronger in many ways. We had to rely on each other in the trenches, he said. We saw what we are made of and that not only strengthens loyalties, but also gives you a sense of security. Swan also said one of his most important roles is to keep his finger on the pulse of BCPS staff and to let them know their efforts are appreciated. We just concluded our teacher appreciation week, he said. And what we did, we combined the whole staff to celebrate them that whole entire week teachers, nurses, social workers, counselors and principals. Swan added the district has committed to continuing to financially compensate teachers and staff as much as funding allows and to developing leaders and promoting from within whenever possible. Our board sees how hard our staff members work and how much they give, and the board in return has generously shown appreciation through retention bonuses, he said. We have also been intentional over the past six or seven years to grow our own leaders. Board member Don Hemstreet remains hopeful about the future of teaching in Burke County. Im the eternal optimist, I have hope for this thing, he said. Weve got good people in place. I think Dr. Swan and the crew are really aware of it. Hemstreet also said that everyone in a community can play a role, saying positive parental and community involvement is key to easing the burden on teachers. Come in a positive manner into the school and say, what can we do? he said. I encourage parents to get into the schools and volunteer and do whatever they can. I think thats a critical component of that little community. A teachers assistant in a neighboring county, speaking on the condition of anonymity, agreed, telling The News Herald that support at home is the number one thing a parent can do to help their childs teacher. Help Johnny do his homework, they said. I know teachers who will do anything they can to make sure their kids get what they need. A lot of them are there for the right reasons, and if they can get any support at home, it does make a difference. A former BCPS educator suggested seeking out opportunities to encourage educators. Celebrate our teachers, they said. Parents celebrate your kids teachers. Community members, businesses celebrate the teachers. Even if you dont have a relationship with Burke County Public Schools, they are very much a part of your community. The next generation are the future leaders and, as a community and as a nation, we are only going to be as strong as the next generation. One of two men accused in a fatal shooting during a bounty hunt in Butte wants an aggravated burglary charge against him dropped, saying he had legal authority as a bondsman to enter the victims house to nab a fugitive. Jay Steven Hubber, in a recent court motion, says common-law bondsmen privileges and exigent circumstances allowed him to enter William Harriss house on Dec. 19 to apprehend bail-jumper David Sandoval and prevent his escape. Jay Hubber therefore had a legal right to enter the residence in which Sandoval was located, to carry a weapon in doing so and to utilize such reasonable force as necessary, the motion by attorney Palmer Hoovestal says. Prosecutors allege Hubber and Nicholas John Jaeger barged into Harriss house looking for Sandoval and during a struggle, Jaeger took Hubbers pistol and shot Harris. Harris, 42, was dead when police arrived. Jaeger, a convicted felon, had joined Hubber to assist. Hubber had tased Sandoval and they began wrestling, according to witness accounts, but there were several others inside the house too, including Harris. Jaeger and Hubber, both 33, were each charged with deliberate homicide and aggravated burglary. Hubber quickly posted $250,000 bond but Jaeger is still jailed with bail also set at $250,000. Jaeger, in a recent motion seeking a bond reduction, says he used justifiable force to protect Hubber and himself and says the incident took place in a trap house operated by William Harris where known fugitives, renegades and outlaws routinely gather. Hubbers recent motion also says it was a trap house where drugs were used and sold and Harris would allow drug users to stay there. Hubber says he is innocent of all charges but for now, wants a judge to dismiss the aggravated burglary charge. Then he should be entitled to jury instructions on these issues as they relate to the homicide charge, the recent motions says. According to the motion, Hubber had posted bonds of $10,000 and $15,000 for Sandoval in criminal cases against him but a bench warrant was issued when he failed to make a court appearance and his bond was forfeited. Hubber got two Butte police officers to help him apprehend Sandoval at a residence on Dec. 18, the motion says, but nobody came to the door. Hubber was told that Sandoval was at Harriss house the next night but police were busy and could not help. Sandoval was there drinking whiskey and smoking marijuana when Hubber and Jaeger entered the house, the motion says. Hubber tased Sandoval, they went to the ground wrestling, and according to the probable cause affidavit, Jaeger grabbed the taser and started to stun drive Sandoval. The affidavit from prosecutors says others entered the room and Hubber was being kicked in the head by an unknown person, possibly Harris, and Jaeger grabbed the pistol and shot Harris as Harris went toward him. According to his recent motion, William Harris kicked Hubber in the face multiple times while he was trying to cuff Sandoval and that shows that Harriss purpose and intent was to continue to harbor and conceal Sandoval Hubber was a private citizen with contractual rights as a bondsman to apprehend and arrest Sandoval and apply reasonable force if necessary, his motion says. It notes Montanas Legislature has yet to enact any legislation to regulate bounty hunters and says Montanas bail statutes have not abrogated the common law rights of bondsmen and bounty hunters to apprehend fugitives. It cites U.S. Supreme Court cases in saying it is unlawful to enter the residence of a third party to arrest a suspect on a warrant unless there are exigent circumstances that include preventing the suspects escape. Such pressing circumstances existed, Hubber says. They included Sandoval knowing he was wanted, not coming to the door when police were there the previous day and resisting arrest. Prosecutors plan to oppose the motion but have yet to file their formal response. Hoovestal has also requested at least a six-month delay before a trial takes place based on the seriousness of the charges and prosecutors did not oppose that. Prosecutors have responded to Jaegers request for bond reduction and have asked a judge to reject it. They say Jaeger has been a wanted fugitive himself, is a convicted felon who was recently sentenced to the Montana Department of Corrections in a separate case, and on Dec. 19, went into Harriss house without authority and shot an innocent person to death. Prosecutors also balked at claims that fugitives, renegades and outlaws hung out at Harriss house. The defendant (Jaeger) and co-defendant (Hubber) were the only people who barged into a private residence, dressed in black, armed, under the influence, seeking to apprehend another on a misdemeanor warrant, prosecutors said in their motion. Deliberate homicide in Montana is punishable by death, life in prison or up to 100 years. Aggravated burglary carries a 40-year maximum. Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 10 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. The scenic Beartooth Highway between Red Lodge and Cooke City will need extensive repairs after rain fell on the pass' snowpack, causing rapid flooding and washing out the highway in six places. Severe flooding also struck the mountain communities of Red Lodge and Cooke City, which flank the pass, earlier this week. Three sections of the Beartooth Scenic Byway were washed out leaving 100-foot scours that will require extensive resources to repair, a Montana Department of Transportation official said Thursday. To fix the route quickly will require federal assistance to cut through red tape regarding work in a waterway and then a contractor will have to be hired. Luckily, repairs made to the highway's switchbacks following similar flooding in 2005 seemed to have worked as designed, diverting water through borrow pits and into culverts without damaging the roadway. The roadway is a lifeline for the community of Red Lodge during the summer months, funneling tourists to and from Yellowstone National Park over a scenic pass that climbs to 11,000 feet. The news comes in the wake of President Joe Biden signing a national disaster declaration that will trigger statewide damage relief. Lt. Gov. Kristen Juras and Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., toured the flood-weary community alongside FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell on Tuesday, emphasizing that local, state and federal workers are already on the ground making assessments. "We are facing a complex landscape of extreme weather events across our nation that is going to require all of us...to come together and work together to develop the solutions that are going to be needed to build the recovery and support the recovery," Criswell said. "But also to build resilience, right? To build and recover and repair these projects so they are more resilient to the types of effects of the extreme weather that we're seeing in the future." Criswell thanked the "heroes on the front line" and said her agency has people on the ground ready to reimburse the state for major repairs and to help homeowners for as long as needed. Daines said the "shocking" images he saw of the flooding while still in Washington, D.C., were unbelievable. He thanked Criswell for visiting and for the Montana National Guard arriving in town to provide a calming effect. Red Lodge Fire Chief Tom Kuntz told the officials, "We have to make things happen in the next few weeks." He stressed the tourist-dependent town needs help quickly to ensure businesses and employees can earn enough this summer to make it through the year. Scott Miller, a Carbon County Commissioner, was prompted by Kuntz's message to add that the flood damage was not limited to Red Lodge. "This is a big county and everyone needs your help," Miller said, noting that 85% of the county's irrigation infrastructure was damaged, historic ranches were inundated and cows were washed down the Clarks Fork of the Yellowstone River. Flooding swept over nearly all of southern Montana from the greater Yellowstone area and Gallatin River to east of Billings as high waters swept downstream. Yellowstone National Park has been closed to all visitation with the northern half of the park closed for this season. On the west slope of the Continental Divide, Flathead and Missoula counties were watching their rivers as snow and rain fell in the mountains near them this week. In the wake of the floods, Daines said he planned to also visit the hard hit mountain town of Gardiner on Yellowstone's north side. The town was temporarily cut off from the rest of the world by high water across Highway 89 to the north and the destruction of the road between Gardiner and Mammoth Hot Springs, Wyoming, at the Northeast Entrance. Reopening the road at any point in the future seems unlikely. Before officials toured Red Lodge on Thursday, leaders of the Western Montana Incident Management Team and Carbon County updated the visiting dignitaries about what's already been done. The list included 87 helicopter rescues by the Montana National Guard, including a 94-year-old woman lifted from East Rosebud Lake, bank stabilization of Rock Creek in Red Lodge and bridge washout repairs. Half of Red Lodge is still without water while all Carbon County communities are under a boil order. Two bridges are damaged in Fromberg where gas and electrical service was out, and Roscoe is being assessed for damage while sandbags are being made available in case creeks rise from runoff during warm days forecast through the weekend. An inciweb page has been set up with photos and information for Carbon County. Regular updates are also on carbonalert.org. Kuntz walked the visitors through the hectic activity on Monday morning when the flash flood hit, adding that the entire town responded as quickly as possible to alert residents as the situation constantly changed throughout the early hours of the day. "Unfortunately, we are pretty used to disaster," he said, noting last year's Robinson Draw fire threatened the community and its suburbs. "So we had a structure we were able to work in. "The effort that came together to try to respond to this was really incredible," he added. All told about 300 people were evacuated from 147 homes in Red Lodge and 90 homes have been affected in Fromberg. Damage assessments in other areas are complicated because bridges and roads are washed out. Of the four ways to drive into Red Lodge, Kuntz noted, only one was open until Thursday Highway 212. As front-end loaders, excavators and dump trucks moved boulders and dirt to reinforce damage done by the flood near the 19th Street Bridge, business owners are concerned their summer tourism season may dry up faster than water-logged basements. Kuntz called that possibility "terrifying" for business owners and workers who can't go two weeks without a paycheck. Loss of apartments and homes also exacerbates what was already a tight housing market. Red Lodge's police force already lost one officer after his home was destroyed and he decided to move away. Daines stressed in his comments to the press that visitors should come to Montana despite the images they may see of flooding, houses floating down rivers and bridges destroyed. Anyone wishing to help victims of the flood can donate to the Red Lodge Area Community Foundation, a 501C3 nonprofit organization. The group can be found online at Rlacf.org, or send mail to PO Box 1871, Red Lodge, MT 59068, or call 406-425-0292. The Bank of Red Lodge is matching donations up to $25,000. Donations of goods can be coordinated by the American Red Cross by calling Andrew Harper at 406-320-2229. To volunteer assistance register online at carbonalert.org or by calling 406-445-7258. A volunteer coordination tent is located at 15th and Platt Avenue South in Red Lodge and is operating from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 2 Angry 1 Former East Helena Police Chief William Daly Harrington was sentenced to more than five years in prison for one count of distribution of child pornography in U.S. District Court for the District of Montana Thursday morning. The state successfully sought the dismissal of three other counts -- two additional counts of distribution of child pornography and one count of possessing child pornography -- in exchange for Harrington's guilty plea made Dec. 7. Harrington, who resigned from his post as police chief in East Helena in March 2021 following a separate sexual assault allegation that was found to be unsubstantiated, appeared before Chief U.S. District Judge Brian Morris in U.S. District Court in Great Falls. Harrington will serve 66 months in prison and five years under supervision following his release and must register as a sex offender. He was ordered to pay special assessments totaling $7,600, including a $5,000 payment as required by the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015. According to Montana Public Safety Officer Standards and Training Bureau Paralegal and Investigator Katrina Bolger, the case status committee of the POST Council will take up the issue at its next meeting scheduled for July 11. POST is responsible for granting and revoking the certification of public safety officers in Montana, and its meetings are open to the public. The committee is expected to send an allegation letter from the agency's director to Harrington, informing the former law enforcement officer of the allegations against him and asking for a written response. The allegation letter also gives Harrington the opportunity to send in his resignation. A report resulting from a third-party investigation into workplace culture within the East Helena Police Department, which stemmed from the sexual assault claim and was filed May 11, 2021, outlined Harrington's meticulous efforts to isolate his officers and employees from other agencies and each other. The report also claimed Harrington installed video surveillance cameras in the department and GPS tracking devices within the squad cars, allowing only him to monitor employees remotely. The report, filed by a Great Falls attorney, states "Harrington's tenure with the EHPD did nothing to address these problems (inadequate management and oversight; the failure to define roles and responsibilities; lack of training; outdated policies and procedures; burnout and stress) and in fact seemed to only worsen many of the issues." East Helena Mayor Kelly Harris, who unseated former Mayor James Schell in the 2021 election, said in early January that every last officer with the East Helena Police Department had resigned at that time. By Feb. 8, Harris announced the city council had hired a full staff including a chief and four POST-certified patrol officers. Mike Sanders was rehired as the new chief. Sanders previously spent four months in the same position under Schell before leaving the post, citing differences in goals and priorities with city leadership. He has also worked as a Helena police officer and federal Drug Enforcement Agency agent. Sanders' employment began Feb. 22. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Gov. Greg Gianforte's office said he will be back in the state by Thursday night, returning from an international trip amid historic flooding in Montana. Gianforte's return comes as President Joe Biden on Thursday issued a disaster declaration for the state of Montana, making federal funding available in response to damage caused by widespread flooding in Carbon, Park and Stillwater counties. The state's request for federal assistance on Wednesday pegged damage to transportation infrastructure at $29 million and noted the risk to more than $250 million in annual economic impacts from tourism in the region. Gianforte was out of the country as heavy rainfall and higher-than-normal snowpack generated record flooding in southern Montana beginning Sunday. Impacts continue to be felt throughout the region, with residents displaced from homes, roads still impassable and the potential for rivers and creeks to rise again as temperatures climb throughout the state. The governor's office did not notify the public that the governor was not in the country and the first indication he was gone was when an executive order issued Tuesday declaring a statewide disaster bore Lt. Gov. Kristen Juras' signature as "acting governor." The governor's office has declined to say where the governor was during the past week, but spokesperson Travis Hall said in an email Tuesday that Gianforte and his wife, Susan, left the country Saturday. "For security reasons, we do not share the governors location while he is out of the country," Hall wrote. "We will share more information when he and the first lady have returned." Hall declined in a follow-up email to elaborate on those "security reasons." Gianforte is scheduled to travel to Gardiner to tour flood damage in the area, where an estimated 10,000 people were temporarily stranded by floodwaters and washed-out roads. The northern entrance to Yellowstone National Park is closed, and is expected to remain so "for a substantial amount of time," according to the National Park Service. Gianforte will also receive a briefing from national and state officials while he's there, according to a press release issued Thursday. Gianforte's office does regularly provide a schedule to the media for planning purposes noting his public events and their locations. Neither of his schedules on Friday or Monday mentioned his travel plans, which his office has since referred to as a "personal trip." The schedule Monday stated only, "The governor has no public events scheduled this week." Gianforte spokesperson Brooke Stroyke issued a statement to news outlets Thursday morning saying "the governor is scheduled to return to Montana tonight." On Wednesday Stroyke told the press the governor was coming back to the state earlier than planned. The governor is being regularly briefed on the response to the flooding, his office said previously. Juras was scheduled to provide remarks at a press conference Thursday in Red Lodge, which has borne some of the worst impacts from the rising waters. Hall on Thursday provided a copy of an email sent late Monday morning by Gianforte to Juras, delegating "authority to act on my behalf in response to the flooding in Montana." That's allowed for under a provision of the state Constitution. Stroyke said previously that Gianforte verbally authorized the disaster declaration Monday and then asked Juras to formally issue it on his behalf Tuesday. Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 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. An Oregon couple reported missing while traveling to Polson from Idaho were found safe by Idaho law on Wednesday. Kimberley Leo, 57, and Terry Leo, 66, were last heard from at Kooskia, Idaho, on the afternoon of June 14, according to a Lake County Sheriff's Office Facebook post. The two told friends they were looking for a camping spot in Idaho before driving to meet family members in Polson on June 14. A raging Gardner River gouged large chunks from the narrow two-lane road that provides tourists and workers access to Yellowstone National Park via its bustling North Entrance on Monday, only two weeks before the summer tourism season would kick into its usual frenetic high gear. The same day, officials closed all park entrances and hustled thousands of visitors out of Yellowstone. Now instead of worrying about traffic jams of loaded down RVs and trailer-towing SUVS backing up through the border community of Gardiner, residents and business owners are wondering if anyone will arrive. Without access to Yellowstone, the town becomes a literal dead end this week. This is going to be pretty tough for Gardiner businesses to recover from, said Bill Berg, a Park County commissioner and Gardiner resident. Even though the park wont open on the north end, folks in Gardiner would still like to see you come and enjoy what you can. Road Park Superintendent Cam Sholly said its uncertain if the road will or should be rebuilt, considering it hugged the Gardner River through a narrow canyon before zigzagging uphill to Mammoth Hot Springs, Wyoming, and the parks headquarters. It may not even be possible to build the road in the same alignment if you could, Sholly said. And Im not sure you would want to if you could. I dont think its going to be smart to invest essentially tens of millions of dollars, or however much it is, into repairing a road that may be subject to a similar flooding event in the future. An alternative would be to construct a new route away from the river on a new alignment to avoid future problems, he added. A dirt service road currently exists between Gardiner and Mammoth, but the road base is unstable. We are looking to make some temporary improvements to that road so that we can have some type of access between Mammoth and Gardiner, Sholly said. Although the route was originally considered as a way to evacuate trapped tourists and workers, Sholly said it still makes sense to keep the road open in case Highway 89, the main route north from Gardiner to Livingston, is closed again. The highway was flooded by the Yellowstone River at Yankee Jim Canyon and was temporarily opened on Tuesday to allow tourists to leave and delivery trucks to enter. The Montana Department of Transportation has posted the road as closed to general traffic until further notice. Without access, Yellowstone concessionaire Xanterra Travel Collection is closing its Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel & Cabins and Roosevelt Lodge Cabins for the summer, according to Rick Hoeninghausen, marketing director. Employees at those facilities are being redeployed elsewhere in the park if they so choose. "We've been quite short staffed," he said. "So I imagine this should help us reinforce the staff elsewhere." The closure of the facilities saddened Hoeninghausen as bookings were strong for the summer season after two years of limited services during the pandemic. A Yellowstone spokesperson said there is no stay in place order for park employees, but the agency is still working to gather information and to assess damage, which will take some time. With warm weather in the forecast, there could be additional flooding this weekend, park officials feared. Yet the hope is to as soon as possible reopen the southern loop of the park to timed or reserved visitors via the East, South and North entrances near the communities of Cody, Jackson and West Yellowstone, respectively. That would allow visitors to see attractions like the Firehole River, Old Faithful, Yellowstone Lake, the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone and Norris Geyser Basin. Other end At the other end of the roadway that travels from Gardiner to Mammoth and onto Tower-Roosevelt, Slough Creek and the Lamar Valley are the small Montana communities of Silver Gate and Cooke City, just outside the Northeast Entrance to Yellowstone. Like Gardiner, they are now at a dead end. We arent happy they arent going to open our loop, said Cooke City businesswoman Suzy Hahn. Visitors can still access the communities via the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway from Wyoming (Highway 296), but not by the Beartooth Scenic Byway from Red Lodge, which remains closed following the flooding and will need extensive reconstruction to reopen. The Beartooth Highway was closed in 2005 on the Montana side (the Wyoming border cuts through the road) following damage caused by a similar rain on snow storm that sent water gushing down the steep mountains, washing out several sections of road. It cost more than $13.55 million to rebuild the roadway in a hurry-up effort over the course of four months. Those repairs appear to have weathered the storm. Even with that main artery cut in 2005, Cooke City visitors still had access to Yellowstone National Park. But on Tuesday Sholly said the northern portion of the park will remain closed through the summer due to damage to the road through the Lamar Valley. Aerial footage showed two large washouts of the road caused by Soda Butte Creek and the Lamar River. The road from Lamar Valley to Cooke City is an area that has been substantially impacted, Sholly said, noting that the Lamar River had changed course, perhaps permanently. If they could patch those two areas we would have access to the Lamar Valley, which is our bread and butter, Hahn said. We have to save our summer. Our season just started this week. You cant cut us off. Kara Schlabach, who co-owns a coffee shop in Cooke City, said shes already had to lay off an employee because of the projected drop in business. This is absolutely crippling for our small communities that rely on so much of the park, not just for our summer revenue, but that money we make in the summer time carries us through the extremely quiet shoulder seasons and mediocre winter, she wrote in an email. For restaurants like the Beartooth Cafe and the Log Cabin Cafe, who are only open in the summer time, its almost unimaginable. What this will mean for winter access to the two communities is also uncertain. The road from Cooke City through Silver Gate and onto Gardiner is the only route in Yellowstone thats plowed all winter. Its a popular route for park wolf watchers, as well as skiers, snowmobilers and ice climbers venturing into the regions mountain playgrounds. Over the years, Cooke City residents have been divided over plowing the highway from Cooke City to the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway. This winter that may be the only way to access town, although some snowmobilers leave a car at the parking area and ride into Cooke City. A portion of the road between Cooke City and Silver Gate was washed out at Sheep Creek, according to residents, but has been repaired enough to allow traffic. Both towns are in Park County. Without road access through Yellowstone, the drive to the county seat in Livingston will take four hours instead of two-and-a-half. County Commissioner Berg noted without the more direct route, it will complicate everything from garbage service to law enforcement response times, along with necessities like mail service and food deliveries to restaurants. There are also three county bridges near Cooke City that washed out and need to be repaired. So the landscape, literally and figuratively, has changed dramatically in the last 36 hours, he said on Tuesday. Flood Some people have referred to the flooding as a 100-year, 500-year and even a 1,000-year event because of how high the water flowed and the damage caused. Certainly river flows topped any previous record from data collected in the past 100 years, but farther back than that is unknown. The stream channels are shaped by large floods, said Cathy Whitlock, a regents professor in paleoecology at Montana State University. So its not unheard of to see these large floods. Research has shown torrential floods about 12,000 years ago caused by a rockslide at Yankee Jim Canyon that blocked off the Yellowstone River and created a large lake all the way back to Gardiner. Eventually, the dam burst, sending rock, debris and water gushing downstream. Before that, at the end of the last Ice Age, glacial dams at Slough Creek turned the Lamar Valley into a lake. After melt water rose enough to float the glacier, a torrent would rush out underneath and downstream, helping to carve existing features like the rugged Black Canyon of the Yellowstone. Bozeman scientist Ken Pierce calculated the largest flood had a depth of 60 meters. So flooding isnt anything new, its just we havent seen this magnitude of flooding, Whitlock said. Whitlock is one of several scientists who has studied the history of climate change in Yellowstone National Park, helping to write an assessment released last year. She called that document timely because extreme climate events are really well predicted in climate models. That includes more moisture in the spring, so more likelihood of rain on snow events like the one that caused Mondays flooding. I feel like this is completely consistent with what well see in the future, she said. Whats more, she said the flooding revealed that much of the current infrastructure from houses to roads, bridges and water treatment and sewer plants is in the wrong place, namely next to rivers. Unfortunately, the runoff although record-setting will do nothing to help ease the drought that covers much of Montana. The weather can flip really fast, she said. Superimposed are these extreme climate events. Past Yellowstone floods Yellowstone National Park has weathered past natural disasters and closures in the past. Most prominent was the 1988 fires that consumed almost 800,000 acres. At the time, many critics warned the park would never be the same. Instead, the fire-adapted lodgepole pine ecosystem rebounded more quickly than experts predicted. Then in the spring of 2020 the entire park was closed as officials wrestled with how to protect visitors and workers as COVID-19 spread across the country. The park established a plan and reopened some entrances in mid-May, weeks after it was closed to all visitors in late March. Yellowstones gates have also been locked during government shutdowns, when federal appropriations are withheld, most recently in 2018. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 6 Angry 0 With my re-election as Public Service Commissioner representing eastern Montana, I deeply appreciate the confidence placed in me by my constituents (67% vote; thank you!) and want to dedicate my election to a great grassroots supporter: Lonny Bergstrom of Lewistown, who recently passed away after a courageous battle with cancer. As a Commissioner, I am deeply concerned about the electric power shortages (brownouts and blackouts) that Montana is possibly facing this summer. For decades, Montana has enjoyed reliable, affordable electric power from hydro, natural gas, and especially coal, given its role as the states foremost provider, not only of baseload power the delivery of on-demand 24/7 electricity but of the most secure form of baseload power: the mine-mouth coal plant located in the town of Colstrip in southeastern Montana, at the mouth of the Rosebud Mine. Unfortunately, the longstanding Obama-Biden war on coal now threatens to shut down the Colstrip plant as early as 2025, in which case virtually all of the states remaining baseload power would be lost (two of Colstrips four generators having been needlessly shut down two years ago). Add to that the present drought that is resulting in reduced river flows in the northwest and therefore negatively impacting hydroelectric power generation, and its clear that the last thing the PSC wants is even more threats to the states electric power generation, not just in the summer but in the winter as well. And that means that Colstrip must remain operational for the foreseeable future, if not for decades more. Like any other coal plant, however, Colstrip generates waste ash, tens of millions of tons of which have piled up on the plant site, only to pollute the groundwater and threaten the townspeople accordingly. But by truly greenifying Colstrip, that stands to change, and dramatically so. How? By supporting U.S.-based RamRock Building Systems in its plan to import the highly advanced technologies that its South African partner has developed in the remediate and commercialize (beneficial use) of coal ash. For by turning Colstrips ash into products like hybrid concrete and the high-grade cement additive that the Montana Department of Environmental Quality has already granted regulatory approval for, RamRock could not only greenify coal; by also beneficially using the plants CO2 emissions to literally feed a massive, onsite, indoor farming complex, for example RamRock could effectively turn this single-purpose coal plant into a multipurpose, state-of-the-art, eco-industrial park. To quote RamRock CEO David White in the Yellowstone County News awhile back: We have the technology. And repurposing the money that will otherwise be spent to cover up Colstrips waste problem is all that stands between embracing the future and turning our back on it. And because I will be joining David as often as I can, as he tours the state to meet with civic, legislative, and other groups, speaking as well with the news media, be assured that we look forward to meeting as many of you as we possibly can. That goes for those of you who fear Climate Change, by the way, as the beneficial use of CO2 speaks directly to the other side of the controversy: the social benefit of carbon. Randy Pinocci, PSC Commissioner, District 1, is a former Great Falls Legislator who served on the House Energy, Technology, and Federal Relations Committee and has been re-elected to his 2nd term on the Public Service Commission. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 4 Bettendorf now faces a federal lawsuit because of the fatal May collision on the pedestrian walkway of the Interstate 74 bridge. Three men were struck by a vehicle at about 2 a.m. May 22 as they stood on the bridges pedestrian pathway. Ethan Gonzalez, 21, was killed at the scene. Anthony M. Castaneda, 18, of Moline, died of his injuries a few days later. At last report, Charles Bowen, 22, was in critical condition. The suit was filed by Chicago attorney Devon C. Bruce in the U.S. District Courts northern district of Illinois on behalf of Anthony Castanedas parents Michele and Manuel Castaneda, according to court records. They are listed as the administrators of the estate of Anthony Castaneda. The plaintiffs argue Anthony Castanedas death was the result of the citys negligence and they are seeking damages in excess of $75,000, according to court records. The city is the only defendant listed. The city spent municipal funds to design, build and open the walkway, the suit states. Bettendorf participated in the design and construction and controlled the entrance and opening date of the walkway. On or around April 28, the city chose to open the walkway, the suit states. The suit also states that Decker Ploehn, Bettendorfs city administrator, said the Iowa Department of Transportation wanted to delay the opening, but both Bettendorf and Moline wanted it open to the public. At the opening, the walkway had no bollards or other barriers in place to prevent access by vehicles, the suit states. The complaint against Bettendorf was filed on Tuesday. The next court date for the suit was not listed in court records. The Rock Island County States Attorneys Office has charged the driver, Chhabria A. Harris, with: Three counts of aggravated DUI, great bodily injury or death. Three counts of failure to stop after a crash causing personal injury or death. Three charges of aggravated reckless driving. Two counts of reckless homicide. Harris, 46, East Moline, drove her Cadillac Escalade onto the new walking/bike path from the Bettendorf side and traveled the length of the span, striking the men about 200 yards from the Moline pathway entrance, according to authorities. Harris left the scene and was found in East Moline getting out of her SUV. She was taken to UnityPoint Hospital on suspicion of driving under the influence, according to the state's attorney's office. Once released from the hospital, Moline police took her into custody, and formal charges were filed May 23. Harris was being held on $2 million bail, according to Rock Island County court records. To be released, she would have to post a $200,000 bond. Her next court date is scheduled for June 23. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Police say a 70-year-old man who fatally shot three elderly people at a church potluck dinner in Alabama had attended services there previously. Prosecutors charged Robert Findlay Smith with capital murder Friday in the Thursday night attack at St. Stephens Episcopal Church outside Birmingham. Two were victims were 84 and the third one was 75. The church's retired pastor, the Rev. Doug Carpenter, said witnesses told him the gunman sat alone at the dinner and declined to join other members before opening fire. Carpenter said a church member in his 70s rushed the gunmna and struck him with a folding chair and took his gun away. CANBERRA, Australia (AP) Australia's new foreign minister on Thursday made New Zealand the first stop on her third Pacific trip in a month as Canberra steps up efforts to counter Chinas growing influence in the region. Foreign Minister Penny Wong is promoting her administrations stronger ambition on curbing greenhouse gas emissions as evidence that Australia shares the South Pacifics primary security concern: climate change. Australia formally committed on Thursday to reducing emissions by 43% by the end of the decade. The previous government, which lost power in elections last month, had pledged to reduce emissions by only 26% to 28% below 2005 levels by 2030. Many countries in the region have been concerned about Australias previous position on climate, Wong said at a joint press conference with her New Zealand counterpart, Nanaia Mahuta, in the New Zealand capital, Wellington. We do have some ground to make up and we want to demonstrate we bring ... stronger and more ambitious commitments on climate because we actually think it matters and more resources and more energy, Wong added. Mahuta said she agreed with Wong that the Pacific is a contested space. So by working together, it will be important to ensure that we work alongside the Pacific as they define their priorities, but also the way in which we partner with the Pacific on their biggest issues like climate change, like economic resilience, Mahuta said. On Friday, Wong will become the first Australian minister to visit the Solomon Islands since its government signed a security pact with China that many fear could lead to a Chinese naval base being established less than 2,000 kilometers (1,200 miles) off Australia's northeast coast. When asked what she hoped to achieve from her meeting with Solomons Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare, Wong did not mention the pact. Wong said she aimed to listen to peoples perspectives and learn from that. She also plans to discuss climate change, labor mobility and development. Australia is the Solomons' main security partner and Australian police have been in the capital, Honiara, maintaining peace since riots in November last year. Australia on Thursday announced drought assistance for Kiribati, which was one of eight nations visited by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi during a recent influence-building South Pacific tour. Australia will provide an initial 675,000 Australian dollars ($473,000) to support the installation of 100 solar distillation units to provide safe drinking water after the Kiribati government declared a state of disaster on Wednesday. Wong visited Samoa and Tonga around the same time as Wangs tour. She flew to Tokyo within hours of being sworn into office on May 23 for a security summit attended by leaders of the United States, Japan, India and Australia. Follow APs Asia-Pacific coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/asia-pacific 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 Eskom cannot execute its plan to end load-shedding unless the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy procures the generating capacity headroom needed to perform maintenance on its ageing coal power fleet. The CSIR recently published its annual statistics on power generation in South Africa, revealing that 2021 was the worst year yet for load-shedding. There has already been more load-shedding in 2022 than at the same time last year. That is despite previous promises from Eskom CEO Andre de Ruyter that load-shedding would improve from September 2021. Eskom told MyBroadband that there were two main reasons for the current load-shedding situation. Firstly, Eskoms generating fleet had a low Energy Availability Factor (EAF) due to being unreliable and unpredictable. The current condition of the coal-fired plants, in particular, is due to many years of running at high utilisation factors with minimal reliability maintenance and upgrades, Eskom said. Secondly, there was a lack of generation capacity in the country. To stop, or significantly reduce load-shedding requires both of these issues to be addressed, the utility said. Government support Eskom said it was continuing to drive its Generation Turnaround Plan that focuses on seven key areas to improve the fleets performance. However, it needs additional capacity and funding to carry this plan through, which requires the governments support. The DMRE is responsible for procuring additional capacity which will both provide direct capacity to reduce load-shedding but also provide Eskom with the capacity or space in which to perform the deep, reliability maintenance that is essential for improving the reliability and predictability of the generation fleet. This feedback echoes what Eskom has reiterated at the many press conferences it has held regarding load-shedding in recent months it needs government to provide it with another 4,000 to 6,000MW of capacity. That buffer would supposedly allow it to take units offline and perform essential maintenance while continuing to supply sufficient electricity with its remaining capacity. But there seems to be no sense of urgency from the government to provide Eskom with this support, with progress in bringing the new generation online moving along at a snails pace. The energy department has repeatedly fallen behind in announcing new bid windows for projects that form part of the renewable energy IPP procurement programme. Getting the additional wind and solar power online as soon as possible is critical to helping Eskom gradually decommission its coal fleet and meet increasingly strict global climate regulations. The much-touted Risk Mitigation IPP Programme (RMIPPPP), which the government promised would add nearly 2,000MW by the end of 2022, is also experiencing massive problems. A large part of this is due to the governments controversial decision to opt for a 20-year power purchasing agreement with Turkish company Karpowership to supply the vast majority of the capacity about 1,200MW. The decision has opened up a can of worms, with significant opposition from civil society and environmentalists questioning the logic behind using powerships for an extended period. None of the RMIPPPP projects are expected to be online by the end of the year. Only one 200MW project has been approved and is set to be complete by the end of 2023. At the same time, energy minister Gwede Mantashe has repeatedly expressed support for fossil fuel generation like coal which is falling out of favour worldwide. Mantashe has also bumped heads with Eskoms management for not being willing to sign off on the Karpowership power purchase agreement without clarity on what it can expect to pay for the gas needed to power them. Eskom also told MyBroadband it requires a reasonable path towards prudent and efficient cost-reflective electricity tariffs. It has repeatedly come up against the ropes in its attempts to get what it deems to be cost-reflective tariffs approved by the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa). On several occasions, it had to drag Nersa to court to rectify the regulators incorrect calculations and get the necessary increases it was allowed by law. Most recently, Eskom requested an increase of 20.5% in the next financial year, but Nersa only approved a 9.61% hike. The utility said its hike was necessary to account for the increased cost associated with buying more power from Independent Power Producers (IPPs). The utility is also relying more on open-cycle gas turbine generation during peak hours, increasing the costs of its diesel expenditure. While South Africans are often quick to criticise Eskom for its price hikes, it is interesting to note the utility has recently joined businesses in calling out municipalities for adding substantial levies to those prices. Eskom supports the business chambers of Nelson Mandela Bay and Pietermaritzburgs challenge to Nersas pricing methodology for municipalities. They claim it is not based on the actual cost of providing electricity, plus a reasonable margin. The utilitys legal representative in the matter said Johannesburgs City Power charged businesses up to 80% more than Eskom. Now read: Top residential estate planning to build its own solar power plant An electrical assistant working at a South African firm was fired over what his employer said were threatening messages. The matter was brought before the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA), which found in favour of the employer. The CCMA confirmed that a WhatsApp message can present grounds for dismissal, stated law firm Neumann van Rooyen. But as always, the facts of each case will need to be considered to determine whether there are grounds for dismissal or not. In the case of Masondo / AG Electrical (Pty) Ltd [2022] 4 BALR 400 (CCMA), Neumann van Rooyen noted that two contradictory views were placed before the commissioner. The employer perceived the WhatsApp as an intentional threat of physical violence, whereas, the employee indicated that he was merely trying to help his fellow co-workers who faced a similar challenge as he did, the attorneys said. According to the arbitration award, the problem arose shortly after the company enacted a short-time policy. The companys CEO testified that Covid19 had restricted work opportunities. After consultation with the relevant bargaining council, the union, and representatives, the company adopted a short-time policy for a few weeks. The case document includes one of the messages the employee posted to the WhatsApp group. He was unaware the CEO of his employer was also in the group. Think eff can help us all when someone is trying to fool us those two guys from church, we never call union us to meeting so is fine we didnt kill that stupid so I will try to the Zulu nation what going on on, those guys they total commit crime Malema must know this by Tuesday we still organising phela we can lose our money someone want to run with our money. I think e.f.f. can help still early some people we have no information true lets find the leaders of the country like clicks what they do According to the case document, the employee also threatened to kill an official of the South African Electrical Workers Union on the same WhatsApp group. Attorneys Neumann van Rooyen stated that any dismissal of an employee must be fair and just in terms of the Labour Relations Act. Therefore, if an employee is to be dismissed for a WhatsApp message, this dismissal must meet the requirements of the Act. Neumann van Rooyen said the employee did not have any remorse or provide sound reasons for the message he had sent. The result was that the CCMA held that the employees conduct was seen to have broken down the employer-employee relationship, and his dismissal was thus confirmed to be substantively and procedurally fair. The company dismissed the employee on 15 May 2021 after posting the alleged death threat to the work WhatsApp group on 9 May 2021. The arbitration took place on 24 November and was handed down on 8 December. This case follows Discovery Healths dismissal of 10 employees over WhatsApp messages in which they allegedly planned to maliciously shut down the company. Digital Law Company founder Emma Sadleir previously told MyBroadband employees are disciplined or dismissed for two categories of offences related to what they say about their job on social media: Employees who bring the companys name into disrepute. Employees who breach their duty of good faith towards a company. Now read: WhatsApp gets major smartphone switch feature Jordan Getley, a former British soldier whom friends and family called a true hero, died rescuing his group from the Russian occupiers. His friend Anton, a veteran of the Canadian army, told ITV News about it. Military engineer Anton together with Jordan Getley defended Ukraine as part of a special unit of the International Legion, which is under the command of the GUR of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine. During the Battle of Severodonetsk, Getley's detachment entered into battle with Russian special forces, which led an offensive under cover of tanks. "There was a lot of artillery, a lot of armored units, we got in touch with Russian special forces, Jordan stayed in a dangerous building to provide us with fire cover. A T-72 tank was approaching us and the chances of survival were minimal, says Anton. The defender of Ukraine also said that Jordan's cover allowed the group to retreat to a safe place and continue to perform combat missions. Being under heavy fire from Russian troops, special forces carried the soldier's body away from Russian troops. The scouts knew that Jordan would never leave any of them on the battlefield either. Read also: Kraken special unit defeats occupiers' headquarters in Kharkiv region (VIDEO) Poltava region: as a result of rocket fire, a shopping center in Kremenchuk was occupied Ukrainian paratroopers from Martlet MANPADS hit an enemy helicopter PzH 2000 is already at the front - BILD showed the first video with howitzers in Ukraine Unique footage of UAF strikes on the captured Snake Island has appeared (VIDEO) During the 124 days of the war, the Armed Forces eliminated 35,000 Russian invaders The United States plans to purchase air defense systems for Ukraine - CNN The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Boris Johnson has offered Volodymyr Zelensky an expanded training program for the Ukrainian military in the United Kingdom. This was discussed during Boris Johnson's visit to Kyiv, according to the press service of the British Government. The United Kingdom military can train up to 10,000 Ukrainian servicemen every 120 days. It was clarified that each serviceman will undergo a three-week training, where they will teach advanced combat skills, basic medical training, cybersecurity and tactics of using explosives. Negotiations between Borys Johnson and Volodymyr Zelensky, June 2022, Photo: Office of the President of Ukraine "The Ukrainian military is using British missiles to protect the sovereignty of your country, but also to protect the same freedoms that we take for granted. That is why I proposed to President Zelensky a new large-scale military training program that could change the balance of this war , "said Boris Johnson. The Office of the President of Ukraine said that the main topics of the talks were defense and security. During the meeting, the leaders of the countries discussed in detail the situation at the forefront. " In particular, they talked about the need to increase the supply of heavy weapons. The main thing today is to provide air defense for Ukraine as well. Began to move in this direction. Russian missiles remain a threat to our people, to the whole of Ukraine Obviously, this should be one of the top priorities for all of us, for our partners - to help protect against Russian missiles. It will be a guarantee of life for people in most of our territory , "said President Zelensky. Negotiations between Borys Johnson and Volodymyr Zelensky, June 2022, Photo: Office of the President of Ukraine They also talked about tightening sanctions against Russia and unblocking Ukrainian ports for grain exports. And the results of the Rammstein-3 meeting. The parties also continued to work out security guarantees for Ukraine, which can bring stability not only to our country, but also to Europe and the world. The British government said that the country has already promised more than 1.3 billion pounds in economic and humanitarian support to Ukraine. This assistance includes more than 5,000 NLAW ATGMs, long-range multiple rocket launchers and artillery systems, including 155-mm self-propelled guns. Belgian M109A4BE howitzers from Flanders Technical Supply. 2019. Photo: FTS Read also: Kraken special unit defeats occupiers' headquarters in Kharkiv region (VIDEO) Poltava region: as a result of rocket fire, a shopping center in Kremenchuk was occupied Ukrainian paratroopers from Martlet MANPADS hit an enemy helicopter PzH 2000 is already at the front - BILD showed the first video with howitzers in Ukraine Unique footage of UAF strikes on the captured Snake Island has appeared (VIDEO) During the 124 days of the war, the Armed Forces eliminated 35,000 Russian invaders The United States plans to purchase air defense systems for Ukraine - CNN The man accused of fatally shooting a teenage supermarket worker two years ago in American Canyon is set to face trial for murder next spring. The trial of Christopher Roly Young, 25, is scheduled to begin March 20, 2023 in Napa County Superior Court. Judge Mark Boessenecker scheduled the trial during a June 3 hearing at which Young pleaded not guilty to murder, shooting from a vehicle, and illegal gun and ammunition possession by a felon. 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. Young has been held without bail in the Napa County jail since Aug. 16, 2020, a few hours after authorities say he shot and killed Nathan Gabriel Garza outside the Safeway supermarket where the 18-year-old Fairfield resident and recent high school graduate worked. Investigators say Garza had been delivering groceries to customers waiting at a pickup area in the Safeway parking lot on the morning of the shooting. Shortly afterward, American Canyon Police officers arrested Young after witnesses reported seeing him running through backyards in a nearby neighborhood. The office of District Attorney Allison Haley also alleges that the crime was a drive-by killing, that Young lay in wait before shooting Garza, and that he committed the crime while on bail for a carjacking arrest in Alameda County four months before Garzas death. If convicted of murder, Young may face lifetime imprisonment with no possibility of parole. Attempts on Thursday to contact Youngs Napa-based attorney Michael Keeley were unsuccessful. In a Feb. 28 court filing, Napa County Deputy District Attorney Diane Knoles shared prosecutors account of the events shortly before and after Garzas death a narrative prosecutors said was based on video footage at the Safeway and elsewhere, as well as accounts of Safeway workers and nearby residents. As Garza was leaving the supermarket building shortly before noon, he told a co-worker he had received two calls on Safeways special phone for taking drive-up-and-go grocery orders, but that the caller was muffled and unintelligible except for his name Chris, Knoles said in her report. After employees could not find anyone named Chris with a pending order, Garza went outside with a shopping cart to look into the unusual calls and make a delivery to a waiting customer, according to the filing. Memorial dedicated outside American Canyon supermarket where employee Nathan Garza died A marker and plaque are now displayed outside the grocery where the Safeway worker was slain in August 2020. Garza had just completed the delivery when, one minute past noon, he was shot twice from behind, and arriving paramedics declared him dead at the scene at 12:12 p.m., according to prosecutors. Knoles wrote that an investigation showed the shots were fired from the driver-side window of a white Cadillac that had been parked in Safeways grocery pickup area since about 11:53 a.m. Garza was pushing his shopping cart back to the store and walking by the Cadillacs driver side when he was shot, the report states. Some 20 minutes after the slaying, a woman living on Elliot Drive a half-mile away was confronted by a man in long braids and a red shirt, who tried to yank her into her own backyard and ordered her to get down, get down!, the court filing continued. When the woman broke away from the intruder and called 911, he jumped over a fence into a neighbors yard and then fled west and north through other backyards before police detained him at 1 p.m. initially on suspicion of trespassing in the 200 block of Wetlands Edge Road a mile from the Safeway, according to prosecutors. Suspect in Safeway shooting in American Canyon arraigned on murder, other charges Christopher "Roly" Young faces charges of murder and other felony counts in the Aug. 16 slaying of Nathan Garza in American Canyon. Investigators said they traced the Cadillac from which the gunshots were fired to Tyler Howell, who reported he was sleeping at his friend Rolys house on Los Altos Drive in American Canyon when his keys were taken and the car driven away without his permission between 1 and 2 a.m. on the morning of Garzas death. A check of Howells Facebook account listed an online friend named Roly whose photo matched Youngs appearance, the prosecution filing states. (Howell was arrested later in the day on warrant charges of carjacking and robbery from an April 2020 incident in Alameda County, for which Young was also charged, the filing added.) A police officer found Howells four-door Cadillac locked and parked on Cattail Drive less than a mile from Safeway later on the night of Garzas shooting, according to prosecutors, who said a search revealed a loaded .45-caliber Smith & Wesson handgun inside a backpack, with more ammunition stored in a second knapsack. Hundreds hold vigil for teenager killed while working at Safeway in American Canyon Friends described Nathan Garza as a kind young man who was just embarking on life. Also in the car were a black T-shirt and a pair of black-and-white gloves that prosecutors said matched the shirt and gloves worn by a man driving away in a Cadillac in video footage captured from the home of Youngs neighbor on Los Altos Drive, prosecutors stated. Youngs fingerprints were found on the gun and his DNA inside the left glove, according to the February court filing. In addition, the prosecution filing cites data from local cell towers linking three phone calls the last directed to the Safeway 14 minutes before the shooting to a Samsung mobile phone prosecutors say was bought by Howell but used by Young. (Although Young did not have a phone on his person when arrested, the handset was found more than a month later by a resident of Linwood Lane where a neighbors camera caught video of Young about 12 minutes after the shooting, wrote Knoles, the deputy district attorney.) Martinez man faces murder allegation in shooting death of American Canyon Safeway worker Updated at 11:30 a.m. A 23-year-old Martinez resident arrested on unrelated allegations shortly after the shooting death of a supermarket em Garzas slaying led about 300 people to attend a memorial vigil the next night outside Safeway, where friends and relatives chanted his name, sang hymns and shared reminiscences of the teen, who had graduated from Rodriguez High School in Cordelia that June. He was the sweetest, kindest, upstanding young man who always had a smile and was always ready to help somebody who needed it, Barbara Miles of American Canyon, a customer at the supermarket, said at the candlelight vigil. A young life with so much unfulfilled promise, taken too soon. You can reach Howard Yune at 530-763-2266 or hyune@napanews.com Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. 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